1978 May 9

INTRODUCTION

EXPLANATION OF ORIGIN OF PHOTOGRAPHS DEMONSTRATING MILK PROCESSING PROCEDURES AT THE BRIGHT STAR DAIRY COMPANY
Scope and Content Note: Bright Star routemen carried packets of photographs to demonstrate milk processing procedures to existing and prospective customers. Photographs taken in old building except those showing can intake, which occupied part of new addition; acquisition of larger milk can washing machine necessitated expansion.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFICER INSPECTS INCOMING MILK (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 1)
Scope and Content Note: Inspector tested fresh milk by smell; also took milk temperatures when possible, but generally able to determine temperature by feeling cans. Inspector worked all day, four to five days per week, including Sundays. Truckers loaded numbered cans from vehicles onto chain-type conveyor belt.

DAIRY EMPLOYEE DOUBLE CHECKS INCOMING MILK (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 2)
Scope and Content Note: Freshness checked by Bright Star inspector's “keen sense of smell”; temperatures taken if no health department official present. Milk dumped into weigh tank; empty cans automatically entered the washer. Blochowiak identifies washing machine, control buttons, and speaking tubes, which enabled inspector, to communicate with other departments and truck drivers. Dairy operated a conveyor belt three or four years before adopting bulk (non-can) milk handling. Bright Star hesitated implementing new process until other dairies experimented and improved the system. Blochowiak describes how Bright Star Dairy dealt with one of the bulk system's early problems.

MILK WEIGHED, RECORDED, AND SAMPLED FOR ADDITIONAL LABORATORY TESTS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 3)
Scope and Content Note: Entire milk supply for each farmer-producer consolidated, weighed, recorded, and sampled for fat content testing; held ten days, then samples retested thirty days later by health department inspectors. Blochowiak identifies weigh scale, recording chart, and sample bottles.

MILK ENTERS WEIGH TANK (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 4)
Scope and Content Note: Receiving weigh tank suspended from scale; capacity of ten cans of milk per minute. Scale reset to zero after each farmer's entire milk supply weighed independently.

INTERRUPTION OF DISCUSSION

MILK ENTERS WEIGH TANK, continued
Scope and Content Note: Cans returned to removable, stainless steel track to enter can washing machine, the most modern machine available. “It did everything”: washed covers, pre-rinsed cans with cold water, washed cans repeatedly with hot water and increasingly potent alkaline solution, and sterilized cans with a shot of steam.

EMPTY, CLEANSED MILK CANS LEAVE WASHER (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 5)
Scope and Content Note: Covers automatically placed on milk cans; cans gathered on “accumulating conveyor” track for efficient loading onto trucks. Two outtake tracks ensured continuous operation controlled by truckers.

MILK ENTERS RECEIVING TANKS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 6)
Scope and Content Note: Two 1,200-gallon automatic tanks alternately accumulated milk. Dairies at this time not allowed to modify cream content of milk. Bright Star Dairy's milk tested between 3.6 percent and 3.65 percent fat content. In more recent times, milk standardized to 3.25 percent fat content al- though farmer-producers legally able to ship 3 percent milk to dairies. Blochowiak also points out the tanks held 18- to 20-inch cylinders which contained ammonia to cool milk; further explains function of a third tank which held Grade A milk of a higher test as opposed to “standard milk” of lower fat content.

FLASH PASTEURIZATION REPLACES “LONG HOLDING PROCESS” (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 7)
Scope and Content Note: Before flash pasteurization, milk held in tanks at 145 degrees F. for half hour before cooling and bottling. Flash pasteurization maintained milk at 161 degrees F. for fifteen seconds; temperature-controlled “flow diversion valve” prevented any milk from entering bottles if temperature fell below 161 degrees F. Two gauges, sealed and monitored by health department, separately measured high and low milk temperatures. Law required temperatures be maintained at 160 degrees F. for flash pasteurization and 38 degrees F. for cooling and bottling. Numerous and intricately arranged pipes welded into one piece and cleaned by flushing with cold water, followed by alkaline and hot water solutions, and finally by an acidic solution. Stainless steel replaced constantly corroding tin-plated copper pipes. Equipment checked continuously by Milwaukee Health Department and Bright Star personnel.

