Private Farmhouse Cheesemaking Workshop

Fresh cheese, made by you. This private workshop takes you from Amsterdam to Simonehoeve Cheesefarm, where you learn about Boerenkaas, make a small cheese with a cheesemaker, and watch it go under the press. I like the hands-on work and the chance to see a farm and clog factory instead of staying in the city. The main concern is value: at $148.75 per person, the experience needs a well-run workshop to justify its price.

I also like the flexible start times and private format. Your group gets the guide’s attention, and the day can suit families, couples, or a small group of friends. But the workshop may not fill the full advertised two to three hours with cheesemaking. One poor experience had only about 45 minutes of actual cheese work, with a hurried guide and too much time left for browsing the shop.

Key points at a glance

• Make your own Dutch farmers cheese: You work with a cheesemaker and use the farm’s equipment.
• Watch your cheese under the press: The fresh cheeses receive a final treatment before you take them home.
• Taste more than Gouda: The visit includes cheese, fruit wine, and typical Dutch biscuits.
• Add a clog factory tour: The farm visit includes a look at wooden shoe production.
• Enjoy a private booking: Only your group takes part, with several start times available.
• Plan for a country outing: The farm is in Katwoude, outside Amsterdam, and transport is not included.

From Amsterdam to Simonehoeve in Katwoude

The workshop takes place at Simonehoeve Cheesefarm and Woodenshoes factory, at Wagenweg 2 in Katwoude. That location gives the outing a different feel from a standard Amsterdam food activity. You leave the city for a working farm setting tied to two familiar Dutch products: cheese and wooden shoes.

You need to arrange your own transport to the farm. That matters when you work out the true cost of the day. The $148.75 price covers the workshop and tastings, but not the trip to and from Katwoude.

The meeting point is also the end point. You do not need to make your way to a second location after the activity, which keeps the day simple once you arrive. Public transportation is available near the meeting point, though no specific route or travel time is provided.

I would allow extra time around your chosen start time. The activity lasts about two and a half hours, and several start times are offered, but the exact schedule depends on the date you book.

The opening lesson on Boerenkaas

The experience begins in the workshop room with an introduction to farmers cheese, known in Dutch as Boerenkaas. You hear about its history and current production before beginning the practical work.

That introduction is important because it gives the cheese a local setting. This is not simply a class in making a generic dairy product. You are learning about a Dutch farm tradition and then handling the process yourself.

The available details do not promise a long lecture, technical charts, or a formal farm demonstration. I would think of this part as a short orientation before the main activity. If your main goal is a detailed lesson on milk chemistry, aging, or commercial production, you may find the explanation too brief.

The private format should help here. With only your group taking part, you can ask questions without competing with a large class. The quality of that benefit depends on the guide assigned to your session, so expectations should stay practical rather than academic.

Making your own cheese with a cheesemaker

The central part of the visit is making your own Dutch farmers cheese alongside one of the farm’s cheesemakers. Equipment is provided, so you do not need to bring anything for the cheese production itself.

This is the strongest reason to book. You are not only tasting Gouda or watching someone else work. You take part in a process and leave with a cheese connected to your own visit. For children and teenagers, that physical activity can be far more memorable than a standard tasting.

The activity is also suitable for adults who enjoy food workshops but do not want a full-day cooking class. The work takes place within a two to three hour experience, with the farm tour and tasting filling out the rest of the visit.

Still, the amount of active cheesemaking may vary. One especially negative experience found the guide scattered and hurried, with only about 45 minutes spent making cheese. The guide reportedly left the group at times to handle other shop activities and directed them to walk around. That is a serious concern at this price.

A private booking does not automatically guarantee a polished class. I would ask at the start how much time will be spent making cheese and when the farm tour begins. That simple question can help you understand the plan and make it easier to speak up if the session starts drifting toward shop browsing.

Under the press, your cheese begins to change

After you make the cheese, it goes under a press. This creates a natural pause in the workshop and allows the group to move on to the next part of the visit.

The pause has a useful purpose. You get to see that cheesemaking does not end when the mixture is shaped. Pressing is part of the process, and the timing lets you return later to handle your own young cheese.

When the cheeses are removed from the press, they receive a small treatment before you take them home. The cheese is still very young, so it is not the same as picking up a mature wedge from a Dutch market.

One family-focused experience included help packaging the cheese for a flight home, where the cheese could finish its process. That detail may be especially useful if you plan to take your cheese on a trip. The supplied information does not state how long the cheese should mature, how it should be stored, or what airline rules apply, so ask the farm directly if those points matter to you.

A farm tour with cheese, wine, and biscuits

While your cheese is under the press, you tour the cheese farm and clog factory. This is a good use of the waiting time and gives the experience a second subject beyond food.

The cheese tasting takes place in the farm shop. You can sample several types of Gouda and Edam, rather than tasting only the cheese you made. This helps you compare different styles and may give you a clearer sense of what Dutch cheese tastes like at different stages or with different treatments.

You also receive a free tasting of fruit wine and typical Dutch biscuits. These small extras make the tour feel more like a local food stop than a narrow production class. The fruit wine is a tasting, not a full drinks service, and food and drinks can also be purchased in the restaurant.

