The Essential Herbalist

Recent Posts

  • I’m Heartbroken & I’m Mad!

    We went out to do morning chores earlier this week and were devastated to find young chicken bodies scattered from front yard to barn yard to garden. There were 7 in all and my favorite chicken, Izzy, is missing along with two turkeys and a few other hens. Izzy breaks my heart. No feathers…just gone. Don’t know why she was my favorite but she was…

    Elijah and I puzzled at what could have done this…no one was eaten which makes me even madder – something did this for sport!  We wondered about our neighbors dogs but they have never been a problem. There were no wounds really except one puncture – probably from a tooth.  We lose an occasional hen to a family of Red Tailed Hawks that live on our mountain.  Maybe 1 or 2 a year when they are feeding and raising babies.  But this was slaughter!  These girls were in a temporary coop, up on a roost but something got in there.

    So, we left the bodies just as you see them and loaded some trail cameras and trained them on the coop and barnyard in the hope that the bodies might lure it back.

    Next day…low and behold…we had our answer!

    It was a young coyote!  In over 20 years here on the farm, I’ve only seen one get this close to the house and that was a long time ago.  This one is pretty bold! Half of the bodies were gone so we don’t know if they were carried off to other members of the pack or eaten by this one.

    So what are we doing?  Girls are going from temporary coop into the “big house” where they will be safe from all predators.  Electric fence was ordered, arrived today and will be going around the big coop tomorrow.  We will use it to let them free range in a large area – and we can move it as necessary. They won’t be able to get out and nothing can get in. We’ll work on the small coop to secure it better before we use it again.

    And me? I’ve ordered a holster.  I went out the other night to close up the coop and my light was reflecting on eyes at the corner of the field.  Don’t know if it was this one or not…but it had to be either a fox or coyote.  Both need to find another feeding ground and I need to protect my girls. I may not have time to run back to the house for my gun.

    The homestead life brings you self-sufficiency, independence, satisfaction…it’s  hard, fulfilling, glorious, breathtaking and even fun!  It is also heart breaking, tons of hard work that never gets done, and frustrating at times.

    I wouldn’t live any other way for all the money in the world!

    Are you up for it?

    Blessings,

    Cheri

  • Making A Basic Soap – Beginner’s Recipe!

    I’ve been asked by several to share a recipe for a basic bar of soap and I’m happy to do so! This recipe and instructions are excerpts from my book “Soap Making Made Simple!”. Making your own soap at home is not hard. Most people are afraid of the lye but if you understand what you are doing, and you are careful, you don’t need to be afraid.

    Every recipe you get from a blog post, a book or off the internet needs to be run through something called a lye calculator – yes! even mine!  People make mistakes, many people are blogging about something they have never done but have saved to a Pinterest board.  Typos happen even to the best!

    I recommend this one from the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild.  Every oil has a certain saponification value (how much lye it takes to turn that oil from a liquid to a hard bar of soap). You must use that SAP value for every oil in your soap.  This will assure you that you are creating a safe, solid bar of soap.  Sounds complicated but it is just a matter of filling out the form correctly!

    Here is an easy basic recipe to make soap at home!  These are the ingredients you will need to purchase:

    Here is a list of equipment you will need to have on hand:

    An old vinyl tablecloth to protect your table.

    A stainless steel pot. (Enamel is also usable but avoid aluminum and copper. Those metals can react with the lye.)

    Two stainless steel slotted spoons – one for mixing lye and one for mixing oils

    Silicone Spatula

    Glass measuring cup or bowls  (several) –  for measuring lye and essential oils.

    Glass or stainless steel bowl for mixing lye & water

    Measuring spoons

    2 Quick Read thermometers – one for lye and one for oils. These should have a stainless steel shaft and have a range of 70 to 200 degrees F.

    Digital scale with a “tare” feature to measure oils, lye and water.

