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Massachusetts has a rich history of ice cream-making and dairy farming, and the state is sharing a new way of honoring that sweet heritage with an official state ice cream trail.
There are more than 100 ice cream "destinations," from local shops to farmstands, throughout Massachusetts on the trail, unveiled by Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll Thursday at Richardson's Ice Cream in Middleton.
“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,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
The 105 locations on the trail are divided into six regions: Greater Boston; North and South of Boston; Western and Central Massachusetts; and Cape Cod & The Islands.
At the official launch ceremony at Richardson's Ice Cream, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randal emphasized the importance of dairy farms for the state's economy.
"Dairy farming is essential to the diversity of Massachusetts agriculture and contributes to a healthy local food system," said Randle, a fifth-generation dairy farmer herself. “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."
While the July ceremony comes at the end of National Ice Cream Month, the trail is just beginning its celebration of Massachusetts' sweet history.
