Great Brook Farm State Park:
Nature AND Ice Cream

Have you ever taken a long walk in the woods, listening to the birds, stopping to watch the turtles bask in sun on a rock in a pond, gazing skyward through the mottled leaves, and thought: what Nature really needs is an ice cream stand?

Maybe it’s just me, but personally, I thinking communing with Nature works a lot better with a cone in hand. Preferably with sprinkles. Like so:

Fortunately, the good people of the Massachusetts state park system seem to have had the same idea.  And so we have been blessed with Great Brook Farm State Park.

Located a short trip from Boston in Carlyle, Great Brook Farm is a working dairy farm and state park in one, with trails that lead through the fields and surrounding woodlands, past bright green ponds, old stone walls, and pasture, the sort of working landscape that defines traditional New England.

The farm

Corn fields

One of the ponds on the woodland trails

The park includes land that has been used for agriculutre since the 18th century. The property as it stands today dates to an 8 acre farm bought by Farnham Smith in 1938. He slowly bought adjoining land until he owned nearly 1000 acres. In 1974, the land became part of the Massachusetts park system.

At the heart of the park is the dairy farm, run by Mark and Tamma Duffy since 1987. Their "milking herd" averages about sixty cows, who produce five to six hundred gallons of milk each day. Some of the milk is sold to larger dairy operations like Cabot, but some is used to produce ice cream. If the farm is the heart of the park, the ice cream stand is the heart of the farm. The building features a glass wall that allows visitors a view into the milking shed while waiting in line for their sundaes. 

The park takes its educational mission seriously. Kids can visit the animals, take a barn, nursery or milk room tour, and discover something many of today’s children don’t seem to know – that ice cream comes from cows. They can also learn about the origin of honey through the observation hive or attend programs on natural history. And they can pay a visit to a rather unusual gravesite:

Not many cows get their own grave markers, but Prospera was no regular cow. She produced an enormous amount of milk - an estimated 30,000 gallons over her lifetime. At one point she was the second-highest-producing cow in America. A cow of such acheivement deserves a memorial.

If ice cream, big-eyed cows, woodland paths and a cow memorial stone aren't enough, the park also offers picnic tables and a large grassy lawn for lounging, eating, and maybe a game of tag. Trails are open to horseback riding in summer and cross-country skiing in winter. One trail is kept open nights in winter and lit with lanterns for “moonlight  skiing” – an enchanting tradition.  No ice cream in the winter, though – the stand shuts down in October. So go now!

Great Brook Farm State Park
984 Lowell Rd
Carlisle, MA 01741
978 369-6312

Want to find other sources for ice cream made from fresh, local milk? Check out these great farms and creameries:

Smiling Hill
Route 22
Westbrook, ME
207-775-4818
Ice cream available at farm and other retail locations.
info@smilinghill.com

Bangma’s Farm and Dairy Bar
504 West Hartford Ave
Uxbridge, MA 01569
Ice cream from local family farm available at dairy bar.
general@bangmasdairybar.com

Crescent Ridge Dairy
355 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
Home delivery and at select retail locations.
info@crescentridge.com

McCray’s Farm & Ice Cream Shop
55 Alvord St.
South Hadley, MA
533-3714
Ice cream available at farm.

Peaceful Meadows Farm
60 Bedford St
Whitman, MA 02346
109 West Grove St.
Middleboro, MA 02346
170 Water Street
Plymouth, MA
114 Water Street
Plymouth, MA
Ice cream available at four stands.
Peacefulmeadowsiccream@peacefulmeadowsicecream.com

Richardson Ice Cream
156 South Main Street
Middleton, MA 01949
50 Walker's Brook Drive
Reading, MA 01867
Ice cream available at farm and other retail locations.

Shaw Farm
195 New Boston Road
Dracut, MA
978-957-0031
Farm stand and home delivery.

Giffords Ice Cream
Giffords is a widely available local brand which sources its milk and cream from local dairies.

Blake's Ice Cream
Blakes is a widely available local brand which sources its milk and cream from local dairies.