ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan was joined by Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Secretary Joe Bartenfelder this week to kick off Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail at South Mountain Creamery in Frederick. The Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail’s 2022 season will run through September 30. Now in its tenth year, the trail is designed to promote the state’s dairy industry, and has become increasingly popular, drawing participants from across the state and the region.

“There’s nothing like farm fresh ice cream on a hot summer day,” said Governor Hogan. “These creameries produce some of the best with fresh Maryland dairy products and local produce. Taking part in the trail only supports this vital part of our agricultural community, and gives Marylanders and visitors to our state the opportunity to explore the beauty Maryland has to offer from the mountains to the beaches.”

The 2022 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail features 10 on-farm creameries that produce and sell their ice cream directly to consumers and stretches more than 290 miles from Washington County to Worcester County. The trail encourages the public to learn more about agriculture and dairy farming, and highlights the important contributions of Maryland’s 325 dairy farms. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2017 Census of Agriculture, dairy farms accounted for more than $174 million in sales in Maryland.

“The Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail is just one unique way we showcase what Maryland agriculture has to offer,” said MDA Secretary Bartenfelder. “The creameries across the state represent hard work and dedication to quality. I encourage all Marylanders to get out this summer and enjoy farm fresh, delicious ice cream!”

Maryland’s Best Ice Cream ‘Trailblazers’ are asked to snap a photo or selfie at each of the 10 creameries and submit them via email to [email protected] once they have completed the trail. All participants are encouraged to share their progress on social media using #MDIceCreamTrail.

The 2022 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail on-farm creameries include: Prigel Family Creamery (Baltimore County), Deliteful Dairy (Washington County), Kilby Cream (Cecil County), South Mountain Creamery (Frederick County), Rocky Point Creamery (Frederick County), Broom’s Bloom Dairy (Harford County), Keyes Creamery (Harford County), Woodbourne Creamery at Rock Hill Orchard (Montgomery County), Misty Meadow Farm Creamery (Washington County), and Chesapeake Bay Farms (Worcester County).

All completed email submissions will receive a “2022 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trailblazer” certificate, and one lucky winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the creamery of their choice, a copy of the children’s book “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish,” and the 2022 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Champion Trailblazer trophy. More information is available at mda.maryland.gov.

Additional information about the critical role dairy farming has in Maryland and the Northeast can be found at americandairy.com.

The 2022 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail can be viewed online here.