Kimball Farm serves our legendary homemade ice cream at four locations all summer long. Carlisle is extra-special because it’s the only location that’s 100% focused on ice cream. It really has that “old-fashioned local ice cream stand” vibe, where the staff and customers are often on a first-name (or at least favorite-flavor!) basis!
Meet Kaelyn, General Manager of Kimball Farm in Carlisle, and find out some surprising things about visiting and working there, as well as which day tends to be busiest and what the favorite local ice cream flavor is!
How long have you worked at Kimball Farm?
2024 will be my 19th season!
What do you love most about your job?
There are so many things I love about my job, but the the most important one is definitely my staff! I have a great team and they are truly what keeps me going — I would not be able to do my job without them.
And of course I love our customers! My staff and I are on a first-name basis with so many of our customers. I genuinely enjoy being able to stop and chat for a quick minute with so many of them regularly.
While I am all things ice cream at heart, on any given day you may find me at any of our four locations, maybe even working in another department. I love being in Carlisle of course, but also appreciate that my job allows me to interact with staff and customers at our other locations too!
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
In recent years the biggest challenge has been staffing. Kimball Farm was certainly affected by the staffing shortage caused by Covid, as were so many other businesses. The good news is that, as of this season, hiring is back-on-track – so I’m ready for the next challenge!
Approximately how many gallons of ice cream does the Carlisle location sell during an average summer week?
Oh my gosh, we go through quite a bit of ice cream! All ice cream is made at our Westford location, and we get deliveries 3 times per week all season long in Carlisle. During peak season it takes my staff about an hour and a half just to process each delivery!
What’s something that might surprise people about Kimball Farm in Carlisle?
We host the Carlisle Farmers Market every summer in our parking lot on Saturday mornings from 8am-noon! There are many local vendors who offer locally-grown produce, local honey, baked goods, microgreens, and other homemade items. This year the market will start on Saturday, June 29th and run every Saturday through September 28th. To learn more about the market you can find them on Facebook at “Carlisle Farmers Market” or send an email to carlislefarmersmarket@gmail.com.
Do you have sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan ice cream options?
Yes to all of the above! Our flavors rotate so please feel free to call ahead to find out what’s available on a specific day. We have many gluten-free options, and our staff is always happy to assist anyone looking for these due to personal preference or a gluten allergy (which we can accommodate!). Each week in Carlisle we feature an “item of the week.” Often this is a classic flavor, a family favorite, or a staff-inspired item to encourage people to try new things. My staff absolutely loves being a part of this creativity and they enjoy serving our customers some of their favorite combinations!
When new employees start scooping for the first time, what’s something about the job that they weren’t expecting?
New staff are often surprised by the muscle they gain from scooping ice cream—it’s a (fun) workout!
What do you think is the “best kept secret” about Kimball Farm in Carlisle?
That we are simply ice cream. We’re the smallest of all Kimball Farm locations, which is a benefit because we really have that “old-fashioned ice cream stand” feel, and we get to know our customers on a personal basis. We also have some farm animals on the property for our guests to see!
Is there a day or time that tends to be most busy?
Believe it or not, Wednesdays are typically our busiest day of the week in Carlisle! Wednesdays tend to be the most “steady” in terms of customer flow throughout the day. It’s been this way for years — I think there’s just something about that mid-week ice cream pick-me-up really gets people in the groove to finish out the week!
What’s more popular in Carlisle: cones, cups, or cups with cones on top?
Oh, all of the above! Everyone has their go-to!
What’s the craziest question or comment you’ve heard?
Honestly, I could write a book about the questions, comments and situations I’ve dealt with over the years! A recent situation that comes to mind happened at our Westford location last season. A customer informed us there was a snake in front of the ice cream stand. We thought “Ok, no big deal” and went to investigate, expecting to see a typical, modestly-sized Garter snake. Much to our surprise we found MASSIVE snake that was multiple feet long!! Thankfully our wonderful security team was able to work with Animal Adventures to help remove the snake safely and rehab it, but that was certainly an unusual experience!
Do the most popular flavors stay the same from year-to-year, or change?
People are often surprised to find out that Vanilla is always our most popular flavor year after year!
Peach is also a HUGE hit every summer. People wait for it all season long and it goes fast. We typically offer it during the last 2 weeks of July, and we truly enjoy the joy it brings to our customers who’ve been waiting for it to hit the menu!
What’s YOUR favorite ice cream flavor?
Of course all our flavors are amazing, but my personal favorite is Black Raspberry!
Check out our full list of ice cream flavors here, and we hope you’ll take a “Sundae Drive” to Carlisle this year to check out our most quaint location, and say hi to Kaelyn and her staff while you’re there!
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