Introduction to Cheesemaking - Details

If you love cheese, or know someone who does, and you fancy dabbling in the art of cheesemaking, this is a fantastic introduction into crafting your own tasty cheese at home. We aim to provide you with a fun, informative and downright different day out in the Cotswolds – from seeing our girls (cows) use our splendid robotic milking system to strolling through the meadows on a wildlife/history walk around Greystones Nature Reserve with a guide from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

Our cheese-mad course tutor, Roger Crudge, began making his version of fromage in 2002 but after 16 years of dream fulfilment he is now semi-retired working with Simon Weaver Organic to pass on his passion of cheesemaking. He will teach you how to make a fresh, lactic cheese – ready for you to eat almost straight away – and a semi-hard, Tomme style cheese – which you will mature for a further 6 weeks at home before the indulging begins.

The below offers a general outline of the day, due to the varied nature of making cheese, any timings may not be accurate.

On arrival you will meet your course tutor and refresh yourself with tea, coffee and biscuits.

Practical Session 1:

This is an introduction into making cheese plus its’ history followed by beginning the cheesemaking process.

Break for 10 mins

Practical Session 2:

Continue to make your soft cheese and begin the hard cheese.

Stop for Guided Walk:

You will take one hour to stretch your legs and breathe in the crisp air of the nature reserve.

Practical Session 3:

Continue making the hard cheese.

Lunch:

Break for half an hour to enjoy some of Simon Weaver Organic’s Brie and Single Gloucester cheeses along with ham, salad and chutney.

Practical Session 4:

Finish the day’s cheesemaking and take time to talk with Roger.

This course is suitable for vegetarians (there will be meat on offer for lunch on a separate plate at lunch for non-veggies) as we only use vegetable rennet in our cheese.

Do you have any allergies? If you have any allergies we need to be aware of, please let us know at least one week before the course date so we have enough time to cater for you. If you book very close to the date, please let us know as soon as possible but we cannot guarantee your request.

We cannot guarantee a nut free environment given the location of our course, but we do not use nuts in the process or provide them with lunch.

More details will be provided upon booking.

Refund Policy:

Please note, if you are no longer able to attend, please see the conditions below:

If you are unable to attend and you cancel your booking up to 10 days before the course date, you will be entitled to a full refund less a 10% administration charge.

If you are unable to attend and you cancel your booking between 5 and 10 days before the course date, you will only be entitled to a 50% refund.

If you are unable to attend and you cancel your booking less than 5 days before the course date, you will not be entitled to a refund.

When possible, we will do our best to rebook your course on one of the next two following dates if you are no longer able to attend on your selected date, however this is subject to availability.