Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Moege.
Hi Karen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Established 1885
No, not the ice cream, but the family farm was established over 135 years ago in 1885, in Wabaunsee County, Kansas. The Moege Farm has been home to 4 generations of family members who have maintained the homestead over the years. The farm has always been a central gathering place for family and community members and still continues an entrepreneurial spirit throughout Alma.
During the pandemic, the Darrin and Karen Moege bought ice cream at the store but were disappointed at the quality. “I could make my own ice cream better than this,” Karen told Darrin. She gathered recipes and started experimenting in her kitchen.
Darrin gave away samples and the response was very positive. “One friend of ours is an animal science professor at K-State and he said it was really good,” he said. Another friend works at a large grocery chain. “When you get this ready for wholesale, let us know,” he said.
We decided to launch our ice cream business. We acquired the necessary licenses, set up a production facility in nearby Alma, and purchased a mobile trailer. We wanted to call it Moege Moos, but that was too close to an existing business name. Since they are selling ice cream by the pint from the Flint Hills location, they decided to call it Flint Hills Pints.
FROM THE PLACES YOU KNOW. All of our ingredients are locally-sourced when available, meaning they come from other family-run farms like ours. Knowing where our ingredients come from and trusting the people to provide them to us is an important part of our ice cream making process.
INGREDIENTS YOU CAN PRONOUNCE. From the velvety texture of the richness of the ice cream to the pop of sweetness from real fresh fruit – every ingredient that goes into our ice cream is simple and authentic.
Flint Hills Pints produces ice cream using milk acquired locally from Hiland Dairy and Hildebrand Dairy. We use our own eggs and all they can acquire from other family farms and the local farmers markets. We cook our own base for the ice cream, so as we can control what ingredients are in our ice cream base and then add fruit and spices as needed. There’s no artificial colorings or flavorings in our base. Once we start adding candies, cookies and sodas from mainstream, I cannot control all of the additives and preservatives. In addition, we don’t use any food colorings or dyes in our products. The colors come from the natural fruit and the egg yolks.
The K-State Value Added Foods Lab helped with development of nutritional labeling. We are also members of From the Land of Kansas program operated by the Kansas Department of Agriculture. I can’t say enough good things about them. It’s been great working with them.
The business has grown to include a second trailer. The trailers go to farmer’s markets and special events. It is also possible to order online for pickup. We have now obtained our processor’s license, which has now allowed us to be able to sell to local food cooperatives such as The Merc in Lawrence, we are now in the Topeka Hy-Vee and the Manhattan Hy-Vee Gas Station. We best of all love selling to small local stores across Kansas out to Quinter near the Colorado boarder.
Flint Hills Pints offers classic flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip, cookies N cream, GF cookies N cream, and butter brickle, and then there’s ice cream flavored with Andes mint, caramel crunch with heath, espresso chip, cherry nut, peach, flint rock road, and many more.
One time, we had company at the farm and Karen made German chocolate cake for dessert. When she found she had extras, she made that into ice cream. German chocolate cake is now one of their top selling flavors.
Another flavor combines blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry. That one is called Homerun and is also a top seller. Flint Hills Pints offers ice cream pies and gluten-free crusts as an option.
We like creating new flavors, the possibilities are endless. We even create custom flavors. She has created a loaded sweet potato flavor and one called cranberry tequila white chocolate chip. It retains the flavor but we cook the alcohol out of it. We now offer strawberry lemonade ice cream, where the strawberries are cooked in the lemonade. Another new flavor combination is Smokey Bear and Smoked Brown Bear. AJ’s Honey out of the Salina provides Smokehouse 7 with honey and Shannon smokes the honey. I then infused this into the vanilla and chocolate ice cream flavors. With these flavors, you get the vanilla or chocolate flavors upfront, when you swallow, you get the honey with a hint of smoke and the honey lingers a bit on your tongue, wetting your appetite for more.
Customer comments include statements such as, “Hands down, best ice cream I’ve ever had!” and “The ice cream is fresh and the flavors are unique and delicious” and “It reminds us of how ice cream used to taste.”
OUR PROMISE TO OUR CUSTOMERS IS THAT FLINT HILLS PINTS WILL NEVER USE PREMADE ICE CREAM MIXES AS OUR BASE OR USE ANY STABILIZERS SUCH AS GUAR GUM, LOCUST BEAN GUM, TARA GUM, XANTHAN, OR GELATIN GUM OR CORN SYRUP IN OUR BASE!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We initially struggled with the Kansas Department of AG. I wanted to make our ice cream on the farm; however, with all the regulations, we were not able to do so. We are on well water at the farm and also have a lateral field for our sewer. To be in business a new well would need to be drilled and cased, then the sanitizer would kill off the “good” bacteria in the lateral field. Needless to say, we have a small commercial kitchen/food processing facility in the City of Alma, KS where we process our products.
We also wanted to be able to use “raw” milk, but KDA and our liability insurance said “NO”. This was a battle I elected to forego in order to be able to obtain the necessary licenses and insurance coverage.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We own and operate Flint Hills Pints, a small-batch ice cream company based in the heart of the Flint Hills of Kansas. We specialize in premium, handcrafted ice cream made with high-quality ingredients and a commitment to flavor. Every batch is made locally with care, and we take pride in offering unique, regionally inspired flavors alongside the classics.
What sets us apart is our focus on real ice cream that is rich, creamy, and indulgent, with no shortcuts. We don’t use stabilizers or fillers, and our texture and taste speak for itself.
We are most proud of the relationships we’ve built with our community and customers. Whether it’s serving at local events, collaborating with area producers, or being part of family celebrations, we’re deeply rooted in the local experience.
At the end of the day, we’re not just selling ice cream we’re creating small moments of joy that people remember. That’s what drives our work every day.
Any big plans?
As we look ahead, our focus is on growing thoughtfully while staying true to our roots. We’re exploring opportunities to expand our wholesale partnerships and get our ice cream into more local shops, restaurants, and events across the region. We’re also looking at increasing our production capacity to meet growing demand without compromising the small-batch quality we’re known for.
One of the things we’re most excited about is the opportunity to expand our wholesale presence. We’ve seen growing interest from businesses that want to offer our premium, locally made ice cream, and we’re beginning to lay the groundwork to support that growth. Whether it’s stocking more local grocery shelves or partnering with restaurants and specialty shops, we’re focused on building relationships that allow us to bring our product to more people, while staying true to our small-batch roots.
More than anything, I’m looking forward to continuing to connect with our community and finding new ways to share our ice cream with more people.
Pricing:
- 7.00 per pint
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flinthillspints.com
- Facebook: Flint Hills Pints