    Small grinder for processing herbs (optional)

    Stick blender (much quicker than stirring with a wooden spoon!)

    Mold for your soap and freezer paper to line the mold

    Eye protection (goggles or glasses)

    Some old towels, rugs or blankets to insulate your mold

    Rubber gloves

    Apron

    White vinegar (to wash lye off of skin if you spill!)

    Before you begin your batch of soap, make sure you have assembled all of your equipment and supplies. Use Stainless steel or glass – no aluminum or copper pots or utensils!  Make sure you have a mold to pour your soap into…silicone molds are easy to use. Mine are all wood.  There are many options! Wear safety goggles! You do not want to splatter lye water into your eyes! If you get lye in your eyes – flush with cool water and seek medical attention immediately! Wear gloves! Lye can burn your skin – keep vinegar on hand to neutralize the lye/lye water!

    Use a scale to measure, by weight, lye and set aside. Use a scale to measure, by weight, water. Take water and lye outside and pour lye into water while slowly stirring. (Never pour the water into the lye.) CAUTION:Do not breathe in the fumes – stand so the wind carries them away from you. When lye becomes clear take back inside and set in safe place out of the reach of children. DO NOT DO THIS INSIDE!!

    Line your mold with freezer paper, shiny side towards soap mixture. Use a scale to measure, by weight, solid oils and gently heat. Measure out liquid oils by weight and set aside. Use scale to measure out essential oils if you are using them. Grind and measure herbs if you are using them.

    When solid oils are melted, add the liquid oils to the soap pot. I turn the heat off when some of my solid oils are still solid – I call them “floaty bits”.  The residual heat will melt the rest. Takes less time to cool the oils down that way.

    Bring both lye water and oils to 100º – or within 10º of each other at that temperature. DO NOT heat lye water on the stove.  I just use a sink of ice water and cool each pot down to about 100 degrees.

    Slowly add lye water to soap pot while stirring gently and continuously. Use a stick blender until you achieve a light trace. What is trace?  When you pick up your blender and let it drip onto the surface of the soap in the pot and you can see the drips or lines sitting on the top of the soap in the pot, you have achieved “trace”. See how the drips are sitting on top of the rest of the batch in the pot?Add the herbs/spices. Stir herbs in thoroughly. Add essential oils and continue to stir until thoroughly blended. Make sure essential oil is completely dispersed into soap solution.

    Pour into prepared mold. Cover soap with freezer paper (shiny side towards the soap) and insulate. I use a bath towel folded over my molds. Let rest 24 hours. Un-mold and cut into desired size bars. Place in well-ventilated area and let cure for 30 days. DO NOT USE BEFORE 30 DAYS!! Lye evaporates during the saponification process and over the next 30 days.  Using your soap too early may mean there is lye still active in your bars.  This can do damage to your skin!

    As you learn more about the oils you can use in soap making, you will find oils can be drying, moisturizing, softening, have natural anti-oxidants, be a humectant and so much more.  Studying the properties of oils, and essential oils, will help you create the perfect bar of soap for YOU!

    Soaps can be colored naturally with plants macerated in olive oil, dried herbs, some foods (pumpkins for instance) clays and more. I do not use dyes or minerals.  You’ll never see bright red, blue, orange etc. in my soaps because those things are not natural – although there are many who will try to convince you that they are…don’t listen to them!

    There are many more things to learn about soap making: learning about percentages and how to use that knowledge to make your bars harder or softer, how to affect the amount of lather you have and much more.  It will help you look at a recipe and know what kind of bar it will make before you invest the money into the supplies.  It can even help you tweak a recipe to your liking!

    You will want to learn about super-fatting your soap, taking a lye discount, absolutes, butters, shelf life of oils, “notes” of essential oils, how to blend essential oils and so much more! Soap making truly is an art and a science but if you love the creative process you will love it!

    When it all comes together you are left with a beautiful bar of hand crafted soap!

    If you have questions, please leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them!

