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This is the audio version of my weekly newsletter, Experiential Hospitality, where I share stories and insights to help you craft unforgettable spaces and experiences through design & hospitality.
A few months back, I shared the
story of my mom and me turning extra
milk from our family Cow into Cheese
and launching Brush Cree Creamery.
I just released a video about that
story and I'd love for you to check
it out at the link in the newsletter.
But looking back, I realize
cheese wasn't the point.
The point was learning
to love the process.
I think it was my mom's idea, but
once I got forced in, I was all in.
I wanted to be a pro.
I devoured every book and
magazine on artisan cheese making.
I could find.
I experimented endlessly, some pretty
epic flops, some surprisingly good stuff,
but it was the work itself,
which I learned to love so much.
It taught me that good things take time.
I've never had much patience,
but great cheese can't be rushed.
I'll never forget cutting into a 12
month old wheel of handmade cloth
bound, cheddar sharp, crumbly with all
those little crystalline pockets of
concentrated flavor, a sublime experience.
It taught me to care about the details.
Even a three degree temperature
change or a few minutes too long
between steps could completely change
the result almost 15 years later.
I still have occasional nightmares
about taking a break while the
milk cultures forgetting to come
back on time and ruining a whole
batch of precious curds, probably
because it happened more than once.
Speaking of care, it taught me that care
is what makes it art not just a product.
The difference between a batch made
in haste and one made truly for
the love of it was night and day.
It taught me that art for art's
sake alone is deeply fulfilling, but
art can also sustain a livelihood.
This wasn't just a science experiment.
It became a proper business.
We sold 1500 bucks a day at the
farmer's market, which wasn't
bad for a 15-year-old back then.
Now I sound old.
I learned about marketing, label
design, selling, negotiating
with stores and restaurants, and
producing a consistent product.
Or first, how not to produce
a consistent product.
It taught me how a high school project
could become a business that could
help breathe life into a small town.
Check out the video about the building.
We bought and restored into a
bakery and the creamery at the
video link in the newsletter.
It taught me how to work together
with others, my siblings, parents,
and our friends who eventually stepped
in as expert cheese makers a couple
years later and became my first boss.
Cheesemaking taught me more
about business, art and character
than any book or classroom ever.
Did.
In the end, it wasn't the wheels of
cheddar that were being molded, it was me.
If you are a young person or
young at heart, or you have young
people in your life, I can't
recommend this course enough.
It doesn't have to be cheese, but learning
a craft, especially a traditional one,
is worth far more than the craft itself.
I invite you to see for
yourself and keep me updated.