Dolly Mama’s Farmstead
(Home of The Art of Cheese)
The Art of Cheese was originally ba
sed at Briar Gate Farm which was owned by our founder, Kate Johnson, family. But with the sale of the farm in 2025, we moved the operation to a wonderful new farmstead creamery nearby. We’re excited to begin classes at Dolly Mama’s Farmstead Goat Cheese in early 2026 and will gradually increase the number of classes and tour options there. Like our original farm location, Dolly Mama’s is home to lots of friendly and happy dairy goats which are a big part of our student experience.
Dolly Mama’s is Boulder County’s newest farmstead creamery headed up by Deb Britton, a former student and instructor with The Art of Cheese. The creamery’s name comes from Deb’s original goat, Dolly, who is the current leader of the herd and a reliable goat mama and milk producer. So far she has produced five wonderful daughters: Polly, Lolly, Molly, Holly, and Madge! Often seen gazing contemplatively into the horizon, beard flowing in the breeze, Dolly’s demeanor is Zen-like: unafraid, aloof and disconnected from the silly antics of the herd.
The Dolly Mama’s creamery makes small batch goat cheese by hand, using only the milk produced by their goats. Their chèvres are fresh cheeses, ready to eat immediately, while the bloomy rinds and hard cheeses are aged, producing complex and nuanced flavors that are unique to their environment. The Art of Cheese gives students the authentic opportunity to learn cheesemaking and goatkeeping principals within a working farm and facility.
The farm at Dolly Mama’s is also utilizing regenerative grazing techniques, along with strategies to reduce water run-off and encourage the growth of native and carbon-fixing grasses, shrubs, and trees. Their goal is to bring life back into the soils, and create healthy pastures that will supplement the feeding of their goats. They believe in making the most of every resource, and limiting waste whenever possible. The barn which houses the cheesemaking facility is fitted with a solar roof that produces enough power to support itself, as well as their residence. Whey, a by-product of cheesemaking, is not discarded, but is fed to the pigs and chickens they raise in collaboration with their sister farm, Chubba Wubba, contributing to a more sustainable farming ecosystem. Students will get a chance to learn more about these regenerative processes when they tour the farm at cheesemaking classes.