    Happy Soap Making y’all!

    Blessings,

    Cheri

     

     

  • I’ve been quiet because of this….

    When I’m quiet here, it usually means that I’m busy with something important.  This is what I have been doing!  You are looking at over 600 bars of soap – it’s the most I’ve ever made in a month!

    Yes, soap will be loaded back into inventory on Monday and ready for sale at 8:00 am EST!  I will have all of the soaps you’ve seen in the past but also some new ones!

    Let’s talk about the new soaps that will be available on Monday!

    Lavender Mint. This is a SUPER Moisturizing soap – the most moisturizing soap I make – and it all started from a mistake!  Some of my best soaps have come initially from mistakes! It is scented with Lavender and Peppermint essential oils and is packed with moisturizing oils and shea butter!

    Lavender Twist is a basic soap that is scented with lavender and grapefruit essential oils.  It is dusted on one side with ground lavender buds. It’s bright and fresh and clean!

    Patchouli! I made this soap because several of you requested it.  Patchouli is great for oily skin and for teenage acne!

    Ciao Bella! This is my kitchen soap!  Because we wash our hands so often while cooking, I wanted a soap with an amazing scent that wouldn’t dry out my hands when spending long days in the kitchen cooking, canning soap-making and more!  Basil essential oil also has anti-bacterial properties.  Win! Win! It is made with organic Basil, Basil essential oil and sun-dried tomatoes for a fleck of color. It smells amazing!

    Green Thumbs! This is my gardener’s soap! I use this after spending time in my greenhouse and garden!  It has a bit of sand in it to help exfoliate and to get that dirt off your hands after digging in the garden! It is moisturizing and is lightly scented with Sage essential oil.

    It takes many days of making soap, cleaning up after soap, labeling soap and beginning Monday, shipping soap! Then my kitchen will look like this as I pack out your orders! I love making soap but I wanted to let you know that 600 bars a month is probably not sustainable for me during gardening season.

    This is my kitchen laboratory – this is where I create herbal concoctions, process herbal tinctures, make soap, can veggies from the garden, meet with customers and pack your orders for shipping.

    I wanted to let you know that for the next few months at least, I will be going back to my normal soap making routine of about 150 bars a month.  More if I have a free day but my goal is 150 bars a month.  Garden season is in full swing and demands my attention, I have my husband to care for and a 93 year old mom that needs help.  There are grandbabies to visit ( a new one just 2 months old!) and kids to spend time with…not to mention my real job of helping people find natural solutions to their health issues using herbs and oils!  My plate is happily full!

    I didn’t want anyone to be caught unaware of this and be disappointed if next month there is a much smaller selection of soaps. Y’all have been amazing and I have almost sold out  each time I’ve launched a soap sale. Thank you so much!

    I’ve also received the sweetest notes about how much you like my soap and why.  I’d be so appreciative if you would share those thoughts in a review of my soaps here on the website.

    I have something new coming also!  I’ve made a salve for years with spring herbs that is comfrey based.  It is all natural and organic!  I pick the herbs myself, dry them, macerate them and create a topical salve that is amazing for supporting your skin when it is injured or irritated.  I’ve had to change the name because the FDA doesn’t like us to use the words “heal or healing” so the new name of my salve is simply Green Herb Salve.  It will be available in 1 oz and 2 oz tins. I’m just waiting on the labels from the printer which hopefully will be available next week.  You won’t believe how effective this salve is!

    There will also be other salves soon.  These are salves I’ve made and sold for years…Jewelweed, Arnica, Lavender, Tea Tree and another for “discomfort” that took me several years to develop. It just needs a more compliant name 🙂

    Next post, I will share a basic soap recipe for beginners!  Several of you have asked and I am happy to share.  Others have asked about classes in person for soap making, herbal medicine and the newest one I am working on – fermenting food!  Those classes will begin when garden season ends.  Anyone local (or not so local!) that is interested can reach out to me to get put on the list to be notified of classes.  I am working on creating a video series of me teaching these classes so you can learn no matter where you live!