END OF TAPE 3, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

DAIRY EMPLOYEES' STANDARD DRESS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 7)
Scope and Content Note: Dress an industry requirement. Khaki pants permitted later.

HOMOGENIZING MACHINE (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 8)
Scope and Content Note: Consumer demand initiated production of homogenized milk although homogenizing process used previously to produce canned milk and ice cream mixes. Technical problems in building machine to allow dismantling for proper cleaning and operating under 3,000 pounds of pressure later solved when machine built with cylinder block of solid piece of stainless steel. Homogenizer raised pressure of milk to 3,000 pounds per inch to break up fat globules into uniform size and equal buoyancy. Globules given a negative electrical charge to prevent them from floating to surface and forming a layer of cream on top of milk. Blochowiak points out clarifier, a circular machine containing a series of plates and thin film through which milk passed to remove, by centrifugal force, unwanted foreign particles from milk, including leukocytes. Early clarifiers, replacing inefficient, manual straining technique, processed milk at 130 degrees F.; “cold clarification” process later development. Flash pasteurizing machine, composed of over 150 consecutively arranged stainless steel plates; on one side, pasteurized milk; on the other, incoming raw milk. No danger of mixing the two since pasteurized milk under 15 pounds pressure, raw milk in a vacuum. Plates also served as cooling device. Flash pasteurizer, control panel, homogenizer and clarifier replaced seven alternately operating holding tanks which retained milk for one-half hour. Decision to modernize equipment based on efficiency and energy-saving factor. Machines generated much heat, steam, and fairly loud hum, although noise not unbearable.

RECEIVING TANKS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 9)
Scope and Content Note: Held pasteurized milk awaiting bottling; occasionally jammed or broken bottles or malfunctioning equipment necessitated temporarily storing milk in receiving tanks, which were later replaced by 3,000-gallon refrigerated storage tanks.

BOTTLE WASHING PROCESS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 10)
Scope and Content Note: Dairy cleansed all incoming milk bottles for 20 minutes in Dumore washing machine specially designed with brushes to cleanse entire bottle. Bottles automatically rinsed with cold water and washed several times with increasingly potent alkaline solution and sterile water; finally rinsed with cold chlorine solution to prevent cooling waters from contaminating bottles; bottles cooled in stages to prevent breakage.

BOTTLE SIZE
Scope and Content Note: Quart most popular. Later use of half-gallon bottles required purchase of new washing machine.

INSTALLATION OF DUMORE WASHING MACHINE IN THE
Scope and Content Note: Recalls machine installed on bitter cold day with temperatures as low as -22 degrees F.

BOTTLE CLEANSING PROCESS USED IN DAIRY BEFORE DUMORE MACHINE INSTALLED
Scope and Content Note: Formerly used machine without brushes, which cleaned with alkaline and turbulent water; not as effective as brush technique.

MORE ON BOTTLE CLEANSING
Scope and Content Note: Machine processed bottles for 20 minutes of the 33-minute washing cycle; temperature automatically monitored.

BOTTLE BREAKAGE AND NON-RETURNABLE RATE
Scope and Content Note: Each bottle averaged 80 trips. High rate of return due to customers' respect for private property.

DUMORE WASHING MACHINE (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 11)
Scope and Content Note: Manufactured in Cudahy, Wisconsin, and custom designed for individual dairies. Bright Star Dairy's machine built in 1940s with special 12-bottle width to accommodate 120 bottles per minute.

GRAVAC BOTTLE FILLER AND CAPPER (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 12)
Scope and Content Note: Round tank held 50 gallons of milk; operated on principles of gravity and vacuum; automatically controlled to prevent filling if bottle broken. Vacuum prevented milk from foaming at 38 degrees F. Same machine capped bottles with cardboard discs.

