Milk and Honey Soap

Hurray! Crocheters love Lotion Bars!

2011-09-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

We've made our debut in Crochet Today! magazine! Not only that, but our Honeybee Lotion Bars and Nanny Goat Milk soaps are charmingly included under the title, "We Love It!"--picks for gifts for the holiday season. We are so happy to be entering the fiber/knitter/crocheter market! Thank you Fiesta Yarns for taking us to market with you.

Organic Calendula Harvest Glows

2011-09-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Organic extra virgin olive oil in my Nanny Goat Milk Soaps, and the almond oil in my Honeybee Lotion Bars are infused with local, now Certified Organic calendula, grown by Heather Harrell and Kristin Davenport.

I wish I was a better photographer; it is so hard to do justice to this stunning fresh-dried calendula that seems to glow with its own inner light. It is shockingly beautiful, and when it is infused into oil, it will impart its healing resin as well as some of its color, leaving the oil a darker orange color. This is one of the "secrets" of my products. This little herb adds no scent (it smells like alfalfa when dried), but has powerful benefits:

"Calendula is a plant extract that has been used throughout history in skin preparations. Calendula is beneficial for dry or damaged skin and also promotes the fast healing and regeneration of the skin because of its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. According to YourHealth.com, applying calendula topically is effective for decreasing inflammation and promoting the healing of wounds, burns, eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions." (source)

I'm in the process of ordering large quantities of oils; the fresh-dried flowers will go right into the oil, which will preserve its properties (leaving them in the air will slowly render them less potent). Then I'll pour off this rich infused concentration to blend with the pure oils, and that oil will go right into my products, and out to you.

By the way, my business is growing, and this is enabling me to support more local farmers. Heather Harrell, once my sole source of calendula, will now be joined by Kristin Davenport and Becky of SunStar Herbs.

An Ode to Udders

2011-08-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

My three girls are very different when it comes to udders--just like women and their breasts. I've been doing a lot of milking-instruction lately, and those poor beginners, just when the get the hang of it on one set of udders, the next girl steps up, and it's completely different getting milk out of her. They all produce yummy milk in great abundance though. Top to bottom: Sula, Autumn, and our new girl Baby (who has the best textbook udders).

Exciting Partnership with Fiesta Yarns

2011-07-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

Jeannie Duncan, owner of Fiesta Yarns, with Amy Olson, VP of Marketing

I am thrilled to announce that Milk and Honey has partnered with Fiesta Yarns, to distribute our Honeybee Lotion bar to the knitting world. Fiesta yarns is an Albuquerque-based international yarn company that specializes in luscious hand dyed yarn beloved by knitters far and wide. As you may know, I am a knitter myself, and I have had fiber artists of all kinds tell me how perfect my Honeybee Lotion Bar is for their hands. Handling fiber can draw moisture out of your skin, leaving it dry and vulnerable to cracks. Of course our Lotion Bar not only soothes and softens that dry skin, but the oils absorb so quickly, that you can go right back to your fiber work without getting lotion or oil on your project. Our lotion is also non-reactive with dyes--something Fiesta Yarn lovers particularly appreciate, as they are working with their lushly-colored, hand-dyed yarns.

Our Honeybee Lotion Bars will be available to knitting stores and catalogs through Fiesta Yarns, as well as traveling with Fiesta to such exciting knitting events as Stitches Midwest next month.

Knitting and Honeybee Lotion Bars go together like sheep and yarn!

The Goats' New Home, Part 1

2011-07-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

In early August, my goats will be moving to a new home in Agua Fria Village, about four miles down the road from where I live. I am thrilled to be part of a working horse farm, where folks come to do therapeutic work with the animals. Beekeeping friend/supplier Steve Wall keeps some hives there too.

I am in the process of converting a chicken coop into a Goat Dream Palace. This will be the third--no the fourth goat barn I have built or retrofitted, and I realize I now have a pretty good system. I will be posting more pics as we progress, but for today, I received a load of 30 straw bales for insulating the barn (also makes it so pretty and peaceful inside! And is yummy, I think, for the goats to snuggle up against in the winter) and 12 bales of protein-rich alfalfa. The pic here shows the first laying out of the bales inside. I'll snap another pic of the completed interior. Turns out I'll need about 15 more bales to really line the walls to the roofline. There is a sweet little window one wall complete with a shutter that opens or latches shut. I plan to install a feeder within the window, so I can just put flakes of hay right in from the outside. Cute!

I've taken this move as an opportunity to purchase some new tools, like my wheelbarrow pictured here, a rake and a shovel, parts for my drill, a new tarp, etc. I guess these things are hardly worth mentioning really, but they are the tools of the farm, the brass tacks.

Tomorrow friends Janeen (who milks once a week for me) and Claude will help out for a couple of hours. We'll expand the size of the yard a bit, continue cleaning/mucking from the former chickens, and secure the strawbales with fencing.

Look for tomorrow's progress report!

Smelling Like a Rose

2011-07-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

I am smelling like a rose . . . and sandlewood, and local pinon and tulsi and redwoods . . .

I have just returned from a visit with Christa Obuchowski, our local, world-reknowned aromatherapist, herbalist, perfumist and font of knowledge of exotic plants, scents, cosmetics, etc. etc. etc. Do I sound a little wowed? Yes I am.

Christa, who collaborates with Ashana at Agua de Flora Botanicals to create scent blends, botanical perfumes, and the essential oil blends for the custom soaps I make for them, is working with me to develop my first custom essential oil blend for my Honeybee Lotion Bars. We are looking for something with the feel of vanilla--itself a very expensive, rare essential oil. When you use something vanilla scented, it is most likely a synthetic fragrance oil. However, vanillin exists in many other plants and can be extracted and isolated. People love the scent of vanilla, Christa explained to me, because it reminds one of "mother's milk"--comforting, sweet, safe. How perfect is that?

Leaving her studio--which was like a mysterious palace filled with the scents of exotic places from India to Germany, as well as our own native New Mexico, my head started to spin with ideas for Milk and Honey. A high-end line of lotion bars, packaged in stunning, custom tins, scented with unique organic oil blends . . . transitioning to all organic essential oils for all my products . . . collaborating with Christa to create special soaps scented with local pinon--which is healing for the skin . . .

More to come--stay tuned!

IV the Bath

2011-06-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday I visited this lovely new soap and bath boutique, IV the Bath, right in the heart of Albuquerque's Old Town, just steps from the Plaza. Named in honor of their son, Charles M. High, IV, who died fighting in Afghanistan last year, Sheri and Charles have created a charming shop with colorful, yummy smelling products from bubble baths and shea butter salves to popular bath bombs, and of course, Milk and Honey's Nanny Goat Milk Soaps and Honeybee Lotion Bars.

Although they have already been open for a few months or so, today is their Grand Opening, featuring live music, face painting for children, and a gift basket giveaway. They will also be collecting donations for Blue Star Mothers. Take an afternoon to visit IV the Bath and all the lovely businesses that share the small plaza where they have their store. It's a great slice of old Albuquerque, right behind the grand Albuquerque Museum. After you buy a rubber duck bath soap (that lights up when you rub it!), and a Honeybee Lotion Bar, you can visit the magic shop or toy store next store, discover local crafts, or eat some ice cream around the corner. Bring your out of town guests, or just treat yourself.

Their website is still under construction, but you can find them at 505-842-5449/email
328 San Felipe NW

Best of luck Charles and Sheri!

Test Run: Introducing our Honeybee Anywhere Balm

2011-06-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

“Anywhere Balm”—we could call it just “lip balm” but the truth is, just like our lotion bars, you can use it anywhere: lips, feet, cuticles, elbows, dry skin. Our half-ounce Anywhere Balm answers the call of our customers: “I want something small to carry in my purse. . . on the plane. . . in my car!” As with our signature Honeybee Lotion Bar, we use only local beeswax; local, organically-grown calendula, almond oil, coconut oil, and plant-based, pure essential oils.

Anywhere Balm will make its little debut tomorrow at the Saturday Farmers Market, in the luscious, calming-yet-inspiring blend of Lavender & Mint. For $3, this little honey (Ooooh, a perfect pun!) goes in your pocket and goes home with you. Stay tuned to see if it appears on Milkandhoneysoap.com!

Thank You Kitchen Angels

2011-06-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

The goats feasted on food scraps from the generous and community-minded Kitchen Angels this afternoon. Autumn and Sula will be regular recipients of their generosity this summer!

You can watch a video (well, I like to call it "a short film") of my goats enjoying this bounty!

Wanted: Energetic Sales Person for Milk and Honey

2011-05-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'm hiring! Job description below:

Wanted: Energetic Sales Person for expanding Farmer’s Market-based business.

Note: Position closes on May 13; I will contact those selected for interview after that date. I will not be able to respond to individual inquiries.
Pay: $12/hour after first month, firm. Salesperson will be an independent contractor responsible for his/her own taxes.

Skills must include:
Outgoing, friendly personality
Skilled at Sales
Comfort with retail environment
Professional and neat, but comfortable physical presentation
Ability to handle some heavy lifting
Reliable
Organized
Flexible
Multi-tasker
Autonomous
Available via email and cell phone
Use of your vehicle for transporting set-up (station wagon/hatchback/truck/van)

Job Description
Part-time
There are various venues that this job may grow to include:
Saturday and Tuesday Farmers Markets (7-noon)
Other Farmers Markets (Abq, Taos, etc)
In-store demos (Whole Foods and other markets)
Assisting at trade shows (some travel)
Craft shows and fairs

Visit my website, milkandhoneysoap.com, to view the products and learn about the business.

My ideal candidate for this job will respect the product and our customers, be committed to the values of Milk and Honey (local, natural, agricultural), be comfortable actively selling, talking about and promoting the product, working in a (at times) fast-paced retail environment, and have flexibility as new events arise. Additional hours could be available in product production and assembly.

My business is growing. If you are an asset to my business, I will be able to build more events (and hours) around you to help grow my business. This is a ground-floor opportunity.

Pay: $12/hour after first month training/trial period @$10/hour.

Mother's Day is Everyday at Milk and Honey

2011-04-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

Milk and Honey is founded on mothers--our most valuable employees--the goats! Their rich milk is the centerpiece of our luscious soap, contributing it's properties as moisturizing, mild & nutritive: ideal for people with sensitive skin, or for anyone who loves a pure, gentle cleanser.

The Queen Bee: Mother of the Hive

Let's not forget the bees--every hive is headed by its Queen Bee, who is literally the mother of the hundreds of (female) worker bees who make the honey and beeswax. Nanny Goat Milk Soap contains these miraculous products, known for sealing in moisture and soothing irritating skin. And of course, our Honeybee Lotion Bar is all about the beeswax.

Our Mother & Baby bars honor the bond of the the nursing mother & babe

Our Mother & Baby was the first custom mold design we created, over three years ago. We worked with local sculptor Stephanie Huerta to create this voluptuous, timeless image--it honors the work of all mothers, as nurturers, providers and loving guardians. Not unsurprisingly, people often mistake this image for an angel--I don't correct them. The baby is definitely an angel; so is its mother.