    If we’ve touched base and I’ve neglected to get back with you, please reach out to me to remind me.  I don’t want anyone to “fall through the cracks” but I admit I have been a bit overwhelmed and it is a possibility I’ve missed someone or lost a note to return a call.

    Blessings,

    Cheri

     

  • Do This and Never Buy Chicks Again!

    Chicks are expensive.  At our local farm store they are $4 to $7  each – more for specialty breeds. If I drive about 30 miles there is a much larger farm store with many varieties at $3 each  but you have to buy 6 minimum…not usually a problem for me!  What if every spring you had plenty of new chicks but you never had to buy them? Could you save a lot of money over the years? You bet!

    For many years, we’ve been hatching our own chicks.  That doesn’t mean I don’t like to purchase some new varieties but for the most part we can hatch what we want.  Here’s the first peck in the shell!  Can you see it?

    We had a large incubator but it was over 20 years old and finally quit working. We purchased a smaller table top incubator the “Harris Farms Nurture Right Incubator | 360 Degree View”.I liked some aspects – it turns the eggs, it’s got a nice view for the kiddos and it holds the temperature perfectly.  It also has a countdown timer that was really accurate so you know how many days left to hatch and it has a strong built-in light for candling eggs.   However, there were some things I didn’t like.

    The humidity level was really hard to keep steady.  I needed to add water to it several times a day…difficult to do if you have to be gone for several hours. When the chicks hatched it was hard for them to walk around – they got their little legs stuck in different places. It was also not the easiest thing to clean.  We are looking for a different  model to try.  When we find one we like, I’ll be sure to let you know.

    I thought my grandkids would enjoy seeing chicks hatch. They peck in a pretty straight line all the way around the shell – it seems to take anywhere from 8 hours to 24 hours to get that done. 

    Some mornings I would get up to peeping and found several had hatched over night.

    We began removing them pretty quickly so they didn’t hurt their legs.  Not ideal because it drops temperature and humidity which can make it more difficult for the others to hatch.

    We then bundled them up and took them outside to the brooder where they are raised until they are big enough to go to one of our smaller coops. Aren’t they the cutest things?

    Have you ever seen a chick break free of its shell?  Here’s a really quick video I took when my grandson and I were watching this happen!

    For a small investment in an incubator, you can raise your own chicks year after year.  You can also raise turkeys, guineas and other fowl.  We raised some pure-bred chicks but we also raised many mixed breeds and love the variety in their feathers and their eggs! We were also able to bless some families by giving them chicks to take home and raise!

    If you are raising chicks and have an incubator you love, please let me know in the comments!

    Blessings,

    Cheri

  • Fighting for His Life!

    If you’ve read previous posts, you know we are in a battle against Lyme Disease and it’s co-infections.  One of my hubby’s co-infections is Babesiosis which  is a rare and life-threatening infection of the red blood cells that’s usually spread by ticks. It’s caused by tiny parasites called Babesia. The kind that most often affects humans in this country is called Babesia microti. They enter your bloodstream when you’re bitten by an infected deer tick or one of the other critters that can transmit Lyme. Human babesiosis was first described in 1957 and is now known to have worldwide distribution. The increase in reported cases is likely due to increases in actual incidence as well as increased awareness of the disease which is one of the reasons we are sharing our journey.

    You can also become infected through blood transfusions or from mother to child in the womb.  We still don’t know if there are other pathways….not enough research!

    Symptoms of Babesiosis can show up within 1 to 8 weeks but those symptoms are very similar to the flu….body aches, chills, fatigue, fever, headaches, loss of appetite are all common reactions. Some people never show any symptoms.  We have no idea when my husband contracted Babesiosis. As a teenager her worked in the orange groves in Florida to earn money – tick bites were common. We have read that the ticks that cause babesiosis typically have to stay on your body for 36 to 48 hours to cause an infection. We have also read that just 24 hours is enough. I can’t say it enough – check yourself and your children EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. if you have been in the outdoors. EVERY DAY!