HOODER (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 13)
Scope and Content Note: Caps covered and thermo-sealed with plastic-coated paper to prevent contamination and destruction when filled bottles packed and iced.

DAIRY EMPLOYEE CASES FILLED BOTTLES AND SENDS THEM ON CONVEYOR TO REFRIGERATOR (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 14)
Scope and Content Note: Foreman coordinated entire milk processing procedure.

PLASTIC BOTTLE HOODS
Scope and Content Note: Sterile plastic bottle hoods heated to 500 degrees F. and loaded into machine in a way to guard against contamination.

END OF TAPE 3, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

PROCEDURES BEFORE INSTALLATION OF MODERN EQUIPMENT
Scope and Content Note: Previous bottle washer similar to later (Dumore) machine except only 8 bottles wide; new 12-bottle width accommodated 120 bottles per minute. Operator could comfortably handle 80 to 90 bottles per minute.

ADDITIONAL PLANT EQUIPMENT (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 14)
Scope and Content Note: High-intensity light aided employees in spotting bottling and capping errors. Speaking tubes enabled factory-wide communication; each stage of dairy operation identified by bell code.

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Scope and Content Note: Employed two trained maintenance men to service machines, although outside help occasionally required. Machines automatically controlled by safety micro-switches to shut off power in event of malfunctioning. Most machines and parts purchased locally if possible; Bright Star stocked commonly replaced parts. Repairs usually done at night.

REFRIGERATION AND DISTRIBUTION ROOM (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 15)
Scope and Content Note: Large room insulated with six inches of cork. Employee first filled “short items” for delivery after receiving order sheet from each routeman. Inventory taken at the end of the day to corrobo- rate figures. Raw milk delivered between 9:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.; milk usually completely processed by mid-afternoon. Always bottled in excess of what was needed to cover any losses due to truck accidents. Extra milk stored at 38-40 degrees F. and delivered next day to avoid spoilage. Refrigeration and other areas totally dependent on municipal power supply; power failures rare.

MILK BY-PRODUCTS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 16)
Scope and Content Note: Farmers' milk production fluctuated throughout the year; during high production (flush season) 20 percent of extra milk used to manufacture buttermilk, cottage cheese, chocolate milk, butter, and sour cream. Blochowiak identifies employees making Bright Star's famous “baker's special cheese” and describes “cold process” for producing the smooth cheese. Identifies stainless steel hopper which dumped cheese into blender for further processing; a cylindrical butter churn, and three 400-gallon pasteurization tanks. At least five employees produced milk by-products daily; butter churned twice daily.

CHEESE BLENDER (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 17)
Scope and Content Note: Cheese dumped from stainless steel hopper into blender; a specially designed stainless steel-lined machine which filled 30-pound tins lined with plastic bags; bags removed and fastened while blending continued. Cheese not aged but handled like cottage cheese. Whey, another end product, discarded down the sewer.

BUTTER AND BUTTERMILK PRODUCTION (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 18)
Scope and Content Note: Churned butter packed into specially constructed and treated wooden “Friday boxes.” Each churning produced 1,500 pounds of butter. Bright Star Dairy boasted of producing Milwaukee's only genuinely churned buttermilk; utilized extensively researched process of producing buttermilk from cultured cream base, applying particular churning technique, and adding small amount of a “harmless” gelatinous stabilizer, since end product of churned butter is an “undesirable” watery substance. Dairy also churned a 35-percent-fat-content cream to produce a buttermilk hog feed.

ENTIRE LINE OF BRIGHT STAR PRODUCTS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 19)
Scope and Content Note: Displayed in last photograph of demonstration packet; photographs served as an educational and advertising medium.

DAIRY TOURS
Scope and Content Note: School children and Scouts visiting dairy toured actual milk processing operations; pre-tour machine-operation instructions prevented possible accidents, although dairy carried special insurance. Tour followed by milk processing demonstration and discussion period; children treated to drink and token gifts. Blochowiak lauds dairy's sales manager and former teacher's special rapport with children.

