In Chambersburg, one family-run market has become a local favorite with more than 75 homemade ice cream flavors, including Coffee Crisp, Gooey Butter Cake, Apple Pie, and Peanut Butter Overload. With 24 flavors available for hand-dipping at a time, choosing a scoop can be the hardest part.
The experience goes far beyond ice cream, with fresh produce, baked goods, deli sandwiches, fried chicken, bulk foods, and an entire candy room. What began as a family idea has grown into a destination where a quick dessert stop can easily turn into a full shopping trip.
A Family Dream That Became a Franklin County Landmark
Every great business starts somewhere, and for Windy Knoll Farm Market and Creamery, the spark came during a simple family outing in 2003. Founder Andrew Eby, his wife, and their oldest daughter stopped at a creamery in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and something clicked that afternoon.
That one scoop of ice cream planted a seed. By 2005, the family had enrolled in the Penn State Ice Cream Short Course, determined to learn the craft properly rather than guess their way through it.
Andrew named the business after the home farm where he grew up, keeping the roots personal and the mission clear.
The doors officially opened in February 2008, and Windy Knoll has been growing ever since. You can find it at 2685 Spring Road, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17202, right in the heart of Franklin County.
The phone number is 717-264-2900, and the website at windyknoll.net lays out everything you need to plan a visit.
The Setting That Makes You Want to Stay Longer Than Planned
There is something about the grounds at Windy Knoll that makes you slow down the moment you step out of your car. The outdoor area is thoughtfully arranged, featuring a large gazebo, comfortable gliders, and picnic tables spread across a well-kept space that invites you to sit and breathe for a minute.
Flowering plants are placed throughout the property, adding bursts of color that make the whole setting feel tended and cared for rather than just functional. It is the kind of yard a proud homeowner would keep, which makes sense given how deeply personal this business is to the Eby family.
A playground sits on the property too, giving kids a place to burn off energy while adults finish their ice cream or chat over a sandwich. The facility itself is large, clean, and described by many visitors as feeling genuinely welcoming.
It is a Mennonite market and creamery, and that commitment to hospitality comes through in every corner of the place.
Over 75 Flavors and the Scoop That Stops You Cold
Windy Knoll produces more than 75 rotating flavors of their own brand of homemade ice cream, and at any given time, 24 of those flavors are available for hand-dipping at the counter. That number alone is enough to make the decision genuinely difficult.
The flavor names tell their own story. Coffee Crisp layers coffee ice cream with chocolate chunks and toffee.
Gooey Butter Cake features cream cheese ice cream studded with gooey butter cake pieces and a salted caramel swirl. Apple Pie brings in real apple chunks, mini pie crust pieces, and another caramel swirl that ties it all together.
Peanut Butter Overload comes loaded with chocolate sauce, peanut butter sauce, and chocolate peanut butter cups, and it has earned a devoted following among regulars. The ice cream is made in the old-fashioned way, meaning it stays smooth and creamy even after sitting in the freezer.
Single dips are priced at $3.99, which feels fair for a scoop this generous.
Milkshakes, Take-Home Pints, and Custom Ice Cream Cakes
The ice cream experience at Windy Knoll does not stop at the cone. Milkshakes are made to order using any of the flavors currently on display, which means you could walk in craving a Biscoff shake or a Salted Caramel one and walk out completely satisfied.
For those who cannot bear to leave without more, the ice cream is also sold in 48-ounce take-home containers and smaller 8-ounce cups. Buying several containers at once is not unusual here, and the staff seems completely unbothered by customers loading up a small cooler before heading home.
Custom ice cream cakes are available for birthdays, celebrations, or honestly any occasion you can think of. The ability to build a cake around a flavor like Grapenut or Black Raspberry makes these feel genuinely special rather than generic.
Whether you are visiting once or live nearby, having that take-home option means Windy Knoll ice cream can follow you right back to your own kitchen.
Fresh Produce Sourced as Close to Home as Possible
Freshness is not a marketing word at Windy Knoll. The produce department actively prioritizes sourcing seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farms whenever the season allows, keeping the selection tied to what is actually growing nearby rather than what got shipped from far away.
The result is a produce section that shifts with the calendar. Crisp apples, leafy greens, colorful peppers, and juicy tomatoes fill the display depending on the time of year, giving shoppers a reason to return regularly just to see what is new.
August brings Chambersburg peaches into the picture, and that alone is worth timing a visit around.
Home cooks who care about where their ingredients come from will find the produce section a reliable stop. The variety is wide enough to handle a weekly shop but curated enough to stay focused on quality.
It is the kind of produce aisle that makes you want to cook dinner from scratch the same evening you visit.
The Bakery Smell Alone Is Worth the Drive
Bakeries either earn their reputation or they do not, and the one at Windy Knoll has clearly done the work. Fresh pies, soft cookies, homemade breads, and rolls come out of the oven daily, and the aroma hits you somewhere between the produce section and the bulk foods aisle.
Classic fruit pies sit alongside desserts that feel lifted from a family recipe box rather than a commercial kitchen. The cookies have that slightly irregular shape that signals handmade, and the breads have the kind of crust that crackles just right.
Stopping in around the holiday season adds another layer entirely, with options like real fruitcake that actually tastes good and cookies baked the old-fashioned way.
