ElmDale Creamery & Locker: A community staple since 1908

Situated in farm country of western Morrison County is ElmDale Creamery & Locker, where history of common farm practices meets the needs of modern-day. While butter is no longer made at the creamery, it has become a go-to place for many in the area who need feed, ear tags, oil, milk, cheese or other products without having to drive into Little Falls. The locker is still going strong with many farmers either bringing their dressed animal carcasses in or having them picked up by the locker.

The story of ElmDale Creamery began more than a century ago when K.H. Gunderson built and owned the creamery in Elmdale. He later sold it to a group of farmers in 1908, who formed a cooperative they, at first, called the Cloverleaf-Elm Dale Creamery Association. The first buttermaker at the creamery was Gunderson’s son, Marcus, and after a couple of years, others followed. At that time, according to information gathered in celebration of the creamery’s 100th year anniversary, averagely 9,500 pounds of cream were received each month in the early years.

Click here to read the original article from the Morrison County Record.

Image via Elmdale Creamery Association Locker's Facebook page.