There are only two types of people who need to plan to visit the museum and ice cream parlor at Elm Farm: those who've been in the dairy business and those who haven't! Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool farmer who daily milks a herd, someone who used to milk, someone who knew someone who milked, or better yet, like many today, someone who thinks milk just magically appears at the grocery store, you simply must make a trip to Medina to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity!

The Abell family were pioneers in the area dairy farm business, and Elm Farm's roots trace back to the 1830s. In 1927, Henry Abell purchased the 100-acre dairy farm and it soon grew to 500 acres. The dairy opened in 1934 when Henry began selling milk door-to-door. Henry's son, Carl, grew up on Elm Farm and remembers delivering milk when he was a very young lad, along side his dad. Carl now runs the America's Ice Cream Dairy Museum and Parlor at Elm Farm together with his wife, Sherry. In 1950, Carl began manufacturing ice cream, and ever since, area residents have enjoyed the delicious made-on-site treats.

Carl and Sherry have turned the farm into an 8,000-square-foot, two-part attraction: an ice cream parlor and a museum. As you enter the establishment, you first encounter a wonderful gift shop (located where the old milk loading dock at the farm used to be) filled with bountiful bovine selections. From the shop, you will enter the parlor (where the old milk cooler once was) and you'll gaze upon a new replica of an ornate 20-foot-long 1900 soda fountain, complete with beveled glass and a green and white Italian-marble counter. There are delightful little "turn-of-the-century-ice cream parlor" tables and chairs to sit at while eating, and if you look up, you'll see a beautiful 125-year-old tin ceiling. In nice weather, you can eat out in the courtyard, if you choose.

At lunchtime, you can feast from a delightful menu of soups and sandwiches. They use only Boar's Head meats and cheeses -- with no preservatives or fillers -- sliced fresh for your sandwich. Try the Buffalo Chicken sandwich ... I can attest to its great taste! And then for dessert, you can have ice cream! Or, you can skip the meal and just go directly to the ice cream!

If you're REALLY hungry, you can order the "Kitchen Sink" -- 21 scoops of Carl's sweet concoctions and assorted toppings to feed four hungry souls. And then there's the "Gut Buster," a smaller version (only 10 scoops) to feed two. Two very hungry people, that is. Every once in awhile, Elm Farm hosts a "Gut Buster Challenge" for people who try to eat one of these by themselves, in 15 minutes ... if they complete the task, the treat is free!

Okay, so you're not quite that hungry. You can still dig into old-fashioned sodas, milk shakes, "true banana splits, sundaes and regular ice cream cones. I had a hard time choosing a flavor to try (there are only 32), but I finally settled on Butterfingers, and loved every lick. The last time I was here, I had Squirrels' Delight. It was chocolate ice cream with chopped peanuts, cashews, Spanish peanuts, pecans and almonds! If I may say so myself, I chose wisely both times! This stuff was good!

Well, now your appetite has been satisfied, so it's time to go on toward the back of the building to the museum. Either Carl or Sherry will be glad to give you a guided tour. Plan on an hour to an hour and a half to see the very extensive collection of dairy paraphernalia.

When I visited the museum, Carl was a delightful host. He gave me quite a history lesson about the way dairies used to operate. Now, I was born and raised in the country -- and even milked a cow (once) -- but I learned so much as we walked around the museum. I saw many familiar dairy items from days gone by, and many more unfamiliar ones.

Carl shared with me the history of the invention of the hand-cranked ice cream freezer. Did you know it was actually invented back in 1843 by Nancy Johnson? Fearful a patent wouldn't be granted to a woman, she submitted the patent under the name of "N. Johnson!"

A sample of just some dated acquisitions include an 1891 Jack Frost ice cream freezer, an 1899 ice cream cooling cabinet, a 1900 milk wagon, a 1905 circular-cheese knife, a Green Brothers ice cream parlor, 1920s 30s Popsicle molds stick holders, a 1920 hand-cranked ice cream bar freezer used to make Eskimo Pies, and a 1933 Twin Coach milk wagon. Ice cream-related items at the museum include molds, freezers, scoops, dippers, sandwich scoops, packers and cartons.

The Abells have also collected many milking machines, strainers, cream separators, dairy-themed post cards, horse shoes, dairy advertisement signs, dairy books and manuals, old soda-fountain straw holders, chocolate pots, Hire's Root Beer and other soda dispensers, advertisement trays, children's dairy-brand toys, milkshake makers, butter churns, cheese presses, cheese dishes, cream dippers, cream whippers, curd strainers, a 40-pound-cheese box, a Swiss cheese harp, dairy testing equipment, animal-powered (or sometimes kid-powered) treadmill-style butter churns, and pasteurizers. One room at the museum houses the milk-bottle collection. There's a bottle from every state in the United States and from all but eight of Ohios 88 counties! The museum has recently expanded it "cheese" area, with many more cheese-related items.

It is impossible to mention everything you'll find in the museum. You simply must go see for yourself. Tourists from all over the world have already come to visit the museum and ice cream parlor (4-5,000/year). Some have come by car; some by tour bus (67 bus tours in 2005). The Abells even like to show small classes of school children through the museum. Carl and Sherry both told me they enjoy seeing grandparents showing their young grandchildren what things were like "back in the good old days."

"It's a segment of American history that's gone," Carl said.

On July 3 and 4, 2006, Elm Farm is hosting the Kelly-Miller Circus. The tent will be raised by elephants on Monday morning about 8:30. Shows will be Monday, 2 and 5 p.m., and Tuesday, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.

Summer weekends will see a farmer's market at the dairy, with Amish produce and baked goods. This fall, the dairy will have a corn maze and cows on site (for those who think milk comes from a bottle!).

When my tours was over, and we came to the museum exit, Carl pointed to a large cow statue standing there, and chuckled, "To think, this all started with a cow!"

America's Ice Cream Dairy Museum and Parlor at Elm Farm, 1050 Lafayette Rd. (on US 42, two miles south of the Medina Square, just west of the light at Lake Rd., near the water tower), (330) 722-3839, elmfarm1934@aol.com, http://www.elmfarm.com; museum summer hours: daily, noon-5 pm; ice cream parlor summer hours: Mon.-Thu., noon-9 pm, Fri. Sat., noon-10 pm; and Sun., noon-9 pm.; call for winter hours; museum fees: $4.50/ages 18 and up, $4/seniors 50+, $3/students, and under age 5/free.(July 2006)