Happy Mothers Day!

Welcome New Retailers!

2011-04-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

El Rancho de los Golondrinas is now carrying Milk and Honey soaps, lotion bars & Sula Goats in their gift shop!

Milk and Honey debuted at the Albuquerque Oasis Gift Show last weekend, and is thrilled to announce that Nanny Goat Milk Soaps and Honeybee Lotion Bars will now be available in fourteen new retail shops! We encourage you to visit and patronize these folks!

All Seasons; Red River, NM
B. Alan Hair Studio; Cordes Lakes, AZ
Candlewood Cards & Gifts; Carlsbad, NM
Canyon Shadows Trading Co.; Amarillo, TX
CWW Feed Store & More; Jemez Springs, NM
Fiesta Yarn
Galerie Azul; Mesilla, NM
Galerie Ortega; Chimayo, NM
Hondo Iris Farm & Gallery; Hondo, NM
Kokopelli Jewelry; Ft. Worth, TX
Pueblo Southwest; Lakeside, AZ
El Rancho de los Golondrinas; Santa Fe, NM
San Antonio General Store; San Antonio, NM
Walatowa Visitor Center; Jemez Springs, NM

Hearts + Hands for Japan

2011-03-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

"Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts." (Shakespeare)

Milk and Honey is proud to be part of a long list of over 80 independent studios, artists and businesses contributing to the Hearts + Hands raffle to help Japan. This effort, organized by letterpress artist Lynn Russell of Satsuma Press, will sell $10 raffle tickets from now until April 6. 100% of the proceeds will go to relief efforts for Japan via Save the Children and Shelter Box.

Lynn says, "What has happened and is happening in Japan is heartbreaking – and I believe there are ways, both big and small, to help. There are so many people doing all they can to help. This is just what I think I can do, with the help of these amazing, talented friends – from the heart, made by our hands. I believe that what we can to together is more than what each one of us can do alone. "

I encourage you to buy many raffle tickets, peruse the links to all the incredible participating artists, spread the word about the raffle, or be inspired to create your own unique fundraiser to support the people of Japan.

You can also buy a raffle ticket by using this direct link to paypal.

Our Products can help Psoriasis & Excema

2011-03-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Research has shown that the magic combination of honey, beeswax and olive oil may relieve the symptoms of psoriasis and eczema--this is consistent with feedback from our own customers who have used our Honeybee Lotion Bars particularly, but of course our Nanny Goat Milk Soaps are made of this natural combination as well.

Alan France, who retails my lotion bars at his store El Rancho de Nambe, says they have helped his partner with psoriasis:

"We're using less of his expensive medications because your lotion bar is helping so much."

See our blog post from 9/4/10, "Lotion Bar helps Girl with Eczema."

Here are some of the findings from this research as reported by the Bastyr Center for Natural Health:

"The participants with eczema who had had no prior treatment applied a mixture of honey, olive oil, and beeswax to the affected areas on one half of the body, and Vaseline to the affected areas on the other side of the body three times per day for two weeks. Those with eczema who were using corticosteroids prior to the study applied a combination of a steroid cream and the honey mixture to one side of the body, and a Vaseline and steroid cream mixture to the other side of the body three times per day for two weeks. . . Among the participants with eczema who had used no prior treatment, 80% had a significant improvement using the honey mixture; the amounts of itching, scaling, and oozing had the most profound improvements. Among those participants with eczema who had used a steroid cream prior to the study, a combination of the honey mixture and steroid cream led to substantial reductions in steroid doses in almost half of the participants. The honey mixture resulted in a marked improvement in 63% of the participants with psoriasis who had had no prior treatment.

Honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help to decrease pain and the appearance of scars, and that lead to faster wound healing. Olive oil also has antibacterial properties and the ability to inhibit substances that lead to inflammation. Olive oil and honey both contain flavonoids that help protect cells and inhibit histamine (a substance involved in allergic reactions). Beeswax has anti-inflammatory properties and is often included in formulas to treat burns and other skin conditions."

No wonder honey, beeswax and olive oil make such yummy and soothing skin care products!

2011-02-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

I had a whirlwind weekend selling at the Santa Fe Farmers Market on Saturday morning, heading down to Albuquerque to demo at Whole Foods in the afternoon; then another demo at the Indian School WF on Sunday--Maria Bustamante, Marketing Specialist for WFM sent out this email and link:

"Take a look at the raw video we shot today at our Whole Body /Bakery/Meal local vendor fair today on the floor! Thank you to Daven Lee for the beautiful interview—we love your products!"

Whole Foods Indian School Facebook Page

"Homegrown: Woman sees goat-milk soap business boom"

2011-02-23T07:10:00.000-08:00

In the Santa Fe New Mexican today:

"As milkmaid Daven Lee looks forward to her sixth season at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market and copes with the sudden growth of her wholesale business, she barely has time to catch a breath. She's a single mother of two who for the last few years has single-handedly run her lotion bar and soap business, Milk and Honey. On top of that, Lee also milks her two Nubian goats daily to provide the most important ingredient in her products. "

Read the whole article!

I'm giving a marketing workshop tonight!

2011-02-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

Effectively Marketing Yourself and Your Products
Farmers Market Institute Workshop
Co-presented by Daven Lee

The Farmers Market Institute will be presenting a free workshop on "effectively marketing yourself and your products at the Market" to be held TONIGHT at 6pm at the FM Pavillion.
Co-presenters include T.C Gritt, former produce manager for Whole Foods Market and Deborah Madison, well-known chef and cookbook author.

Getting customer attention through product presentation and consumer interaction

Daven's presentation will include:

Why do people shop at the Farmers Market and how can vendors help them?

Products do not sell themselves:

* Use language
* Tell the story of your products/business
* show your human side
* connect with your customer

How to do it

* Use body language to project success
* attract people into your booth
* keep them in your booth
* multiply your customers

Tonight!
For more information, contact David Henderson at the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute, 505-983-7726.

Daven's presentation is based on the work of Bruce Baker, while using specific techniques and approaches that she has learned over five years of vending at the Santa Fe Farmers Market.

Valentine's Foot Rub for your Sweetie!

2011-02-14T15:37:00.000-08:00

I'm speaking from experience, here--ahem--that using my lotion bar to give your sweetie a foot massage, is a lovely, sensual & romantic thing to do on a special day like today!

Also, found this in the March 2011 issue of Whole Living:

Why do my heels crack in winter?

Fissures are a severe form of dry skin. Cold air outside and dry heat inside allow water to escape faster than in the summer, says Neil Sadick, M.D., a dermatologiest in NYC. We may also neglect our feet when they're covered. To heal and prevent cracks, apply a heavy cream with shea butter or ointment with glycerine [OR MILK AND HONEY LOTION BAR WITH BEESWAX AND CALENDULA] right after a shower, and seal it in with socks.

I recommend you do this before bed so the lotion bar can soak in overnight; or apply as described, with sweetheart.

Introducing Nina!

2011-02-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, President Obama called on American businesses to "Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers, to support the American economy, and to invest in this nation." Well it so happens, Milk and Honey is growing and hiring American workers! I am having the pleasure of employing two wonderful women, Nina and Elyzabeth to help not only with selling at Market, but actually making product, and learning about every aspect of production. Here is Nina's story:

"I imagine most of you readers have by now seen Milk and Honey’s booth at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market. If so, you can recall the large crowd always surrounding it. Well about 3 years ago, I had to see for myself what all the fuss was about. I started with one of her lavender-rosemary soaps. It was more creamy and hydrating than any other bath product I’d tried. I had really no idea soap could be like that. The smell was heavenly. I felt genuinely pampered. It made my own little shower feel like a decedent spa. The yummy essential oils left a therapeutic perfume on my skin that was not over powering, but soothing and lasting. I was instantly hooked and it didn’t take me long to move onto the lotion bars.

"Daven took me under her wing last fall. We had been working at the Saturday and Tuesday Farmers’ Markets together for the last few years, and we’d built a sweet friendship. (I was the one selling the coffee and burritos and haggling with her 8-year-old son). I found myself to be natural sales person for Milk and Honey, due to my grand enthusiasm of the products. I started working the Tuesday markets for Daven and couldn’t wait to meet the goats and get into the lab.

"I have now been acquainted with all aspects of the business. The more I learn, the more my enthusiasm grows. Daven’s lab/office/home is where we spend most of our time. There, with her two kitties and two fabulous children. Usually with a fire going and the radio on, “fueled” as Daven would say by chocolate covered almonds. It’s a nurturing, fun, organized, and inspiring environment to work in. It’s sincerely a treat to work for such a together and conscientious proprietor. As Daven mentions in her mission statement, “the passion to create a meaningful life will inspire others to do the same.” I can say with pleasure that this has been achieved."

Beekeeping Classes from Steve Wall

2011-01-28T18:09:00.000-08:00

My good friend and collaborator, Steve Wall (see post 12/16/10, "Reflections on Local") is offering beekeeping classes. This is the perfect time to start planning for spring bees. See below:

Dear Wannabeekeeper,

Thank you for showing interest in learning to keep bees and to Bee-ing Part Of The Global Solution. I've been keeping bees for 14 years and I still continue learning about bees and loving the whole process. This Spring, I will teach classes for beginning beekeepers.

These classes will take a fast-track approach to getting you into the hobby without a huge commitment of time and money. You will learn all you need to become an informed beekeeper by attending only one 5-hour class at $75 (other beekeeping classes require multiple classes and start at $300). If you so choose, you can also purchase the hives and bees that you will need from me at a discounted price for my class attendees. See the attached flier or my website, www.buckinbee.com, for more details about these classes and equipment.

Class Fee - $75 with a non-refundable $50-deposit to reserve your place in the class.
Make your check payable to Steve Wall and indicate your class date choice on the memo section of your check.
- Class size is limited, so please register early
Date/Time/Place - Sunday, April 3rd or Sunday, April 17th (choose one)
10 am - 3 pm (bring a lunch)
Held at La Mariposa Montessori School, 18 Puesta Del Sol in Santa Fe (just south of I25 off Old Pecos Trail)

Subjects covered will include:
• Pros and cons of both Langstroth hives and Top Bar hives.
• Establishing a bee colony
• Sustainable beekeeping methods
• Care and feeding of bees
• Bee Biology
• Hive Construction
• Swarm prevention and management
• Disease management
• Harvesting Techniques

I look forward to sharing the thrill of beekeeping with you.

Sincerely,

Steve Wall
Buckin' Beekeeper

"Alchemy, music, cooking and unadulterated joy . . . "

2011-01-27T19:42:00.000-08:00

Great article about my friends at Agua de Flora in Hawaii. I make soaps for them from their custom blends, available for purchase on their website.

"Perfumery, as described by [Ashana] Morrow, is a combination of alchemy, music, cooking and unadulterated joy. Each component is considered on its own, but also in conjunction with others. A single note is just one part of a labyrinthine whole and with expertise and perhaps a little luck, they work together to create a complex harmony."

