Discussion:
End of Milk Bottles in Canterbury
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Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-22 20:11:07 UTC
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The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.

I still buy my milk in bottles, with great difficulty since the
withdrawal of home delivery service in my area.

When did you last buy a glass milk bottle? And why haven't you
bought one since?

SNOOPY
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R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
2005-11-22 23:26:05 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.
I still buy my milk in bottles, with great difficulty since the
withdrawal of home delivery service in my area.
When did you last buy a glass milk bottle? And why haven't you
bought one since?
Years ago. Because they are too small, and therefore less convenient
than the awful plakky ones. If milk came in 2L glass bottles, I'd
probably buy them.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh.
Timaru, New Zealand.
Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-23 00:46:15 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 12:26:05 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
When did you last buy a glass milk bottle? And why haven't you
bought one since?
Years ago. Because they are too small, and therefore less convenient
than the awful plakky ones. If milk came in 2L glass bottles, I'd
probably buy them.
Interesting response, because I find the existing 600ml milk bottles
exactly the right size.

For a single person one bottle of milk covers two days of breakfast
cereal and a 'couple a cuppa'.

For two people two bottles of milk do the same thing and fit nicely in
the refrigerator.

For a family of four, and taking into account that kids are 'smaller'
but tend to consume more milk per volume of person then the 'bottle of
milk per person over two days' rule still holds.

For recipes, back in the days when people were able to cook, 400ml
was a couple of cups. About right for a batch of scones with 200ml
left over for breakfast the next day.

You can scoff at non-metrics from a calculation viewpoint, but for a
practical size, I think it is hard to go past the old pint.

Why do you consider 2 litres an optimum size Stumpy?

SNOOPY
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R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
2005-11-23 06:17:40 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 12:26:05 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
When did you last buy a glass milk bottle? And why haven't you
bought one since?
Years ago. Because they are too small, and therefore less convenient
than the awful plakky ones. If milk came in 2L glass bottles, I'd
probably buy them.
Interesting response, because I find the existing 600ml milk bottles
exactly the right size.
So your needs are different from ours.
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Why do you consider 2 litres an optimum size Stumpy?
It fits nicely in the fridge and doesn't have to be replaced every
five minutes.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh.
Timaru, New Zealand.
Asterix
2005-11-23 08:15:41 UTC
Permalink
I agree that I will miss the 600ml glass bottle

In our home I like milk, my girlfriend can't have much as it upsets her
tummy. Because I like the full flavor, I get the fullest cream milk I can,
so I have to restrict the amount I have - so I keep my figure as close to
100 kilos as possible!
So when we get the 1 or 2 litre bottles we are always having to throw out
milk - what a waste - also the taste in the glass bottle is far better.
So I will miss the glass bottle

PS I remember putting out 20 cents for a bottle in the 80's!
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 12:26:05 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
When did you last buy a glass milk bottle? And why haven't you
bought one since?
Years ago. Because they are too small, and therefore less convenient
than the awful plakky ones. If milk came in 2L glass bottles, I'd
probably buy them.
Interesting response, because I find the existing 600ml milk bottles
exactly the right size.
So your needs are different from ours.
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Why do you consider 2 litres an optimum size Stumpy?
It fits nicely in the fridge and doesn't have to be replaced every
five minutes.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh.
Timaru, New Zealand.
R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
2005-11-23 08:18:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Asterix
I agree that I will miss the 600ml glass bottle
<snip>

I must say I miss glass... but not the 600ml bottles.
Post by Asterix
PS I remember putting out 20 cents for a bottle in the 80's!
I remember 3c tokens in the '70s.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh.
Timaru, New Zealand.
Ross Dawson
2005-11-26 21:37:17 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 21:18:38 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Asterix
I agree that I will miss the 600ml glass bottle
<snip>
I must say I miss glass... but not the 600ml bottles.
Post by Asterix
PS I remember putting out 20 cents for a bottle in the 80's!
I remember 3c tokens in the '70s.
I still remember home delivery of bread, school milk, and 8 (I think)
winegums for a penny!
--
Cheers for now

Ross Dawson.
Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-23 08:43:21 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 19:17:40 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Why do you consider 2 litres an optimum size Stumpy?
It fits nicely in the fridge and doesn't have to be replaced every
five minutes.
What about 3x600ml bottles, two on the rack and one in the door?

Do they still have milk delivery in Timaru?

SNOOPY
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Chris Maslin
2005-11-23 09:26:46 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 19:17:40 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Why do you consider 2 litres an optimum size Stumpy?
It fits nicely in the fridge and doesn't have to be replaced every
five minutes.
What about 3x600ml bottles, two on the rack and one in the door?
Do they still have milk delivery in Timaru?
SNOOPY
Yes, for the moment anyway. Not looking forward to receiving milk in plastic or carton - one of the
main reasons for us getting delivery was to get it in bottles.

Somehow I don't think that home delivery will last long here without glass...

