Lebanon County is once again represented in the statewide Visit PA Ice Cream Trail by Patches Family Creamery.
The trail, which is set to run until Sept. 9, features 42 creameries, each known for crafting summer’s most sought-after treat. Patches (201 Fonderwhite Road) joins regional favorites such as Way-Har Farm Market in Bernville, Fox Meadows Creamery in Ephrata, and Urban Churn in Harrisburg.
Read More: A visit to Patches Family Creamery
Launched in 2018 as a collaborative effort by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and its PA Preferred program, DCED’s Tourism Office, and the Center for Dairy Excellence, the Ice Cream Trail aims to support the more than 5,200 dairy farm families and small businesses across the commonwealth.
Those who visit and check in at least 10 of the participating ice cream shops using the dedicated app will receive a special “Scooped” stainless-steel ice cream scooper. Trail-goers can plan their routes and learn about participating creameries at visitPA.com/scooped.
“This year’s trail takes visitors across the commonwealth and is a truly delightful way to spend time with friends and family,” said Carrie Fischer Lepore, DCED Deputy Secretary of Tourism, Film, and Marketing. “We know Pennsylvanians and visitors alike will love the creameries featured on the trail.”
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding further emphasized the importance of the initiative.
“Nothing is sweeter than a cold scoop of Pennsylvania ice cream on a hot summer day,” said Redding. “It’s even sweeter to know you’re supporting a Pennsylvania farm family and feeding the industry that sweetens our lives and feeds our economy every day.”
Pennsylvania, which ranks second in the U.S. in the number of dairy farms and eighth in milk production, also celebrates National Dairy Month in June. The state’s dairy industry provides over 47,000 jobs and contributes $11.8 billion to the commonwealth’s economy annually. Pennsylvania leads the nation in the production of ice cream, butter, and Swiss cheese.
The Ice Cream Trail offers a fun and delicious way to meet the dedicated dairy farm families that work year-round to provide the state with exceptional dairy products, said Emily Barge, Communications and Marketing Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence.
“The dairy industry is an economic driver for Pennsylvania, and 99 percent of our state’s dairy farms are family-owned,” said Barge. “The Ice Cream Trail is a fun way to actually meet the dairy farm families that work around the clock, 365 days a year, to produce delicious dairy products, including farm-fresh ice cream.”
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