I got my start as a cheesemaker as the director of Briar Gate Farm, my local family farm where I offer creative learning opportunities centered around animals and farmstead arts.   I raise Nubian dairy goats which gave me access to delicious farm-fresh goat milk when I began learning how to make cheese at home many years ago.

After dabbling with a variety of cheese recipes for several years and taking a few classes here and there, I eventually took an Advanced Cheesemaking Course from Larry and Linda Faillace of the Three Shepherds Farm of Vermont as well as a course from Luella Hill in San Francisco.  I have won many blue and champion ribbons for my cheeses at the Boulder County Fair and have taught cheesemaking classes through Colorado State Extension Services, the City of Longmont, Front Range Community College, Boulder Valley Lifelong Learning, Cheese Importers and in many private homes, schools and businesses.

After years of toting cheesemaking supplies and samples up and down the Colorado Front Range to teach, I decided to pursue a brick-and-mortar location for my cheesemaking classes. In October, 2014 The Art of Cheese opened in shared classroom spaces  in downtown Longmont.  In November of 2015 The Art of Cheese moved to a dedicated space in the Cheese Education Center within Haystack Mountain Cheese‘s new creamery.  We enjoyed teaching in that space until March of 2019 when we decided it was time to take our classes back to where it all began, the farm.  We constructed a beautiful classroom right on our dairy goat farm which is now home base to the majority of our in-person classes.  And now, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, we also offer a wide variety of online On Demand classes!

In addition to being an award-winning artisan home-cheesemaker and running the cheesemaking school I also stay involved in the community as an active member of our local 4-H program and serving as the Utility Goat Superintendent for the Boulder County Fair. I am also a featured writer for Countryside Network’s Goat Journal (formerly Dairy Goat Journal) where I publish cheesemaking and goatkeeping articles and recently released my new book, Say Cheese!

I began my cheese journey when I moved from Wisconsin to Colorado in 2014 and became a cheesemonger at Whole Foods Market. Obsessed with learning everything I could about cheese, I started volunteering at Mountain Flower Goat Dairy in Boulder to get to know the main ingredient – milk. I fell in love with farming and began making my own cheese, which is when I found The Art of Cheese. I took a few classes and then felt so inspired with cheesemaking that I took a huge leap and decided to spend seven months in Washington state at Mountain Lodge Farm, a farmstead creamery in the foothills of Mt Rainier. I gained invaluable experience there as a farmer, cheesemaker and affineur. I returned home to Colorado as an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional and began working as a cheesemaker at Haystack Mountain Cheese in Longmont. I am thrilled to be bringing my cheesemaking experience full circle by joining the Art of Cheese team.

I’ve always been passionate about cheese – eating it! So when my brother-in-law suggested that we turn our rural property into a dairy goat farm and begin making our own cheese, I couldn’t say no. Fourteen goats and more than a hundred cheeses later, I continue to refine my cheesemaking craft under the tutelage of Kate and Kelly at the Art of Cheese. I hope to someday soon open my own creamery. In the meantime, I’m honored to have the opportunity to share my love of goats, cheese, and cheesemaking by teaching in-person classes at The Art of Cheese.  In my spare time, I don a wig and sing in the front-line of the award winning B-52s tribute band, Hey, Lady!

In 2013 my husband said “Hey! We should learn to make cheese!” And now “we” are hopelessly obsessed with cheesemaking.   I have been a big foodie my whole life – starting at 2 years old, making chocolate chip cookies alongside my Mom.   My husband and I learned cheesemaking at The Art of Cheese, completing the highest level in-house certification. My interest in Spanish cheeses has led me on some great adventures, visiting cheesemakers in Spain, and learning techniques that are rarely taught in the U.S.  I’ve even won a couple of local cheese competitions with my homemade Manchego.  I teach the Spanish cheese classes at The Art of Cheese and also teach cooking classes through my own business, Spanish Sunday.

I’m an International sports photojournalist who operates from my home bases in Longmont, Colorado, USA, and Denia, Alicante, Spain. I’ve been a photographer for over 30 years, although I did get sidetracked with corporate jobs for a few years. I also photograph travel, events, lifestyle, and people. And now… cheese! Lots and lots of cheese. You can see more of my work on my personal website, Al Milligan Images.