Read more (scroll down to heading "Scent from Above.")

Our First Investors!

2011-01-26T16:25:00.000-08:00

Here we are in our finest fines to celebrate the first investment in Milk and Honey!

It all began at the ice rink, where I met and skated with Stephen almost daily at the lunch time session. Later, Stephen coached my son Simon during his first season in hockey. Then last Christmas, a mysterious package arrived for Simon containing a beginner's Dungeons and Dragons kit--from Stephen. He was then recruited to teach both Simon and Roan (and me . . . ) how to play D&D. . . which led to dinners at Janet and Stephen's on Sundays . . . which has led to their investing in my business!

This is a very momentous step for Milk and Honey; I am growing by leaps and bounds, with many exciting opportunities, ideas and plans. I have decided to conduct a "Friends and Family" investment offering to my, well, friends, family and loyal customers, with a particular focus on micro-investments (starting at $2500). My new business plan and feasibility study, as partially funded through my USDA grant, is almost complete. This plan will give investors a clear idea of where Milk and Honey is headed and why it is such a great opportunity to invest with us.

In the meantime, I did some major shopping: 250lbs of oils, 50 new mold trays, a gorgeous, custom-built storage unit for my inventory, & new full-color lotion bar labels for my tins. I have even been able to bring in two friends to begin to learn to make soap and help package product!

Not a moment too soon, as I am now in all four Whole Foods Markets in New Mexico, I will be attended a wholesale show April (the Oasis Show, Abq), and much more!

"Will your lotion bar help my cracked fingers?"

2011-01-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

My customers ask me this every single Saturday in winter, and it's all I can do not to jump over the table, spin them around the dance floor, and say "Yes!"

Yes!

Yes! It will help soothe and heal your cracked fingers, and it will help prevent the cracks! Now, I'm not pushing a miracle here. It's just simple. Beeswax + almond oil + coconut oil softens and protects the skin enough to either prevent the cracks from happening, or enables your skin to recover and heal those cracks. Add in some calendula, which, while we can't legally say it is "healing"--it is an herb used to treat dry skin, rashes, itchiness, burns, etc--it's gotta help with the cracked fingers also. Now, you have to really rub in a concentration of lotion bar on your cracked spot--this is an emergency, after all--and then you can breathe with relief as those cracks heal up.

Give it a try!

Visiting Whole Foods

2011-01-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have now visited three of the four Whole Foods Markets in New Mexico--my new "territory" for my soaps and lotions. Let me give a shout-out here to Margaret in Albuquerque (Indian School Plaza), Emmy & Amanda in Santa Fe (Cerrillos), and Karyn in Santa Fe (St. Francis). I haven't met with Rob yet (Albuquerque, Academy store), but all the signs indicate he will be awesome too. I just want to say, everyone is so nice, helpful, eager and interested. It has just been an incredibly positive experience. And this seems to be true regardless of which Whole Foods I visit! I took some time to meet John in the Whole Body department in Boulder (Pearl) --shout-out to him too--and he was just as cool.
Here's to Milk and Honey steppin' out! Happy New Year!

Snow in Boulder

2010-12-30T15:30:00.001-08:00

Hi Folks,

I'm visiting Boulder for the first time, and what interests me about being here is all the businesses and "brands" that have originated from here. Most of these companies are significant in that they are forward thinking: eco-friendly, cutting-edge natural, healthy, good-for-you with savvy branding. Boulder seems to be a real launching platform for these kind of entrepreneurial ventures. (The town itself makes all those values a priority--bikes and bike paths everywhere, public transportation, a million kinds of trash receptacles for processing recyclables (and a broad recycling program), a local food movement, etc etc.) Exactly the kind of stuff I find inspiring. I am also impressed with the scale of these boulder-based, national brands--just sipping tea this morning in the window of a cafe (watching lots and lots of snow coming down), I could feel this entrepreneurial spirit--and I realized I have been thinking too small with Milk and Honey.

As with any growth or future plan, there can be feelings of fear--even some hidden deep within the desire to grow and move forward. I could feel the fear of a certain kind of growth--one in which I imagine my business becoming more impersonal, somehow, if it gets too big.

But here in Boulder, with all these successful companies, I started to envision that as I grow, my sense of community and connection will simply expand--to encompass more people, in more places. And my ability to reach more people in a positive way--whether that means inspiring them to do business differently, run out and get a few goats, or create meaningful jobs--will be bigger too.

Thanks Boulder!

Sula the Goat Stuffie--Now Available!

2010-12-17T19:19:00.001-08:00

Sula the Goat has arrived on my website--the perfect, cuddly gift from our farm to you! On each and every box of our new packaging, we feature Milk and Honey's "Employee of the Month"--one of our girls, of course! Our goats are our most valuable employees, and we've decided to honor them by offering this adorable Nanny Goat Stuffie who we've named after our goat Sula. With her white floppy Nubian ears down to the dark stripes on her nose, she is of course a charming gift for the children (and goat lovers) in your life. You can pair her with a soap and save 10%. She even says "BAAAHHH!" when you squeeze her!

Reflections on “Local” . . . as I send soaps and lotions out to customers and stores across the country (and even the world!)

2010-12-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

Steve Wall, of Buckin' Bee Honey, is my supplier of beeswax; I consider him a business partner, he is so integral to my business.

“Local” may not be relevant to you if you’re buying my product in Pennsylvania or Minnesota, but what it really means is “relationship-based business.”

We make sourcing our business needs locally—from our ingredients to our graphic designers—a core value of Milk and Honey, because we can form long, meaningful, productive and mutually beneficial relationships with the talented, hardworking folks who are also our friends and neighbors. We believe that business connections based on relationships will be stronger, more fruitful and more ethically responsible—beyond what any contract could cover.

As our products move out into the world beyond our local Northern New Mexico community, we hope these values inspire others to do the same.

Our business friends are listed on the “resources” page of our website—visit their websites, call them, learn about them, give them your business!

Where do the holes go? A paean to recycled art

2010-11-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is art made from the numerous circles of cardboard that are by-products of my new packaging! These pieces were made by kids at my daughter's school, Fayette Street Academy, under the guidance of Carol Ware, a Santa Fe artist and jeweler. I am thrilled that these cut-outs can have a new creative life, and am excited by the possibilities of a "green business" meaning not just run-of-the-mill recycling, but actually recycling that spawns new life and beauty in the world, not to mention creative materials and inspiration for children!

And, this is an opportunity to rave about Santa Fe's famous annual Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival, which took place this weekend. (Mentioned in USA Today!) I bought a fabulous pair of earrings from Carol (from the "cut collection"--visit her site), got total goosebumps from the stunning sculpture of Bates Wilson, especially his piece "Totem for Troubled Times" which has a haunting presence in real life. You can see photos of his work, but of course, they pale in comparison to the real thing.

I also bonded with Levi Koenen, who makes license plate art signs, of all things, but he and I gabbed about business and gift shows, and is a comrade! I hope to visit his shop in Tuscon some day, or maybe I'll run into him at the LA Gift Show.

It is always good for me to be exposed to incredible creativity, beauty, crafty entrepreneurs, and Holiday shoppers!

Milkmaid at the Market

2010-10-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone!

My Mom is Off the Beaten Path

2010-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the Off the Beaten Path studio tour in Smithville, TN just outside of Nashville. My mother Claudia Lee is a papermaker and book artist and is part of this tour. You can read about her master/apprentice project that she just completed on her apprentice Jess's blog, Paper Apprentice.
My mother is a big part of how I started my business-from a respect for handmade, traditional crafts, how to sell at market, to being an entrepreneur and living a country life (I grew up in upper East Tennessee). She was just visiting me in Santa Fe and will be back to sell at the Winter Holiday Market at the Farmers Market on December 18-21. Come visit her and see her stunning, handmade paper necklaces and earrings.

“Pioneering Spirit, Integrity, Passion, Accountability, Excellence”

2010-10-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

Today, my lotion bars will be serving as my ambassadors at the dedication of Accion New Mexico’s new, beautiful building in Albuquerque.

Accion New Mexico is a non profit that encourages new businesses with loan funds and other forms of business support. They were the first ones to provide funding for Milk and Honey, enabling me to begin the process of creating my line of custom molds and the branding and package development that has just come to completion. This is a picture of their stunning building, with their entry archway that reads, “Pioneering Spirit, Integrity, Passion, Accountability, Excellence.” What an incredible standard to live by.

Congratulations Accion--and thank you for your support!

The Farmers Market Dresses Up

2010-10-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Folks, I have to tell you about Saturday night.

I attended the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute’s Annual Fall Fiesta fundraising gala, dolled up and accompanied by my (proud) mother, my friend Elyzabeth, and my aptly-named financial advisor, Rich. Not only were we clean and prettied-up, but our Farmers Market building was too--with colorful, festive lights strung from the ceiling, a live band playing gentle country music, and long formal dinner tables. There was a silent auction of goods ranging from handmade clay salad bowls, to organic 50lb sacks of goat feed, to gift baskets of soaps and lotions (of course)—with a mountain bike and dinners-for-two thrown into the mix as well.

We had a stunning dinner featuring local root veggies, lamb, polenta and over-the-top-rich mac & cheese, followed by local desserts—my favorite of which was a goat cheesecake. The food was prepared by a variety of local chefs.

Dinner was followed by a live auction that was so entertaining--dramatic and hilarious--I felt like I was at the theater. And let me just say right here that there was a lot of money flying around the room, and that our wonderful community truly loves and supports our market and its farmers. The live auction started with an auction of a dozen eggs--sold for $200!

The featured guests were Joe and Valerie Plame Wilson--read all about them if you can’t remember their incredible story. Somehow or other, they decided to relocate to our humble Southwest town, and now I was sitting just down the table from their gutsy-selves. Joe told a hysterical story about being attacked by a rooster when he was in Niger (you know, THAT Niger)—that laid him up for several days. He declared that farming was dangerous business, and he was grateful that we had such dedicated farmers to do this dangerous work on our behalf. The irony of this statement (his wife was an under-cover CIA operative, remember? And he took on the Bush administration single-handedly, to some serious consequences) was not lost on this audience. And Valerie is just as stunning in person as she was testifying before Congress.

Just after dessert was served (note: Rich did not try the goat cheesecake as he declared “I hate everything goat.” I’m sorry, what??? You’re fired!), the “heartfelt” part of the evening began, as Sarah Noss, Institute Director, hosted the Farmers Market All-Star Awards portion of the evening—our equivalent of the Oscars. Yours truly was the first award recipient, and I must say, I wasn’t prepared for the thoroughness and thoughtfulness of the dedication—including a continuous slide show of images of me, my goats, my products, my farm, etc. Wow! It was truly an honor. I still feel like a newbie at the Market (and compared with two other award recipients I very much am). I was able to say a few words of thanks, and I let that crowd of donors and supporters know that my business wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the incredible entrepreneurial platform of the Santa Fe Farmers Market, one that encourages not only business growth in general, but a certain set of business values—local, fair, community-based, natural, real, connection with the land, with the seasons, with each other. These values provide a brilliant challenge for a business-one that pushes products to be better than what you find in the average market place. Thank you, Santa Fe Farmers Market.

