Inside Moo Thru: The Family Dairy Behind Northern Virginia’s Best Ice Cream

Five Generations of Dairy Farming

From cow to cone, family is at the core of Cool Lawn Farm and Moo Thru ice cream in Fauquier County, Virginia.

The two operations are owned by siblings Ben Smith, who runs Cool Lawn Farm dairy, and Taylor Gough, who oversees Moo Thru's creamery and Remington storefront. Every day, Moo Thru turns fresh milk from Cool Lawn’s herd into gallons of delicious, high-quality ice cream.

Their father, Ken, is a fourth-generation dairy farmer who operated Cool Lawn before Ben purchased the dairy in 2022.

“I know it's been challenging for him to give up the reins, but I always had a pretty strong calling to be a dairy farmer,” Ben said. “The nice thing about it was I was never pressured into this, it was just an opportunity that if I wanted to pursue it, work hard and maybe I'd have a chance.”

Today, Cool Lawn milks more than a thousand registered Holstein cows. In 2022, they installed a new 50-stall rotary carousel milking parlor, which reduces milking labor and improves cow comfort.

“Our original parlor was built in 1968, and it served us well, but it was long overdue for more modern, efficient, user-friendly and cow-friendly type of milking,” Ben said.

The Smiths also implemented conservation practices on their land, a standard that supported the farm’s transition from Ken to Ben.

“They talk a lot about transition in farming and into the next generation,” Ken said. “And because we were able to put easements on all this land, it allowed me the tax credits to be able to transition into the next generation.”

Building a Sweet Local Staple

As a dairyman, Ken had a decision to make when it came to using Cool Lawn’s milk. In 2010, he launched Moo Thru ice cream shop in Remington, just two miles from Cool Lawn Farm. In the years since, Moo Thru has grown into a beloved Virginia ice cream brand.

“Many people said to me, ‘Well, you want to use dairy products? Why don't you make cheese?’” Ken said. “And I said, ‘Well, if I make cheese, I got to go sell the cheese. But if I make ice cream, they come to me to get the ice cream.’ Thank goodness for my daughter.”

Today, Taylor owns and operates Moo Thru’s flagship location and the creamery, which supplies all Moo Thru locations.

“When I graduated with a business management degree, I knew that I wanted to come back here to our family business,” Taylor said. “In 2023, we opened the plant and creamery. It has just been a huge learning experience, but it's been able to give us the opportunity to grow.”

In 2025, Moo Thru was voted Best Ice Cream in Northern Virginia by Virginia Living Magazine. Taylor tests and produces new flavors with each season, such as pumpkin ice cream for fall and lemon crunch for spring, keeping customers returning throughout the year.

A Forward-Looking Farm Credit Partnership

When Ben purchased Cool Lawn, he turned to Farm Credit of the Virginias for support.

“Bruce Lawson is our loan officer, and he was a big part going to bat for me,” Ben said. “Ultimately, Bruce and Farm Credit was able to put a plan together that worked for me and for them.”

 Bruce said Farm Credit’s deep agricultural expertise helps customers like Ben succeed.

“At Farm Credit of the Virginias, we bring a lot of expertise to the relationship from a number of different perspectives,” he said. “We provide education opportunities that they can take part in, from the production phase through the growing phase, and especially when it comes to the transition phase, when it needs to go to the next generation. We are really partners. When they're successful, we are successful.”

As the operation looks toward the future, Ben is keeping his eyes on innovation and improvement — all with the next generation in mind.

“We want to continue to be a leader in the sustainability side and implement new practices, to push our herd genetics to the next level,” he said. “And ultimately, we will see what's in store for the next generation.”