A second Lebanon County ice cream vendor has joined an old favorite on the annual state-sponsored campaign to encourage residents of and visitors to Pennsylvania to visit 51 creameries across the state.
Colebrook Crossing, a dairy-owned ice cream shop at 1550 Mount Wilson Road, Lebanon, has been added to the state’s expanded list of participants in Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail. It joins Patches Family Creamery, at 201 Fonderwhite Road, Lebanon, which has been on the trail for the past few years.
Launched in 2018, the Ice Cream Trail is a partnership of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and its PA Preferred program, the tourism office of the Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Center for Dairy Excellence.
Ag Secretary Russell Redding and DCED Secretary Rick Siger kicked off the event on May 29 at Destiny Dairy Bar in Carlisle. Other participants outside of Lebanon County include Emingee’s Ice Cream in New Oxford, Fox Meadows Creamery in Ephrata and Leola, Greco’s Italian Ices and Homemade Ice Cream in Landisville and Lititz, Lapp Valley Farms in New Holland and Gordonville, Perrydell Farm and Dairy in York, and Sugar Shack Creamery in Mechanicsburg.
“Pennsylvania ice cream is the sweetest you’ll find anywhere,” Redding said in a statement. “Meeting a farm family, seeing where they work their magic, and trying fresh-made local ice cream makes summer even sweeter when you know your purchases help support Pennsylvania farms and keep our economy thriving.”
Read More: Lebanon County’s sweet, delicious, and cool ice cream history
“Pennsylvania’s dairy farms are an integral part of the fabric that makes up our rich agricultural and culinary history,” Siger added. “Pennsylvania’s Ice Cream Trail is a delicious way for visitors to support local businesses while spending time with friends and family. The Shapiro Administration will continue to find new ways to lift up and invest in the Commonwealth’s tourism and agricultural industries so that we can preserve our history, support small businesses, and strengthen our economy.”
According to the release, anyone can sign up for the trail at visitpa.com/scooped. Also on the website, participants can plan their travels and learn about participating creameries.
“Dedicated dairy lovers can accumulate points by visiting trail stops and making purchases,” the release explains. “Points accumulated from May 30 to September 7 earn prizes through the digital passport. Prizes include a commemorative metal tumbler for six stops, and for 10 stops, an entry into a grand prize drawing to win an overnight getaway to Lancaster County to experience ‘life on the farm.’ Redeeming points from 16 trail stops can earn both the tumbler and an entry to win the grand prize.”
The release notes that Pennsylvania ranks eighth in milk production in the United States, boasting 4,940 dairy farms and 468,000 cows producing 10 billion pounds of milk each year, or about 2,501 gallons per cow.
“Pennsylvania’s dairy industry provides more than 47,000 jobs and supports our state economy to the tune of $11.8 billion annually,” the release states. “Pennsylvania also ranks sixth in number of dairy cows, second in butter production, third in ice cream and Swiss cheese, and fourth in sour cream.”
Emily Barge, communications and marketing manager for the Center for Dairy Excellence, noted in the release that 99 percent of the state’s dairy farms are family owned. “The Ice Cream Trail is a fun way for families from Pennsylvania and beyond to actually meet the dairy farm families who work around the clock, 365 days a year, to produce delicious dairy products and farm-fresh ice cream,” she said.
Led by Visit PA, the commonwealth’s Great American Getaway initiative encourages visitors from nearby metro areas and beyond to explore hidden gems and classic favorites across Pennsylvania. Visitor spending provides more than $80 billion in economic impact and directly supports more than 330,000 jobs across the commonwealth, according to a 2023 report by Tourism Economics.
Travelers on the Ice Cream Trail are encouraged to share their photos (with the hashtag #PAScoops) on social media.
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