By Patty Roy

Massachusetts has always had a tradition of eating lots of ice cream, year-round.

 And why not, when we have always had plenty of the key ingredients – milk from dairy cows and ice cut from local ponds during cold winters.  The ice was packed in sawdust and sent on ships around the world to warmer climates, according to Andrew Robichaud, an assistant professor of history at Boston University in his book-in-progress about the ice trade, tentatively titled “On Ice: America’s Nineteenth-Century Ice Age and the Making of Modern Life.” 

Beginning around 1820 and for the following one hundred years, ice was treated as a crop, a short-lived product that was strategically cultivated and harvested. 

Now, mixing history with tastiness, the state has developed the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail, an initiative celebrating the history of making ice cream and encouraging native Bay Staters and visitors alike to sample the wares.

The map designates more than 100 places to stop for the cool and creamy treat. This is no light-hearted excursion – remember that Massachusetts dairy farms contribute more than $61 million annually to the state’s economy. In fact, as a testimony to its earnestness, the trail was developed by the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT).  

“We are excited to launch the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail, a delicious route that highlights the incredible diversity of our dairy farms and ice cream shops,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Massachusetts has a vibrant agricultural sector that thrives thanks to the hardworking farmers who diligently support our communities. This new tourism trail is designed to invite residents and visitors to experience our creative dessert offerings at traditional parlors, innovative shops, and local farm stands.” 

You can feel good about eating locally produced ice cream, because the majority of local dairy farms are family owned, according to state resources.

 “Small businesses are the heart of our state economy and contribute so much to the fabric of our communities,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “We are excited the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail celebrates our state’s dairy industry and showcases the businesses that deliver delicious treats and family-friendly activities for residents and visitors to Massachusetts.” 

“With the creation of this ice cream trail, we now have a convenient guide to the ice cream shops and dairy farms in Massachusetts that are using locally-produced milk to serve up this summertime staple,” said Ashley Randle, MDAR Commissioner and Chair of the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, who is also a fifth generation dairy farmer. 

For a copy of the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail guide and to learn more, visit www.visitma.com/ice-cream-trail.

You’ll find local stops such as West End Creamery, 481 Purgatory Road, Whitinsville, (www.westendcreamery.com) Elmhurst Dairy Farms, 342 West Main Street, Millbury, Swirls & Scoops, 68 Worcester Street, Grafton and Whittier Farms, 90 Douglas Road, Sutton.

 “As a representative of the Massachusetts Food Association on the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, we are very excited to see this ice cream trail go live,” said Lynne Bohan ,Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board member. “This project furthers our goal of increasing the awareness and the consumption of Massachusetts sourced dairy products throughout the state.”