My fellow Oscar—I mean All-Star winners were Tony and Helen Zamora of Zamora's Produce, who have been with the Market for like, 30 years, and Gary and Natasya Gundersen of Mr. G's Organic Produce. Gary, said, quotably, that "All the farmers at the Santa Fe Farmers Market are all-stars."

My Beloved Male Customers-Now on Facebook

2010-10-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

Friends, the "My Beloved Male Customers" series has been a wild success. It is now moving to my Facebook page, where I will have an ongoing photo gallery of these dedicated XY customers! Join me there!

Best idea ever--Goats Grazing on a Green Roof

2010-10-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Folks, I just heard on Living on Earth about a place in Wisconsin called Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, whose remarkable feature is on their green roof, they graze their goats! They have goats on their roof! The goats do great up there, because they are natural climbers! I'm adding this to my list of fantasies for my future home--green roof (I've always loved this idea anyway) with access for the goats!

I wish I could find better pictures of the goats, (I guess they're working on it) but you can see a few at this page. In one of the pics, a little hard to make out, I can see that there is a goat just lying down on the peak of the roof. Wow.

Thank You President Obama--and USDA Rural Development

2010-10-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

Today I was a guest at the USDA's Rural Development year-end press conference. The press conference focused on the powerful effect that NM's Rural Development programs had on New Mexicans this year. As Terry Brunner, Director, stated, "Much of the funding that was obligated in 2010 came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Those funds, combined with our regular funding, increased economic opportunity and improved the quality of life throughout rural New Mexico, even in these different economic times."

I was invited to be one of the living, breathing examples of the increased economic opportunity that this funding has created. Now, I love to attend events like this. I love to talk about my business, I love to meet interesting people. But this event humbled me.

I sat at the table next to the governor of the Pueblo of Laguna, John Antonio, Sr., who told stories about the third world conditions his pueblo has been living with in terms of water and septic services--they've just received funding to upgrade their water system. (And before the conference started, he told me the amazing story of being one of 30 Native Americans who were flown to the site of the World Trade Towers, just after 9/11, to participate in a major ceremony there.)

Lt. Governor Mark Thompson from the Pueblo of Laguna thanked Rural Development for funding a community wellness center--that he hopes will some day lead to the closure of the Pueblo's new dialysis clinic.

A lovely couple got up and spoke about the home they were able to purchase with a special loan fund--they are one of 11,400 families that received this kind access to funds.

And there were fellow Value Added Producer Grant recipients, Lynn & Judy Payne, who run Payne's Nurseries here in Santa Fe, and Sunland Nursery in Las Cruces. They have a wonderful product they are currently marketing--fresh organic cooking herbs, live in small pots, and packaged to grab off the shelf and take right home.

Folks, all this is to say, right now there is a lot of press covering people who are shouting that the stimulus funds were a mistake--a career-killing one for some politicians, and that big government needs to be stopped. And/or they are saying this funding hasn't worked, hasn't helped. The few of us in that conference today were just a handful of the thousands in this state alone, through this one state agency, that have benefited in life-changing ways from this support. I am proud to be one of them.

All-Star Milkmaid meets CIA Spy

2010-10-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

I am excited to report that at the annual Farmers Market Institute Fall Fiesta Gala on October 16, I and three other farmers will be honored as Farmers Market All-Stars!

In addition to being thrilled to get this award, I will be very well fed with all the amazing chef-prepared local food, I'll be able to shop for holiday gifts at the silent auction, and I will be rubbing shoulders with undercover CIA agents and high-level diplomats.

What??

Our very own local CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson and her diplomat husband, Joe Wilson will be guests of honor. When they are not suing the Bush Administration, they are supporting the Santa Fe Farmers Market.

You can support too--buy a ticket, don your finest and come hungry!

Whole Foods--WOW!

2010-09-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Folks, be the first to hear the news:

I sent a package of samples to Whole Foods in Boulder, and this was their response:

"I am delighted with the new items and the time spent on packaging. There really is a Wow Factor to the line!"

Yipeee!

They will be starting my products at the Santa Fe store in January--then, the world!

Honey Harvest

2010-09-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Here's about half of the honey (and beeswax) we harvested yesterday. We? Steve Wall, beekeeper of Buckin' Bee Honey , and supplier of the beeswax for my lotion bars, came over and mercifully helped me harvest and clean up my hive.

I'm considering trying out a Langstroth hive for next season, instead of the top bar style hive. I realized watching Steve, just how much I still need to learn about beekeeping. For example, I have a pretty big fear of getting stung. That kind of makes it hard to beekeep calmly and frequently. Sure enough, I got a TINY sting on my finger yesterday, and it was swollen this morning. But the honey is just miraculous. There is nothing like honey still warm from the hive. As a product, it is absolutely perfect and complete, courtesy of the bees--no processing or changing necessary, like an apple just picked from a tree or an egg plucked out from under a chicken.

My Soaps are on the Shelves . . .

2010-09-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

My new packaging is getting around. . .
These pics are from a lovely store here in Santa Fe called Beauty Naturally in the DeVargas Mall.
Some other sites:
La Montanita Coop, Santa Fe

Herbs, etc, Santa Fe

Another Beloved Male Customer

2010-09-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is Grif, and last Saturday he brought a friend to my booth at the Farmers Market to tell them how wonderful my products were, and to buy himself another lavender-rosemary soap. Thank you Grif!

Bees Knees--how cool is this?

2010-09-04T18:20:00.001-07:00

Electron microscopic photos of bees!

Lotion Bar helps Girl with Eczema

2010-09-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Pictured here with her brother and sister, this little customer (center) came with her mother to purchase a lotion bar and a soap--the lotion bar has helped her eczema dramatically. I elected not to take a picture of her healing skin, but it was impressive. The lotion bar was first purchased by her nanny; and then they came back to buy some themselves. I am thrilled that it has helped her (she used to be up at night with itchy skin), but my favorite part is a comment her mother made, "she likes to put it on herself."

I don't formulate my products for a particular condition or cure; as I say in my disclaimer on my website, "lotion bars are intended to make your skin feel good." But my ingredients are pure and simple, and I have great respect for the power of natural beeswax (no pesticides, antibiotics or bleaches) and organic calendula. I love to hear how my customers experience my products, and a story like this one is especially wonderful. I'll mention here that a recent customer from West Hollywood told me she could swear her brown spots were fading.

Try it yourself and let me know what happens!

Santa Fe Gift Market

2010-08-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

My first wholesale trade show! This is New Mexico's Own 17th Santa Fe Gift Market, and the timing couldn't be perfect for debuting my new packaging and getting to meet retailers from all over the place. Pictured on the round table is my recommended first order. An order this size (about $150 wholesale) would have a nice presence on a store shelf in a market or a gift store.
As Taza smiles down on us, we hope to have lots of success!

Snake in the barn

2010-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

This explains why I don't see 5 or 6 mice while milking any more.

Packaging Arrives!

2010-08-27T20:17:00.000-07:00

The boxes have arrived--and here is Roan assembling the boxes for me--we have 10,000 pieces . . . we won't be assembling them all at once, that's for sure. Hurray--they're beautiful!

". . . every one is surprised and then falls in love!"

2010-08-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

A lovely email from Alexandra's (see blog post 8/23/10) mother, who writes, "If my mother were alive I know she would have written you a note too!"

"I am the woman from Carouge in Switzerland whose son lives in Santa Fe and whose daughter was visiting from Washington, D.C. You are a special person and someone none of us will forget. I have begun giving lotion bars to my friends and every one is surprised and then falls in love!

"For the moment, the fragrance lingering on my feet and hands, when I go to bed, vividly brings back this recent trip and all the memories made with my kids. My carry on luggage smells fabulous.

"I hope the bees keep buzzing, the goats keep producing and your kitchen does not become too small for a business that will continue to grow.

Take care,
Mical"

". . . the fresh Mint scent is a great way to start the day, and the Citrus in the lotion bar is delightfully soft"

2010-08-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

These lovely comments just came to me from Alexandra V., from Washington D.C.

"Just wanted to send a quick note to let you know how much I'm enjoying your products! I was at the Santa Fe Farmer's Market two weeks ago with my mom - she lives in Switzerland, I live in Washington - and we bought a number of your products.

"I use the Mint soap in the shower every day and use the lotion bar in the evenings. I'm sure I'll need to stock up on both to get me through winter in Washington. I love the products - the fresh Mint scent is a great way to start the day, and the Citrus in the lotion bar is delightfully soft. And I particularly like knowing that the products are all natural and made by hand!

"Thanks for the care and energy that goes into the products - it makes a difference. And, congratulations on all the exciting recent developments for your business!"

New Palette

2010-08-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm preparing for Milk and Honey's debut at the 17th Santa Fe Gift Market at the end of the month--this is a wholesale show that features NM made products, and I am in the midst of that great creative process of designing my booth--small though it may be.

I have been needing to update my market booth look to match my new logo for some time, and now it is just falling into place! I love to use quilting fabrics to communicate different aspects of my business, like the scents of different soaps and lotion bars, and I love the depth and graphic quality, as well as the subtle shades of quilting fabrics available these days. It is also incredibly cost effective, and gives me an opportunity to get out my sewing machine.

I had great fun finding the colors you see in the picture above--At first I thought I would have to choose between berry-colored fabrics (the darker, vs the lighter, retro-print), but quickly realized I could use both! I used Spoonflower to print a sample of 1 yard of fabric with my logo, which I am now using to create a prayer-flag style patchwork banner for my table.

I will post pictures when my booth design is complete!

Thank you from Terry Brunner

2010-08-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

I just received this warm thank you from Terry Brunner, NM State Director of the USDA, and just wanted to share it:

Dear Ms. Lee:

Thank you for hosting me and Senator Tom Udall at the recent Obligation of Funds Ceremony we held at your Milk & Honey place of business and for your wonderful hospitality. Please let Simon know that Senator Udall and I greatly appreciated the tour of the farm and the beehives.

Your farm was a perfect location to showcase how our federal dollars can be spent to develop and promote local business and products and we are especially pleased that a small business like yours can benefit from these grant funds. We wish you great success in the promotion of your product line.

Sincerely,
Terry Brunner
State Director

Thank you Terry!

Infusing Olive Oil with Calendula

2010-08-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

A fresh crop of glorious dried calendula flowers was delivered to me by Heather Harrell on Saturday--and they went right into a pot of olive oil. They will turn the olive oil a beautiful golden color, imparting their healing resin--calendula is a powerful skin healing herb that soothes dry skin, rashes, sunburn, cuts, bugbites--you get the idea. Some folks with eczema find it helpful, too.
Although I can't claim this on my new packaging, you better believe these flowers are grown organically. One of the beauties of working with small farmers is you know they are growing clean--but it's just not worth it for them to become certified organic. So while I can't use the "organic" label, I can tell you their wonderful story--which makes for a much richer understanding of my product and our values.

A Herd of Goats in Eldorado!

