July Business Spotlight: Dan & Debbie’s Creamery

July 1, 2026

Every morning and every evening, the Takes family heads to the barn to milk the cows that help make Dan and Debbie’s Creamery possible. It’s a routine rooted in decades of hard work, family commitment and a passion for producing high-quality dairy products right here in Eastern Iowa.

What began as a family farm in 1985 has grown into a thriving farm-to-table creamery built on a simple mission: connect families with fresh, locally produced food while sharing the story behind where their food comes from.

FROM FAMILY FARM TO CREAMERY

Dan and Debbie Takes didn’t originally set out to own a creamery. After transitioning from beef cattle to dairy farming in 1997, they spent years growing their herd and building their operation. But like many dairy farmers, their milk left the farm on a truck and was mixed with milk from countless other farms.

That never sat quite right with the family.

Passionate about the products they produced and the animals they cared for, the Takes family wanted to create a direct connection between their farm and the families enjoying their dairy products. In 2013, they purchased a former lumberyard building in Ely and began transforming it into what would become Dan and Debbie’s Creamery. Three years later, they produced their first batch of cheese using milk from their own cows. Today, every bottle of milk, batch of ice cream and bag of cheese curds reflects that original vision.

QUALITY STARTS ON THE FARM

The creamery’s commitment to quality begins long before products reach the shelves. The Takes family milks approximately 150 cows, many of which have been raised on the farm since birth. In fact, every cow is given a name and cared for as an important part of the family operation.

The herd is fed a non-GMO diet grown on the farm, and every step of the process, from caring for the animals to processing and bottling the milk, is carefully managed by the family. That hands-on approach allows Dan and Debbie’s Creamery to maintain the quality, transparency and consistency customers have come to expect.

Visitors can experience that commitment firsthand through the creamery store and Viewing Room, where they can enjoy handcrafted dairy products while learning more about modern dairy farming and the journey food takes from farm to table.

STAYING CONNECTED WITH SOUTH SLOPE

Reliable connectivity plays an important role in helping Dan and Debbie’s Creamery serve customers throughout Eastern Iowa.

“From online orders to customer connections, reliable service keeps our farm-to-table business running strong. South Slope delivers the technology we trust to keep our business moving.”

With dependable internet and technology solutions from South Slope, the team can focus on what they do best: providing the freshest, most wholesome farm to table dairy products in the area.

VISIT DAN AND DEBBIE’S CREAMERY

Whether you are stopping by for fresh milk, handcrafted ice cream, soap or cheese curds, every purchase supports a local family dedicated to quality, sustainability and helping consumers reconnect with where their food comes from.

Location: 1600 Main St. Ely, IA, 52227

Website: http://www.dananddebbies.com/

Instagram: @dananddebbiescreamery

Facebook: @DanandDebbiesCreamery