Private Farmhouse Cheesemaking Workshop

The best part of this experience is hands-on: you make a small Dutch farmers’ cheese at a working cheese farm, rather than simply watching a demonstration. The private format means your group gets the guide’s attention, and you finish with your own fresh cheese to take home.

I like the mix of food and local craft, especially the cheese tasting and the visit to the clog factory while your cheese is under the press. The main caution is value: at $148.75 per person, you should expect a well-organized, full workshop. One account describes only about 45 minutes of actual cheesemaking and a hurried guide, so the experience may feel expensive if the pacing slips.

Key points

• Make your own Dutch boerenkaas: You handle the cheesemaking equipment and create a young farmhouse cheese with a cheesemaker.
• Private group setting: Only your party takes part, which can make questions and demonstrations more personal.
• Cheese, wine, and biscuits included: Tastings take place during the farm and shop visit.
• A farm and clog factory in one stop: The tour adds a second Dutch craft tradition to the food lesson.
• Take-home cheese: Your fresh cheese receives a small treatment, then is packaged for you to carry home.
• Plan your transport: The $148.75 price does not include getting to Simonehoeve in Katwoude.

Making boerenkaas at Simonehoeve

This is not a quick cheese tasting with a short talk attached. The central activity is making Dutch farmers’ cheese, known locally as boerenkaas, in the workshop room at Simonehoeve, Wagenweg 2, in Katwoude.

You begin with an introduction to the history and current production of farmers’ cheese. Then you work alongside one of the cheesemakers, using the equipment provided. The appeal is simple: you are not just eating Gouda or Edam, you are taking part in the process that turns farm ingredients into a finished wheel.

The cheese you make is very young by the end of the session. It has been pressed and receives a small treatment before you take it home. That detail matters. You are not leaving with a fully aged cheese ready for a long tasting session. You are leaving with a cheese that continues its process after the workshop.

I like that this gives the activity a clear purpose. You have something tangible to remember the day by, and the finished item is more personal than a packaged souvenir from a shop. At the same time, you should understand the limits of a two-and-a-half-hour visit. You will learn the basic working stages, not master the full art of cheesemaking.

What the two-and-a-half-hour schedule includes

The stated duration is about two hours and 30 minutes, though the description allows for a two-to-three-hour visit. The session has three main parts: the introduction and cheesemaking, the farm and clog factory tour, and the final handling of your pressed cheese.

At the beginning, you are welcomed into the workshop room. The introduction covers boerenkaas, including its background and how it is produced today. This is the moment when the experience should provide useful context, especially if you have been eating Dutch cheese throughout your trip and want to know how the local styles are made.

Next comes the practical work. You make cheese together with a cheesemaker, using the supplied equipment. The private format should be helpful here. Your group does not have to compete with a large class for a clear view, and you can ask questions without waiting for a crowd to move along.

The cheese then goes under a press. While it is being pressed, you leave the workshop room for the farm and clog factory tour. This is a sensible use of waiting time. Instead of sitting around watching a slow step in the process, you get a look at another part of the property.

At the end, the cheese is removed from the press and receives a small treatment. You can then take it home. Be sure to allow time for this final step. It is part of the activity, not an optional shop purchase.

The farm tour and clog factory add variety

The visit to the clog factory gives the workshop a wider Dutch setting. Cheese and wooden shoes are both strongly linked with the country’s rural image, and seeing them at the same place makes the outing feel less like a single classroom lesson.

The supplied details do not specify how long the clog factory portion lasts or how much machinery or production you will see. Keep your expectations measured. You are promised a tour, not a full industrial visit or a specialist craft course.

This part also gives the schedule a change of pace. Cheesemaking involves careful steps and waiting, while the farm and clog visit lets you move around. For families, that change may be welcome. One especially positive account came from someone who did the activity with a 14-year-old and also added shoe painting and lunch at the site.

Shoe painting is not listed as part of this cheese workshop, so do not assume it is included. It may be available as another activity, but you should treat it as a possible add-on rather than part of the $148.75 package.

Cheese tasting, fruit wine, and Dutch biscuits

The tasting portion takes place in the farm shop, where you can sample several types of Gouda and Edam cheese. The food side of the experience is generous in variety, even if the main activity remains the cheesemaking.

You are also given a glass of fruit wine and typical Dutch biscuits during the tour. These small tastings help you compare the fresh cheese-making experience with finished products and local snack traditions.

The tasting is included, but food and drinks can also be purchased in the restaurant. That gives you some flexibility if you want to turn the workshop into a longer stop. Lunch is not included in the stated price, so budget separately if you plan to eat there.

I would treat the tasting as a useful part of the outing, not the main reason to book. If all you want is Dutch cheese, you can find tastings elsewhere for much less. The workshop earns its price only if you value making the cheese, the private setting, and the take-home result.

Is $148.75 per person a fair price?

The price is high for a two-and-a-half-hour activity. It may make sense for a private group that wants a hands-on food experience, but it is harder to justify if you are traveling alone or mainly want a farm tour.

