Hilmar Cheese Company Logo

“Cheesemaking University” School Tours

Come Tour With Us!

"The most fun and educational field trip in the central valley." 

To schedule a school tour call (209) 656-1197 or e-mail tours@hilmarcheese.com

  • Standard's Correlated Tours and Integrated Science Educational Activities.  Explore hands-on, interactive exhibits that involve students and reinforce reading, math and science skills, nutrition concepts and careers.
  • Cheese Theatre featuring an animated, "edutaining" show on how cheese is made.
  • 6 Hands-On Exhibit Areas for smaller groups to rotate
    • Model of a modern dairy farm with dairy equipment to touch
    • Full-size dairy cow demonstrates the milking process - feel the milking pulse and weigh feeds in a Kirby mixer wagon
    • Dress like a cheesemaker! and learn about careers in the dairy industry
    • Place foods in the new USDA food pyramid and take the Hilmar Ingredients challenge
    • Learn about innovations and touch cheesemaking equipment
    • Watch employees package 640-pound crates of cheese (Big Cheese)!  
  • Organized, Safe and Fully Accessible
  • Public, Private and Homeschool Groups Welcome by Reservation Only.
  • All Guests Receive:
    • Hairnet
    • Cheese Sample
  • Paid Students Receive:
    • "Daisy's Dairy ABC's" standards correlated booklet
    • Ice Cream
    • Souvenir
    • Graduation Sticker
  • School Tour Start Times:   9:30 and 11:00 Monday through Friday
  • School Tour Months:   January through October (November & December is our Holiday Extravaganza and we do not offer schools tours then).
  • Group Size:   Maximum of 120 students + chaperones rotating through program.   Minimum of 10 paying participants.   Groups fewer than 40 students may be combined with other small groups.
  • Teachers and Chaperones are FREE and we appreciate 1 adult for every 5 students.
  • What to eat:  Student Menu for Pizza and Sack Lunches and Deli Cafe Menu for Teachers and Chaperones
  • Where to eat:
  • Our Adjacent Hilmar Cheese Park offers a Shaded Picnic Area
    • Hagaman Park (4 miles south) covered picnic area and play area.  West River Road Stevenson CA (209) 385-7426
    • Hilmar Community Park (2 miles south) covered picnic area and play area Falke Street, Hilmar CA (209) 380-1777 (limited restrooms)

Available “Cheesemaking University” Tours

Pre-K to Adult:

Free Educational Tour

Flexible tour adjusted to be age appropriate for your group.   Students see the Cheese Theatre show and watch employees package 640-pound crates of cheese (Big Cheese)!  Interactive exhibits encourage children to touch dairy and cheese equipment, feel the milking pulse and use the new food guide pyramid.  Guests receive complimentary samples of Hilmar cheese. 

Tour Duration:   30-45 minutes guided tour adjusted to be age appropriate.

Cost:   FREE or $1.50 per student with Standards-Correlated boolet, souvenir, Graduation sticker and Ice cream!

 

K to Adult:

Tour and Ice Cream Making Experience

Educational Tour AND actual hands-on ice cream making.   Each students makes his/her own ice cream during a lesson that integrates science, math and reading while developing listening and following direction skills.  A food safety theme is emphasized.   Each student will enjoy his/her own personally created ice cream sample!

Tour Duration:   1.5 hours

Cost:   $3.00 per student

Academic Content Standards Correlation, Open Court & Houghton Mifflin

  Reading Writing Listing Math Science Open Court Unit Houghton Mifflin
K 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 1.1 1.1, 2.2 Meas. 1.1 1b, 2c Teamwork

Down on the Farm
1st 2.1, 2.3, 2.6 2.1 1.1, 2.3 Meas. 1.1 1a, 1b, 2b Our Neighborhood Let's Look Around 
2nd 2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 2.1 1.4, 5, 6, 7, 2.2 Stats. 1.4 2a, 2b, 4a Our Country Around Town
3rd 1.3, 2.6, 2.7 2.1 1.4, 2.3 Num. 2.4 1e, 3a, 5d Country Life Smart Solutions

 


4th Grade to Adult:

Tour and Cheesemaking Experience

Educational Tour AND actual hands-on cheesemaking.   Student teams will follow the scientific method to make cheese measuring volume, weight, time and temperature and integrates reading, writing, critical thinking, teamwork and decision making to achieve results.   Food safety is emphasized along with nutrition concepts.  

Tour Duration:   1.5 hours

Cost:   $3.00 per student

Academic Content Standards Correlation, Open Court & Houghton Mifflin

  Reading Writing Listing Math Science Open Court Unit Houghton Mifflin
4th 1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 2.4, 2.7 1.3, 2.3 1.1, 2.1 Num. 3.3 3c, 6f Changing America That's Amazing
5th 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4 1.2, 2.3 1.3 Num. 2.0 1a, 6d-h Cooperation Give it All...
6th 2.4 2.2 2.2 Num. 1.2 6b, 6c, 7a-c Beyond the Notes Doers and Dreamers