2010-07-29T21:06:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't live here, Eldorado is like a "suburb" of Santa Fe--just outside of town, and pretty much all residential with a pretty serious set of covenants. This week, 213 goats arrived to clear their greenbelts of weeds, as well as be available for hire by residents at $50/hour. We had to go out and see them--they were just outside the soccer field--and WOW what a site. Quite honestly, I have never seen that many goats in one place. Watching them move like schools of fish--suddenly changing direction and shifting, was awesome. They are a mix of breeds, and very beautiful. The other noticeable feature was the sound of MUNCHING, which was constant! And seeing the effect the goats had on the residents--cars were slowing down, pulling over, kids and adults were in amongst the goats, kids finding a stray goat kid or two to pick up and carry around. Folks were just delighted, and it was indeed magical.

An Exciting Celebration with Senator Udall

2010-07-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

(From left: daughter Roan, Senator Udall, son Simon, myself and Terry Brunner)

Our event this morning (see blog post July 23) was so lovely and exciting. The rain held off, while personal friends, friends of my business, folks from the USDA and even customers from the Farmers Market came to help me celebrate my new packaging and the receipt of my grant funds from the USDA.

Senator Udall was such a pleasure to visit with; so interested in my business, curious, supportive and engaging. It was a thrill to have him there, and I consider this entire event to be a blessing on my business!

I got to speak after Terry Brunner, director of the NM USDA, and Senator Udall spoke, and it was my opportunity to emphasize a core value of Milk and Honey: relationships. I just want to take a little space here to mention some of them. Present at this event were of course the folks from USDA who helped me with my grant, particularly Jesse Bopp;
Steve Wall and his family, who supply me with beeswax but who also helped me get accepted into the Farmers Market five years ago;
Miranda Gray, who painted the gorgeous portrait of my goat Sula (we are currently doing a trade for soap and goat cheese in exchange for the original painting!);
Stephanie Huerta, my sculptor;
Friend and currently Thursday market saleswoman, Elyzabeth, who showed me the matchbox she uses for her sewing notions, which led to a major turning point in my packaging design;
Friend Lorelei Kellogg, who housed my goats for me when I was transitioning out of Glorieta into Santa Fe;
Michelle Moser, my designer and marketer . . .
I can go on and on. You get the idea.

I finished my little speech about how exemplary our community is for working together and keeping it local by reading Milk and Honey's mission statement, which will be printed on our new boxes:

"Milk and Honey is founded on our love of goats and Mother Nature, and appreciation for things natural, handmade, sensual and beautiful; and the passion to create a meaningful life that will inspire others to do the same."

As I told my friends gathered today, these relationships are what make a life meaningful, and I hope through the growth of my business, to inspire others to do the same.

Nobby Organics Offering Our Mother & Baby Soap

2010-07-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

Our soaps will be shipping out tomorrow to Nobby Organics--a charming new online organic baby store. Daria, the owner and "mother" of the site, will be carrying our Mother and Baby soaps in Lavender and Unscented. Visit their site and shop for your favorite baby!

Senator Udall Honors Milk and Honey's CEO and Milkmaid

2010-07-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Udall to meet Goats;
Milk and Honey to Celebrate Grant Award and New Packaging Launch

Monday morning, July 26, Senator Tom Udall will present me with a “certificate of obligation” for the USDA Value Added Producer Planning Grant. The ceremony will take place at the Arcos Iris Institute, the in-town farm and permaculture garden of Louisa Putnam, where my goats live. I have been awarded this $12,500 grant to create a strategic growth plan and feasibility study that will map out an exciting plan for Milk and Honey’s growth. This event will also celebrate the completion and launch of our new branding and ready-for-retail packaging.

Friends and Supporters: You are invited to come join us at this beautiful farm, meet the goats, munch on local food and rub shoulders with our Senator and other luminaries of the NM agricultural community. Feel free to extend this invitation to friends and family.

Contact me if you'd like to come and I'll send you directions!

For the Love of Bees

2010-07-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just want to put in a plug for my friend Heather Harrell's website--and her beautiful skin care products. She is a farmer and beekeeper (and one-time Milkmaid herself), and she grows the stunningly beautiful calendula flowers that I use to infuse the oils in my products. Her partner Les Crowder is the "Johnny Appleseed" of top-bar hive beekeeping in our community--thanks to him, there has been an incredible growth in back yard beekeepers--very good for the environment, and for the bees themselves. He teaches great classes--that is how I got started with beekeeping as well. Visit their site!

My Daughter, Resident Milk and Honey Editor

2010-07-20T22:05:00.001-07:00

With all these exciting new changes in my business, I have been working on a press release to send to some local publications. I'm tooting my own horn about my new packaging, receiving a grant from the USDA, and wanting to attract micro investments to support Milk and Honey's next growth steps.

I just had to tell you that I asked my daughter to proof it for me, and she made a genius editing suggestion: she changed "stunning new matchbox-style packaging " to "charming new matchbox-style packaging ."

You better believe I took that advice. And then watched her swell with well-earned pride!

More on seeking micro investors soon!

Beekeeping and Women--on NPR

2010-07-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

Well, apparently I'm right on trend.

"Healing Honey and the new Queen Bee(keepers)"

Something to Think About . . .

2010-07-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this in a design magazine-- very provocative.

"Burt’s Bees Canada, creator of distinctive natural personal care products, unveiled a series of provocative installations that demonstrate how products that are put on the body are absorbed into the body. . . "

"Research has shown that the body absorbs a significant amount of personal care products such as cosmetics, lotions and soaps, which can be particularly alarming for those using synthetic formulas. Larger-than-life displays were constructed to help consumers visualize the potential impact."

“The ‘natural’ claim has become a bit confusing to many consumers, as some products pose as natural, but do not actually meet the criteria associated with ‘truly natural’ – at least 95% all natural ingredients with minimal processing . . . We want women to think twice about what they are putting on their skin."

Read more and see the other exhibits . . .

Creativity and Running a Business--and a Business Tip

2010-07-14T16:16:00.001-07:00

{My dad Jack Lee and daughter Roan drawing together}

I come from a family of artists and creative people. Both my parents are artists; my mother has been a craftsperson since I was a child, first as a fiber artist (spinning, dyeing, weaving), now as a papermaker and bookbinder. My father is a fine artist as well as a commerical illustrator--and of course I was surrounded by their creative friends growing up. Being an artist sounds infinitely more romantic than being a business person or an entrepreneur (at least to me)--it sounds more poetic, more heartbreaking, more sensitive, more human, somehow. But I am discovering that the entrepreurial impulse is just as human, just as primal--as Muhammed Yunis (founder of the Grameen Bank and pioneer of microfinance economics) has said, people are inherently entrepreneurial--and I think this impulse is another manifestation of the drive to create.

I have been surprised at how much I love running a business. Obviously, I love my goats, and I like making my product, but I am finding the business-running part to be the most exciting and fulfilling--because I find it so creative.

In other words, running a business is not just accounting, working on the computer, figuring out how to make a product efficiently and earn a profit, etc. In a dynamic and juicy process we entrepreneurs pull all the pieces together into a whole vision, we breathe life into it--making it more than just a product or a service. Our customers encounter our business (or our product) as an experience, as an entity that they can relate to personally and emotionally. This is not shallowness--trying to sell a product through emotional manipulation--but when done from a place of authenticity and passion, is actually real, meaningful and fulfilling--for both the entrepreneur and the customer.

So! Here's my tip of the day (full disclosure: as first recommended by my friend Barbara) for running a business: take an afternoon off and go to the bookstore and just browse. My latest favorite thing is browsing through business magazines, or design journals. Today I discovered HOW Magazine, which had a great article called "The Creative Process Illustrated." The article focused on three (all male) ad designers and how they come up with ideas--how they allow the creative process to flow. Great stuff. One of them said repeatedly "don't think." Also, to reiterate my own tip, another designer pointed to how much he seeks other influences of all kinds: listening to NPR, seeing movies, visiting galleries, reading, etc etc. It's all grist for the creative, business mill. I have found this to be true in my own life and business, but thought I was letting myself get distracted at worst, or at best that those activities were merely "personal"--when in fact it feeds my business!

Other great tips from these creative thinkers:
Think with your body
Muzzle the critic
Don't think
Go see a movie in the middle of the day
Allow your mind to work on the idea as you sleep--and be prepared to get up in the middle of the night and take notes for yourself
Listen to the feelings

etc etc

Your ideas?

"Your Lotion Bar is My Best Friend"

2010-07-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

Getting an email like this always makes me feel so good!

"...Just sending you a message to let you know how much I love and am impressed with your lotion bar I received as a gift from my best girlfriend who lives in Santa Fe. She just came to Austin, where I live, for a visit and brought me the lotion bar. I thought the lotion bar was the most unique thing! I truly adore it. Makes those elbows, feet and cuticles soft soft soft! She gave me the petroglyph spiral citrus.
I am so impressed with your web site and products...natural ingredients, earth friendly and your generous spirit of giving back.
Continued success with your business. So glad my girlfriend turned me on to your lotion bar which has become my best friend!!!!!" ---Sheree

Another customer recently said to me, "Last summer, I had a love affair with one of your lotion bars."

Thank you, dear customers!

Goats on NPR!

2010-07-10T21:27:00.001-07:00

Yes, Weekend Edition Saturday has a great story on goats! Favorite quote:

"In a steep hillside city park on Bunker Hill, right next to the world’s shortest railway, 120 goats are about to be deployed. "Oh my gosh, they're so cute," Nate Giddings says as he makes his way to work in a nearby skyscraper. "

Sula is recovering

2010-07-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a tough week at the barn. My beautiful goat Sula contracted a severe eye infection--one which seemed like it might leave her blind. It completely infected one eye, and was starting in the other. I called my beloved vet from Pecos who set us on an aggressive antibiotic regime, in combination with keeping her completely indoors out of the sun and wind. On Friday there was a serious question as to whether or not she would pull through. She was in pain, squinting her eyes, with tears running down her cheeks. Heartbreaking.

We went into full crisis-care gear--I say we because I had so many people supporting and helping me care for Sula. Louisa, Carrie Jo and Elizabeth, all of Louisa's farm, as well as her house guest Susan, were apprised of Sula's condition and asked to check on her, and of course, pray for her. Carrie Jo recommended apple cider vinegar, which I deployed right away. I called my beau, who, with my son Simon, quickly built an elegant and efficient gate/latch to secure the goat barn door closed to keep the goats inside. My friend Janeen, who milks the goats two days a week and has become a partner with me, gave me over the phone advice and checked in regularly--she is a family practice physician, and her brother is a vet, so she was very calm, and also understood all the medical stuff happening with her. And the other two goats were kept in with her, as they are herd animals and need each other, and I really felt that they were very aware of her illness and were supportive as well.

As of last night, and again this morning, her energy was back, she had both eyes open (although the one eye still looks bad--but it seems some of the swelling has come down), she was eating again, and she was her usual talkative self. What a relief! I fear that she may be permanently blind in one eye, but if she can fully recover from this, I will be so grateful. She is about to make her debut as "employee of the month" on my new soap boxes . . . and we love her so.

