New to Lum Farm: Goat’s milk ice cream

||| FROM MANDY TROXEL for LUM FARM |||

The hot temperatures of the past weeks were an appropriate nod to the fact that July is National Ice Cream month. A lesser known designation is that June is National Dairy Month,. In light of this, not to mention the summer weeks of August to come, it seems an opportune time to officially announce the arrival of Lum Farm goat’s milk ice cream.

The new venture began last Fall when Lum Farm acquired the ice cream making machine that used to reside at Enzo’s. Crystal Mossman, Lum Farm’s head cheesemaker, was intrigued with the culinary challenge, as goat’s milk is naturally homogenized. Crystal experimented with adding Lum Farm chevre as a base, and found the right balance to make for an extra smooth and creamy texture and taste.

After some trial and error, the farm taste-testers realized they had something special. For one thing, the ice cream is made from the freshest of ingredients: the goats milk, eggs and cheese come straight from the farm. Goat’s milk offers some perks that cow’s milk does not: goat’s milk contains less lactose and a slightly different protein structure, so it is more easily digestible. It also is less prone to cause allergic reactions in folks who struggle with cow milk.

It turns out that Lum Farm is the only WSDA certified goat’s milk ice cream maker in Washington state. It currently can be purchased at the Lum farm stand, Orcas Island Co-op, or Buck Bay Farm. For a special treat, you can also find it in Kingfish Inn desserts.

To add to all this sweet excitement, the San Juan County Land Bank voted in July to accept Eric and Amy Lum’s proposal for the long term lease at Coffelt Farm Preserve. This means that once negotiations are complete, Lum Farm is approved for 10 years at Coffelt’s (pending a 5 year review). With long-term possibilities in place, Lum Farm is thrilled to continue offering community events like springtime “Baby Saturdays” and Holiday Tree sales. The farmstand carries Lum Farm ice cream, cheeses, beef, pork, lamb, goat, wool products, and assorted gifts. Currently, summer farmstand hours are Thursday through Saturday, 12-6pm, and Sunday 12-4pm. More information can be found online at www.lumfarmllc.com.