When Zenda Farms first began operating in 1939, the Creamery (sometimes referred to as the Milkhouse) quickly became a center for activity—pasteurizing, bottling, and chilling Zenda’s famous Golden Guernsey Milk, before it was shipped off for sale.

Stepping into the Creamery nearly 80 years later, it does not take a trained eye to recognize that this building is a true gem. From the fully tiled walls to the covered light switches, each detail of this building was designed to orchestrate a seamless milk production process, adding up to a truly state-of-the-art operation, even under today’s standards.

The excitement that surrounds this building and its integral role in Zenda Farms’ past make it one of our favorite Jamesway barns at Zenda. These features make the Creamery a perfect location for the new Mary & Ted Mascott Welcome Center at the Preserve.  The Mascotts have been integral to the development of the vision of Zenda Farms and are among its most enthusiastic champions.

This summer, with the support of a Capacity Grant through the New York State Conservation Partnership Program, we began to make renovations to the Creamery in an effort to restore it to its former beauty and make it more suitable for classroom and office space.  We look forward to finalizing this phase of renovations over the fall and opening up the Creamery for full use in May 2018!