In the heart of Washington, amid the lush landscapes and rolling hills, lies Zeigler Family Farms – a testament to the enduring spirit of agriculture and the pursuit of a dream. Established as a first-generation specialty dairy farm and creamery, the Zeigler family has not only carved a niche for themselves in the local farming community but has also become a symbol of dedication, hard work, and a commitment to quality. The Zeigler’s produce small batch, farm to table, raw jersey milk along with a line of pasteurized farm to table ice cream!
We are so lucky to get to enjoy the fruit (or should I say, milk) of their labors all around town at various Yokes Fresh Market stores, but now they officially have a permanent residence- The Parlor- at 1406 S Inland Empire Way where you can pick up their raw milk & ice cream every Friday & Saturday 9am – 2pm!
We had the opportunity to interview the queen of The Parlor, Rachel Zeigler, to learn all about the new shop, ice cream making process, and life as dairy farmers.
Tell us about Zeigler Family Farms?
We are a first generation dairy farm and creamery with zero background in dairy farming! It’s something we’ve dreamed of doing and worked towards for the past 10 years! We have 5 kids and live in the small town of Harrington about 60 miles south west of Spokane, we built our farm from the ground up all on our own.
We have been operating as a dairy farm and creamery for almost 3 years, this is our third Christmas delivering to the grocery stores. We are a small specialty dairy farm and creamery specializing in Raw milk!
We currently milk 28 cows with a herd size close to 70 jersey girls (all ages).
How did the creamery & The Parlor come to be?
We decided to add ice cream the dairy lineup this last fall and it took off! Most people love ice cream but few are able to get it direct from the dairy farmer. We started with shipping ice cream all over the USA but realized so many locals (Spokane) wanted to buy it direct so with the help of Celeste Shaw we were able to open our first brick and mortar in the beautiful city of Spokane Nov 3rd 2023.
With low expectations we weren’t really sure what to expect but every weekend we are blown away by the support and love the city of Spokane has shown us, as our shelves are almost always SOLD OUT!
What can customers expect when they purchase your milk?
We offer farm to table ice cream and farm fresh raw milk – Always bottled the night before!
We want the freshest raw milk for our customers.
Why Spokane?
We grew up in the PNW (tri cities area) but always loved visiting the big city of Spokane.
We knew if we were going to build a dairy we needed to get our products into a larger population to make growth possible.
Spokane is a huge city and when we started delivering almost 3 years ago we never would have imagined we would have grown to the size we are now! We love the people of Spokane and the support we get from this community.
What sets you apart from other dairy farmers?
We are first generation (that’s a huge one) and we process our own milk. Most dairy farmers are having their milk processed at a large processing plants (like dairy gold) but our goal from day one was to produce a product with our name on it and build a relationship with our customers through social media to give people a real farm to table experience when they purchase our milk
Tell us about the ice cream process?
Just like our milk we want the freshest ice cream possible
We make ice cream on Mondays.
To keep up with the demand, all the ice cream processed during that time frame gets delivered to our storefront ready for customers Friday morning!
My favorite flavor is the cookies and cream … we load it up with Oreo cookies and I can never just have a few bites. (Chandler agrees, with peppermint as a close second!)
What’s next for your family?
We really want to bring that farm to table experience to Spokane so as we continue to offer ice cream and milk at the store we hope to grow into a small farmers market as the weather warms up.
We want people to get a full on famers market year round at our shop including fresh produce, meats, and eggs.
Where do you like to shop and eat around Spokane?
Shopping for me in Spokane will always be lucky vintage and vinegar! Before we moved to the farm I used to drive 2 hours just to shop at lucky so what a dream it is to be right next door. As for food, CHAPS not only is the food out of this world (best breakfast you’ll ever have) but the atmosphere is so inspiring and beautiful.
If anyone ever asks where to shop and eat, it’s always chaps, lucky and vinegar 🙂
Store hours?
Friday and Saturday’s 9-2
What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Just friends (it’s my favorite Christmas movie)
Zeigler Family Farms stands as a shining example of the American agricultural spirit – a testament to what can be achieved with hard work, passion, and a dedication to sustainability. As the first-generation custodians of this thriving dairy farm and creamery, the Zeigler family not only produces exceptional products but also cultivates a legacy that transcends generations. In the heart of Washington, The Parlor tells a story of inspiration, growth, and they just so happen to provide our city with dang good ice cream and milk!
Hi! I'm Chandler, owner of Spokane Eats, and I think life is too short for the mediocre. Our team is here to help you discover why we fell (and continue to fall) in love with Spokane Washington!
