PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — This week marks the beginning of a favorite summer tradition for many area residents: Houlton Farms Dairy in Presque Isle opened for the season enticing folks with ice cream treats.
On Sunday, April 14, the popular dairy bar officially began serving customers who have been anxious to wave goodbye to a long winter and say hello to spring.
Annick Cyr, 8, of Frenchville, enjoys a strawberry sundae during a trip to Houlton Farms Dairy in Presque Isle on Wednesday, April 17.
(Melissa Lizotte | The Star-Herald)
“We’ve been busy, considering what the weather has been like,” said Houlton Farms manager Jessica O’Donnell, as she and her crew prepared for the day on Wednesday, April 17. “People have come regardless of how cold it’s been or whether it was raining or snowing.”
Despite temperatures in the low 40s and a chilly breeze blowing through town, several people arrived soon after Houlton Farms opened that morning for their first taste of locally made ice cream.
Chelsea Cheney of Mapleton came with her children Adeline, 3, and Nathan, 2, and noted that the dairy bar has quickly become a tradition for her family.
“The ice cream here is better than any other ice cream anywhere,” Cheney said, as she enjoyed a dish of chocolate ice cream.
Both Adeline and Nathan wasted no time eating their vanilla ice cream cones with sprinkles, although that’s not the only flavor that Adeline is looking forward to eating this year.
“My favorite is chocolate and vanilla,” she said.
Houlton Farms has become a staple of summer for many families both near and far.
Jennifer Cyr and her 8-year-old daughter Annick of Frenchville travelled to Presque Isle on Wednesday for a doctor’s appointment and stopped by the dairy bar for the first time.
“It’s tasty,” Annick Cyr said, as she took her first bites of a strawberry sundae.
Jennifer Cyr also enjoyed her chocolate ice cream and said that next time she comes to Presque Isle she would bring Annick’s siblings so that they could try Houlton Farms ice cream.
“We’ll have to stop by when we come this way again,” she said.
The Presque Isle location of Houlton Farms Dairy is located on 729 Main Street and is open everyday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Houlton Farms also has shops located in Caribou at 98 Bennett Drive, with an opening day to be announced soon, and in Houlton at 131 Military Street. The Houlton location started the 2019 season on April 17 and is open from 1 to 8 p.m.