The shop is part of the experience, but it is also where the value question becomes important. A well-paced visit can make the shop a useful place to taste and learn. A poorly paced visit can feel like a sales stop, especially if the guide leaves you there for long stretches.

I would enjoy the tasting, compare the cheeses, and keep track of the time. You do not need to buy additional cheese or souvenirs to make the workshop worthwhile. If you want lunch, the restaurant is available, but lunch is not included in the workshop price.

The clog factory adds a distinctly Dutch extra

The wooden shoe factory is a pleasant addition for anyone interested in traditional Dutch crafts. It broadens the visit beyond dairy production and gives families a second activity to discuss.

The information provided does not specify how long the clog factory tour lasts or how much machinery or demonstration you will see. I would therefore treat it as a supporting part of the outing, not the main reason to book.

One family combined the cheesemaking workshop with shoe painting and lunch at the farm. Those extras were not listed as part of the workshop itself, so check availability and cost before counting on them. Still, the possibility makes the farm a useful choice if you want several simple activities in one place, particularly with a young teenager.

The combination also explains why the visit can work well for mixed interests. One person can focus on cheese, another on wooden shoes, and everyone can share the tasting. That is more flexible than a specialist cheese class where the whole group must stay focused on one subject.

How much value do you get for $148.75?

At $148.75 per person, this is not a casual cheese tasting. You are paying for a private activity, the use of cheesemaking equipment, instruction from a cheesemaker, tastings, the farm and clog factory visit, and your own fresh cheese to take home.

The private format is the main value argument. If you are traveling with a small group and want a shared activity, having the guide focus only on your party can make the experience more personal. It also avoids the awkwardness of joining a large class with strangers.

The price is harder to defend if your group mainly wants to sample cheese. Dutch shops and markets offer cheese tastings at a much lower cost. The workshop earns its price through participation, not through the food alone.

I would also compare the cost with your plans for the rest of the day. If you already intend to visit a farm near Amsterdam, this can combine food, craft, and sightseeing in one stop. If the farm is your only reason to travel outside the city, transport costs and time need to be added to the calculation.

The mixed outcomes make the guide a key part of the value. One session was described as fun, friendly, and a good fit for a 14-year-old. Another felt disorganized and focused too much on shop activity. I would book with the understanding that the experience is appealing but not perfectly consistent.

Who will enjoy this workshop most?

I would recommend it most to families, couples, and small private groups who want to make something together. The cheese is a useful souvenir because it is tied directly to the activity, and the process gives children or teenagers a clear role.

It also suits visitors who have already seen Amsterdam’s major central sights and want a short outing with a rural setting. You get a look at farming, Dutch cheese, wooden shoes, and local snacks without committing to a full day.

Food lovers should enjoy the mix of making and tasting, but serious cheese students may want more technical detail. The introduction covers the history and current production of farmers cheese, yet the available description does not promise advanced instruction.

You should be cautious if you dislike shopping stops or expect every minute to be guided. The farm shop is part of the setting, and food and drinks are available for purchase. The workshop can be fun, but you should not mistake it for a formal culinary school class.

Practical details before you book

The activity is offered in English and confirmation is provided at booking. It is a private tour, so only your group participates. Multiple start times make it easier to fit around other plans, though you still need to arrange your own transport.

Service animals are allowed. The meeting point is Simonehoeve, Wagenweg 2, 1145 PW Katwoude, Netherlands. The activity ends back there.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.

I would wear comfortable clothes suitable for hands-on food work and leave room in your bag for the cheese. The supplied details do not state whether special clothing is needed, so ask the farm if you have concerns about clothing or food handling.

Should you book the Simonehoeve cheese workshop?

Book it if you want a private, hands-on Dutch food experience and like the idea of taking home cheese you helped make. It is particularly promising for a family with an older child or teenager, or for a small group that values a personal setting more than a low price.

Think twice if you want a carefully structured two-and-a-half-hour class with detailed instruction from start to finish. The workshop can become less satisfying when the guide is rushed or sends the group to browse the shop. At $148.75 per person, that difference matters.

My practical advice is to ask how long the active cheesemaking will last, how the young cheese should be transported, and what time the farm tour begins. If the answers fit what you want, this is a memorable way to meet Dutch cheese culture outside Amsterdam. If your main goal is simply tasting Gouda, spend less at a cheese shop and save the farm visit for another plan.

FAQ

Where does the cheesemaking workshop take place?

It takes place at Simonehoeve Cheesefarm and Woodenshoes factory, Wagenweg 2, 1145 PW Katwoude, Netherlands.

How long does the experience last?

The workshop lasts approximately two and a half hours, with the stated range being two to three hours.

How much does the workshop cost?

The listed price is $148.75 per person.

Is transportation to the farm included?

No. Transport to the farm is not included. The meeting point is near public transportation.

What is included in the price?

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

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Is the workshop offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

Can I choose a start time?

Yes. Multiple start times are available, subject to the schedule when you book.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations and changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.