Mapleton's Organics

Martin de Groot says he probably makes the best ice cream in Canada – he’ll even challenge anyone who thinks otherwise.

de Groot who, with his wife Ineke Booy, owns Mapleton’s Organic Dairy near Moorefield (not too far from Conestoga Lake), says his ice cream is superior to its kin because “it’s such an honest product.” Indeed, it has a rather simple ingredient list – cream from the farm’s cows, eggs from their chickens, fair-trade sugar, chocolate and vanilla. No “modified milk ingredients” here.

de Groot and Booy emigrated from Holland in 1980 and began dairy farming in the area soon after. They started doing so the conventional way but, after 10 years, were uncomfortable with the impact that type of farming was having on the earth, their health, and the health of their animals. They made the switch to organic and, in 1999, decided to start using their milk to make ice cream. They built a small ice cream plant on site and had their first batch by the spring of 2000.

Today, Mapleton’s, which is certified organic, produces ice cream, frozen yogurt and both fat-free and full-fat yogurt from the milk of their 75 cows. (The fat free and frozen yogurt were a natural progression – it allowed them to use what was left of the milk after the cream was skimmed off to make ice cream). Their products are sold across Canada, mostly in health food stores, although, as of about a week ago, they can be found at all Sobey’s stores in Ontario. Ice cream comes in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cappuccino and chocolate chip while frozen yogurt comes in vanilla, strawberry and lemon (so creamy, you’d never guess it was low in fat – try the lemon with some of summer’s fresh, wild blueberries – yum!)

Many commercial ice creams, de Groot says, are pumped full of air. And, he adds, “with three-quarters of the ingredients, you have to be a chemist to know what they are.” He also points out that his ice cream doesn’t leave one with that icky post-eating thirst – a sure sign, he says, of a product with added whey powder or salt.

For the full Mapleton’s experience, it’s worth taking a drive up to the farm, where there’s an ice cream café on site – and the added bonus of flavours beyond what you’ll find in the store (ginger, maple, chocolate cherry, dandelion – and seasonal ones like blueberry and pumpkin). The café also serves organic lunches and has other food products for sale. (There’s also plenty to do – they’re interested in showing visitors how the food circle works, so there’s a demonstration barn, wagon rides, mazes and various other activities on site).

de Groot says when his family started organic farming, they were “the weirdos in the neighbourhood. They all said, ‘It’s great in theory but you’re gonna go broke.’ ”

So much for that thought. “It has been quite a journey, but an exciting journey,” de Groot says. He’s heartened that customers are becoming more interested in local and organic eating. With that in mind, he feels that skyrocketing energy prices are nothing but a blessing.
“It helps us get back to the days of local food systems,” he says.

Once the “weirdo,” he now gets a kick out his young employees and interns. “They’re pushing me, now,” he laughs. “They’re so passionate.”