Press Release

Memories from the past

Sep 9th 2002

As a child you might remember picking up fresh milk from your neighbor's cow. Although not everyone was lucky enough to have such a luxury, most people in the 1940's did have fresh convenience or what is now called Home Delivery service. Milk was delivered by a horse drawn milk cart and packaged in glass bottles. After finishing your bottle of milk, you would simply put it out on your front step and when the milkman rode by in the morning he would replace it with a full bottle. There were no such thing as milk tickets, nor were there signs to put up in the window saying whether or not you wanted milk and what kind you wanted.

"Although the concept of home delivery has been around for many years, it has changed immensely", said Jack Christie, General Manager Northumberland Dairy. "These changes have been mainly due to improvements in sanitation procedures, packaging and transportation." This year the co-operative is celebrating 60 years of serving New Brunswick, encorporated in 1942 Northumberland continues to offer the convenience of home delivery. Glass milk bottles were the norm; nowadays they are treasures for some to hold.

"These old milk bottles can be difficult to find, unless you know the proper places to look," said Barb McClenaghan, an avid antique collector. Most of her dairy related collections have come from auctions, yard sales and flea markets. Although dairy related items are not a part of Barb's largest collection, they hold a special place in her heart. "Working with Northumberland Dairy has made me appreciate these types of items more and more because I know how much care and precision goes into each and every carton of milk."

For other collectors, Dairy related items are interesting to collect as they represent a feeling of nostalgia. For some, milk bottles are a novelty, they represent a time gone by, a part of history. You might imagine what it would have been like to have one of these sitting on your doorstep in the morning.

"People interested in collecting can easily find dairy related items," said Willis Desroches, of Desroches Antiques, a well-known name in the Moncton flea market scene. "When looking for milk bottles for example, try to find the ones with labels still on them. Plain, old glass ones are easy to find, but ones with labels of old dairies that may or may not still be in business are the ones worth the money," he said. Milk bottles can run in value anywhere from $2.00 for the most commonly found to $20.00 for a labeled bottle.

Although many things change, Milk continues to be a refreshing, nutritious product, a staple on the tables of many New Brunswick families. "Fond memories of days gone by highlight how far we have come," said Christie. "Northumberland is proud to be locally owned and operated after all these years. Our co-operative embraces the New Brunswick spirit and takes pleasure in delivering quality products to communities throughout the province everyday."

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