
Do your kids love to cook? Do you want to give them an activity but not clean up the mess? If so, the cooking classes at this Mercer County farm are the perfect way to spend time together while making yourselves a delicious treat.
Cherry Grove Farm is located on 400 acres in Lawrenceville, which is very close to Princeton. You may have heard of its infamous Cow Parade every November, or stopped by to pick up a selection of cheeses made from the milk from the cows that live on the farm – but did you know they offer classes where you can get your hands on some amazing cheese?
We took part in a Mozzarella Stretch Class for Families recently, and it was surprisingly easy – and definitely fun. Tish Streeten, head of Education & Events for Cherry Grove, had a small classroom in a historic building on the farm set up with bowls and equipment needed for more than a dozen kids and adults to make their own ball of mutz.
Using curds from Fulper Family Farmstead in Lambertville, the group was instructed to crumble the curds in their bowl, salt them, push them all to one side, add hot water, put on two sets of gloves (to protect from the heat) and then pull, roll and stretch the mozzarella until it made a delicious looking ball they could eat fresh, use to make pizza or add to their salad for dinner.
It was very easy to follow step by step, and Tish made sure the little ones had cooler water in their bowls so as to not burn themselves with the boiling water. The young ones seemed very excited to get their hands dirty and take part, even asking to mold their parents’ cheese balls. It was a great activity for listening, following instructions and bonding with their families.
And … you get to taste what you make. Plus, a full board of different Cherry Grove cheeses with crackers and spreads comes out at the end as a reward for your hard work.

Although Cherry Grove is most notable for its cheeses, there are other classes on the menu, too, such as: Herbs for Sleep, Stress & Tranquility; Foraging & Feasting; Gluten-Free Handmade Pasta Making; Herbs for Children & Herbal First Aid; and The Wonders of Honey Bees. Check the schedule to see any age requirements and if the whole family can join.
If cooking is not your thing, Cherry Grove has lots of family-friendly activities scheduled from May to October, such as an Indian farm dinner, hayrides, yoga on the farm and wild plant walks. You can stop by to feed the goats (ask for an apple from inside the market store), check out the chicken coop, coo over the baby calves and pigs, and of course look for the cows.
Cherry Grove Farm is located at 3200 Lawrenceville Rd. in Lawrenceville. You can schedule a private group tour if you’re interested in learning more about the inner workings of the farm.
For a glimpse into the cheesemaking process, visit our Instagram page.
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