Join us on an exciting adventure through Ireland’s vibrant farms and fields with our Farm to Fork Series! From milking cows in the lush green pastures to enjoying a tasty scoop of creamy ice cream, we’ll explore how food travels from the farm right to your fork.
This series is packed with fun facts to help you understand where your food comes from and why farming is so important.
Ever wonder how ice cream is made? Well, the journey begins – you guessed it – on the farm.
1. Dairy Farms
The process begins on dairy farms, where cows are raised.
In Ireland, cows graze on lush, green pastures, which helps them produce rich, creamy milk.
Farmers milk the cows, usually twice a day.
The fresh milk is collected in large tanks and kept cool to ensure it stays fresh.
2. Milk Processing
The milk is taken to a factory, where it is pasteuriSed. This means it is heated to a high temperature to kill any harmful bacteria, making it safe to drink.
Milk is made of cream (the fatty part) and skim milk (the watery part). To make ice cream, the cream is separated and used – this gives ice cream its creamy texture.
3. Making Ice Cream
In the ice cream factory, the cream is mixed with other ingredients like sugar, flavourings (like vanilla or chocolate), and sometimes eggs.
The mixture is then churned, which means it is stirred and cooled at the same time. Churning adds air to the mixture, making it light and fluffy.
4. Freezing
After churning, the ice cream is quickly frozen to make it solid. This helps keep the texture smooth.
5. Packaging and Distribution
The ice cream is then packed into tubs or cones and stored in freezers.
Finally, it is delivered to shops, where you can buy it and enjoy it – especially on warm, sunny days like we had this summe … eh, actually scrap the last bit!