    You can also get a condition called hemolytic anemia in which your red blood cells die faster than your body can make new ones. Symptoms of this can include: confusion, dark-colored urine, feeling dizzy, heart issues, weakness and more.  Symptoms are worse if you are elderly. My husband is almost 70.

    My husband’s bloodwork shows this parasite in every red blood cell in his body.  He’s had it for a very long time and no one ever noticed.  He’s not a complainer.  He doesn’t remember if he had those symptoms as a teen – if he did he probably thought it was a virus.

    We’ve tried every known holistic treatment without success.  He’s had it so long that the parasite has a stranglehold on his body…and his brain. We’ve tried two rounds of the typical allopathic treatment – each time we had to discontinue before finishing because the meds  just about killed him.

    Over the last 35+ years of being an herbalist, I have helped hundreds and hundreds of people fight all kinds of issues using herbs and essential oils with tremendous success.  I can’t express how heartbreaking it is that I have not been able to help my own husband. His doctor is as frustrated and heart-broken as we are.  Over the last 5 years we have become personal friends with our doctor and he truly loves my hubby and continues to research looking for answers.

    We’ve spent the last week talking with the doctor, getting tons of lab work done, and scheduling an MRI… trying to assess where we are now.  Confusion and memory loss are major symptoms, fatigue is another.  His attitude is always cheerful and hopeful.  He is still trying to take care of me in the midst of me taking care of him.

    You learn many little tricks to help someone dealing with short -term memory loss.  Here I labeled his dresser drawers so he didn’t have to open everything to find his socks or shirts.


    We’ve had full time help in the home for a period of time because I still needed to work, I have a 93 year old mom that needs attention and children, grand-children, a farm…life continues to flow despite my desire to put it on pause.

    We’ve tried respite care in a facility where he could get more specialized help in town.  We had a doctor volunteer to come do some new treatments in this facility in exchange for learning about herbs and essential oils.

    And now we await answers to all of the tests…to assess his prognosis.  We continue to pray and look for new treatments, for answers, for hope in the midst of the battle. We have a doctor who won’t give up and neither will we.

    Please!  Check for ticks on each of your family members every time you have been outside in the yard, in parks, hiking, camping….finding the tick early can make all the difference between beating this parasite or loosing the battle.

    Blessings,

    Cheri

     

  • Soaps Available Monday Morning!

    Soaps will be available for sale again Monday morning by 8:00 am EST.  There are quite a few new ones!  In honor of Texas you’ll find Texas Rose!

    For those who love to fish…did you know they love the scent of Anise?  Bring the fish to YOU!

    Love to cook?  Hate to have your hands smell like garlic, onions etc.?  Try Coffee Bean!

    Do you have a chocolate lover in your life?  Try Chocolate Ice!

    One of my favorite complexion soaps is Sweet Cheeks!

    Does your job leave your hands dirty? I use this every day after working around the farm because it helps get the dirt out of the creases of my hands.  Meet Working Hands!

    I mentioned a soap that I use at every sink when someone in the house came down with something or if we had a house full of company.  Peppermint Tea Tree has many properties that help get rid of the yuck that hangs around.

    And lastly..if you are looking for a gentle exfoliating soap try Lavender Oat Scrub!

    Here’s hoping you get the soap you want!

    Blessings,

    Cheri

     

  • Herbs ‘n Oils Class

    Beginning this Thursday night, June 11th at 8:30 pm EST, I will host an Herbs ‘n Oils Class for those of you interested in learning more about herbal remedies.  Herbs and oils can support your health, naturally, safely and effectively…and usually are much less expensive!

