Summer Feels

This past week has been beautiful in Southwestern Pennsylvania. I find that as I get older, I feel the changes of the seasons a bit more deeply. I don't mean feel like my arthritic big toe can predict rain. I mean, I feel more attuned to the changing seasons. It feels like we are on summer's cusp, and I love it. Generally, I am not a summer-loving kind of person. If I could live in a world of Octobers, I would be in my personal heaven. However, moving into summer this spring feels like pure happiness. I love hearing the birds sing at dawn, the frogs chirp at night, the way the grass turns emerald, and the new growth of flora changes daily. It is a beautiful time of year, and I am appreciating it more so than I have in the past.

It not only feels and looks like summer on our farm, but it smells like summer in the studio. Summer is usually when I create fruity, fresh scents for our products. Last week, we created honeyed strawberry, blueberry verbena, and lemon verbena. Right now, the studio smells like a fruit basket and is delightful. The farm is also filled with lovely scents this time of year. The Autumn Olive is in bloom, and it smells divine. I wish I could bottle the scent of the wild Autumn Olive blowing across the fields on a warm spring day. This, dear reader, is one of my favorite scents in the world.

The Bean is counting down the days until the end of school. She tells me there are eight and a half days left of her sophomore year. Time is moving far too quickly. I need to find a way to slow it down so her childhood doesn't escape me. As a cruel reminder that my days with my girl at home are limited, we are touring our first college tomorrow. Sigh. I am excited but also a bit sad. I hope tomorrow is not an emotional day for me, where I must fight back tears constantly. These moods are striking me more frequently, and it makes everyone uncomfortable. Being an emotionally open book has its drawbacks.

In just a few weeks, the unofficial start to summer will begin, the days will be long, the temperatures warm, the fireflies will be out, the baby goats will lose their interest in us, my baby chicks will feather, and my favorite human will be home for the summer. I fully intend to enjoy this summer with its warm temperatures, slow pace, beautiful scents, and all the summer feels. It's a good time to be alive.

I hope you, too, are feeling all the summer vibes. On this gorgeous day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy the changing of the seasons, get ready for summer, and keep washing your hands.

Opening Day At Ligonier

Well, dear reader, our little bubble of bliss is about to pop. We have a brief window each year when the weather is lovely, the days are long, and the farm is bursting with activity, mainly in the form of baby goats. During this little interval, we aren't required to go anywhere or do anything but care for our farm family. This year in particular has been delightful. We have a friendly group of baby goats, our beloved nanny goats are doing well, and my crazy new bird obsession is taking all my focus. However, as with all good things, this little window must also come to a close.

On Saturday, we begin the first of twenty weeks at The Ligonier Country Market. Now, don't get me wrong—I love our little market. I am greatly looking forward to seeing our friends and soap family on Saturdays. Seriously, the market is filled with the best people. It's just that once the market season begins, our focus turns to the market, and our little bubble of farm bliss is over. It adds an all-consuming layer of responsibility and commitment. Each week will begin with unpacking and repacking for the upcoming market. We will then focus on creating inventory to fulfill the market requirements. Thursdays and Fridays will be spent prepping for the marking, packing the truck, reviewing our checklist, and worrying about the weather in Ligonier on Saturdays.

Our biggest concern and responsibility for the last few weeks has been ensuring our bottle babies are fed on time. I have enjoyed the slower pace of walking my dog and my baby geese each morning. I have relished going to the barn several times daily for baby goat snuggles and bottle feedings. It has simply been a delightfully slow-paced few weeks filled with baby animals and plenty of goat time. Saturday marks the start of our busy season that will last well into November. Market season is fun and exciting in its own right, but it's just bustling.

