For most of us, a stop at an ice cream shop is a quick indulgence, a summer treat. But for the Cook family, it is their entire life.
Flayvors of Cook Farm Ice Cream is nestled between a handful of dairy cows and some old wooden barns on the property of Cook Farm in Hadley. Debby Cook explains how the family has adapted with the changing times and remained a staple in community.
Want to know more about Flayvors of Cook Farm? Check out our story on asparagus in the Pioneer Valley!
Read the full transcript:
Debby Cook, Flayvors of Cook Farm: The farm was purchased by the Cook family in 1909. Always been a dairy farm, but other parts have changed. So, there’s been beef, as well as dairy. There’s been tobacco, as well as dairy, but the dairy has been the staple.
So, we opened in 1998. This idea was Beth’s dream –my mother-in-law’s dream. She worked in the barn and she wanted a different kind of messy than the barn messy. She always dreamed of having an ice cream shop. She was very social and loved having people gather together. And what better way than ice cream?
The ice cream shop wouldn’t be the same without the farm, so they go hand-in-hand. We can’t imagine a life without farming. So, we do this so that we can have the life that we want.