    Our first medicinal plant is Plantago Major or Plantain. Our first oil is a blend called Breathe.  If you are outside ever, you need to know about Plantain.  If you are wearing a mask or have respiratory struggles then you need to know about Breathe.

    I want to teach you in bite size segments so you can take what you learn and put it into practice.  Most of the medicinal plants are things that can grow anywhere either wild, in a pot or in your garden.

    This is my plan.  These classes will meet for 15 – 20 min. although I will stay longer to answer any questions.  I plan to do a class every other week. If you have questions that you’d rather ask in private you can message me during the class and we’ll set a time to do that.

    After getting a few herbs under our belts, (WHAT to use and WHY to use it)  I will teach you periodically on the “HOW to” aspect of herbal remedies.  These are bite size pieces of my classes that I teach locally.

    These classes are completely free!  My hope is that some of you will begin to use natural remedies and teach those you love.  I’ve done this for over 35 years but not many people do this anymore.  I remember my Aunt Annie doing this for me when I was a child. It is how I raised my boys and how I still take care of myself.  I’m almost 64, take no medications at all, have great focus (no brain fog), lots of energy and just don’t ever get sick.  Ever.  I attribute all of that to the wonderful plants that I believe our Father gave us to keep us well and to His grace!

    You can register for the classes here:

    When: Jun 11, 2020 08:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

    You will have to register once and use the password that you are sent to get in.  You can attend future classes without registering again although I think you will always need the password so save it someplace safe!. Seating is limited, once capacity is met, you will not be able to get in so register early.  You will be using ZOOM which is free for you to use. We will be able to see each other although you have an option not to be seen.  Just a warning so you don’t show up in your jammies 🙂

    Here is a short video discussing the first medicinal plant we will be learning about.  Please go out and see if you have this growing in your yard. (You should if you don’t spray weed killer!). If you aren’t sure, pick a leaf and bring it to class!

    I hope you find these helpful and I look forward to “meeting” y’all!

    Blessings,

    Cheri

  • Good & Naughty Hens, Preserve Their Eggs

    I have more eggs right now than I can possibly use fresh.  But I know this winter I won’t have enough eggs each week for our needs.  I do not want to buy eggs from the store this winter! So, what’s a farm-girl to do?

    Preserve them of course! Did you know you could do this? AND, you don’t need to have chickens to do this – when eggs go on sale at the store or they offer a buy one get one free coupon just buy a couple extra dozen! Next time you want to make cookies and you are out of eggs – no need to run to the grocery store.  (That’s almost 30 miles for me!)

    You can do this too – even if you live in a tiny apartment in the middle of a big city!  Buy a few extra dozen because self-sufficiency can be practiced anywhere! Here’s one of the ways I preserve my eggs.

    I have good hens and I have naughty hens.  The good hens lay in the nesting boxes that are filled with hay, cedar shavings and fresh herbs (the cedar and herbs help repel pests). Those eggs come out pretty and clean for the most part.

    Then I have naughty hens that lay everywhere and anywhere and those eggs can end up pretty dirty. Elijah noticed that some of the chickens kept going into the rafters of our equipment shed.  We had some roofing tin stored up there.  Guess what he found when he climbed up to take a look.  EGGS.  Massive amounts of eggs! And none of them were very clean!

    The green bucket in the middle is to float test the eggs.  If the egg lays down, it’s fresh, If it stands on end it has a short life and you need to use it.  If it floats, well we have egg throwing contests with my grandsons that live next door.  They LOVE IT!

    Most of these eggs were fine – just dirty. So I washed them. I made quiche with them. I made frittatas with them.  And then I froze the rest.  YEP! I froze them and you can too!

    What do you need?  A silicone cupcake mold, eggs and a freezer!

    Here is a short DIY video showing you how I freeze my eggs!

    You can do this too!  At least keep a dozen or two in the freezer for those times you run out and need to make something or just have a craving for an omelette!

    Now you can chalk one for for self-sufficiency!

