A flavor of Ag with all the toppings

By: Karen Crum

“I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” At least that is the hope of Chuck, Paula and Rick Fry, who recently opened up Rocky Point Creamery in Tuscarora, Md.
These local farmers, husband, wife and brother in Maryland just expanded their dairy farm operation into a branch of agritourism.
The doors opened in November 2011, and the grand opening was held on March 24. Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Buddy Hance attended the celebration.

The Fry family belongs to a multi-generational farm. They have been on their farm since 1883 and in dairy business since 1952. Chuck Fry is currently milking about 200 cows.

Located on the farm, Rocky Point Creamery offers a sweet and educational experience. Rocky Point has 24 flavors out in the case at all times, but they have over 200 recipes for different types.

According to the International Dairy Foods Association, more than 90 percent of American households purchase ice cream. Considering people never stop craving ice cream, this seemed like a good business investment.

It took the Fry family about six months to build the shop and about a year to actually open up to the public. They have about 10 employees hired. “Ice cream is served with a smile,” says Paula.

The Fry family has a strong passion for agriculture and belongs to the Maryland Farm Bureau, where Chuck is currently serving as the first vice president.

Chuck said he opened the creamery to “diversify the farm and bring the next generation to the farm. It’s about agriculture viability and sustainability.” Viability means maintaining and recovering the idea of their farm. Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment. It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term. The Fry family hopes to stay in the dairy industry for as long as possible.

Dairy farming has been the leading agricultural industry in Frederick County. During 2008, our 119 dairy farms were home to 15,000 cows that produced 276 million pounds of milk. That is equivalent to about 6.5 glasses of milk per Frederick County resident every day. That may sound like a lot of milk, but Maryland is a milk deficit state, producing just one glass of milk per person per day.

The Fry family, as well as other dairy farmers in Maryland is not only struggling with finances and the poor economy, but also Government regulations which make it more costly and inconvenient to farm. With the new regulations and restrictive laws on farming that are being created, the government keeps increasing the price and adding obstacles for the farming community.

Over the past few years, many dairy farmers have had to sell out due to the poor economy. The Fry family, as well as many others, are doing all in their power to prevent the dairy industry completely dissolving in Frederick County.
Paula says, “We all have fond memories of ice cream. It’s a happy food.” What better way to draw in customers and open up the line of communication between the farmer and the consumer?

The Frys want to bring people to their farm. Chuck said people love farming from a distance, but they think it’s too dirty, smelly and loud up close. Their hope is to change the opinion of the public so there is an appreciation for farming, as opposed to the more common hatred or frustration.

On Thursday, April 19, neighbors to the Fry farm stopped in for their weekly ice cream. Hyman said, “You can’t beat the taste and it’s nice to have the open line of communication with the Fry family.” Her husband went on to say, “After talking with the farmers, we understand why they are doing what they do and if we are concerned about anything such as the chemicals, all we have to do is ask.” The couple said that their interaction with the Fry farm family have all been pleasant and understanding.

Another neighboring couple said they asked the Fry’s to halt their manure spreading for a day or two, because they were having a family picnic and the farmers changed their schedule to be accommodating.

The goal of the creamery is to get the next generation out to the farm, attracting them with ice cream, but then have the opportunity for them to see the actual operation and to possibly be educated on the farm scene.

Chuck said he doesn’t see Rocky Point being sold at grocery stores. His goal is to get customers out onto the farm, so if he is selling it in a store, the farmer/customer interaction isn’t happening. If the right opportunity presents itself and he thinks it may increase traffic onto his property, then he may take it, but as of now, they are keeping it strictly on the farm.

Rocky Point Creamery is among less than ten creameries in Maryland, one of the most famous ones is South Mountain Creamery.

People tend to think of factory farming when they hear agriculture, but in fact, statistics from the American Farm Bureau states, “about 97 percent of U.S. farms are operated by families – individuals, family partnerships or family corporations.”

There is also a party room available to rent! It costs $50 for the first hour and $25 for every hour to follow. The room is intended for birthday parties, baby showers, bus tours or any other group event. Chuck says ice cream and a meeting is a great combination and guests can "party 'til the cows come home!"

So far, the Fry family plans to keep their products sold strictly at their farm in order to accomplish what their goals of the creamery are.

Rocky Point Creamery
4323A Tuscarora Road Tuscarora, Md. 21790
301-874-5005 ; Email: Rockypointcreame@aol.com
Hours of operation: noon till dusk; closed on Monday
Chuck Fry said, “We are preserving agriculture one scoop at a time.”