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Braeside Dairy

A young man sits on a horse in front of a small building with a sign for the Braeside Dairy over the door. A small boy and two other men look towards the camera. An insert appears in the lower right corner showing a bottle top for Russett's Dairy.

2014-0339 Carol-Anne Smith fonds, Arnprior & McNab/Braeside Archives.

Regent Fairfield rides a horse in front of the Braeside Dairy. Allan McCuaig and Claude Desjardins stand by.  The milk bottle top (inset) shows that Russett’s Dairy produced their milk from Ayrshire cows.

 

The Braeside Dairy was established at the Russett farm in McNab Township in the 1930’s. Milk was transported to Braeside and delivered door to door first by Gordon Hyde and then by McLean Russett.

Around 1936, Russett built a small dairy on the corner of Proper Street and River Road. Claude Desjardins pasteurized the milk there until 1943, when Hartley Kerr and Elbert McCuaig took over that job until Blythe Russett started in the 1950’s. They delivered milk throughout the village and to Gillies Mill.

The Braeside Dairy was purchased by Merryside Dairy of Arnprior in the fall of 1955, but Bill and Blythe Russett continued producing milk until 1990.