Picket Fence Creamery

What Picket Fence Creamery does

Picket Fence Creamery is an 80-acre, family-owned and operated dairy farm, creamery, and country store located at 14583 S Avenue, Woodward, Iowa, founded in 2003 by the Burkhart family (Jeff and Jill Burkhart). The company runs a vertically integrated operation: pasture-raised Jersey cows graze on chemical-free pastures and drink Xenia Rural Water, the milk is vat-pasteurized and non-homogenized (preserving a natural cream line), and final processing and bottling occur on-site at a State of Iowa permitted and inspected Grade A bottling plant. Core products include whole, 2%, and skim milk, chocolate and strawberry milk, fresh Jersey cream, creamery butter, fresh cheese curds in roughly a dozen flavor varieties, Neva's cheese ball, and premium hand-packed ice cream in 35 flavors across five sizes; the on-site country store additionally retails farm-raised beef, pork, and aggregated products from 80-90 other Iowa farm families.

The business operates through three revenue streams: direct-to-consumer sales at the on-site country store (Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm), wholesale distribution to roughly 30 grocery and retail locations across central Iowa (Hy-Vee, Fareway, Wheatsfield, Fresh Thyme, Price Chopper, Whole Foods, plus local markets), and foodservice supply to 15-plus Iowa restaurants and hospitality accounts (Sully's Irish Pub, Gusto Pizza, Chocolaterie Stam, Hotel Pattee, etc.), supplemented by delivery into Farm to Folk Co-op in Ames. Pricing is unit-based at retail (for example a pie-and-quart-of-ice-cream bundle at $15.99), with promotional bundles such as a free half pint of ice cream with $25 in-store orders. Marketing is heavily reliant on farm-visit experience, on-shelf presence at regional grocers, and foodservice word-of-mouth, with no evidence of paid digital advertising or e-commerce direct shipping.

Picket Fence Creamery remains privately held with no disclosed equity funding, venture, or private equity backing; the only documented capital infusion is a $100,000 grant from the Center for Dairy Research in June 2024. The company employs between 11 and 50 people and operates exclusively within the state of Iowa, with no published revenue, no patents or trademarks, no certifications, and no public listings.

Name

Picket Fence Creamery

Legal name

Picket Fence Creamery

Website

https://picketfencecreamery.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Picket Fence Creamery is a family-owned, vertically integrated Iowa dairy farm and creamery producing non-homogenized, vat-pasteurized milk and dairy products from pasture-raised Jersey cows, selling via on-site store, regional grocery wholesale, and Iowa restaurant accounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Dairy Products

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEACAI

Pasture-Based & Grazing Dairy Systems

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Dairy Cattle Farming

SECONDARYCRAHAHAE

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food)

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Fresh Food Specialists (Produce, Meat, Seafood)

SECONDARYAFAIAEAB

Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Dairy & Eggs Wholesale

Keywords

• Artisan dairy products
• Vat pasteurized milk
• Farmstead creamery
• Grass-fed dairy
• Hand-packed ice cream

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodward

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of dairy products and local foods at their on-site country store in Woodward, Iowa. The store sells their dairy products along with products from 80-90 other Iowa families including chicken, eggs, buffalo, lamb, elk, organic foods, baked goods, jams, salsa, wines, and vegetables.
2. Wholesale to Retailers: Products sold to grocery retailers and restaurants throughout central Iowa including Hy-Vee, Fareway, Wheatsfield, Fresh Thyme, Price Chopper, Whole Foods, and local markets. Products include milk, chocolate milk, strawberry milk, cream, cheese curds, cheese balls, and ice cream.
3. Specialty Product Bundles: Bundled offerings such as pie and quart of ice cream combination, and promotional items like free half pint of ice cream with $25 order.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Picket Fence Creamery operates an 80-acre family-owned dairy farm and on-site creamery in Woodward, Iowa, producing non-homogenized, vat-pasteurized milk, cream, butter, cheese curds, cheese balls, and hand-packed ice cream from pasture-raised Jersey cows. The farm also runs a country store that sells farm-raised beef, pork, and goods from 80-90 other Iowa families.