A sick goat is so distressing, but it is so rewarding to see them respond to care and regain their health and spunk. Thank you to my sweet circle for all their healing support. We still need to pray for her continued recovery.

The painting of Sula (at the top) was painted by the artist and my friend, Miranda Gray.

At the Printers!

2010-06-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a very exciting day for me and my business! Michelle, my designer/marketer and I drove down to Albuquerque Printing to do a "press check" of the sleeves for my lotion bar and soap packages. This was a great learning experience for me. As you can make out a bit, we were in a giant warehouse room with huge machines. Don, who has been the manager for my job, has been amazing to work with--making numerous mockups of the boxes, and just being so friendly and easy to work with. Joe was my printer, running this incredible machine, on which he was able to make small color corrections for Michelle (and theoretically, me) to inspect for accuracy. This was tricky, because it got to the point that I couldn't really tell any difference between an earlier color proof on glossy paper, and the printing on my cardstock. There were certain variations that made it difficult for me to compare the two: the paper proof was high gloss; the cardstock has a satin finish. Also when a color was adjusted say, for the soap labels, the lotion labels were affected too, as they are all on one sheet.

Ultimately, it was an incredibly quick and painless process, due in large part to the expertise of Michelle, and the professionalism and skill of Joe and Don. Let me just say here that I feel completely bonded with Don and Joe. To me, this is another local relationship that I have cultivated (thank you, Michelle), and that has been so nurturing for my business. I feel so lucky not to have send my work out to another state, or, god forbid, China. This is a local business, and although I am small potatoes, compared to many of their other clients, I felt like royalty, today, and their excitement about this first step with me, was a great gift.

I should have brought a bottle of champagne. I did bring soap and lotion bars (not enough!) and I got to go home with several sheets of my labels--a thrilling souvenir for me!

Barnyard Characters

2010-06-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Now that I am sharing a barnyard with my generous host, Louisa, there are many surprises that greet me when I arrive to milk the goats. In the past couple of weeks there have been two: The white chicken pictured here has been "broody" for what seems like at least two months. This means, she has been sitting on her nest, patiently keeping her eggs warm, expecting babies. Every day I go into the coop to gather a couple of eggs, there she is. Now, there is no rooster, so the eggs will never hatch. A couple of weeks ago, I went into the coop--and there were two baby chicks with her! Louisa had purchased chicks and so wisely put in a couple for Miss Broody to mother. And mothering she was. So attentive to their every move, just like, well, a Mother Hen. For a week or so they just kept to the coop, but now they are out and about the chicken yard, and it is such a sweet pleasure watching the three of them roam around, dig in the dirt, and peck away. As common and classic a barnyard scene of a hen and her chick is, I actually had never experienced that--it is absolutely so heartwarming.

The other surprise that greeted me recently was the unexpected arrival of a two-month old Nigerian Dwarf wether (castrated male) goat. He is absolutely so small and stout, and makes the cutest bleeting noise--he sounds just like a baby. It took a bit, but he is now completely a part of the herd with my girls, and though he serves no purpose (much to Louisa's chagrin), I think he serves quite well as comic relief, jumping about like a jumping bean, butting heads with the girls who are easily three times bigger, and just being in the way in general.

Such fun!

Bees Bearding--It's hot!

2010-06-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here's what my bees were doing this afternoon--isn't it amazing? I was concerned that they might be swarming, but in fact they are "bearding"--hanging out on the outside of the hive to get cool. Below is some great info I found about this on line, and the difference between bearding and swarming:

"Bearding is a form of hive air-conditioning; the bees depart the immediate brood nest area in order to help keep it at the desired temperature (too many busy bee bodies = too many BTUs). When you see all the bees outside the hive an hour before sundown, you'll also notice the following morning (early a.m.), most if not all, have gone back inside the hive because the outside air temperature (and thus the hive temp) has dropped - again, just a way they regulate the brood nest temperature. This is less likely to be observed in the Spring or early Spring when Swarming is at it's peak.

"If you have a hive that's on the verge of swarming, you won't so much see the bees "bearding" as you'll observe them actually departing the hive and yet not really leaving the immediate area of the hive. There may be a "small cloud" of bees hovering eight or ten feet in front of the hive and five to fifteen feet above ground level. And they may do this activity a few times before the main body of the swarm actually departs the hive. Eventually these false starts will lead to the final departure with the swarm queen - usually the old queen - unless your hive is throwing off multiple swarms, in which case, even a virgin queen can lead a swarm away (usually a MUCH smaller swarm). "

Whew! Glad to know they weren't packing their bags and looking for roomier quarters.

Tuesday at the Market

2010-06-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

Just another New Mexico day in the Railyard at the Tuesday Farmers Market. The Tuesday market is small, but intimate, with a leisurely pace that allows for lots of visiting, sampling, and just being at the Market. Come and visit on a weekday morning for breakfast or lunch.

My Stunning Assistant

2010-06-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

I almost don't need to say anything else. . . except that this is my incredible daughter, and not only is she a great saleswoman, but she has figured out how to count change back to customers, and is a great multi-tasker in the booth! I'm achingly proud of her . . .

Perfect Shaving Soap

2010-06-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Another entry in the "My Beloved Male Customers" series!

This customer brought his shaving cup to my booth to see how my soap would fit--and it fit perfectly! I await his feedback on how my soap works for him as a shaving soap. I have several other male customers who swear by it already. Has anyone else tried it for shaving? I'd love to hear!

Goats in NYC

2010-05-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, there are goats in New York City, and I found them! These are at the gate of the Tisch Children's Zoo in Central Park (next to the Central Park Zoo)--we did not go in, but I believe this is the place where they have various farm animals and a petting zoo, so those little Manhattan children will know something about country life. Goats in NY--wonders never cease.

"Cats. . . Inspired by our NM Farm & Family Life"

2010-05-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, our soap molds really are inspired by real life. Once I started snapping pics of my cats for this post--I was snapping something cute every day. I'll stop here. I think you get the idea. That blurry photo was the one that inspired the mold, and my cats have really lived up to it.

Tony

2010-05-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

Another male customer to add to the roster. As you can see, we had a little out-take that we agreed might not make the best impression about my products, but in the end, I couldn't resist including it. Tony even gave me a quote:
"Love the lotion bars--I've given them as gifts to friends and clients and they're great to have in the house. They're addictive!"
Tony even gave them to a friend who took them back to New Zealand--and wants me to ship them to her there. She wrote to me, "New Zealand requires your amazing lotion"!

My Beloved Male Customers

2010-04-23T12:37:00.001-07:00

There is no question that as a woman running this business, my stuff can feel a little feminine. I like pretty, sensual things, and that seems to be associated with the girls. Not to mention the fact that I like to tell folks what a female operation this whole business is: it's the mama goats that give their milk, and the female worker bees, working for their queen, that gather pollen and make honey. But we girls love our men (even the queen bees, whose lovers die after mating . . . ), and it turns out there are quite a few men who love our soaps and lotion bars. I plan to make this an ongoing series on my blog--here are some shots of my wonderful male customers. Two of them men pictured here, Fred (brown jacket) and Raymond (brown hat) are completely devoted to my lotion bars and have been buying them for several years. Stay tuned for the next installment. . .

Easter Bunnies at the Market

2010-04-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Just had to share these pictures with you all--this is what was happening at the Farmers Market last Saturday, next to my booth, thanks to Victoria Adams (AKA the Flower Fairy). Now if this isn't a good reason to come visit the Market, what is? You never know what you'll find!

Boxes Boxes Boxes!

2010-04-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is a SNEAK preview of my new packaging, designed with the shelves of Whole Foods and the like, in mind. Here we see Michelle Moser, my designer/marketer-extraordinaire, of Grace Communications, fussing over our picture--even though I told her, "it's just a snapshot!"

Of course, it's because she's so fussy that my packaging is going to be so spectacular. Shown here are my custom-designed match-box style boxes, that will allow my beloved customers-to-be to conveniently slide out the tray and "see + sniff" my yummy products. The cardboard insert with the circle cut-out beautifully frames my artisan molds, shaping the light on the surface of my bars in such a way that the relief is deepened and dramatized (thanks Dad!). My packaging will have no plastic or non-biodegradable content, and will double as a treasure box for little goodies like your guitar pics, Grandma's buttons, hair ribbons, jacks, etc.

The boxes are posing with a layout of graphics that will be printed on the box--in this case, the lotion bar graphics. Still being fine tuned, they will feature photos of my beautiful children, my beautiful goats, and lots of information about our Milk and Honey story. 'Twill be much fun to read and stylish to look at!

We're hoping to go to print later this month!

Spring has Sprung

2010-04-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

A warm sunny day, the NM April wind is quiet, and I spent some yummy time lying in the straw with the goats as they munched their alfalfa. Next week we will complete construction on the home they have been transitioning into since November, when I moved from Glorieta into Santa Fe. Though I miss having the goats right in my back yard, they are living on the beautiful land of a generous and lovely woman, Louisa, still right in town. There, they have settled in with her many chickens, and have met many new friends, as Louisa always has interesting guests visiting or staying for extended periods of time. I now share my weekly milking with my friend Janeen, who has been experimenting with cheesemaking, and is learning to milk. I knew she would be up for the challenge (kicking goat, difficult milking technique, small teats and large ones), as she is experienced at delivering babies, for chrissakes--she is a family practice doc here in town and mother of my son's little classmate, Jade. Now Jade and Simon can share goat stories in school, I get a couple of days off plus coverage for little vacations (I hope to start having those soon. . . ), and still the goats are delivering plenty of milk!

Farmers Market is Hopping!

2010-03-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

The beautiful thing about our gorgeous permanent home in the Railyard is that we now have a thriving, YEAR ROUND Farmers Market in Santa Fe. I have been selling every Saturday (9am-1pm) since the holidays. In addition to my goodies, there are winter greens, meats and poultry, goat cheeses, mushrooms, honey, fresh bread and baked sweets, and lots of good friends and visitors there every single week. Parking is much easier this time of year, you don't have to get up so bright and early, and winter doesn't feel so dark with such yummy offerings available. Of course, Spring is here (see pussywillows!), so variety is already widening in preparation for our seasonal opening in April. Come see us!

Milking Hazelnut

2010-03-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

I had to share this picture with you--this goat is Hazelnut, a very healthy, productive, but incredibly vocal Nubian who was barely saved from death-by-hypothermia as a Spring newborn several years ago, and now lives with my friend Mark, seen milking here! It is fun to see where my kids end up in the world.

No kids for us this Spring, as many have asked. I breed my girls every other year, milking them for two years at a time. Although over time milk supply does diminish, my two milkers (Autumn and Sula) are still giving me a gallon a day between them, and their milk supply has just gone up a bit over that--I think from the Spring weather (which we really are having, despite a weekly snowstorm still). I think it is good to give the girls a break from pregnancy, and I don't need to max out their milk production to get what I need for my soap and my family. I have been making chevre this week with the extra milk--we can't possibly eat it all ourselves, but it makes lovely gifts for friends, who, bless them, can't believe their good fortune at getting homemade goat cheese in 8oz jars!

