Sunday, May 19, 2013

Saponification Sunday...On the Road Again.

Not the best display since I forgot my table cloth.
Fortunately there were old burlap bags in the truck.

 
I am fortunate enough that I do not need to haul my soap all over the country selling it at markets and shows. I can only imagine how hard that is for those of you who must do that on a regular basis. You have my deepest respect.

Because we own our own farm store most of my soap is sold there. . But I do attend one farmers market every summer sponsored by the farmers group we belong to, The Stewards of The Land.  I am there most Saturdays.

And then once a year we attend the Rare Breed Animal Show at Garfield Farm in LaFox, Illinois and we sell our soap there. It's a great opportunity to talk to people about the critically endangered Red Wattle Hog we raise as show them how beautiful soap made with lard can be.

The antique box is an old watchmakers tool box,
a Christmas gift from oldest son
Plus we get to see lots of fun Heritage Breed animals and all the products that their owners sell from them like wool and goats milk soap and glass buttons. (Not sure what part of the animal the glass came from...best not to ask.


The weather was perfect, the crowd was good , the sales were very good. Well we think they were good. We forgot to count how much change we brought with us, I forgot to count exactly how many bars of soap I brought with me (somewhere between 125-150) and I have yet to count how many bars we brought home with us. But the soap box was much lighter.

Business Woman of the Year Award here I come!

The best part was the help we got from GK Wesley who while restocking my soap had his picture taken several times by the local news photographer. He also made change (sometimes it was even correct change) and kindly took a piece of soap out of a two year olds mouth who mistook it for a piece of cheese.

Husband to right. GK Wesley next to him.
Future homesteaders on left checking out RW piglets
 
Fortunately the mother had a great sense of humor. Even more fortunately our farm liability insurance is up to date.

8 comments:

  1. I was at a nearby village fete a couple of weeks ago, where there was a lady selling 'home made soap'. The first thing I noticed was the lack of any perfume, the second was how dull and uninteresting her soaps were. If I ever see her again, I'll give her your address for some lessons.

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  2. Rock on, you Soapy Business Woman, you! I still say we carry off some sort of covert soap bar switch sometime soon (say THAT three times, fast!)...I'll have to figure out how to make that happen!

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  3. I am so in awe of all your wonderful talents!

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  4. Business Woman of the Year Award!!
    Yes!

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  5. I have always thought that your soap was good enough and healthy enough to eat.

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  6. Glad that you had a good day at the market, Donna! I wish you many more!

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  7. To all, I am so bad about responding to each of you. Please forgive me. I'll try to do better. Really. I will

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  8. What a fun day! I really love your setup, it's very rustic-chic. =)

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