Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding stopped at The Lands at Hillside Farms on Tuesday to kick off the sixth annual PA Ice Cream Trail. From left are Michael Chapaloney, Executive Director of Tourism for Pennsylvania; and Chet Mozloom, Lands at Hillside Farms Executive Director, with ‘Candy,’ a three-month-old calf.
Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader
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Chet Mozloom, Lands at Hillside Farms Executive Director, left, enjoys some Hillside ice cream with Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding stopped at The Lands at Hillside Farms on Tuesday to kick off the sixth annual PA Ice Cream Trail.
Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader
Chet Mozloom, Lands at Hillside Farms Executive Director, looks on as Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding checks out some hay in the cow barn at The Lands at Hillside Farms on Tuesday morning.
Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader
SHAVERTOWN — On a bright, sunny morning on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding stopped at The Lands at Hillside Farms to deliver a scoop.
And a few minutes later, Secretary Redding enjoyed a few scoops of Hillside’s ice cream.
Redding was in town to announce the kick off of the sixth annual PA Ice Cream Trail.
This summer, Pennsylvanians and visitors can beat the heat and get a sweet treat by visiting any of the 42 creameries that make up the 2023 Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail.
The program is offered through the Department of Agriculture and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and its Tourism, Film & Marketing department.
“Nothing is sweeter than a cold scoop of Pennsylvania ice cream on a hot summer day,” Secretary Redding said. “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.
“Ice Cream Trail stops like The Lands at Hilldale Farms offer a cow-to-cone experience that’s a sweet, wholesome summer memory for the whole family. Get to know the Lands’ story and learn how agriculture feeds the whole person.”
Chet Mozloom, Lands at Hillside Farms Executive Director, explained that The Lands at Hillside Farms is a historic, non-profit, 428-acre educational dairy farm.
“Our mission is to teach life choices that are healthy, logical, and sustainable so that those born 200 years from now will have access to the same or better opportunities and resources,” Mozloom said.
Mozloom took Secretary Redding on a tour of the farm, making several stops along the way, including the ice cream store for a snack.
Michael Chapaloney, Executive Director of Tourism for Pennsylvania, said the Pennsylvania Ice Cream Trail was designed to increase consumer awareness of locally produced dairy products and drive state-wide traffic.
Launched in 2018, Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail is a partnership of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and its PA Preferred program, DCED’s Tourism Office, and the Center for Dairy Excellence.
Secretary Redding said the trail offers “a delicious way to support Pennsylvania’s more than 5,200 dairy farm families and the small businesses that source from them while offering a unique opportunity to explore the commonwealth by the scoop.”
Chapaloney said this year, trail-goers can plan their adventures and learn about participating creameries virtually at visitPA.com/scooped.
“The most dedicated dairy lovers can even earn a commemorative stainless-steel ice cream scooper by accruing 600 points on their digital passport,” Chapaloney said. “Each ice cream shop check-in is worth 100 points. Simply stop in at six shops, make your purchase, and receive a four-digit code to ‘check-in’ and accrue your points this summer.”
Redding said June is National Dairy Month and “it is the cherry on top of the celebration.”
“Pennsylvania has the second largest number of dairy farms in the U.S. and is ranked eighth in milk production nationally,” Redding said. “The Pennsylvania dairy industry provides more than 47,000 jobs and supports the commonwealth’s economy to the tune of $11.8 billion annually. Pennsylvania continues to be a leader in the production of ice cream, butter, and Swiss cheese.”
Emily Barge, Communications and Marketing Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence, said the dairy industry is an economic driver for Pennsylvania, and 99% of the state’s dairy farms are family owned.
“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,” Barge said.
Those who embark on the Ice Cream Trail are encouraged share every sweet stop #PursueYourScoops on visitPA.com’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, housed within the Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to inspiring travel to Pennsylvania. Chapaloney said from iconic attractions to hidden gems, tourism in Pennsylvania helps support the state’s economy and creates jobs for local businesses — all while improving residents’ quality of life.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.