    Blessings,

    Cheri

    PS These are the muffin cups I use to freeze my eggs! https://amzn.to/2BCUNus

  • It costs WHAT? to ship????

    Soap sales opened early this morning – really early by west coast time.  And they pretty much closed shorty after lunch…y’all bought almost everything that was ready to go! I think there are a few bars of Canine Caress and some Sweet Relief left .  You can see more soaps curing in the background.

    Don’t worry though because on June 15th I will load inventory again as the next batches are done curing!  I’ll be replacing some of the soaps available today like Lavender Buds, Rosemary & Mountian Mint, True Spanish Castille but I will also be adding some new ones!  Coffee Bean, Working Hands, Texas Rose (renamed in honor of Texas!), Lavender Oat Scrub, and Hook Line & Sinker (for those fisher-people out there). I continue to make soap so every few weeks the inventory will be replaced.

    We had a glitch with the shipping aspect in the beginning.  I’m so very sorry! I looked at what some of y’all were paying and I was horrified!  If you put one bar in the cart the shipping was normal – if you added two the shipping doubled, three it tripled and so on! I saw people being charged $30 when the USPS website said it would have been less than half of that! It took a couple of hours to figure out what the heck was wrong – my website guru person finally got it fixed.  So…once the packages are mailed tomorrow – quite a few of you will hear from me so I can issue you a refund!

    You’ll also find a surprise in your packages!  With so many of us being required to wear masks these days…I’ve added a little something to make breathing through that mask easier!

    It all gets mailed in the morning!

    Thank y’all so much!  I’ll post here when the next batch is going up – in the meantime I’ll be announcing our first FREE herbal class soon, we’re going to talk about how to save eggs so we can be self-sufficient during the winter, we’ll have an in-depth garden post about what we are doing and why – the successes and the failures AND I’m going to teach y’all how to never buy ketchup or mayo again!!

    Blessings!

    Cheri

  • Soap!

    It’s time!  The soaps are loaded into the shopping cart and ready for viewing.  Inventory will be added tomorrow and the shop will open first thing Monday morning! Thank you Texas!  If I couldn’t live in Tennessee, I think Texas would be my next choice after “meeting” and talking with so many of you!  Just know a little piece of my Tennessee heart will be in all your boxes!

    I’ve emailed all who asked me to give them a heads up!  If you didn’t hear from me, you may be one of the people whose email bounced for a variety of reasons.

    If something sells out, please don’t worry! Every week or two more soaps, and sometimes different varieties of soaps, will be loaded into the shop. I never really run out but there may be a delay of a week or two before the next batch has cured and is ready for sale.

    I can not take orders over the phone, I’m sorry.  The website controls my inventory and if I mess with that things will go south pretty quickly! The shop also figures the exact USPS shipping and taxes if applicable.  It does a much better job than me 🙂

    Please be patient…it’s just me!  I don’t have a factory or staff or any other kind of help.  I’ll be doing the labeling, packaging for shipping and the runs to the post office. I’m a hard worker but I also have chickens, cows, greenhouse and garden to tend to each day 🙂 AND grandbabies to spend time with!

    I typically make about 100 bars a month and will go back to that when things calm down a bit. I’m still making soap – another 100 bars tomorrow but again…takes 30 days to cure before selling. If you see I’m out of something you really wanted, leave a comment here on the website or zip me an email.  If enough people are interested, I will definitely make that soap again!

    I’m asking you to please limit your purchase to two bars of any one kind so that others will have a chance.  By the time you use those two bars up…I’ll have it back in stock.  If I can figure out how to make the website do that…you won’t have to worry about it!

    I’m always open to suggestions for new soaps and you will find me having a contest now and again to name something new that I have created!

    I’m working on a free herbal remedy class that will cover one medicinal plant and one essential oil.  Short classes in bite size pieces make learning fun!  Hope to see some of you there!

    Blessings,

    Cheri