Chris.
R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
2005-11-24 07:42:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 19:17:40 +1300, R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Why do you consider 2 litres an optimum size Stumpy?
It fits nicely in the fridge and doesn't have to be replaced every
five minutes.
What about 3x600ml bottles, two on the rack and one in the door?
Waste of space. We have enough trouble finding room without more
unneccessary clutter.
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Do they still have milk delivery in Timaru?
I think ours dried up a few months back. It was still going until
quite recently though.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh.
Timaru, New Zealand.
BrentC
2005-11-23 00:55:07 UTC
Permalink
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.
I still buy my milk in bottles, with great difficulty since the
withdrawal of home delivery service in my area.
When did you last buy a glass milk bottle? And why haven't you
bought one since?
SNOOPY
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Good job too - dirty horrible things milk bottles - I can still
picture the disgusting things passing across my Dairy counter after
they had been used to collect sump oil or measure pesticide YUCK





**************

BrentC
Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-23 08:43:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by BrentC
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.
Good job too - dirty horrible things milk bottles - I can still
picture the disgusting things passing across my Dairy counter after
they had been used to collect sump oil or measure pesticide YUCK
How many vehicles have a sump smaller than a pint? If you are
measuring out a 'pint of pesticide' at a time, you are a farmer.

I think you are exaggerating Brent!

SNOOPY
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BrentC
2005-11-23 23:48:17 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Post by BrentC
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.
Good job too - dirty horrible things milk bottles - I can still
picture the disgusting things passing across my Dairy counter after
they had been used to collect sump oil or measure pesticide YUCK
How many vehicles have a sump smaller than a pint? If you are
measuring out a 'pint of pesticide' at a time, you are a farmer.
I think you are exaggerating Brent!
SNOOPY
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Me thinks not - mind you - that was 20 yrs ago - maybe Chch people
have got tidier - but I doubt it

There used to one or two bottles every day that we felt were very
suspect :(

We certainly never used bottled milk - despite selling 20 to 30 crates
a day of the stuff.

Plus - milk should not be stored in a clear container in any sort of
light - when buying - always get the milk that is in shadow in the
cooler

**************

BrentC
Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-24 00:50:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by BrentC
There used to one or two bottles every day that we felt were very
suspect :(
Did you ever see the milk bottle cleaning machinery in action at the
milk plant? I remember going through one when I was a kid and the
term 'rigorous steam cleaning' would not be an exaggeration.
Post by BrentC
We certainly never used bottled milk - despite selling 20 to 30 crates
a day of the stuff.
25 crates a day with 50(?) in a crate comes to 1250 bottles a day (Boy
you sold a lot of milk).

1-2 bottles to day is only 0.1% of that total. Put in that light your
contaminated bottle figures could be right. But then, you are
assuming that those doubtful bottles weren't weeded out at the
reprocessing stage. You are assuming the cleaning process was
ineffective.

My main concern as a consumer has been with chipped bottles (the chip
not visible until you remove the foil lid). I always doubted that
the foil seal worked properly with those bottles.
Post by BrentC
Plus - milk should not be stored in a clear container in any sort of
light - when buying - always get the milk that is in shadow in the
cooler
Including those clear plastic containers?

I must admit I've be caught. Milk bottles have a best before date
stamped on the lid, but I have bought milk that tasted 'off', well
before that best before date. I don't mind picking up the front of
the fridge bottle when I intend to use the milk 'that morning', but I
usually reach to the back of the milk fridge when buying a second
bottle.

My dairy has a 'beverage fridge' with a window, but I always put the
'off' milk down to it sitting on the back of a non-refrigerated milk
truck for too long before it was delivered to the dairy in the first
place. I had a cousin who worked in the dairy industry for a while
and he told me that leaving your milk on the bench at ambient
temperature for a couple of hours would knock around a day off the
shelf life.

I also have the feeling that with the reduction in home delivery
service the dairies are not being served as well either. I have often
had to buy milk due to expire within two days. That indicates it has
been 'floating around in the system' for a week at least which IMO is
too long a time. Furthermore I have bought my milk at the diary only
to find that when I went back for some more two days later I was still
buying from the same batch.

SNOOPY
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R. G. 'Stumpy' Marsh
2005-11-24 07:45:20 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
25 crates a day with 50(?) in a crate comes to 1250 bottles a day (Boy
you sold a lot of milk).
24 bottles per crate, IIRC.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh.
Timaru, New Zealand.
George.com
2005-11-24 07:47:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Post by BrentC
There used to one or two bottles every day that we felt were very
suspect :(
Did you ever see the milk bottle cleaning machinery in action at the
milk plant? I remember going through one when I was a kid and the
term 'rigorous steam cleaning' would not be an exaggeration.
Post by BrentC
We certainly never used bottled milk - despite selling 20 to 30 crates
a day of the stuff.
25 crates a day with 50(?) in a crate comes to 1250 bottles a day (Boy
you sold a lot of milk).
1-2 bottles to day is only 0.1% of that total. Put in that light your
contaminated bottle figures could be right. But then, you are
assuming that those doubtful bottles weren't weeded out at the
reprocessing stage. You are assuming the cleaning process was
ineffective.
My main concern as a consumer has been with chipped bottles (the chip
not visible until you remove the foil lid). I always doubted that
the foil seal worked properly with those bottles.
Post by BrentC
Plus - milk should not be stored in a clear container in any sort of
light - when buying - always get the milk that is in shadow in the
cooler
that'll probably explain why we don't have see through cows

