About Hartzler Family Dairy
Hartzler Family Dairy grew out of a Wayne County farm that Harold and Patricia Hartzler started in the early 1950s, where they raised eight children. In 1990 Harold gathered the family to plan a dairy business, and they built a milk plant on the north side of Wooster. The shop at the front of the plant opened on April 15, 1996. Joe Hartzler and his son Jace own it today.
What sets the milk apart is how it is handled. It is vat-pasteurized slowly at 145 degrees for 30 minutes, the half gallons are not homogenized, so the cream rises to the top, and it goes into glass bottles that can be returned for a deposit and reused. The cows graze on pasture in warm months and are not given artificial hormones.
The dairy shop is open year-round and is mostly about ice cream made here. Staple flavors include black raspberry, butter pecan, maple nut and a house Farm House flavor, with a rotating list and seasonal picks such as apple caramel and pumpkin pie in fall or peppermint stick in winter. The shop also makes ice cream cakes to order with at least three business days' notice, and serves espresso drinks, including an affogato made with the dairy's own ice cream. Families will find two playgrounds and both indoor and outdoor seating. Bottled milk, chocolate milk and butter are sold here as well.
Lavender Trails in Orrville is about 7 miles east, roughly 15 minutes by car, which makes an ice cream stop here an easy add to a lavender outing.
What to do
- Order a cone of black raspberry, maple nut or a seasonal flavor
- Take home glass-bottled, cream-top milk and chocolate milk
- Pick up salted or unsalted butter from the dairy
- Let kids play on the two playgrounds
- Order an ice cream cake at least three business days ahead
- Try an affogato made with the dairy's own ice cream
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Dairy shop open year-round; seasonal ice cream flavors change each season
- Hours
- Posted 2026: Monday–Thursday 10–8, Friday–Saturday 10–9, Sunday 2–8; closes at 5 on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve; closed Christmas and New Year's Day
Tips for your visit
- Bring back your empty half-gallon glass bottles; they carry a deposit and are reused
- Sunday hours start at 2 p.m.
- Ice cream cakes need at least three business days' notice and supply is limited each day
Pair it with a lavender farm
Lavender Trails · about 15 minutes away
Lavender Trails in Orrville is about 15 minutes east, so the dairy makes an easy treat stop on the way to or from the lavender.
Getting there
Questions
Is Hartzler milk homogenized?
No. The half gallons are non-homogenized, so the cream rises, and the milk is slow vat-pasteurized at 145 degrees.
When is the dairy shop open?
Monday–Thursday 10–8, Friday–Saturday 10–9 and Sunday 2–8, closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Is there anything for kids?
Yes. The shop has two playgrounds and indoor and outdoor seating.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Orrville & Wooster, Ohio
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