This week, we are preparing for our market debut. Over the winter, we had our Amish friend make us new shelves for our market display. Unfortunately, my new personalized table runner will not be delivered in time for the opening market, but there will be a few additions to our branding. We are excited to share our Miracle Milk Face Balm with our market family. My bib overall wearing buddy is "stoked" to debut his Odds and Ends bags at the market. We are slowly but surely making our new seasonal scents and checking them off our to-do list. We have giveaways planned for holiday weekends, market specials scheduled for opening day, and merch opportunities in the works. Overall, it should be a very fun and exciting market season.

I am reluctant to let go of our slow season because it has been so enjoyable this year. However, I never tire of meeting new soap family members, seeing well-loved and appreciated familiar faces, and spending time with our market family. It's all good, it's just good in different ways. If you are looking for something to do on a Saturday morning, I gently encourage you to travel to the beautiful little town of Ligonier. The market runs from eight o'clock until noon. There are 100+ talented artisans, farmers, flowers, producers, and crafters with everything from handmade jewelry to salsa to honey to woodwork and anything in between. I forgot to mention there is also goat's milk soap (insert a wink). I genuinely believe there is something for everyone. After the market, you can stroll into town and enjoy the boutiques, small eateries, gorgeous scenery, and "Hallmark" feel. It truly is a lovely area and a stunning small town.

This year, we will be located at our usual spot, # 7. We are just a few spaces down from the red information tent on the main row. The Bibbed Wonder, The Bean, and I are looking forward to seeing you and catching up. On this lovely spring day, stay safe and be smart. All good things must come to an end. Visit us at the market, and keep washing your hands.

Tuesday Spotlight: Select Unscented Bars and Unscented Moisturizer

Click To Save On Unscented Products

If you have sensitive skin, are sensitive to scent, or appreciate unscented products, this week's special will make you smile. Our Simply Silk, Simply Yo-Goat, Simply Goat's Milk, and Goat's and Oats bars are 25% off exclusively on the website. As always, no promo code is needed to save; the savings are applied at checkout. This is a fantastic opportunity to stock up on your favorite unscented bars, try something new, or purchase an affordable gift.

Creating an extensive line of unscented products is essential because many individuals have allergies, sensitivities, and biological reactions to strong scents. Even essential oils can trigger an adverse reaction in sensitive individuals. I place as much, if not more, emphasis on our unscented products as I do our fanciest, most fragrant bars. Until I began my soap-making journey, I never realized how many people suffer from sensitivities. Exposure to strong scents, chemicals, and artificial ingredients can trigger allergic reactions, migraines, eczema, or psoriatic outbreaks, to name a few conditions. It truly is a debilitating condition for more people than I ever realized.

I stand true to my belief that there are enough products out there that offer marginal benefits, cut corners, and make claims that aren't quite accurate; there is no need for me to add to the mix. Instead, I focus on quality, using clean, pure ingredients and beneficial ingredients to the maximum extent possible. Our products always begin with our fresh, raw goat's milk. Goat's milk is the number one ingredient in all my products. I don't substitute with water, add a dash of dried milk powder, or a splash of milk, and call it goat's milk soap. Goat's milk is the only liquid I use in my soap recipe. Each batch of soap uses approximately five pounds of fresh, raw goat's milk. I believe the difference is apparent in the finished product and the success and relief people feel after using my products.

Although the unscented products are free of dyes and colorants, there is beauty in their simplicity. The rich, creamy off-white color, or natural tan color, results from natural sugars in the milk reacting to saponification. Creating the illusion of purity using white dyes is merely an industry-standard optical illusion that tricks the brain. It's all marketing, dear reader. I certainly am not a marketing mastermind. Quality, transparency, and integrity will always speak louder than making false claims or sleight-of-hand tricks.

We take great care in developing our products. To provide the best ingredients possible, one must be willing to learn new skills and work diligently. From learning to make handmade yogurt from our goat's milk to incorporating cruelty-free Tussah silk fibers into unscented bars, it has been a fascinating learning experience. For me, soap making is a blend of creativity, research, and science. Thank you for allowing me to do something I love.

On this rainy, overcast spring day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy clean, simple products, and keep washing your hands.