Your fee covers the cheesemaking equipment, the guided workshop, the cheese, the cheese and biscuit tastings, the fruit wine, and the farm and clog factory tour. You also take home your own fresh cheese. The private format is important to the value calculation because you are paying for an experience reserved for your group, not joining a large public class.

Group discounts may improve the cost for families or friends booking together. Since the listed price is per person, check the final booking total carefully and see how the discount applies to your group size.

There is also a practical cost beyond the ticket. Transport to the farm is not included. The meeting point is Simonehoeve at Wagenweg 2, 1145 PW Katwoude, outside central Amsterdam. The site is near public transportation, but the information provided does not give a specific route, travel time, or fare. Plan that part before you book a tightly timed day.

My value judgment is straightforward: book it if making cheese is the main attraction. Skip it if you want a cheap tasting, a short countryside look, or a polished museum-style presentation.

The private format can be a strength or a weakness

Only your group participates, and the activity is offered in English. That is a good setup for families, couples, or a small group of friends who want to work at their own pace.

A private booking can also make the experience more relaxed. You can ask about the production process, taste different cheeses, and take time with the farm visit without being part of a large class.

But private does not automatically mean perfectly managed. One account describes a scattered guide who left the group to handle other shop activities, with little explanation of the cheese’s history or production. The same account felt that only around 45 minutes was spent making cheese during a roughly two-hour visit.

That criticism is important because the price sets a high expectation. You should receive clear instructions, a steady schedule, and attention during the workshop. If the staff treats the activity as an add-on to the shop rather than the main event, the experience will feel thin.

There is also a more positive side. Another account describes a friendly guide, a fun day with a teenager, and cheese packaged for the flight home so it could continue its process. The split is a reminder to keep your expectations realistic: the core idea is appealing, but the quality may depend heavily on the guide and the pace of the session.

No guide’s name is provided, so you cannot request a particular instructor in advance based on the available information.

Who will enjoy this experience most?

I see this as a good fit for people who enjoy making things with their hands. Families with older children and teenagers may get more from it than very young children, since the process includes waiting, careful handling, and a lesson about production.

It also suits visitors who have already seen Amsterdam’s main sights and want a change of setting. The farm gives you a different side of the Netherlands, while the cheese, clog making, and biscuits keep the outing tied to local traditions.

Food-focused visitors should find plenty to like, but only if they want participation rather than a refined tasting. You will sample cheese, fruit wine, and biscuits, but the heart of the visit is work in the workshop.

The private format may appeal to couples and small groups marking a special occasion. It can also work well for families who prefer not to join strangers. Group discounts are worth checking if several of you are booking together.

I would be less likely to recommend it to a solo visitor concerned about price, or to anyone seeking a detailed professional course. You will get an introduction and a practical session, not a full qualification in cheesemaking.

Practical details before you reserve

The experience starts and ends at Simonehoeve, Wagenweg 2, 1145 PW Katwoude, Netherlands. You arrange your own transport, although the farm is near public transportation.

Several start times are available, which helps you fit the activity around other plans. Still, the length can run from roughly two to three hours, so leave space before your next appointment.

Confirmation is provided at booking. Mobile tickets are available, and the activity is offered in English. Service animals are allowed.

The experience has free cancellation if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellation inside that window is not refunded, and changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted.

Because the cheese is very young, check your onward plans before booking. One particularly useful detail is that the cheese can be packaged for a flight home, but the available information does not specify airline rules or border requirements. You should confirm those separately if you plan to fly with it.

My recommendation: book for the making, not just the tasting

I would book this workshop if you want a private, hands-on Dutch food activity and like the idea of carrying home cheese you helped make. The clog factory, cheese sampling, fruit wine, and biscuits give the visit more range than a single workshop.

I would not book it simply for a farm visit or an inexpensive cheese tasting. At $148.75 per person, the experience depends on the cheesemaking portion being well run and substantial. Go in expecting a friendly introduction and a practical souvenir, not an intensive lesson.

Before paying, confirm the start time, transport plan, group discount, and what the staff means by the full workshop duration. If the private setting and take-home cheese matter to you, this can be a memorable half-day outside Amsterdam. If those features do not matter, the price is difficult to defend.

FAQ

Where does the cheesemaking workshop take place?

It takes place at Simonehoeve, Wagenweg 2, 1145 PW Katwoude, Netherlands. The activity also ends back at this meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The stated duration is about two hours and 30 minutes. The activity description allows for a total visit of roughly two to three hours.

Is transport from Amsterdam included?

No. Transport to the farm is not included in the price. The farm is near public transportation.

Is this a private activity?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

What language is the workshop offered in?

The workshop is offered in English.

What do I make during the workshop?

You make your own Dutch farmers’ cheese, known as boerenkaas, with a cheesemaker and the provided equipment.

What is included in the price?

The price includes the cheesemaking equipment, cheese, wine and biscuit tastings, and your own fresh homemade cheese to take home.

Can I buy food at the farm?

Yes. Food and drinks can be purchased in the restaurant.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.