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.

A Simple Day, A Wonderful Weekend

My Beautiful Bean and Her Handsome Pook-A-Dook

Welcome to a glorious Monday, dear reader. The weather is absolutely perfect in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and I love it. This weekend was a blur of activity for our family. The Bean and her boyfriend, Pook-A-Dook, attended their first prom on Friday night. I know I might be slightly biased, however, I believe they were quite possibly the most lovely couple at the dance. Austin looked like a genuine gentleman, and my girl looked like a princess. After a bit of an anxiety attack about walking in the Grand March, my girl could settle down, breathe, relax, and enjoy herself. Both kids text me more than I feel two kids should text any adult during a prom, but I take it as a win that they keep me in the loop. They both came home smiling with stories to marvel at and make us laugh. One more milestone is now in the books. Sigh.

Saturday, we spent the weekend with family. Eric's brother was in from out East, and we celebrated Mother's Day with GB. Dinner and visiting were as exciting as it got, but it was the best way to celebrate a lady we adore. GB ended her evening by playing cards with two of her four granddaughters. Thank goodness, The Bean can play board games with her grandmother because she would never have experienced competitive board games with her boring old mom. I hate board games; I always have. I grudgingly play when asked, but when GB is around, I get a free pass. This is yet another reflection of how unfun I genuinely am.

On Sunday, we began my Mother's Day celebration with breakfast at my favorite restaurant, Krause's Cafe. We then made an impromptu visit to the farm swap at Tractor Supply. I was gifted two black silkie chickens as part of my Mother's Day gift. So, yes, fancier chickens are now in my little coop. Eric is beginning to question my sanity when it comes to birds. If I had my dream chicken coop built, I would have come home with a trio of white cochins. I love cochins! Unfortunately, I don't have my dream coop built, and must keep my breeds separated. As I develop my cochin empire, there will be a dream coop and fill the farm with fancy chickens, grumpy geese, swans, and peafowl.

We ended the day by bathing seven of the goats. My geriatric nannies are all showing signs of a fungal infection, so they needed to get treatment. The weather was beautiful and perfect for bathing them. Although the girls did not view their spa day as relaxing, I believe they feel much better, and I am hopeful they will begin to heal. I also think they feel much better after having all that dry skin, loose hair, and dirt removed. Everyone feels better after a good bath, even a goat. The Bibbed Wonder, who is truly the best, jumped in and helped me bathe the girls. Of course, I have a process of how it should be done, which was far more extensive than he believed necessary, but he complied and followed my lead.

Miss Fuschia, aka Lil' Black Being Rinsed

We began by brushing them well to loosen all the dead skin and dirt. We then rinsed them with warm water and bathed them with our pet soap to remove as much grime as possible. After rinsing away the soap, we lathered them with an antifungal shampoo and had to let it set for twenty minutes. We rinsed away the antifungal shampoo, followed by another washing with our pet soap. The girls then got toweled off and were allowed to dry. Lastly, we slathered them with a sulfur-smelling medicinal ointment and let them return to their beloved herd and green pasture.

My poor Mama Boo has the absolute worst case of fungal infection. Her hair is very patchy, and her skin is dry. My poor old girl is showing her age. She is so skinny, her hair is a mess, and she has developed a monkey jaw in her old age, where her lower jaw juts out past her upper jaw, and she moves a little slower. This last surprise pregnancy did her no favors. Once she is no longer producing milk, I believe her body weight will increase considerably, but until then, so much is going into producing milk that her weight will probably remain low. She and my favorite girl, Big Red, go into a private stall and eat alone to their little hearts' content every morning, noon, and night. They have earned the right not to compete with the younger girls for feed. Although everyone has access to as much as they can eat, there is always much pushing and shoving regarding the grain. My five original girls deserve to be spoiled. All my girls deserve to be spoiled, but I have an extra soft spot for my five original girls. They deserve a soft retirement.

We ended the day exhausted, a little sore, and very satisfied. It was good to complete a big task and take care of my sweet ladies. I spent my day doing what I love, taking care of my animals, with the people I love. It was a simple, quiet day filled with everything that made me happy: my husband and daughter, farm, animals, fancy chickens, a good book, and good coffee. I was also gifted a new pair of barn boots, a Gilmore Girls t-shirt, a new mirror for my kitchen remodel, and fancy chickens. It might seem simple to most, but to me, it was perfection. Most importantly, I felt loved.

I hope you, too, had a good weekend filled with everything that makes you happy, whatever that may look like. Most importantly, I hope you felt loved and appreciated. On this beautiful, summer-like day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy what makes you happy, and keep washing your hands.