Butter paddles were common when farmers made their own butter.
The best paddles were made of kauri as that wood did not taint the butter.
In the milking shed was a ’separator’ into which the milk was poured and by turning the handle the cream was separated from the milk.
The cream (and some salt) was then placed in a butter churn and the handle turned until the cream changed into butter. On hot days this could take a long time and was very tiring.
The butter was then removed in lumps of about 2 handfulls and molded with the paddles to form a block of butter. The butter was either sold or kept for home use.