Cheese Days with Barb

Cheese making has been a very important activity at Groundwell Farm for some time now, and looks to continue into the unforeseeable future. Cheese is made here once weekly all year long. With the changing of the seasons, we alter the primary types of cheeses being made. Sometimes we focus on our own Groundwell House cheese (our favorite slicing cheese); in really warm weather we stick to fast easy cheeses like mozzarella, feta, and schiz; every few months we make certain to put up a four pound Parmesan style cheese. Because of these seasonal changes one never knows what might be happening in our home kitchen on any given Cheese Day!

This is our simplest and most relaxed cheese class, available only on Tuesdays. On Cheese Days you and up to two other students will join me in the Groundwell Farm home kitchen to learn anything and everything you have ever wanted to know about cheese making.  We will work together making whatever type of cheese (or cheeses) the farm needs that day. We will discuss among other things: the difference between “natural cheese making” and more industrial methods, similarities and differences between different types of cheese, the benefits of using raw milk as opposed to processed milk, and basic cheese making concepts like acidification, coagulation, and affinage.

This class costs $50 per student and lasts from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the latest. Contact us at groundwellfarm@gmail.com to schedule a Cheese Day with Barb!

Custom Cheese Classes

In talking to potential students, we have recognized the very personal nature of people’s desires for cheese making classes. Therefore we have decided to offer a completely customizable cheese class! Contact us at groundwellfarm@gmail.com to begin a dialogue with us on the cheese class of your dreams. We will work out a schedule and pricing during this conversation. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

Fundraising Options (Hosted Classes)

Instant Gratification Cheese Class

The Instant Gratification Cheese Class is a fun way to learn cheese making in a facility of your choice! In this class, you and up to four students will learn to make three fast cheeses: Mozzarella, Ricotta and Feta. The majority of the work will be done in 5 to 6 hours with the feta remaining in its form overnight. Because students bring their own milk, they get to take their cheeses home!

What will Groundwell Farm bring to the class?

• All necessary equipment for a host and four students to complete the class (including worktables and burners for students’ work, and a canvas tarp to protect the floor).
• Rennet and citric acid (for Mozzarella making).
• A simple cheese form for Feta cheese.
• Recipes and additional reading packets.

What will your students bring to the class?

• Locally sourced, fresh, raw milk.*
• Finger foods to snack on during class.
• Willingness to learn!

What will the host provide for the class?

• Sink and basic kitchen facility including stove top space.
• Space enough within sight of the stove for two worktables (2’x3’ each) and four students.
• When distance requires overnight travel, the host would provide Joe and Barb with sustenance and a flat place to lay our heads.
• Anything else you want to provide.

What’s the catch?

• We have a flat rate of $300 (plus one dollar per mile travel—one way—for classes further than 50 miles from Groundwell Farm)
• You can feel free to charge whatever you want above and beyond our flat rate to raise money for your favorite charity. (Just remember to consider what your particular market will bear!)

*We insist on fresh, locally sourced, raw milk for two reasons:

• Local food security is central to Groundwell Farm and the classes we teach. Buying fresh, locally sourced, raw milk puts students—perhaps for the first time—in direct contact with a local provider and helps that farmer to make ends meet.
• Fresh, raw milk makes better cheese.

Lozza Mozza Pizza Party

The Lozza Mozza Pizza Party is a new concept in cheese classes! What begins as a basic cheese class, morphs—after about four or five hours—into a community event and pizza party! You and your friends will learn to make: quick mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese and pizza. Then we eat!

What will Groundwell Farm bring to the party?

• All necessary equipment for a host and four students to complete the class (including worktables and burners for students’ work, and a canvas tarp to protect the floor).
• Rennet, citric acid (for Mozzarella making) and pizza dough ingredients.
• Recipes and additional reading packets.

What will your students bring to the party?

• Locally sourced, fresh, raw milk.*
• Finger foods to snack on during class.
• Pizza sauce and toppings of their choice.
• Willingness to learn!
• Extra party participants (to arrive 4-5 hours after class begins) can bring beverages and side dishes.

What will the host provide for the party?

• Sink and basic kitchen facility including stovetop and oven space.
• Space enough within sight of the stove for two worktables (2’x3’ each) and four students.
• When distance requires overnight travel, the host would provide Joe and Barb with sustenance and a flat place to lay our heads.
• Anything else you want to provide.

What’s the catch?

• We have a flat rate of $300 (plus one dollar per mile travel—one way—for parties further than 50 miles from Groundwell Farm)
• You can feel free to charge whatever you want above and beyond our flat rate to raise money for your favorite charity or your own personal needs. (Just remember to consider what your particular market will bear!)

*We insist on fresh, locally sourced, raw milk for two reasons:

• Local food security is central to Groundwell Farm and the classes we teach. Buying fresh, locally sourced, raw milk puts students—perhaps for the first time—in direct contact with a local provider and helps that farmer to make ends meet.
• Fresh, raw milk makes better cheese.