Entry No. 47 — the Boulder file — filed under: hands-on
The Art of Cheese at Dolly Mama's Farmstead
A working goat-cheese school led by a dairy-goat farmer, relocated in 2025 to Dolly Mama's Farmstead after its original farm was sold. In the hands-on chevre class you actually make fresh goat cheese and sample several fresh and aged cheeses, then go out to meet Dolly Mama and her herd, including kids born on the farm. Classes run year-round and frequently sell out.
The story
The Art of Cheese didn't start in a slick industrial kitchen—it began in 2014 when founder Kate Johnson found herself flooded with over a gallon of fresh milk a day from her daughters' 4-H dairy goats in Longmont. Rather than drown in surplus, she taught herself to transform raw milk into championship curds, eventually studying under Vermont cheesemakers and turning her 'Cheese Coach' curriculum into a full-time school. When her original Briar Gate Farm was sold in 2025, the operation didn't shut down—it simply packed up its cheese presses and moved down the road to Dolly Mama's Farmstead.
Dolly Mama's is Boulder County's farmstead creamery, spearheaded by Deb Britton, a former student and instructor at the school. The farm gets its name from Dolly, the herd's zen-like matriarch known for staring into the horizon while her daughters—Polly, Lolly, Molly, Holly, and Madge—raise chaos around her. Behind the scenes, the property runs on regenerative grazing and carbon-fixing pasture restoration, converting small-batch goat milk into everything from fresh chevre to complex aged bloomy rinds right in the barn.
What it's like
Put on boots you don't mind getting dirty—you're pulling up to an active working farm just west of Longmont. Inside the barn classroom, you'll roll up your sleeves for a hands-on crash course in milk science, cutting curds and hand-shaping your own custom-flavored log of fresh chevre to take home. After tasting a guided spread of fresh and aged goat cheeses, you'll step into the pens to meet Dolly Mama and her herd—with newborn kids on hand if you time your visit for spring kidding season. Space in the classroom is tight, classes run year-round, and seats fill up weeks ahead of time, so lock in your spot on their calendar before making the drive.
The move: Make a batch of fresh chevre side by side, taste your way through aged cheeses, then go cuddle baby goats out in the barn.
📍 Before you go Classes are by scheduled date and sell out fast; held on a working farm so dress for it. Baby-goat encounters depend on kidding season. Confirm the current Dolly Mama's Farmstead location and date on the events page before booking.
- 📍 Longmont
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Dolly Mama's Farmstead, near Longmont, CO (Boulder County)
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Violet Press & Paper — Trade one hands-on craft for another by making fresh chevre in the morning and setting vintage lead type on Main Street Longmont in the afternoon.
- Magic Fairy Candles Mercantile — Follow up a rustic morning in the goat barn with a trip to Longmont's Main Street apothecary to browse kitchen-table herbal goods and hand-poured candles.
- Quarters Bar + Arcade — Balance an educational afternoon of curd science with self-serve tap wall pours and retro arcade games in downtown Longmont.
- Lyons Classic Pinball — Drive ten minutes west into Lyons after your farm tour to unwind over 70 meticulously maintained vintage pinball cabinets.
Good to know
Where is the cheesemaking school located?
In-person classes take place at Dolly Mama's Farmstead Goat Cheese, located at 8701 N 55th St near Longmont in Boulder County (where the school relocated after its original farm was sold).
What happens during a hands-on chevre class?
You'll learn the basic chemistry of turning milk into curds, make and flavor your own fresh chevre log to take home, sample a variety of fresh and aged cheeses, and tour the creamery and goat barn.
Can I cuddle baby goats when I visit?
Baby goat encounters depend on the farm's spring kidding schedule, but you will meet Dolly Mama and the resident adult dairy herd year-round during the post-class tour.
Can I just show up to buy cheese or take a class?
No—this is a working private farmstead. All visits require booking a scheduled class or event in advance through The Art of Cheese website.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-06-23