Tucked away on the corner of Main and Yoder on Shoemakersville, Grube’s Dairy Store has offered local milk and eggs and other farm-fresh groceries since 2012. This past weekend, the dairy celebrated two years of business with an open house event featuring music, tours, Dairy Royalty and – of course – cookies and milk.
The Open House was held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27, at the dairy, located on an alleyway at 233 Main Street. Berk’s County Dairy Princess Ashley Mohn, Li’l Dairy Miss Alyssa Troutman and other dairy ambassadors were on hand to greet visitors, offering games and trinkets to children and home-baked cookies along with samples of the dairy’s milk or Pure Wild Tea (another homegrown Berk’s County business) to wash them down. Friday evening featured a bluegrass performance by Days of Old.
A highlight of both days was a tour of the dairy, housed in a barn-red structure. Members of the Grube family, including Jay and Dorie, were on hand to explain how the dairy works, beginning with the family farm located five miles away.
“We have 60 cows and 400 acres,” Jay explained, noting that they basically grow all the food the animals eat and do not use growth or other hormones. “We’re family run, fourth-generation,” he added,” from my six-year-old son to my almost-90-year-old grandfather. We’re pretty proud of that fact.”
The milk the farm produces is sold in part to Land-O-Lakes Inc., and the rest travels to the Shoey dairy. Motioning around to a beginning tour group, Jay noted they were standing in the milk’s first stop, the truck bay. He pointed out heating and cooling equipment to the side of the room, and explained that the doors to the bay are shut any time milk is unloaded or even if the truck is cleaned, according to FDA standards.
Next, he guided the group into the pasteurization room. This compact but well-organized space is the heart of the dairy’s operation, and Jay and his wife are the chief operators. He noted his work day starts in this room, where he spends a full two hours opening and sanitizing the gleaming stainless steel equipment.
“At that point,” he said, “I get the truck from the bay and head to the farm for the milk.”
Once back at the dairy, Jay begins the process of separating the cream from the raw milk and transforming it into shelf-ready product. Grube’s produces whole, 2 percent, 1.5 percent and skim milk as well as chocolate milk. Unlike many dairies, the chocolate milk at Grube’s is fully mixed before it is pasteurized.
Grube also explained the distinct processes of homogenization (or using extreme pressure to create smooth texture) and pasteurization (using heat to inhibit microbial growth and spoilage). The milk at Grube’s is swiftly heated through the process, reaching the desired 167 degrees for a full 27 seconds. It then is quickly cooled down to the desired 38 degrees.
“It’s very important to get the milk cooled in a short time,” Jay confirmed. “That’s what determines your shelf life and your taste.”
Jay noted they generally use heat to sterilize their equipment, using a mixture of peroxide and vinegar on specific items that require more thorough cleansing before giving a thorough flush with hot water. He and his wife tackle the daily cleaning of the room, which takes three hours.
During the tour, Jay used regular water to simulate the process of bottling the milk. Youngsters in the group crowded to the front to see the water poured into one tank before transitioning into the rotating equipment. Empty jugs were filled, caps dropped in place and the bottles sealed shut as they spun around.
“I’m running them slower than normal for people to see,” Jay explained, then turned a switch to show the group the normal rate of production. Once sealed, the jugs are moved to a wheeled chart and quickly stowed in the nearby, walk-in cooler.
He estimates it takes about two hours daily to homogenize, pasteurize and bottle their milk, which is sold exclusively at Grube’s Dairy. “We have complete control over our product, and that’s how we like it,” Jay said.
The store attached to Grube’s Dairy is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to their fresh milk, the store sells farm-fresh goodies like eggs and baked goods as well as ice cream, ready-to-heat foods and other pantry staples. Seasonal items like cider, pumpkins and potted mums are also available. Customers are welcome during regular hours, and readers may call the dairy at 484.660.3758 for more details.
