Celebrate National Ice Cream Month With a Local Scoop

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? It’s the perfect time to cool off with a cone and to celebrate the people behind your favorite frozen treats. This month, we're spotlighting four incredible dairy farming families in the Southeast who do more than just milk cows—they turn that fresh, high-quality milk into handcrafted ice cream that's bursting with flavor and local pride. Whether you’re planning a summer road trip or just looking for your next local indulgence, these farm-based creameries are scooping up something special all year long.

Let’s meet the farmers who are keeping it cool with their homemade ice cream.

Where Can I Celebrate National Ice Cream Month?

Simply Natural Creamery in Ayden, NC

“We offer tours to the schools and the public to teach people where their milk and ice cream come from. Our most popular ice cream flavor is our Butter Pecan, and everyone who visits loves our chocolate milk!”

Simply Natural Creamery in Ayden, North Carolina, was founded by the Moye family. The Moyes wanted their children to learn about livestock and how to properly work with and care for them. They picked docile Jersey cows, Daisy and Carrie, for the kid to feed, handle, and milk. As the children grew older, their love for Jersey cows did as well. What started out as a family pet has quickly grown into the dairy farm they have today, as well as four storefront locations! You can learn more at their website, simplynaturalcreamery.com/.

Havens Down Home Creamery in Lucedale, MS

Looking for a way to cool down in the heat? Visit Havens Down Home Creamery in Lucedale, Mississippi, owned by the Havens family, for some fresh homemade ice cream!

“All our cows are Jersey or Jersey Holstein cross, and they spend their days on lush green pastures and are milked twice daily by our family. The main reason we bought our first cow was to supply our family with milk.”

Since Preston Havens grew up helping his grandfather on a dairy farm, he and his wife Kristen wanted to get back to those roots. The Havens family started their dairy farm and has added more cows, a pasteurizing system, and a local storefront. They began selling milk in 2016 and started making ice cream in 2018.

Their products include cream line milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk, ice cream, spreadable cheese, and beef. You can celebrate National Ice Cream Month with some fresh ice cream or find any of their local products at the Barn Store and at the Havens Down Home Creamery storefront in Lucedale. More information can be found at their website, havensdownhomecreamery.com/. Also, keep an eye out for the Ice Cream Wagon at local events on Havens Down Home Creamery’s Facebook page!

Goode’s Riverside Creamery in Liberty, KY

“For our creamery, the top two sellers are strawberry (made with real strawberries) and butter pecan. We love hearing everyone talk so highly of our ice cream and milk, and drive several miles to visit us after hearing from others how good it is. Our main ice cream maker is our oldest daughter, Emily. She has taken a huge liking to the ice cream processing and spends several days a week devoted to keeping our shelves of take-home sizes—pint, quart, and half gallon—and ice cream hand dipped scoops stocked for our customers. In addition to our ice cream products, we also stock whole milk, low-fat milk, and chocolate milk.

“We love telling everyone the story of how we got to this point and how neat it is that we milk our cows the same day we bottle their milk/ice cream mix. It doesn't get any fresher than that. We look forward to continuing to serve our community and cannot thank them enough for the outpouring of support. It has been the best adventure and we feel the best is still yet to come!”

Goodes Riverside Creamery in Liberty, Kentucky, is owned and operated by Greg and Joy Goode. Greg and Joy, along with their three daughters, Emily, Leann, and Breanna, milk about 50 cows at J-G Springs Dairy. The milk from their dairy is transported to the creamery and used to make farm-fresh milk and ice cream, with plans to add butter to the menu soon.

The creamery offers 16 flavors of ice cream and is open year-round. The flavors vary from month to month, but the tried and true flavors continue to be the best-selling. Follow along on their Facebook page.

Blue Ribbon Dairy in Tallassee, AL

How are you celebrating National Ice Cream Month in the state of Alabama?

Blue Ribbon Dairy in Tallassee, Alabama, makes its own ice cream in small batches, including pints and half pints. Its flavors include good old-fashioned vanilla and a variety of unique seasonal flavors, like banana pudding, that are enjoyed by all!

Blue Ribbon Dairy is a woman-owned family farm. Michaela Wilson is the 4th generation to milk on the farm and currently milks cows in the barn her great-grandfather built in 1947 to become a grade-A dairy. Blue Ribbon Dairy milks an average of 32 cows, 3 different breeds: Holstein, Brown Swiss & Jersey. Michaela makes sure that the cows are cared for and milked daily, bottles milk, makes ice cream, and delivers their products to local storefronts with help from her family.

For several years, Blue Ribbon Dairy has provided fresh, Sweet Grown Alabama-certified dairy products to stores, customers, and fun local events. For more information on where to find Blue Ribbon Dairy products, visit their Facebook page or website at www.blueribbondairyal.com.