Short Courses and Class

short course pictureThe Western Dairy Center offers artisan and industrial cheese making classes. For more information on workshops and classes, email westcent@usu.edu.

Cheesemaking Short Courses

Cheesemaking short courses are held once yearly. Students will spend time in the classroom learning definitions, terminology, techniques, and the science of making cheese. They will also get hands-on experience making a variety of cheeses in our dairy plant. Classes are limited to 12 people and fill up quickly, so register early. For registration information, email westcent@usu.edu or call 435-797-3466.

*Late registrations add $50. Cancellations can be made up to 30 days prior to start date of course. Registration fee, less $50 will be refunded up to 30 days prior to start date of course; no refunds will be made after this time. Substitutions are acceptable at any time. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone the course due to low enrollment. A full refund will be given if course is canceled.

Basic and Advanced Short Course agenda:

Basic Cheese Making Short Course Agenda Advanced Cheese Making Short Course Agenda

Basic Cheesemaking Short Course

The Basic Cheesemaking Short Course is a three-day class designed for the beginning cheese maker and those who have never made cheese before. The class will include an introduction to milk, cheese, dairy cultures and the steps in cheesemaking. Students will spend a day in the pilot plant making three varieties of cheese the old fashioned way, by hand.

Date: February 26-28, 2025
Price: $725 

Advanced Cheesemaking Short Course

This four-day class is for people who have cheesemaking experience and want to expand their knowledge of milk chemistry, cheese chemistry, curd handling and controlling cheese manufacture. This class will cover the basics of how to make cheese as well as a more in-depth exploration of the science of cheesemaking and flavor development of cheese. Students will spend two days in the pilot plant making several different varieties of cheese.

Date: March 11-14, 2025
Price: $1,150

Home Cheesemaking Class

This one day class is designed for hobbyists and artisan cheese-makers looking to start into the world of cheese. The class will feature hands-on lessons of four popular cheeses: cheddar, feta, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack. Taught by an industry specialist, participants will learn in a kitchen-like setting with opportunities to practice techniques such as using rennet and cultures, seasoning, cutting curd, stretching mozzarella, and aging feta. The workshop runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and includes lunch.

Please email kirra.shelley@usu.edu for registration or questions.

Date: April 11, 2025
Price: $150

Past participants of our short courses come from from many well-loved places

Dairy Processors & Cheese Producers:

  • Agropur – Jerome, ID
  • Ballard Cheese – ID
  • Beehive Cheese – UT
  • Bellwether Farm – CA
  • Black Radish Creamery – OH
  • Cacique Cheese – CA
  • Chetty's Cheese – UT
  • Daisy Brand – TX
  • Deseret Dairy – UT
  • Dickinson Frozen Foods – ID
  • Gittins Dairy – UT
  • Glanbia – Blackfoot, ID
  • Gold Creek Farms – UT
  • Gossner Foods – UT, ID
  • Heber Valley Artisan Cheese – UT
  • Hunsaker Foods – UT
  • Kansas Dairy Ingredients – KS
  • KJ’N Ranch – MT
  • Milk Barn Creamery – UT
  • Milky Hollow Farms – UT
  • Nature Hills Farm – UT
  • Nelson Ricks Cheese – ID
  • Newman Farm – MO
  • Park City Creamery – UT
  • Redmond Farms – UT
  • Rockhill Cheese Creamery – UT
  • Rogue Creamery – OR
  • Sargento – WI
  • Schreiber Foods – MO, UT, WI
  • Sheep Mountain Creamery – MT
  • Silverbrook Farms –  UT
  • Sweet Deseret Farm – UT
  • Tucker Family Farm – MT

Dairy Cooperatives & Industry Organizations:

  • Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) – MO, KS, UT
  • US Dairy Unlimited – FL

Academic & Research Institutions:

  • CSU Food Innovation Center – CO
  • USU Biology Department – UT
  • SLC Community College – UT
  • Yavapai College – AZ
  • Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc. – Canada

Farms and Ranches:

  • Crockett Sheep Farm – UT
  • Hall Jerseys Inc. – UT
  • Hamblin Dairy – NM
  • Stanger Angus – ID
  • Wadeland Dairy – UT





Networked Workshops

Oregon State University - Ice cream and cheese
Washington State University - Basic and advance cheese
EAS Consulting Group - Food safety

Artisan and Farmstead Resources

Safe Cheese making Hub

A website co-developed with the American Cheese Society that centralizes relevant food safety resources www.safecheesemaking.org

Food Safety Basics for Artisan Cheese makers

Online food safety training that results in a certificate upon completion www.usdairy.com/artisan