Artisan Cheese Workshop 2025
March 3, 2025 - March 5, 2025
Registration Deadline: February 26, 2025 - 11:45PM
Michigan State University Dairy Plant, 474 S. Shaw Lane E. Lansing, MI 48824
Contact: Phil Durst
About the Class
This 22-hour class takes place over three days and will teach participants the science and art of cheesemaking. Participants will make 5 different cheeses. No prior experience is necessary. The business of cheesemaking, requirements and marketing will all be discussed as well.
March 3rd: 10AM-5PM
March 4th: 8AM-7PM
March 5th: 8AM-3PM
Participants should complete pre-requisite on-line training on food safety with dairy products.
Registration Information
The cost of the 22-hour course is $580 per person. If you already took the course and are interested in retaking the workshop, the cost is $375.
The cost per person includes lunch each day, an extensive 3-ring notebook of all class materials and reference materials, all materials needed for the cheese-making, packaging to take cheese home, and a cheese-tasting event on Tuesday evening with cheeses brought by participants.
Cancellation information- cancel by Feb. 14 get a full refund, cancel by February 24 get 50% refund and after that, get a 20% refund.
Instructors
- Josh Hall and Gary Smith, owners of Leelanau Cheese and internationally awarded cheesemakers
- Stan Moore, MSU Dairy Extension Educator (retired) and cheesemaker
- Phil Durst, MSU Dairy Extension Educator
Topics Covered
- Sanitation and food safety review
- Basics of cheesemaking
- Starter cultures & varieties
- Lactic acid cheeses
- Salting, flavoring, molding, packaging cheeses
- Cheddar lab
- Mozzarella lab - direct acidification, flavoring
- Business planning and budgets
- Network for sales
What you will learn in this three-day Artisan Cheesemaking Workshop:
- How to make both hard and soft cheeses
- The art and science of making fine cheese
- Proper work space etiquette and sanitation
- Facility and equipment design for food safety
- The importance of starting with high quality milk
- Understanding and using cultures for cheese varieties
- Planning your artisan cheese business
All cheesemaking raw materials, tools and equipment will be provided for your use during the workshop.
A fun cheese tasting event will be included.
Prerequisites: All class registrants must enroll in and complete (pass) the following two free on-line courses sections on facility design and sanitation, prior to attending the three-day Artisan Cheese Workshop.
https://www.3-a.org/knowledge-center-landing
- 3.0 Facility Design & Environmental Controls
- 4.0 Basics of Cleaning and Sanitizing
Certification of completion needs to be emailed to Phil Durst at durstp@msu.edu, prior to the workshop.
Download the flier with class information here.
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