CHOCOLATE MILK PRODUCTION
Scope and Content Note: Chocolate powder purchased from Robert A. Johnston Company of Milwaukee. Production required several uncomplicated procedures, such as measuring and weighing chocolate powder. “Chocolate milk” label specified whole milk flavored with chocolate; “chocolate drink” consisted of skim milk mixed with stabilizer to make a viscous mixture resembling chocolate milk. Schools carried chocolate milk.

END OF TAPE 4, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

FAT-FREE MILK
Scope and Content Note: Skim milk previously produced in limited quantities for people on special diets; more low fat milk produced when cholesterol became an issue.

ORANGE DRINK
Scope and Content Note: Orange drink industry wanted reputable outlets for bottling and distributing its product and sought association with manufacturers of high quality, government inspected dairy products. Ten to twelve percent orange juice concentrate processed with water and sugar. Orange drink bottled after equipment cleaned from milk processing.

ADDITIONAL MILK BY-PRODUCTS (PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER 19)
Scope and Content Note: Dairy also manufactured creams, one-half pints of milk for schools, sour cream and unsalted and salted butter.

BRIGHT STAR DAIRY HAS COMPETITIVE EDGE DUE TO MARKETING OF HIGH QUALITY MILK AND BY-PRODUCTS
Scope and Content Note: Good reputation for buttermilk and baker's special cheese; manufactured only high quality items. All products marketed under Bright Star; declined to produce milk and cottage cheese under different labels. Bright Star added Grade A non-fat solids to otherwise watery skim and 2 percent milk. Skim and 2 percent milk now supplemented with Vitamins A and D lost during removal of fats. Homogenized milk fortified with Vitamin B for body to fully utilize benefits of calcium and phosphorus found in milk.

REASONS FOR CHANGE IN CONSUMER MILK PURCHASING HABITS
Scope and Content Note: Development of A & P chain supermarkets, with self-service and low prices for familiar items, e.g., bread and milk, helped turn public from home delivery. Employee unionization, which came to Bright Star in 1934, increased operational costs and decreased home delivery service. Bright Star Dairy ceased operation on April 29, 1972, due to increased operational costs and declining home delivery service, “the life blood” of the dairy.

EXPANDING SERVICE AREAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RISING DISTRIBUTION COSTS
Scope and Content Note: Route areas widened due to construction of expressways and population shifts to suburbs; length of individual routes, extending to as much as 70 miles per day per route, required greater replacement of worn-out truck parts and necessitated purchase of refrigerated trucks to replace inefficient ice packed trucks. Early refrigerated trucks expensive; until Divco Corporation built a sturdy but expensive truck, tires, wheels and springs frequently collapsed.

DISTANCE FROM MILK SUPPLY INCREASES BECAUSE OF SUBURBANIZATION
Scope and Content Note: Most milk obtained from farms not affected by the increased subdivision of farm land, but recalls one route that was nearly halved due to land division.

BULK HANDLING INCREASES DAIRY OPERATIONAL COSTS
Scope and Content Note: Dairies helped farmers finance conversion to bulk handling; dairies contributed fifteen cents per hundredweight the first year, ten cents the second year, and five cents the third (and final) year. Bright Star Dairy hesitated implementing new system until other dairies experimented and corrected early problems; e.g., milk tank size and delivery schedule, and gradually phased out can operation. Expenses during conversion included cost of tank truck, approximately $20,000, and construction of bigger milk houses. Blochowiak estimates minimum investment of $3,000 per farm, maximum $6,000 per farm. Bright Star sold can washing machine to cheese factory in northern Wisconsin.

BLOCHOWIAK COMMENTS ON ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
Scope and Content Note: Only highly mechanized businesses handling large volume able to survive in the 1970s. Due to mechanization, “it takes a fortune to even begin to get into the business.” Blochowiak, working with various Milwaukee area non-dairy businesses, watched machinery replace manual labor. Successful business depends on its capability to make adjustments to speedily replace its “antiquated equipment.”

END OF INTERVIEW