Zaanse Schans Cheese Farm (Catharina Hoeve): Free Cheese-Making Demonstration and Tasting

The Catharina Hoeve is the cheese farm of the Zaanse Schans: a replica of a 17th-century Oostzaan farmhouse where cheesemakers in traditional dress show how milk becomes Gouda and Edam cheese, followed by a free tasting of a dozen varieties — young and aged Gouda, cumin, smoked, goat, sheep and nettle cheese. Entry is free, demonstrations run all day in several languages, and the shop vacuum-packs cheese for your suitcase. Open daily, roughly 08:00–18:00 in summer and 08:30–17:00 in winter.

Cheese shop inside the Catharina Hoeve cheese farm
The shop of the Catharina Hoeve: tastings are free, and every cheese is vacuum-packed for the journey home.
  • Entryfree
  • Demonstrationsall day, several languages
  • Tastingfree, about a dozen cheeses
  • Opendaily, roughly 08:00–18:00 (summer) / 08:30–17:00 (winter)
  • Time needed20–30 minutes

What happens inside

Under the thatched roof, milk is warmed in a copper vat, curdled, cut and pressed into the round moulds while a cheesemaker explains each step: why Gouda is pressed and Edam is not, why the rind is waxed, and how a wheel ages for 6, 12 or 36 months. The demonstration takes about 15 minutes and repeats continuously, so you never wait long. Then comes the tasting counter: cubes of every cheese the farm sells, with mustard from the Huisman mill next door. The farm is run by Henri Willig, whose cheeses you see across the region; it is a shop as much as a farm, but the demonstration is proper and free, and for many visitors it is the first time they see cheese being made.

Wooden houses and windmill reflected in the water at dusk
The farmhouse is a replica of a 17th-century Oostzaan farm, moved to the village like every other building here.

Buying cheese to take home

Vacuum-packed wheels and wedges keep for weeks unrefrigerated and are fine in hand luggage within Europe; outside the EU check your destination’s rules (the USA allows hard cheese). Aged Gouda (oude kaas) travels best; the cumin and smoked cheeses are the local specialities. Prices are slightly higher than in a supermarket but lower than at Schiphol.

Tip: the aged (‘oude’) Gouda and the nettle cheese are what locals buy; the smoked cheese is the tourist favourite and the easiest to carry.

Practical

  • Address: Zeilenmakerspad 5a, 1509 BZ Zaandam, in the heart of the village next to the clog workshop.
  • Hours: daily, about 08:00–18:00 March–September and 08:30–17:00 October–February.
  • Price: free; no ticket needed.
  • Time needed: 20–30 minutes.
  • Combine with: the Kooijman clog workshop next door (free), De Huisman mustard mill, and the real thing — the cheese markets of Alkmaar (Fridays), Edam (Wednesdays in July–August) and Gouda (Thursdays).

Book this experience

Zaanse Schans Card: museums & 2 windmills (Tiqets)

Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken day trip with cheese and clogs (Tiqets)

Windmill cruise, 25 min (Tiqets)

Stay nearby

Hotels: near Zaanse Schans

Frequently asked questions

Is the cheese farm at the Zaanse Schans free?

Yes, the demonstration and the tasting are free.

How often is the cheese-making demonstration?

Continuously through the day; each round takes about 15 minutes.

Can I take cheese home on the plane?

Yes, vacuum-packed hard cheese is allowed in hand luggage within the EU and to most countries, including the USA.

Is it a real farm?

It is a reconstructed farmhouse with a working demonstration dairy and a shop, run by cheesemaker Henri Willig; the cows are in the polder behind the village.

Where can I see a real cheese market?

Alkmaar on Fridays (March–September), Edam on Wednesdays (July–August) and Gouda on Thursdays (April–August).

Plan the rest of your day