A Marion Center area farm will receive a $50,000 Dairy Investment Grant from the Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program for expanding the offerings of its farm store. The announcement was made yesterday by State Representative Chris Dush.
The Lone Oak Dairy, owned by Dan and Linda Simpson and their family, will use the funds to introduce a new line of products and upgrade its existing small milk processing plant with the purchase of a cream separator, butter churn, ice cream machine, and a walk-in cooler. The new equipment will enable the store to offer a variety of new products (heavy cream, butter, buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee creamers), and more ice cream products.
The family established the store in 2017 after they obtained a raw milk permit the year before. They continue to offer raw milk and have added whole milk and chocolate milk, yogurt, and ice cream to their product line.
The total cost of the farm’s expansion is $60,772, with Lone Oak providing $10,772 in matching funds. The farm and store are located along Georgeville Road north of Ambrose.
