As we continue to navigate our way through this pandemic, we are grateful that to date, all we know and love have remained healthy and safe. However, we see changes that we would not have predicted. This weekend, I went to get supplies from our Amish friends who run a small store. We had a conversation that was both unsettling and eye-opening. I have mentioned in past posts that we are having trouble finding supplies that were once readily available. At first, it was organic canola oil. Then it was our preferred brand of coconut oil. The latest is French rose clay and kaolin clay. We have had to change distributors and brands on several occasions to get the supplies we need, but we cannot procure our preferred and trusted brands. We also are not able to procure the amounts we need. Always being one to shop in bulk, I find this to be annoying and unsettling.
Of course, we have also noted gaps in our grocery stores' shelves, but again, we have been fortunate that we have always been able to get what we need. However, I have also noted that what I consider a want and a need has changed with this. The little store owner I use to purchase lard, coconut oil, and other ingredients shared her insight with me. I asked her if she is noticing gaps in the supply chain, and she said with a solemnity that yes, she is, and it gets worse every week. The seasonal or specialized items are not being produced, not because they are available but because the packaging materials are not available. Her distributors have warned her to expect shortages in the future of canned items and products that are normally packaged in plastics.
Again, I go back to my belief that we are witnesses to a restructuring of things. We may see the packaging of products change drastically in the years to come. Perhaps this will be for the best for our health and the environment. Perhaps we will see less use of plastic and more eco-friendly packaging. I don't know. I know that we were finally able to procure our French rose clay, but we only got half the order. The distributor has promised the remainder of our order when supplies are restocked but cannot give us a date. So, for now, we are able to offer our Rose Clay mask. It is restocked and online, but I feel uncertain about how long we will be able to offer it.
We will do what we have always done, do the best we can with what we have. We may have to put some products to bed for a bit, but I am sure the supply lines will open again. Perhaps this is a good time for new product development and thinking outside the box. I feel confident we will continue to offer only the very best in goat's milk products. As long as the feed is available for our girls, the rest will fall into place.
As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, think outside the box, and of course, wash your hands.