Happy Spring!

Milk & Honey at Au Boudoir

2010-02-07T12:26:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to let everyone know that my Valentine's Lotion Bars are now part of the lovely selection of sensual items available at Au Boudoir, Santa Fe's Romantic Boutique & Art Space. Valentine's Day is of course the perfect reason to stop in and visit Au Boudoir at 1005 St. Francis Drive (on the corner of Cerrillos Rd next to Tiny's); lovely lingerie and other romantic garments, good books and adult toys, and of course a variety of sensual body care products all make great gifts for a sweetheart or for yourself. I wholeheartedly support the philosophy that inspired their name: "Boudoir, an exotic French word that conjures up such delicious images: romantic, private, a most intimate place. Where the most delicate and sensuous thoughts are indulged and nurtured." Stop by and visit!

Love Love Love

2010-01-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

Ah, Valentine's Day: Love, lovers, sweethearts, chocolate, hearts, and . . . surviving winter! Just for this season, I have made a limited edition Rose Geranium Heart Lotion Bar--these of course make sweet gifts, and are a luxurious way to honor your body (or someone else's)--or just keep your skin from that awful winter dryness and cracking. As always, these can be used for chapped lips, dry feet, you can take them on the airplane, and they will give off their gentle scent wherever they rest.

Visit my lotion bar page at milkandhoneysoap.com (or milkandhoneylotion.com) to order!

Milk and Honey (and Me!) settle in to New Digs

2009-11-15T19:28:00.000-08:00

Milk and Honey has moved into Santa Fe proper. We now span two locations--my home where I live with my kids, keep the bees and make my soaps and lotion bars (and blog from), and the beautiful piece of land being shared with my goats about three miles from my home. It seems I am getting the best of city life, while my goats are still living out in the country with the chickens and the mountains.

This move into town has been a HUGE transition, but one that has brought all kinds of wonderful, new people into my life. My goats' home is on the property of an absolutely lovely woman named Louisa, who has an incredible permaculture plan in-process, one which includes goats. She is loving having them there, is eager to learn how to milk them, and helps me to feed them, saving me an extra daily trip. While we will be building them a larger shelter that will include a "milking parlor", in the meantime, I desperately needed a temporary shelter for the girls, and I was able to connect with a gentle and incredibly competent carpenter, Bill, who happened to have a day off just when I needed him. The result is a great temporary straw-bale shelter, that the goats immediately inhabited.

And before the goats arrived there, they spent two weeks less than a mile from my home, with an urban goat, at my friend Larelei's. She has just acquired two milk goats, and lives on a third of an acre right in town. I could see the Railrunner train going by as I milked, her toddler, Sebastian, fell in love with me, and her property is surrounded by artists' studios, one of which was a two storey--the artists would look down on me as I milked remarking about how cute the goats were!

So we've had some adventures, and we're finally starting to quiet down. Although goats are very sensitive to change, I am amazed at just how adaptable they have been; through it all, our milking routine has continued.

Now we gear up for the holiday season! It's even easier for me to ship my goodies out to you all all over the country, so please visit my website and enjoy!

Goats by Simon Lee-Plunket

2009-11-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

My eight year old son has written a brilliant essay (his first) on goats. Must share!

"The goat is a ruminant mammal closely related to the sheep. They're used in many parts of the world for their hair, meat, milk, and leather. Those parts include Asia, India and Iran for their wool. Ruminant means cloven-hooved, cud-chewing animals with four legs.

"Usually with our goats, especially Taza, they smile at me when I come to feed them. The milk tastes very good--and I mean good!--after my mom has strained and cleaned the milk.

"Goat's milk is a lot healthier than cow's milk, since, being closer to human milk than the cows, it provides a rich taste.

"With Nubians, you can usually tell that they are that kind of goat because they have floppy ears and short horns.

The End."

Slow Money Notes

2009-09-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Just attended some of the Slow Money conference here in town and heard some very inspiring entrepreneurs. The theme of the Slow Money movement (in my words) is that money is not the end-all measurement of value, and in fact using money as the only measurement of success for a business or an individual or a society destroys the planet, relationships, cultures, community, etc.

Here are some random notes from what folks said:

Our power comes from protecting what we love.

On "return on investments"--what about a "living return"? We measure this in the benefit of living in a better environment, the quality of our relationships, our connection with the community, the quality of our lives.

Running a business based on appropriate, human scale (as opposed to growing as big as possible as fast as possible), retaining a sense of ownership, and the identity of locality (where are you from?).

There is no such thing as one sustainable business--only sustainable systems.

Business is about relationships. Money is just a tool.

(Those quotes were from Judy Wicks of White Dog Cafe.)

Businesses operating for a "quadruple bottom line":
Environmental
Social Justice
Financial
Human experience--employees, customers, when people encounter your business, do they feel that they are a part of something meaningful? Does it enhance their lives?

Are we practicing trust?

This is how we measure return:
We wake up every morning and say "this is my life!"

Those rough quotes were from Ari Derfel of Terrain ( who was especially cute and inspiring).

Cooking with Kid

2009-07-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

Oh Lord, sometimes you have to bring a two-day old goat into the house with you, and wear her in a sling, and then sit in the rocking chair with her and stroke her little soft head. . .

Brain Trust with Baby Goat

2009-07-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce the Milk and Honey Braintrust: pictured from left to right: Amy Coplen, Chemist, and first UNM student to graduate with a minor in Sustainability; Dr. Cecelia Williams, Microbiologist; and Phil Pohl, Chemical Engineer; all of Sandia Labs in Albuquerque. They have come to me via the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program , which provides we small NM businesses with the assistance of scientific minds to help us solve business challenges that only a scientist can help with. . . It is a free service (!) to businesses that qualify, and I applied and was connected to Phil, who has brought on his colleagues to help as well.
What the heck to I need a brain trust for? I presented them with a challenge that my designer Michelle and I have been considering for the past six months: How to create unique, packaging that fulfills the promise of William McDonough's "Cradle to Cradle" philosophy:

“Cradle-to-cradle design means literally designing waste right out of the lifecycle of the package. Mimicking nature, a package is designed to be either a technical nutrient that can be reused, or truly recycled in a tight, closed-loop process with zero loss in material performance, or a biological nutrient that can safely break down into the soil.”

I suggested the additional challenge that the packaging be sourced from materials unique to New Mexico (green chile? Adobe?) and that the packaging have an integral identity with my products. These great, smart folks came out to the farm on Monday, and it was exciting an inspiring to work with them. Amy is particularly interested in calculating my carbon footprint--a prospect both scary and exciting--and one which will no doubt enlighten me as to improvements I can make in how I run my business and my farm, and that my customers will appreciate knowing about.

In the meantime, I continue to work with Michelle as we create the first generation of packaging for my new soaps and lotion bars. Currently we are looking at using paper from New Leaf, an incredibly progressive company that provides an "eco-audit" for every project that uses their paper.

The world is a very exciting place to be with all these smart, creative people putting their minds to saving our planet and living better. I am so happy that they are helping me fulfill my vision for Milk and Honey.

Welcome Babies

2009-07-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN SEE A VIDEO OF THE NEWBORNS AT MY FACEBOOK PAGE! (It's under my name, Daven Lee.)
Currently named "Sassafras" or "Sass" for short (the girl) and "Pigwidgeon" (you know, from Harry Potter, pronounced "Pig-Widgin"), or "Pig" for short (boy), our new babies were born on Monday, easily and beautifully, probably just as I was waking up around 6am. While doing my morning yoga, I heard a little high bleat coming from the barn, and padded down there in my pajamas, to find two wet kids, sitting up, complaining and crying a little, while their proud and very efficient mother licked them off.
Such a sweet site, especially as the Monday before, we had had another birth of a little doe kid that died a few hours after she was born. It was a sad way to start our kidding "season"--but also a good lesson. I've been beating myself up for a week thinking that I could have done something more to save this kid, but I have to say after Sass & Pig were born, the difference between them and that doeling was dramatic. Although I have had goats for about seven years, I only breed them every other year--in fact, this is only my 4th kidding, and so I don't have the experience that I would have if I were breeding 20 goats every single Spring. Incidentally, I breed about every other year because I'm able to continue milking my goats for two years. I don't have a need for high milk production, and it feels less wasteful, and easier on the mama goats not to dry them up every winter and breed them. After all, these babies will need homes.
In the meantime, we are LOVING THEM!

Introducing My Lovely Assistant

2009-06-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

Those of you early birds who have been shopping at the Market this season have already met my lovely and incredibly capable assistant, Teresa Davis. She came to me via an ad I placed in Craig's List (that I thought might be impossible to fill), and she is outrageously over qualified. She just graduated from the University of Chicago and is preparing for graduate school. When I asked her for a work reference, she said I could call the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she worked for a summer. ("Um, hi, yes, I was wondering if you thought she would be a good employee for 4 hours a week at my Farmers Market Booth?" I don't think I'll bother them with that. . .) After I met her and said, Yes!, I told a friend she would be working for me during the summer--assuming she didn't meet a Kennedy and go off and get married. As it turns out, she's just finishing up a vacation at Martha's Vineyard, so that could be a very real possibility. . .

Assuming she comes back this Saturday, you can meet her at the Market where she works the early shift for me (it turns out there are some people who really are "morning people")--until 9am Tuesdays and Saturdays. She is cheerful, knowledgeable about my products, and loves the Farmers Market. She is a welcome addition to the growing Milk and Honey team. (Eeee-- I hope you don't mind that I used the word "team"!)

My New Employee

2009-06-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

Well, daughter Roan is now on the official payroll. She has been begging to help me pour lotion bars, and sure enough, as you can see in my other blog post, she is an instant pro. So she's found a way to earn a little extra money, and she told me, "It's fun to be part of the business." She is conscientious and detail-oriented, and does her best not to spill a drop--I'm working on loosening her up! She also helped me sell this past Tuesday at the Market, and got a great response from my customers. At the beginning of the day she was feeling too shy to talk to folks walking by; by the end, she was pulling people over and inviting them most sweetly to "try a lotion bar!"

New Lotion Bars are Here!

2009-06-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

Aren't they gorgeous? Ok, like a doting mother, I get to brag--I'm so excited about these. This photo shows my new line of lotions, all of which are custom designs exclusive to Milk and Honey--except for the Bee & Honeycomb, which for now, is welcome to tag along. If you are dying to order some in every scent as soon as possible, you can now do so on my website. Yay.

And, if you're wondering, "When the heck are the SOAPS going to be available in these incredible forms that I can't find anywhere else and that I must get for myself and everyone I know?" (Thank you for asking. . . ) I already have batches of Lemongrass, Milk and Honey (unscented) and Lavender curing away in their red crates on the shelf, preparing for their debut in about a month. They will soon be joined by mint, rosemary and lavender-rosemary. I promise I'll let you know when they are ready!

