Ice cream at Murdock Farm and Dairy Bar is a staple of summer for Winchendon, Massachusetts, and the surrounding communities. The farm was first established by Peter Morlock in 1885 and sold in 1959 to Henry Girouard, who continued the property as a dairy farm. Not wanting to waste the excess milk from his bottling operation, Girouard constructed an ice cream stand in 1964. The iconic dairy bar on Elmwood Road still serves homemade ice cream from the same trusty machine Girouard purchased nearly 60 years ago.

While the farm has not produced milk since 1994, they have continued to raise cattle. The scenic fields surrounding the dairy bar are spotted with Longhorns and Watusi, an African breed that boasts the largest horns of any cattle in the world. Some are raised for beef, while others are welcome additions to the farm’s petting zoo. Visitors can enjoy their frozen treats in the company of cows, goats, and peacocks.

Other features of the property include an 1830 Greek Revival house and a classic New England barn with a cupola. Views from this height of land extend outward to Wachusett Mountain in Westminster and Princeton, Massachusetts and Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey and Dublin, New Hampshire.

In 2009, the Girouard family partnered with the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust to protect the farm’s legacy, conserving a total of 237 acres through Agricultural Preservation Restrictions and Conservation Restrictions. Today, the working family farm is run by Andy Brooks Jr., a sixth-generation farmer.

Photo courtesy of Murdock Farm & Dairy Bar

Sources: mountgrace.org, facebook.com/MurdockFarmDairyDairyBar, thegardnernews.com, youtube.com