Whether you want to introduce your kids to real food and how it’s made, or you yourself are a foodie and love local artisan foods, the tour at Veldhuizan Cheese is a perfect, informative and fun adventure! We loved meeting the owners, touring the farm and learning so much during our tour! At $6 for adults and $4 for children, it’s pretty affordable, too!
We arrived for the 10:30 am Saturday Morning Tour with enough time for everyone to stretch their legs and do a little looking around the shop and farm!
Our tour, which had a little over 20 people, probably a high number due to being Spring Break, started in the Cheese Shoppe. We heard a short history of the dairy, and learning a little about the cows and sheep that they use to make the milk, as well as the Raw Milk Method of making cheese that they employ.
They were not making cheese on the day of our tour, or these would have been full of curds. The owner, Stuart, who was giving our tour did present a nice and short slide show detailing the process of making the cheese. As this was not my first cheese tour I’ll tell you that after the initial “Oh Wow, Cheese” while seeing the cheese being made, it’s a really slow process and I didn’t feel we missed much not being there on a day the cheese was being made. Veldhuizen does offer complete cheese making classes if you’re really interested!
We then came to my favorite part, the tastings! It’s so interesting to learn about the different cheeses, and then be able to taste the differences! They use both cow and sheep milk, and the difference is pretty incredible, plus they make a few cheeses using both. I loved the Dublin Karst.
They supply sheets so you can keep track of the cheeses you like, if you want to make a purchase afterwards. There are also retail outlets where you can purchase Veldhuizen Cheeses in all 4 major cities in Texas, including Central Market. I didn’t keep my sheet after making my purchases, and wish I did!
After the tastings, we headed outside to take a tour of the Cheese Cave!
The Cheese Cave, where the cheeses cool, is temperature and humidity controlled. All the cheeses are aged on wood, which is the preferred method of cheese artisans around the world! In 2014 the FDA tried to ban wood aging, and the entire industry and cheese lovers alike were to upset that the ruling was amended in 72 hours!
So much cheese. Some cheese ages much longer than others, and some require washes.
These are jalapeno cheese, mixed with a little habanero. It was also one of our favorites!
A quick pose with some of the older, moldier cheeses. Their blue cheese was amazing!
Then we were allowed my kids favorite part, meeting some of the farm animals! Veldhuizan keeps about 50 dairy cows and 50 sheep, which free range on the farm.
The sheep also have several big and beautiful protectors! They were also super friendly and at one point my son was using at least 3 of them for a bed.
This friendly guy came over to say hello, too!
Know Before You Go:
There is a sign on 377 to help direct you to the farm. I knew I would have little service so I took a screen shot of the directions before we left. Do not rely on GPS.
Tours are weather-permitting. It rained that morning but by the 10:30 am tour the ground was fine and I didn’t even need the rain boots I had packed.
A restroom is located inside the cheese shoppe.
They do take credit cards.
Veldhuizen Cheese Shoppe and Farm
3364 County Rd. 299, Dublin
Click HERE to visit their website.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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