Dairy Bar offers something for everyone

Nichole Griffith

Nichole Griffith

Do you know where cookies and cream ice cream was first created? How about jalapeno cheese? These two popular flavors of ice cream and cheese were created right here in Brookings at the SDSU Dairy Sales Bar.

Howard Bonneman, Dairy Plant manager, said that cookies and cream was created within the last 25 years.

With over 90 flavors of ice cream and nine varieties of cheese available, the SDSU Dairy Bar can curb your craving for all things sweet.

The Dairy Bar began operating in 1927 and is still popular today with both students, faculty, Brookings residents and visitors to the campus.

For students who are looking to use up the last of their meal plan money in these final weeks of school, consider taking home some ice cream or cheese. The Dairy Bar can take all meal plan money except the Hungry Hobo.

During the holiday season, the dairy bar can also put together cheese boxes.

‘SDSU ice cream,’ as it is often referred to, is sold at home basketball games,where the lines to get the popular treat are often six deep. It can also be purchased in Madison, Watertown and Lake Poinsett.

All of the milk used in the production of Dairy Bar products comes from the dairy cattle research and production unit just north of campus.

“From start to finish, it takes about two days to make ice cream,” Bonneman said. With 17 part-time employees, all of them SDSU dairy students, the primary goal of the Dairy Plant is to train the students in processing dairy products. They also have two full-time employees.

“Students get a real good idea as to what’s going on, so when they start working, they can jump in right away and not have to be trained,” Bonneman said.

He also noted that recent graduates have not had problems finding employment.

“We have almost a 100 percent placement rate,” Bonneman said.

The Dairy Bar is located on the first floor of the Dairy-Micro building, across from Ag Hall on north Medary. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.