Above: Two Commonwealth departments based in Southborough are part of an effort to promote farms and small businesses selling ice cream made from Mass dairy. (images edited from trail map)
You might have heard that this summer, the state launched promotions for a Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail. Today, I learned that that the initiative has a Southborough connection.
If you haven’t checked it out, the Ice Cream Trail promotes ice cream stands and small shops throughout the state. It includes five businesses in towns directly neighboring Southborough. I’m listing those below along with a map edited with a star marking Southborough’s proximity to the businesses*:
Marlborough – Trombetta’s Farm (#89 on map)- Ashland – Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream (#85 on map)
- Framingham:
- Eastleigh Farm (#73 on map)
- Hanson’s Farm (#76 on map)
- Murphy’s Eats & Treats, Inc. (#80 on map)
Of course, the map also encourages residents and visitors to travel further afield to explore places they haven’t visited before.
You can check out the full map here.
It’s not surprising that the map doesn’t include a national chain ice cream shop in our town. But some readers will likely be surprised to see a popular stand just over our western border isn’t included. That’s because the “trail” isn’t just to encourage tourism. It was also created to support Mass Dairy Farmers.
The brochure is limited to farms/stands/shops that sell ice cream “at least partially from cows’ milk and/or cream produced on a Massachusetts dairy farm.” That’s where our town’s connection comes in.
It turns out that the trail map is spearheaded by three state departments, the first two of which are headquartered in Southborough. The initiative is through a partnership of the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT).
While the list is exclusive, it may not include every stand that should qualify. MOTT’s Executive Director indicated in an interview this week that the onus was on the businesses to reach out to participate in the inaugural trail map. Kate Fox told GBH’s Boston Public Radio:
all of the ice cream stands that are listed in the brochure have responded to a coall out for Massachussets dairy-based ice cream stands, and they have given us their information
She also referenced a Wine and Cheese Trail the three departments previously promoted. (You can find that here. It includes six vineyards and one cheese farm/shop in Central Mass. You can view the map here.)
A press release from the state includes more info on the intent of this summer’s map:
“Dairy farms are the backbone of the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail,” s aid Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “They provide the essential ingredients for our delicious ice cream and contribute significantly to our state’s economy and rural character. With this new attraction, we’re making Massachusetts a top destination for ice cream enthusiasts and celebrating our rich agricultural heritage.”
The Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail map serves as a guide to sweet summer explorations. The guide invites residents and visitors to embark on a self-guided tour of the state’s ice cream destinations and learn about the hardworking Massachusetts dairy farmers who raise the cows that produce the fresh milk and cream used to create ice cream treats.
Dairy farming has been a part of Massachusetts agriculture ever since European settlers brought cows to the Plymouth Colony in 1624. As permanent settlements were established, cattle played an important role in providing meat, leather, manure and, of course, milk and other dairy products to allow the colony to flourish.
Today, Massachusetts is home to 95 dairy farms that contribute more than $61 million to the state economy annually. Dairy farming has been an integral part of the state’s agricultural industry for hundreds of years, and dairy farms, the majority of which are small and family-owned, producing more than 20 million gallons of fresh milk each year. These farms contribute to a sustainable local food system by producing the milk that is used to make products like cheese, yogurt, butter, and ice cream that are sold in the state and across the country.
You can read more from the full press release here.
*In my eyes the map appears to be a bit off. So, I placed the star based on Southborough’s location in proximity to the nearby businesses, rather than where we actually are located on state maps.
Updated (8/10/24 11:14 am): After listening to a GBH radio segment on the topic, I updated to include the info on why some farms not included might still use Mass dairy, and about another “trail” you can use to visit vineyards and cheesemongers.
