Fundamentals of Artisan Cheese Course

Tweet

Learn “Fundamentals of Artisan Cheese” with Sterling College and Jasper Hill

May 15-24, 2017, Craftsbury Common, Vermont

The School of the New American Farmstead at Sterling College is offering another session of its popular class “Fundamentals of Artisan Cheese,” in partnership with the Cellars at Jasper Hill.
The intensive nine-day program will be held from May 15-24, 2017. Led by world-renowned master cheesemaker and educator Ivan Larcher, “Fundamentals of Artisan Cheese” provides students with the practical and scientific knowledge needed to create exquisite small-scale artisanal cheese. The course offers a whole-system perspective on cheesemaking, which begins on the farm and requires careful attention to animal husbandry and welfare, forage and feed, dairy production, and milk quality.

Ivan Larcher said, “I wish to work with students to help build their cheesemaking future. My love of cheesemaking is matched by my passion to pass on vital cheesemaking knowledge.”

Mateo Kehler, master cheesemaker, affineur, and co-owner of the Cellars at Jasper Hill, said, “Both Jasper Hill and the School of the New American Farmstead are passionate about cheese and artisan culture. We want to give hands-on classes in making cheese, and also work with people interested in
moving our food system in a much more responsible direction.”

The Fundamentals of Artisan Cheese course dives deep into both the science and art of cheesemaking by exploring raw and pasteurized milk theory, cheese microbiology, coagulants, curdling mechanisms, and starters. Students will have both classroom lecture sessions as well as hands-on and observational cheese making.

In sessions offered on the Sterling College campus in Craftsbury Common, at Jasper Hill in Greensboro, and at the Vermont Food Venture Center in Hardwick, Vermont, students will also learn about the business of cheesemaking, sales and distribution, and content-based marketing in addition to the fundamentals of artisan cheese. Attention to critical food safety concerns, an on-site food sanitation workshop, and an overview of plant design round out the curriculum. This course is suitable for confident beginners and capable practitioners alike. The small class size makes it possible for the instructors to tailor content to individual learning goals and have one-on-one conversations.

The class is being offered at Sterling College as part of its School of the New American Farmstead, its continuing education program that provides a variety of classes and workshops for aspiring agrarians, artisan food enthusiasts, and environmental stewards. These hands-on short courses in
small-scale food production and sustainable farming offer one-on-one mentorship, inspiration, skills, and new perspectives that will feed the body, the mind, and the spirit.

This is the second year of the visionary School of the New American Farmstead, the brainchild of President Matthew Derr. Under President Derr’s leadership, the College has launched the Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems; made substantial progress on renewable energy; transformed its agricultural facilities; and set records for enrollment and fundraising.

The School of the New American Farmstead at Sterling College is generously underwritten by two great Vermont businesses: Chelsea Green Publishing, the preeminent publisher of books on the politics and practice of sustainable living, and Vermont Creamery, an award winning creamery offering fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and créme fraîche that combine the European tradition of cheesemaking with Vermont’s terroir. Both Chelsea Green and Vermont Creamery are partner businesses that share a deep commitment to the environmental stewardship mission of Sterling College.

Online registration for Fundamentals of Artisan Cheese is now open, but spaces are limited. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Academic credit is available for all courses. For more information this course and to register, visit www.sterlingcollege.edu/cheese.