Toft's Dairy
“As close to home-made as you can get”
As a child, my mom used to whip out the hand churn and the cream, and we knew right away, it was ICE-CREAM TIME! We would all gather around the table and take turns spinning the handle to see who could do the best, and in the end, we had the absolute freshest treat to enjoy together. As we got older, the ice cream machine came out less and less, schedules began filling with jobs, sports, and friends. We had grown up with a taste for fresh ice cream, and store bought couldn’t touch it.
Low and behold - like a hallelujah moment - my family discovered Toft’s Dairy in Sandusky! Toft’s was originally founded in 1900 when Chris and Matilda Toft began selling raw milk by a horse drawn wagon to the citizens of Sandusky, then the family built their Venice Rd location in 1985. Toft’s has become locally famous for its “One Quality” philosophy, which means Toft’s uses only the finest ingredients, from 20 local farmers within a 50 mile radius, to produce the highest quality products, which is why it is as close to mom’s as you can get and the freshest around!
I hold so many cherished memories in my heart from our visits to the Dairy, such as tasting all 70 flavors to decide my favorite - Butter Pecan ( only one scoop because even a small is enough to fill you up until breakfast the next day ) - but my very most precious memory was the last time I visited with my mom. She had recently had a stroke, so she was frail and ailing, and I thought an ice cream would cheer her up. Since her stroke, memory was a slight issue, so she didn’t recognize the turns and directions we were taking, she didn’t even recognize the building, but once I hopped back in the car and handed her that Sugar Cone Butter Pecan hand dipped ice-cream, she knew EXACTLY where we were. Her eyes lit up and she exclaimed “OH YEAH!” and as gracefully as she could possibly eat it, she devoured that entire cone! It was a beautiful moment for me and I beam every time I reminisce on it. I love that I have these of my dear mom, as I miss her so much.
There is so much to be said of the business and the 5 generations that have kept it going. They employ people with longevity in mind, and take care of them like family. There’s folks, like Glen, who have worked there for almost 50 years! This business is founded on locality, loyalty, and family, so whenever anyone comes to town, I have to tell them to go get some real ice-cream at Toft’s, and that’s what makes it a Sweetness of Ohio™ - Much love, Tara