Product overview

Picket Fence Creamery is a family-owned and operated dairy farm and creamery on 80 acres near Woodward, Iowa, producing a portfolio of dairy products and farm goods. The core product line centers on non-homogenized, vat-pasteurized dairy from pasture-raised Jersey cows: Milk (Whole, 2%, Skim in multiple sizes), Chocolate Milk, Strawberry Milk, and Jersey Cream. The creamery also produces hand-packed Ice Cream in 35 flavors, Cheese Curds in multiple varieties, Neva's Cheese Ball, and Creamery Butter. Additionally, the on-site country store markets locally-sourced meats (Beef, Pork) and products from approximately 90 other Iowa farm families. All dairy is 100% natural, produced without artificial hormones, and processed at the State-licensed Grade A bottling plant on the farm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Milk Non-homogenized, vat-pasteurized whole, 2%, and skim milk from pasture-raised Jersey cows, available in gallon, half gallon, and 12 oz. sizes for retail and foodservice customers.
• Chocolate Milk Whole chocolate milk in gallon, half gallon, and 12 oz. sizes for retail and foodservice customers.
• Strawberry Milk Strawberry-flavored milk offered as part of the dairy product lineup.
• Jersey Cream Fresh cream in quart and 12 oz. sizes, sourced from pasture-raised Jersey cows for retail and foodservice customers.
• Ice Cream Premium hand-packed ice cream available in 3-5 sizes with 35 flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, fruit, seasonal, and specialty flavors (Girl Scout Thin Mint, Dutch Letter, Cowpath).
• Neva's Cheese Ball Handmade cheese ball suitable for game days, holidays, and gatherings; pairs with brats, baked potatoes, vegetables, or crackers.
• Cheese Curds Fresh white cheddar cheese curds available in original, dill, garlic, garlic-dill, garden herb, hot pepper, bacon, bacon-ranch, jalapeno ranch, taco, and seasonal cranberry flavors.
• Creamery Butter Salted or unsalted butter in 1 lb. rolls, made from cream at the on-site creamery.
• Beef and Pork Farm-raised beef and pork sourced from Iowa farmers, available at the country store.
• Fiesta Dip Flavored dairy dip offered as part of the product lineup.
• Country Store On-site retail country store at the Woodward, Iowa farm offering Picket Fence dairy products plus goods from 80-90 other Iowa farm families including chicken, eggs, buffalo, lamb, elk, organic foods, baked goods, jams, salsa, Iowa wines, Pella foods, and organically grown vegetables.

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Xenia Rural WatercoreOthersXenia Rural Water provides fresh and clean water to the farm's Jersey cows. The cows drink this safe, fresh water while grazing on chemical-free pastures.
• Farm to Folk Co-opminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarm to Folk Co-op in Ames receives deliveries of Picket Fence Creamery products for distribution to co-op members.
• 80-90 Iowa Farm FamiliescoreOthersLocal Iowa families (80-90 families) whose products are sold alongside Picket Fence products in the country store. Products include chicken, eggs, buffalo, lamb, elk, organic foods, baked goods, jams, salsa, Iowa wines, and vegetables.
• Farmer's Best PopcornminorOthersRecommended popcorn brand from Rockwell City used in recipes on the Picket Fence website (Parmesan Popcorn recipe).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sassy Cow Creamery: Family-owned Wisconsin dairy farm with on-site bottling plant and farm store selling milk, cream, ice cream, and cheese. Closely matches Picket Fence's vertically integrated, single-site farm-to-bottle model.
• Straus Family Creamery: Family-operated organic dairy in California operating its own creamery with non-homogenized, vat-pasteurized milk and on-farm retail — essentially Picket Fence's archetype at slightly larger scale.
• Vermont Creamery: Small artisan dairy producer specializing in cream, butter, and fresh cheeses, with strong specialty/foodservice distribution. Comparable size and product overlap, especially with Picket Fence's cheese curds and creamery butter lines.
• Country View Dairy: Pennsylvania family dairy producing flavored milk, cream, and dairy drinks with strong regional grocery and foodservice presence — a close peer on the value-added fluid milk side.

Broad incumbents

• Organic Valley: Large farmer-owned dairy cooperative with broad organic and pasture-raised product lines distributed nationally. Competes in the same 'natural/local' positioning from a much larger base.
• Stonyfield Farm: National organic dairy brand emphasizing pasture-raised milk and clean-label processing. Overlaps with Picket Fence's natural-claim positioning at significantly greater scale and shelf penetration.
• Prairie Farms Dairy: Midwest-focused dairy cooperative with strong regional grocery presence across Iowa and surrounding states, including fluid milk, ice cream, and cultured products — competes for the same retailer shelf space.
• Hiland Dairy: Regional dairy processor serving the Midwest with fluid milk, ice cream, and cultured dairy. Competes head-to-head with Picket Fence for grocery distribution in central Iowa.
• Shamrock Farms: Family-owned Arizona dairy producing shelf-stable and refrigerated milk, cream, and flavored dairy at scale. Useful peer on vertically integrated family dairy operations with branded retail distribution.
• Cabot Creamery: Dairy cooperative best known for butter and cheddar cheese curds with broad regional and national grocery distribution. Directly comparable on the cheese-curd category, which Picket Fence highlights as a featured SKU.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Picket Fence Creamery