rob
Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-25 05:53:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
25 crates a day with 50(?) in a crate comes to 1250 bottles a day (Boy
you sold a lot of milk).
Just checked at the dairy today. Each crate holds 20 milk bottles.
(wouldn't that be a great Trivial Pursuit question).

So that is 500 bottles of milk sold per day. Still quite a few.
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
1-2 bottles to day is only 0.1% of that total.
Comes to 0.3%
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Put in that light your
contaminated bottle figures could be right.
SNOOPY
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BrentC
2005-11-27 21:30:14 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
25 crates a day with 50(?) in a crate comes to 1250 bottles a day (Boy
you sold a lot of milk).
Just checked at the dairy today. Each crate holds 20 milk bottles.
(wouldn't that be a great Trivial Pursuit question).
So that is 500 bottles of milk sold per day. Still quite a few.
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
1-2 bottles to day is only 0.1% of that total.
Comes to 0.3%
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Put in that light your
contaminated bottle figures could be right.
SNOOPY
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Yep - tell me about it - I had to load most of them before going to my
real job :(

I have since promised that I will never again, buy my wife a dairy :)

**************

BrentC
Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-11-26 09:32:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.
I've been wondering if I should start a personal boycott of Meadow
Fresh, the Christchurch plant at least, because of their actions of
withdrawing milk bottles?

In some ways it would be a kind of 'perverse protest', since all other
bottling plants have closed. And you might argue I should be
supporting Meadow Fresh for being the last company to 'turn out the
lights' (so to speak).

However, I keep hearing how the free market is about choice. There is
no doubt that it is Meadow Fresh that has taken the choice of getting
milk in glass bottles away. That means I think that some sort of
protest is justified.

I've been peering over the labels of milk in the supermarket in the
past week. The new opaque style of carton branded 'Meadow Fresh'
seems to be made in Dunedin. That makes them OK.

The clear plastic bottles don't have a 'port of origin' printed on
them. Because I have seen clear plastic bottles in dairies, as an
alternative to glass, I have to assume they come from Christchurch.
Therefore I intend to boycott those.

Pam's milk seems to be bottled (sic) in Mount Roskill in Auckland.
So it looks like I could buy those without lowering my moral
standards.

In the meantime I'll be enjoying my last few days with glass :-(.

SNOOPY
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Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
2005-12-01 06:32:05 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Pam's milk seems to be bottled (sic) in Mount Roskill in Auckland.
So it looks like I could buy those without lowering my moral
standards.
'Ouch'. Had another look at the Pam's label. 'Marketed' out of Mt
Roskill, but the bottles look suspiciously like Meadow Fresh bottled
in Christchurch! So no Pam's for me.

I did see some plastic bags of Milk in the supermarket, bottled
(bagged) in Dunedin. Anyone tried those? Looks like I'll have to
keep my bottle to pour the milk into if I try 'em. But those litre
plastic bags must be the low waste way to go.

SNOOPY
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d
2005-12-01 09:58:04 UTC
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Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
I did see some plastic bags of Milk in the supermarket, bottled
(bagged) in Dunedin. Anyone tried those? Looks like I'll have to
keep my bottle to pour the milk into if I try 'em. But those litre
plastic bags must be the low waste way to go.
I've seen them up north. There's a matching plastic jug that the bag
sits in. Just chop off the top corner of the bag, and drop the whole
thing, bag and all into the jug.

D.
Rob J
2006-01-18 10:14:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
Post by Snoopy) te***et.*z (*is n
The announcement of the end of the last milk bottling plant in New
Zealand so soon after the demise of it's most vocal supporter - Rod
Donald - is indeed a shock.
I've been wondering if I should start a personal boycott of Meadow
Fresh, the Christchurch plant at least, because of their actions of
withdrawing milk bottles?
In some ways it would be a kind of 'perverse protest', since all other
bottling plants have closed. And you might argue I should be
supporting Meadow Fresh for being the last company to 'turn out the
lights' (so to speak).
However, I keep hearing how the free market is about choice. There is
no doubt that it is Meadow Fresh that has taken the choice of getting
milk in glass bottles away. That means I think that some sort of
protest is justified.
There are lots of companies bringing in milk but most of them don't use
glass. Get a grip.
Alan Liefting
2005-11-26 22:17:52 UTC
Permalink
The Green Party have a petition to save the milk bottle:
http://greens.org.nz/searchdocs/pr9378.html
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