I can’t say as I would recommend a trip to Buhl, Idaho. So much first class farmland wasted on feed corn makes a vegetable farmer shake his head in disgust. All this to feed cows confined to shit filled pens waiting for slaughter or heifers (udders in the shit) needing to be milked. No wonder vegan-ism is sweeping across America (Gernika had a vegan gluten free soup the other day, and it was good). Buhl is, like a big backyard of grass, a homogenized monoculture. And like the dandelion that pokes it’s yellow head up in this sea of green, Cloverleaf Creamery is a beautiful change of scenery.
Located in downtown Buhl, the creamery is a retail shop for a dairy farm in Buhl. The milk comes in old fashioned glass bottles, the butter’s fresh and packed right there in the back room. They have all the dairy fixings: cream, cottage cheese… But the main attraction is the ice cream. I recommend elk track ice cream. Huge single scoop cone for only $2.50. Cloverleaf Creamery gives me hope for rural Idaho’s future even in the face of huge mountains of manure and field after field of field corn.
The dairy geniuses at Cloverleaf pasture their Holsteins. They also keep the herd small (60 head) so as they can focus on a quality product. These guys handle the milk from cow to customer. There is an oasis in this culinary desert after all.
Cloverleaf Creamery: 205 Broadway Ave, South Buhl, ID, 83316.
–Farmer Marty
Cast Iron 
Farmer Marty,
Thank you so much for the kind words about our business. We truly believe in the products we make and the way we make them. We, like you, are outraged by the food industry in this area and also in this country, and prefer to see small, sustainable, all-natural alternatives. Thank you for the great review, if you’re in the area again and would like to see the plant, the cows, or the farm, we would be happy to show you.
-Eric Stoltzfus
Plant Manager, CloverLeaf Creamery
Thanks Eric! We would love to see the plant, cows, and farm. Congrats again on your good work. We haven’t been back to Buhl lately but buy your products at the Boise Coop.
PS….Cloverleaf guys, while we have your attention… Which apparently we do because the blog post on Cloverleaf has gotten hundreds of hits in the last few days… I was wondering if it would be possible for you to sell us some milk (whole) in a smaller bottle? Like the size the cream comes in? Please? Sometimes I can’t use the big bottle fast enough. But we get it anyway because we really love your milk. I think a lot of people might buy the smaller bottle. Thanks, Katie
I appreciate the kind words for Cloverleaf Creamery but your depiction of Buhl is certainly less than flattering. I suggest that you revisit the Magic Valley and see the progressive farming techniques that many farmers are now using. Did you notice how many acres of sweet corn we also grow in the Magic Valley? Other prominent crops are sugar beets, grains, dry beans, potatoes, peas, and many other vegetables.
I am intrigued that you refer to yourself as Farmer Marty and you raise your produce on 1 1/2 acres….that is merely a garden in the Magic Valley.
I found the remarks regarding
Buhl’s farmers degrading and rude. I moved there from out of state as a child because those rolling shit hills u forgot to admire were more often rolling grassy ground for the dairy cows to live upon; rather than the concrete free stall barns of other states – where the milk cows never see true blue sky or snort the beloved bugs that you would include in your hopefully realistic view of nutritious milk. Although my family learned that there were some farmers who run their business in a way most of us would not, we still prided ourselves in producing quality milk AND vegetables in our 2 acre garden. …. the other 300 acres was beautifully planted to your hated corn, which provided the milk cows with an organicly controlled, safe staple to eat. Thereby producing a safer more nutritious product on the market. I suggest Farmer Marty and wife drive down a few more roads in Buhl and then go back to drive down that original road – so crudely discussed prior – very very slowly. If u still feel like being an ass…. next u could go home and clean out your own shit from the middle bottom of the pile – outward.
Farmer Marty, you may not recommend a trip to Buhl, but I would. The small community has a rich heritage and many of the residents are descendents of families that have worked that area since it was established over 100 years ago. It may not be obvious on a quick drop in, especially if you are fighting back overwhelming feelings of disgust while licking your ice-cream cone, but I think you would enjoy many aspects of the little town of Buhl.
We don’t just grow “feed corn” here….We grow “Feed” corn, “Seed” corn and “Sweet” corn. Which enables us to buy local “organic milk, ice cream and other such necessities. So do you need some help with Crop Identification? We “rotate” our “corn with: Dry Beans, Sugar Beets, POTATOES, Barley, Wheat, Sugar Snap Peas, Garden Bean Seed and Alfalfa, Some are exploring Edamame’s. Please, before you make such unkind assumptions, it would be appreciated if you at least present “the facts”. I would rather spend my days mucking out the cowshit, than see it, less than honorably, come out my mouth.
I can highly recommend both the cows and the wonderful people of Buhl, Idaho. We found Cloverleaf in 2010 while on vacation. The ice cream was so good we camped overnight so we could come back the next two days for more!
Our FAVORITE cow is Biggie!! She lives up to her name!
I do not believe all of the writers ideas. I found some of the nicest areas in and around Buhl (LOVED Balanced Rock!) and the nice people in town were a joy after hiding out in the outback for days.
The dairy is a wonderful place and the cows are HAPPY! They are treated well and the calves are given room to move about. Please stick to the true facts when you write and I can say that cow poop is all made up of grain and grass and does not smell like dog poop does! I’d step in cow poop any day!
LOVE your MILK and ICE CREAM I here about our trip to Cloverleaf every few weeks and how we need to go again soon (we are in CA).
PS Marty what kind of fertilizer do you use???? With all of the BS you spew I can guess what kind!
My reply https://castironidaho.com/2012/02/16/buhl-idaho/
Farmer Marty