Something Sweet Is Stirring at Yoder’s Red Barn Ice Cream
Despite the bitter cold, things are quietly warming up at Yoder’s Red Barn Ice Cream, 428 Parkside Dr. in Ashland — and it’s not just wishful thinking.
While the awesome ice cream stand is currently closed, there’s been buzz (and chainsaws) on the property. After hearing questions from the community about what was going on, I stopped by to take a look and found Young’s Tree Service hard at work, clearing trees behind the Red Barn.
A quick call to owner Harley Yoder let the cat out of the bag: plans for a brand-new Yoder’s Red Barn Ice Cream building are officially in motion. The idea has been in the works for at least two years, and while a few hurdles remain, things are looking promising — with hopes of a new building possibly opening as early as April.
Tree work on site is being handled by Nathan Young, owner of Young’s Tree Service, who’s been in business since 2005 and climbing trees since 2000. Young said roughly 10 trees were removed to make way for the future building, noting some were in poor condition and needed to come down anyway.
Young, who works alongside his longtime partner Frank Morley — a tree-cutting veteran with 54 years of experience — said the job definitely changes the landscape, but for good reason.
Beyond the sawdust and hard hats, Young shared that he’s never “worked a day in his life” because he loves what he does, adding that he thanks his Lord and Savior each morning for the opportunity to do the work he enjoys.
With the cat officially out of the bag, Harley Yoder plans to sit down later this week to share renderings of the new building and some exciting additions planned for the future.
Ashland… it may be cold now, but it’s starting to feel a whole lot like ice cream season again.
