A 25-year-old woman planning to make cheese on her family farm is the recipient of the first-ever Wisconsin Licensed Cheesemaker Scholarship, a $2,500 award provided by Wisconsin Cheese Originals.

 

After using the scholarship money to earn her cheesemaker license, Katie Hedrich plans to rejoin her family and help construct a farmstead cheese plant and retail store at LaClare Farm near Chilton. With a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northern Michigan University, and a degree in accounting from the Fox Valley Technical College, Hedrich is preparing herself to not only craft high-quality farmstead cheeses, but to also manage the marketing and business side of the operation.

 

“Ten years from now I will be the head cheesemaker and creamery manager at my family’s homestead creamery,” Katie stated in her award-winning scholarship essay. “I will be making a complete line of Wisconsin original goat milk cheeses, from fresh bloomy rind cheese to raw aged cheeses. I would like to be the first female Master Goat Milk Cheesemaker.”

 

Wisconsin Cheese Originals, an organization dedicated to growing and promoting the Wisconsin artisan cheese community, offered the first-of-its-kind scholarship and plans to make it an annual award.  The organization hosts seminars, tasting receptions, cheesemaking tours and sponsors the annual Wisconsin Original Cheese Festival, scheduled this year on Nov. 5-7 at the Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis.

 

Organization founder and executive director Jeanne Carpenter said the goal of the scholarship fund compliments the goal of the organization, which celebrates Wisconsin’s original cheeses and helps connect consumers to farmstead, artisan and specialty cheesemakers.

 

“Wisconsin is quickly becoming a mecca for farmstead and dairy artisans who recognize the state’s opportunities and infrastructure to support innovative cheesemakers,” Carpenter said. “I am absolutely delighted to award the inaugural Wisconsin Licensed Cheesemaker Scholarship to such a bright, ambitious and intelligent young woman. Congratulations to Katie and I look forward to following her career.”

 

A five-person scholarship committee made up of industry leaders and cheesemakers selected Hedrich out of nine highly-qualified applicants.  For more information about Wisconsin Cheese Originals, visit http://www.wisconsincheeseoriginals.com or contact Carpenter at 608-358-7837.