Woodside Farm Creamery

In 1856, Gail Borden invented the condensed milk process. This process removed some of the water from milk so it would take up less space. Elsie the cow was originally a cartoon character that appeared in magazine ads for Borden Milk. At the 1939 New York World's Fair, when people began asking where Elsie was, the company picked from their herd a good looking, good natured Jersey cow named 'You'll Do Lobelia.’ This original Elsie stared in commercials, made personal appearances, and even stared in an RKO feature film, 'Little Men.' On April 16, 1941 Elsie passed away and she was buried in Plainsboro, New Jersey. Elsie, with her necklace of yellow daisies, has been the mascot for Borden milk for over a half century. Click on the links below to learn more about the famous Jersey cow and Borden Milk.

More About Borden Milk and Elsie The Cow

Cows are referred to as the foster mothers of the human race because they produce most of the milk that people drink. There are an estimated 920 different breeds of cows in the world. History reveals that cows were first domesticated about 5,000 years ago. It wasn't until Christopher Columbus' second voyage to the New World that cows were brought to America for the first time. Until the 1850's, nearly every family had its own cow. Wisconsin, known as America's dairyland, has the largest population of dairy cows while Texas claims the highest population of beef cows. More than 99% of all dairy farms are family owned and operated.

Treating Sick Animals and Many a Sweet Tooth

by Joan Capuzzi Giresi, C’86 V’98

It was an ominous Christmas gift, delightfully ominous. When Janet B. Mitchell, V’90, encountered the gorgeous Jersey calf, bedecked in a big red bow, on Christmas morning ten years ago, she had no idea this animal meant business: the ice cream business.

The calf, a gift from Mitchell’s husband, Jim, signaled the re-launch of the defunct dairy operation at the 200-year-old Mitchell family farm. And it meant a delectable career offshoot for veterinarian Janet, who oversees the farm’s ice cream operation.

This aerial photograph was taken during the 1950s when Woodside operated as a dairy farm.  In 1961 the dairy herd was sold, and from that point the farm produced various crops, eggs, poultry, sheep, beef, flowers and pumpkins. In the spring of 1995, dairy cows once again became the primary focus on the farm. The barn in the lower center of the photo is no longer present and currently a smaller barn outside the field of view of this photo serves the current dairy operation.

Nestled in New Castle County, Delaware, Woodside Farm is one of a few remaining family owned and still operating farms in Northern Delaware. The following series of photos provide unique views of Woodside Farm that were taking in August 2006 from a 100-foot altitude courtesy of Hockessin Fire Company's Tower 19.

In addition to all the activities associated with the production of ice creams at Woodside Farm, numerous other activities occur throughout the year. While not open to the public for general tours or visiting, the Mitchell Family actively supports various organizations and their educational efforts. Working the fields and insuring the health of the farm's herds of cows, sheep, and goats is hard work lasting from dusk till dawn seven days a week, every week of the year. As America's quantity of family-owned farms decreases each year, Woodside Farm remains an active reminder of our nation's agricultural heritage. Below is a sampling of some of the behind the scenes activities at Woodside Farm.