John Aikin, whose Natural History of the Year Hone quoted, said Old May Day was the usual time for turning cattle out into the pastures, though the grass was often still very bare. The milk grew richer on the young grass, and May was the month when the dairies began making cheese. Cheshire, Wiltshire and the low country of Gloucestershire were the parts of England most famous for it.
Turning out the cattle on Old May Day
12 May
No longer kept
Old May-day is the usual time for turning out cattle into the pastures, though frequently then very bare of grass.
From Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. 1, col. 683. Read the original
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