Lemon 'mooringue'? Mother, daughter team up to create small batch ice cream company

GUELPH, Ont. – It’s not just a tale of two farmers and a cow.

With a passion for farming, a mother and daughter duo from Guelph, are sharing their love for cows with their small batch homemade artisan farm fresh ice cream.  

Pamela Edmunds and her 17-year-old daughter Karley launched 2 Farmers & a Cow Ice Cream Co. last month at the Spring Fling at the Stables Market in Elora.

And since then, people keep coming back for more.

The pair can be found at the Elora Farmers Market on Saturdays and at the Belwood Market on Sundays.

“We are known for our apple pie flavour. That’s what started everything off. And then we tried our brown cow flavour last weekend,” Pamela Edmunds said.

“It was a hit. It’s chocolate ice cream, just with a cow spin. I play around with flavours, names and what’s in season. Karley’s favourite flavour is lemon 'mooringue' pie."

So far, 2 Farmers & a Cow Ice Cream Co. offers eight flavours.

“I love the whole thing about this, honestly. I just enjoy being able to show off how it is to be a dairy farmer and to put a product out there that people really enjoy,” Karley said.

The ice cream is made from scratch. Ingredients are minimal, without preservatives and chemicals, and sourced locally.  

First off, Pamela said her ice cream is full of love and passion.

“That is the number one ingredient," she said. “Then you’ve got your cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. We get our produce and eggs from local farmers. We always want to support the small guys.”

The idea for the ice cream venture first began about five years ago, when Karley joined her local 4-H club.

“I grew up on a farm, so I had the farming background. And Karley loves animals. I said well you decide which 4H group you would like to join. So, Karley decided on the dairy club,” Pamela said.

“The first year, she borrowed a calf to show, and then she decided to do it again for a second year. This is when we got our cow, Willow.”

Willow is a 4-H show heifer.

“And then we thought, what are we going to do with all this milk? So, we started experimenting at home, making cheese and yogurt,” Pamela said.

“And we thought well, we love ice cream. Let’s try it! And that’s how it all got started, with two farmers and a cow."

Building their herd from scratch with just one cow on a quiet farm in Ennotville, where they rent space, the number has now grown to seven, with more on the way this fall.

Until they become registered dairy farmers, Pamela said 2 Farmers & a Cow Ice Cream Co. uses A2 Guernsey milk from Eby Manor Ltd.

“The A2 is special because it lacks that protein for lactose intolerant people who can’t drink milk. This way, they are able to enjoy milk," Pamela said. "It’s really nice to know that someone who has a severe allergy can also enjoy our ice cream.”

Pamela began researching how to make ice cream four years ago.

"I just started playing around with some guinea pigs at work and friends and family,” Pamela said.

Pamela has always been an entrepreneur with her own sign company, Just for You Signs.

“Then COVID hit. Everything went quiet. So, I went into the food industry. I started off at Thatcher Farms. Then I moved on to Wellington Country Market Place. I was the bakery manager there. I thought I’m not getting any younger. I’m either going to try this, jump in now, or be on my death bed wondering what if,” she said.

“So, I thought you know what? We’re going to go for it. I took the University of Guelph’s ice cream course in December. I learned a lot there and met so many awesome people who I still keep in touch with. This is the year. And we will just learn as we go.”

Karley attends Grade 12 at St. James Catholic High School.

“I’m going out to Alberta in September to study at Old College. I’m going into agricultural management, and after that, I plan to go on to applied science in agribusiness,” she said.

Pamela says her 10-year plan is to own her own dairy farm.

“It’s a wild crazy plan, but that’s how I roll. I would love to have my own dairy farm with my own processing plant and with an on site market so I can sell my own farm products,” she said. “For me, it’s dream big or go home.”

To try ice cream from 2 Farmers & a Cow Ice Cream Co., people can visit the Elora and Belwood markets, email or visit the company's Instagram page.

"I just want to see this become as successful as what we hope for it to be, maybe even begin selling in grocery stores," Karley said.

"I do love this. Everybody says that when I talk about our ice cream, I just light up. That's because I am so excited and passionate about it. It’s fun, I love my cows, and I love making crazy flavours," Pamela said.

"You never know where we might be or what flavours we’ll have week to week. I do try to change it up. Vanilla and brown cow are weekly staples but we change it up with additional flavours. We usually have about four on hand."

Every week, Pamela said she enjoys seeing people come back for more or try a new flavour.

"Making that personal connection with them, it’s so nice to get out and talk to people," she said.

 "I love the farmer talk. I love when people come up and ask questions. Then they purchase ice cream. We wait for that first bite. To see that 'OMG' look on their face, it’s amazing to say we did it! We really did it!"