It Was A Strange Weekend In The Woods

Dear reader, it is difficult for me to wrap my mind around the fact that we are moving into our second weekend at the Shaker Woods Festival. School begins next week, and August is coming to a close sooner rather than later. I must be transparent that I am feeling some anxiety over leaving for Ohio tomorrow. It's not that I don't feel confident in my trusted friend's abilities to care for our beloved critters or that I feel anything will be other than fine; I hate leaving home. I am becoming more hermit-like with each passing year. This year at "The Woods" turned out to be the most interesting experience. One just never knows what to expect from year to year, even with tried and true live shows such as The Shaker Woods Festival.

Last weekend was opening weekend. Traditionally, the opening weekend has been an introvert's nightmare. The crowd is so dense that one has difficulty maneuvering the grounds. Lines form at booths, with attendees clamoring for products. The adrenaline runs high all day from intense social interaction, customer service, and lively discussions. My experience has been nothing but positive. The Bibbed Wonder and I remark that we are indeed blessed with an exceptional customer base. Everyone is supportive, friendly, kind, and understanding. Rarely do we experience a negative interaction at Ligonier or Shaker. You all are the rockstars that make what we do possible.

This year has been an anomaly. Even with the gorgeous weather we experienced on opening day, the crowd never exceeded 50% capacity at any given time, and the grounds were tranquil. We did not experience any lines forming at our booth, and neither did any other vendors. Not even the food vendors were backed up with customers. The coffee cake booth usually sells out by mid-day on opening day. When I walked past their booth at the end of the day on opening day, they had a large inventory of cakes. It was a very odd opening weekend, indeed.

The attendance was lower than expected this year, and the crowd was different. The entire day had an unusual vibe. We had so many positive interactions with our loyal soap family, new friends, and friends of friends it's hard not to smile. However, I will say we did have a few stinkers this year. I am unaccustomed to dealing with unpleasant people because you all have me spoiled. In the course of two hours, I had not one but two women enter our booth, quickly step out, and announce loudly, "Don't go in there if you have asthma! The smell is overwhelming!" Sigh. I smiled, asked if there was anything I could do, and told them to have a good day. The Bean does not deal with difficult situations well. She has her mother's face, which shows what she is thinking. I have had to ask her to adjust her face more than once. The Bean growled into my ear, "I have moderate to severe asthma, and it doesn't bother me!" I explained that everyone has different triggers, and we must respect that. She informed me that the polite thing would be to walk out quietly and not "be all dramatic." I laughed and told her not everyone is as well-mannered or polite as her. I also told her she was not wrong but to get that look of irritation off her face. Why must she embrace my worst traits? She is quite The Bean.

At about midday, a group of women entered our booth. I saw them clustered together, reading the ingredients and talking amongst themselves. As they walked out, I heard one say to another, "Just come on! Don't make a fuss." The one instructed not to make a fuss replied, "I'm going to ask! I have the right!" As she approached, her friends walked off in the opposite direction. I smiled and said, "Can I help you?" She tersely informed me she had a question. I replied with a smile, "Ask away." She then asked me why I use canola oil in my soaps. I explained that canola oil has cleansing and moisturizing properties, adding to lathering abilities. She then proceeded to "educate" me on the evils of canola oil and rapeseed. Sigh. I allowed her to explain her opinions, told her I had indeed researched all the ingredients in my soaps extensively, smiled and nodded at her scathing review, and allowed her to express her opinion that if my products didn't include canola oil, she would have "bought a bar" and that she "would prefer a soap with no lather over one that uses canola oil." At the end of her rant, I smiled and told her my products weren't for everyone. I told her to have a good day and enjoy the festival. She gave me one more scathing look and stormed off.

At this point, The Bean and The Bibbed Wonder were beyond irritated. The Bean asked me how I could be so calm when someone was so rude. I told her it was my job to be a professional and handle even rude and confrontational individuals with respect. It's part of being mature and responsible. I can remain so calm when someone attacks my choices because I am confident I did my research. I looked at all the ingredients and the arguments for and against each ingredient. I dived much deeper than simply Googling canola oil and the cons of using it. At the end of more than six months of in-depth research, I made my decision based on science, not propaganda. My child is my gold standard. If I feel confident using an ingredient that my beloved child will put on her skin, I believe in my choice—end of story.

If one does a Google search of any ingredients listed in my products, one will find a school of thought against each one. Some believe coconut oil, castor oil, lard, goat's milk, lye, and micas are all evil products. I respect your opinion and encourage you to do your own in-depth research. I encourage you to find reliable resources, professionals, and trusted articles. There are a lot of sensationalized resources available, but dig deeper. I will always encourage individuals to do their research and educate themselves. Not everyone's opinion will align with mine, and that is fine. I do ask that one wait for the appropriate time to delve into an argument about said research. A busy event is not the time or the place, but I will always do my best to be professional and respectful and answer all questions to the best of my ability. I will also happily suggest another handmade soap maker who aligns with one's beliefs if I can.

On the way back to the hotel, The Bean and The Bibbed Wonder were on a tear about the less-than-positive individuals we encountered. I listened to them briefly and then said, "Okay, enough. Those were three people. Let's talk about the wonderful people we talked to." We then discussed all the lovely people who visited us, sought us out, complimented our products, treated us with kindness and appreciation, and made us smile. There were way more than three. By the time we returned to the hotel, we were laughing, smiling, and in a good mood, just remembering all the positivity you all brought into our day. Thank you for that. My child informed me I handle myself like a pro. Coming from an often surly teen, this is the highest compliment. I hope I set a good example for her. At the end of the day, that is what is important.

The weather doesn't look very cooperative this weekend. However, I remain hopeful that opening weekend was a fluke and that we will return to our happy, supportive, lovely soap family and Shaker Woods attendees. If you are looking for a lovely festival to attend, Shaker Woods is a good one. Often, the threat of rain will keep away the crowd. I gently encourage you to bring an umbrella, wear your comfortable weatherproof shoes, don a jacket, and come out to enjoy world-class artists and vendors. As one bib overall wearing wonder buns likes to say, "You won't find better company."

On this lovely summer day, stay safe, be smart, don't be afraid to ask questions, accept that not everyone will agree with you, be respectful, not condescending, and keep washing your hands.