SUNNYSIDE -- Mathew Santoy has a theory. The only way he can help customers at Dairyfair in Sunnyside decide which flavor of ice cream to get is by tasting each of them himself.

A dirty job, but he's done it. Every last one, from peppermint candy to caramel macchiato.

His favorite, for the record, is chocolate chip mint. But people rarely are disappointed when they try any flavor of the creamy treat, said Santoy, 18, who works behind the counter at the gift shop and cafe.

"I think most people come for (the ice cream) and cheese curds," he said.

Cheese curds? The popular snacks -- often called "squeaky cheese" because they squeak when you bite into them -- are courtesy of the large cheese factory next door.

Dairyfair and the factory are owned by Darigold and have been a fixture in the small Lower Yakima Valley town for more than 10 years.

The cafe is open daily and often serves customers visiting from across the country and world. But the true draw is the factory, which produces 175 million pounds of cheese a year, mostly cheddar, white cheddar and Monterey jack.

"That's a lot of cheese," said Tami Silva, Dairyfair manager.

No kidding. Think of it like this: The amount the factory puts out annually is equal to the weight of about 10,600 African bush elephants. It's also greater than the weight of the Titanic at its waterline.

Visitors can see how all that cheese is made by taking self-guided tours of the plant. The first leg of the tour is a quick elevator ride up to the second floor. But even that's fun: The lift was the first ever installed in Sunnyside, back in 1995.

"It's not a trip to the moon, but at least it will get you to the next floor," says a sign next to the "Up" button.

The rest of the tour is short and sweet. Large windows let you look down on the cheese vats below, and there are historical cheese production photos and facts about cheese on the walls.

The tidbit about how the first cheese in history likely was made is especially, um, interesting. (It involves milk and a sheep's stomach).

There's also a video for kids explaining what's going on.

The factory always is running, but the best time to take a tour and see some action is before 10 a.m. and after 2 p.m., Silva said.

There are no actual cows on site because milk is brought to the plant to be processed. But the gift shop makes up for that with cow-themed dishes, boxer shorts, T-shirts and milk tumblers, as well as cow-themed candy, stuffed cows and cow figurines.

The ice cream counter always features 24 flavors to peruse. People are welcome to try a sample first before they commit, and free cheese samples also are available, Silva said.

Visitors also should watch for the community events Dairyfair puts on each year, ranging from Easter egg hunts to decorating Christmas cookies with Mrs. Claus.

"A lot of things we do, we try to focus on community and family," Silva said.

Dairyfair is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.