The bakery section connects naturally to the rest of the store, so it is easy to grab a loaf of bread while picking up cheese from the deli and a bag of bulk flour on the way out. Nothing about it feels rushed or mass-produced, which is exactly the point.
A Deli Counter That Takes Lunch Seriously
The deli at Windy Knoll is not a side feature. It is a full operation with deli meats and cheeses that can be sliced to your exact preference, along with prepared meals made fresh daily.
Custom meat and cheese platters are available for those planning a gathering or just treating themselves to something worth assembling.
Pasta salads, quiches, and other ready-to-eat items fill the case alongside the sliced options, giving shoppers a practical way to grab lunch without cooking. The selection leans toward quality over quantity, which means what is there tends to be genuinely good rather than just convenient.
Locals use the deli as part of a regular shopping routine, and it is easy to see why. Picking up sliced provolone, a tub of pasta salad, and a fresh roll from the bakery a few steps away covers a solid lunch without much effort.
The staff at the counter handles custom requests without making you feel like you are asking for something unusual, which keeps the whole experience comfortable.
Breakfast Sandwiches and Fried Chicken That Keep People Coming Back
The sandwich shop at Windy Knoll covers the day from morning through dinner, and it does each shift with a specific focus. Breakfast brings warm sandwiches built on biscuits or rolls, layered with fluffy eggs, melted cheese, and a choice of meats.
The sausage, egg, and cheese on a biscuit has developed a loyal following among regulars who know what they want before they even walk in.
Lunch shifts the menu toward made-to-order subs and sandwiches with premium deli meats, fresh toppings, and a range of bread options. The portions are generous, and the wait is generally worth it given the volume the kitchen handles.
The fried chicken stands apart as a genuine highlight. Cooked to order for maximum crunch and juiciness, it is lightly breaded and comes out of the fryer tasting like someone put actual care into the process.
More than a few first-time visitors who came in for ice cream ended up leaving with a box of fried chicken and a very strong opinion about it.
Bulk Foods, Spices, and a Candy Room Worth Getting Lost In
The bulk foods section at Windy Knoll is the kind of aisle that makes practical shoppers and curious browsers equally happy. Spices, flours, grains, pastas, and gluten-free options line the shelves alongside candles, jams, jellies, canned goods, chocolates, and snacks.
It covers a wide range without feeling chaotic.
The candy room deserves its own mention. Stocked with an impressive selection of nostalgic and current sweets, it has the energy of a place you remember from childhood, where every bin holds something you had almost forgotten existed.
It is a crowd-pleaser across generations, which makes it a reliable stop whether you are shopping with kids or just shopping for yourself.
The bulk format does mean some items carry a higher price tag than commercial alternatives, though the quality difference is usually evident. Locally made chips, for instance, are priced accordingly because they are crafted by local producers rather than a factory.
For shoppers who value that distinction, the bulk section becomes a regular destination rather than an occasional browse.
The Outdoor Poly Furniture Display Nobody Expects to Find
Most farm markets do not also happen to carry what is reportedly the largest outdoor poly furniture display in the area, but Windy Knoll is not most farm markets. The collection includes gliders, picnic tables, full dining sets, and a range of seating options built from high-quality recycled materials.
Poly furniture has a practical appeal that becomes obvious once you understand what it is made from. Constructed from recycled materials, it is virtually maintenance-free, resistant to weather, and designed to hold up across seasons without painting, sealing, or replacing.
The pieces on display are set up outside, so visitors can actually sit in them and get a feel for the comfort level before deciding.
The furniture ties naturally into the overall atmosphere of the property, since many of the gliders and tables you enjoy while eating your ice cream or finishing your sandwich are the same ones available for purchase.
Seasonal Surprises and the Corn Maze That Shows Up in Fall
Windy Knoll shifts with the seasons in a way that gives repeat visitors something new to look forward to throughout the year. The most talked-about seasonal addition is the fall corn maze, which transforms the property into a destination that goes beyond shopping or eating.
Corn mazes have a way of turning a simple outing into an actual adventure, especially for families with kids who need more than a playground to keep them engaged. The addition fits naturally with the farm market identity, reinforcing the idea that this is a working, living property rather than just a retail space with a rural aesthetic.
August brings Chambersburg peaches into the produce section, which is a seasonal event worth planning around if you are a fan of stone fruit at its peak ripeness. The combination of a corn maze in fall and fresh peaches in late summer gives Windy Knoll a rhythm that rewards visitors who come back more than once.
Each season brings a slightly different version of the same great place.
Practical Tips for Planning Your Visit to Windy Knoll
Windy Knoll Farm Market and Creamery is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM, and Saturdays from 8 AM to 5 PM. The market is closed on Sundays, so planning around the weekday or Saturday schedule is essential.
Summer hours can sometimes extend, so calling ahead at 717-264-2900 is a smart move before making a special trip.
Parking is free, which is a small but welcome detail when you are already planning to spend money inside. A 2% convenience fee applies to credit card purchases, so bringing cash can save a little money if you prefer to avoid it.
The serving sizes on the ice cream are notably generous, so ordering one scoop before committing to two is a reasonable strategy for first-timers.
The market is pet-friendly for leashed dogs at the four outdoor tables, though pets need to stay outside while orders are placed indoors. Patches, the resident calico cat, has been known to wander the parking lot and greet visitors on her own schedule.
She is a charming bonus that nobody puts on the menu but everyone remembers.
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