This summer, Pennsylvanians and visitors can beat the heat and get a sweet treat by visiting any of the 42 creameries that make up Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail.
Today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary of Tourism, Film & Marketing Carrie Fischer Lepore visited The Lands at Hillside Farms in Shavertown, Luzerne County, to announce the sixth annual PA Ice Cream Trail.
“We are so excited to be kicking off the sixth annual Ice Cream Trail, one of the sweetest parts of summer!” said Deputy Secretary Fischer Lepore. “This year’s trail takes visitors across the commonwealth and is a truly delightful way to spend time with friends and family. We know Pennsylvanians and visitors alike will love the creameries featured on the trail.”
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. 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 providing a unique opportunity to explore the commonwealth by the scoop.
This year trail-goers can plan their adventures and learn about participating creameries virtually at visitPA.com/scooped. The most dedicated dairy lovers can earn a commemorative stainless-steel ice cream scooper by accruing 600 points on their digital passport. 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.
“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 daily. 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.”
June is also National Dairy Month and 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. The Pennsylvania dairy industry provides more than 47,000 jobs and supports the commonwealth’s economy to $11.8 billion annually. Pennsylvania continues to be a leader in producing ice cream, butter, and Swiss cheese.
“The dairy industry is an economic driver for Pennsylvania, and 99 percent of our state’s dairy farms are family owned. The Ice Cream Trail is a fun way to meet the dairy farm families that work around the clock, 365 days a year, to produce delicious dairy products, including farm-fresh ice cream,” said Emily Barge, Communications and Marketing Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence.
Those who embark on the Ice Cream Trail are encouraged to share every sweet stop #PursueYourScoops on visitPA.com’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Marilyn Johnson is a freelance food and travel writer covering the food and drink scene of Philadelphia, South Jersey food, the greater Mid-Atlantic area, and beyond. Email Marilyn at phillygrub@gmail.com with food and travel news. If you liked this article, throw Marilyn a coffee! Follow Marilyn on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
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