Welcome to Cheesemaking on the Homestead. 3 years ago I bought a sweet Jersey cow named Anne and I started making hard cheese. Cheese making felt very intimidating and it was hard to learn from books. I took several courses online and kept reading but most of all, I kept making cheese. I started teaching cheesemaking classes in my home last summer. That led to teaching at the WSU Country Living and Modern Homestead Expo in Jan 2025 and the decision to try a monthly class locally on Whidbey Island at the Coupeville Recreation Hall.
Classes are limited to 10 people per class so that everyone can participate, ask questions and integrate new knowledge. In each class, I will be starting with fresh milk and ending with a wheel of cheese in the cheese press. I will cover all the steps of cheesemaking~ Culturing, Setting the curd with rennet, Cutting and Stirring, Cooking and Pressing, Brining and Aging as well as storing your cheese. I will also cover how you can make your own cheese press or where to buy your cheese making supplies.

There will be cheese to sample at each class as well. My hope is that everyone who takes my class will be equipped to start making their own aged, hard cheeses and that a community will grow around keep old traditions and wisdom alive.