Our Cow Molly: the Dungworth dairy farm that scoops Sheffield's favourite ice cream

On a sunny day the queue tells you everything. Our Cow Molly, a working dairy farm in the small village of Dungworth on the edge of the Peak District, has been delighting Sheffielders with its ice cream since 2007, and people are happy to wait for a scoop.

The farm itself was established in 1947 and is run by the Andrew family at Cliffe House Farm on Hill Top Road. Our Favourite Places calls the business a game-changer and the real deal, a leading Sheffield food producer and a local success story.

The secret is in the dairy. Unlike many ice cream makers, Our Cow Molly uses fresh milk and cream from its own herd, adding only the best quality ingredients. There are more than thirty flavours in the repertoire, but the scooping cabinet only has room for sixteen at a time, so the line-up changes weekly and there is always the chance of a special. Favourites have ranged from Ferrero Rocher to jam roly poly, and the full range is only available at the farm shop.

A visit is about more than ice cream. Visitors can sit in the parlour or on the bright pink benches outside with views across the city, and there are often newborn calves, lambs and hens to meet. Molly and her friends come in for milking, usually around 4pm. The farm is a favourite stop for road cyclists and walkers, and nearby Damflask Reservoir makes for a lovely walk, run or ride before a treat.

The farm thinks creatively about its community too. It invites supporters to buy shares in Sheffield Energy Works, from just £5, to help the farm be powered by community-owned renewable energy, and it uses its milk bottles, which go out across Sheffield, to carry adverts for local events and services.

You will find Our Cow Molly ice cream and milk in shops and venues around Sheffield, but nothing quite beats eating it on the farm. The parlour is open from 11am on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and every day during the school holidays, and a vending machine shop is open from 8am to 8pm every day for anyone who needs an ice cream fix out of hours.

Flavours, allergens and opening times are listed on the Our Cow Molly website.