New Molds Arrive. . . and the Future of Milk and Honey is Here!

2009-06-10T08:56:00.001-07:00

Last night was momentous for me . . . my daughter Roan and I made the first batch of lotion bars with the first round of my new custom molds. This is the first completed step of work that began over a year ago with the drafting of my business plan over the summer, applying for and receiving loan funds from Accion New Mexico and the Farmers Market Institute, creating and refining sculptural forms with sculptor Stephanie Huerta, discovering and collaborating with designer and marketer Michelle Moser . . . and here they are! I plan to introduce them at the Market this week, and hopefully on my website in the next couple of days as well. Soaps will take a little longer as they cure for one month before appearing in my booth and website. I'll be experimenting with price points; that is, ONE price point for all my products, as I incorporate my new designs into my booth and website, and rotate the old (but beloved!) designs out. There is one more mold that will come on line hopefully by the fall: a logo image mold--we are in an exciting phase of logo design right now, but it is not complete yet. Stay tuned and let me know what you think!

Bees making Honey. . . Goats with fat, lumpy bellies. . .

2009-06-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I would take a quick look into my hive, and lo and behold, there was quite a bit of honey there! I did the fastest harvest of honey ever--under 20 minutes, no smoker. And I cleaned things up a bit in the hive, much to the consternation of the buzzing girls. One disadvantage to top-bar hives is that the bees are in charge of forming their own combs, and sometimes they form them in crazy directions that make harvesting impossible. So I had to clean out some of the comb that they had formed in some very abstract forms, telling them, "no Gehry-style architecture, girls!", and used some well-formed bars/combs to serve as guides for new comb-building. I was really surprised how much honey they have already made. Last year this time, I just stopped checking the hive because there was so little activity; then in July, we got lots of rain, and by the time I checked the hive again, it was bursting with honey. We have had an unseasonable amount of rain the past few weeks, so that must be good for pollen gathering and honey making.
And the other girls, the goats, are looking so fat and lumpy! I spent some time out at the barn this morning, just hanging out with them, and it's so fun to see what they do when they are relaxed and not expecting food. They invade each other's space, lie down practically on top of one another, scratch their neck itches along the ground in crazy stretched-out positions, and nibble on pine cones. They also let out these little groans and close their eyes contentedly like pussy cats. Very sweet.
My new soap & lotion molds are in the mail to me this week and should be appearing at the market and on my website very soon! The lotion bars will come first, then the soap. . . Can't wait to share them with everyone!

Google Rents Goats To Replace Lawnmowers

2009-05-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't this just the best news ever? This story is a reprint from Sustain News at Gracecom.ws. I just had to pass this on!!

"Google recently announced that they rented a herd of goats to replace the lawnmowers that normally cut the grass in the fields around its headquarters. This is Google's "low-carbon" approach to maintaining its property. Google is renting the goats from a company called California Grazing. Apparently, every so often a herder will bring about 200 of them to the campus and they'll roam around for a week eating the grass. Not only that, these goats will fertilize the land at the same time. Google claims the goats will cost about the same as lawn mowers would. And a border collie named Jen will be brought onto Google's payroll to help with the herding as well. Source: techcrunch.com"

--read more about this at techcrunch.com, including a comment from PETA!

The Branding Process Continues, or, How to Grow Your Business

2009-04-02T13:07:00.001-07:00

Well, it has been a very productive time for me--I feel like I am growing in all directions. Michelle (see post, 2/13/09) has been an incredible teacher and guide for me, almost a therapist for my business with whom I have been sharing all my thoughts and ideas about my business, how it fits into my life, where I want to go, how I imagine I fit into the "marketplace" etc etc, all of which she validates, and then expands upon in the most breath-taking way! We are deep into the logo-design process, which is incredibly fun, as we look at and tweak images of goats and bees [see first draft of logo design, with inspiration Luke and Leah, left], modify and refine the new mold designs, and as I am dispatched out into the field (read: Whole Foods) to do retail research. Let me just take a minute here to thank Mary and Robin, at Santa Fe Whole Foods, for spending their valuable time to answer all my inane questions on how things sell, what works on their shelves and why, and what their customers and they themselves like. So eye-opening! Turns out, once you start looking, you realize that what seems like a perfectly good idea in a shelf display (say a beautiful, handmade, custom wooden display that shows your entire soap product line), is actually a bust in terms of the space it takes up, the maintenance required by the store staff to keep it looking beautiful, and the amount of product that store is then required to keep stocked. So fun to ask Robin questions about what works for HER, as the buyer/stocker, and see her light up with the thrill of finally being asked for HER opinion! Yay!

Another key process that I am in the middle of, is refining my vision and mission for my business. Right now it is in very rough form, but I thought I would share it with you all, and see if there is any feedback. What Michelle has taught me is that socially conscious/green businesses lead with their mission, which other corporations and businesses (like Kmart. . . what's their mission again?) don't. This mission/vision becomes the guiding principle of the business, helping it (me) to discern how to grow, who to partner with, etc. So, here are some of the rough (ROUGH!) notes that I've put down:

Why am I in this business?

Love and respect for the animals.
Love of the nurturing, maternal qualities of milk and milking.
Love of the rhythms of maternity, animals, and the cycles of the natural world.
A connection to the women’s work of our ancestors.

Engaging, challenging and encouraging my entrepreneurial ability

Making a living based on my values—
This business allows me to live within a humane rhythm:
to be present to my children, actively raising them;
to pursue my many passions and interests;
to deepen my connections with my community and relationships with friends.

To fulfill the potential of progressive, “cradle-to-cradle”-based business and to be a leader and innovator in that field;

to encourage others, by example, to follow their passions and deepen their connections with others, and insist on living in a “humane rhythm” that allows for that;

to experience a satisfying and enriching exchange with people locally and globally through the medium of my products;

to bring to my customers a product that nurtures, heals, pampers, inspires and pleases/delights them;

a product that carries with it not only it’s immediate physical satisfaction, but also connects myself and my customers through my story, a certain way of life, and certain values that remind us of our shared humanity and bring us back to what is important in life. This connection takes place not just in the purchasing of products from me, but in the giving and exchanging of my products between my customers and the friends and loved ones for whom they buy my products.

to experience a satisfying and enriching exchange with people locally and globally by creating and selling a product that nurtures, heals, pampers, inspires and pleases the people who receive my products.

Relationship-based business.

Sensuality—connection with sensuality, privacy, love, romance, pampering, luxury, physical pleasure, cherishing of the self.

Thanks for reading. . .

More Beautiful Customers

2009-02-24T15:18:00.001-08:00

Couldn't fit these all in the other post. . .

My Beautiful Customers

2009-02-24T15:12:00.000-08:00

They speak for themselves (from this past Saturday's market) . . .

Valentine's Day at the Goat Farm

2009-02-16T14:37:00.001-08:00

Yes, even the girls need a little romance once in a while. The beautiful male specimen you’re looking at in these photos is “LEGEND”, on loan from Camino de Paz farm, and is a papered Nubian buck from a line of prize-winning goats. Or something like that. So ugly, he’s pretty. Nothing like encountering pure male animal to make you appreciate, well men, but also the delicate femininity of the does. You can almost smell him in these pictures!

Though he is all male, and loves to get his way, don’t be deceived; he is very gentle and just wants to get along and get some attention. When he came to me, his hooves were extremely overgrown (sorry, Greg), and so I undertook to trim them, wondering if I would end up with a broken wrist and smelling like buck for days. Gave him a little grain, buckled him into the milking stand as best I could (a neck like a linebacker!), and lo and behold, he was gentle as a lamb as I trimmed his poor feet.

In five months, at the height of the summer (no hypothermia for the babies), we will have a crop of cute little kids running around—probably tripling the size of my herd, if the girls all have twins. Yikes! It will be sweet, overwhelming, fun and too much work. Can’t wait!

Let the Branding Begin

2009-02-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

Dearest friends--what a hectic winter! I lost my digital camera. . .but just got a new one from my dad, so will be regaling you all with farm pics again soon.

First of all, I want folks to know that this is the first season I have continued to sell at the winter Farmers Market--and now that we are in our gorgeous building, and the Railrunner comes right into the Market, it is a very happening Saturday morning winter event. Come see me and the other hearty, creative vendors every Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Second of all, last summer I worked on a business plan, then this fall received a business loan from Accion New Mexico, and as of this week, I am very excited to say that I will be working with local Michelle Moser, of Grace Communications, to update the "branding" of my business, which will include a new logo, a new line of custom soap mold designs, and new packaging that will ready my product to go out to stores, boutiques, spas, and knitting shops nation-wide!

I am very excited to work with Michelle, as she is not merely a graphic designer, but a marketer that has specialized in green businesses for over a decade. You can visit her website at gracecom.ws. Her principles are already grounded in the revolutionary ideas of such design leaders as William McDonough ("Cradle to Cradle"--see blog post, March 19, 2008). Check this out (from Michelle's website):

"We believe at its core, marketing is People-Centered, not market-driven. Our philosophy flows from the idea that employees are the source of your company's inspiration, and customers the source of infinite possibilities. By linking people--inside and out-- you inspire deeply authentic brand design and advertising language, that communicates who you are, what you do, and what you stand for. . .creating sustainable business communities with customers shopping for integrity."

Wow, what a good partnership for my business! Too good to be true! Stay tuned for more updates on my "branding journey"!

2008-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full swing at the Farmers Market. My daughter Roan is displaying that emblem of fall harvest: a pumpkin. As a family, we are anticipating Halloween, ordering wood for winter, and inviting a handsome buck to come and visit the "girls." We are also in transition, with our house for sale, thinking about moving into town (and yes, the goats will come with), and planning for a new future, while honoring our past 13 years here in Glorieta.

My new business plans are coming along great! Soon, customers will be able to buy my custom-soaps with sweet and pleasing designs including a heart with baby goats, a sunflower & bee, a new kind of cat soap, and more. Can't wait to share these with my loyal customers and new friends!

Happy Fall, all, and Happy Harvest!

My Goat Had Her Portrait Painted!

2008-09-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

Painter Miranda Gray came out to my little farm earlier this summer and took some photos for her lovely Farm Project--and made a gorgeous portrait of my goat Sula! Here is an excerpt of a recent article about this project, from Edible Santa Fe:

"One of the tenants of permaculture is that everything is connected. Six years ago, Miranda Gray moved with her husband into a small adobe house in the middle of an aging orchard in the Pojoaque Valley. She knew nothing of permaculture, or fruit trees, and only had an inkling of an idea about what her art making was going to be like in her new home. This chapter in her life started with the need to find a painting medium that was free of toxic fumes and plastics, safe to use in her small living room/studio. She also needed some way to figure out what to do with all those trees. Through the trees she found local teachers and community. Through her painting constraints, she discovered the relatively obscure technique of egg tempera, which is one of the oldest painting mediums there is. It uses ground, powdered pigments mixed with water and the yolk of chicken eggs.

"But egg tempera is somewhat persnickety. Commercial eggs fall apart when one tries to separate out the yolk from the egg. This led Miranda to the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market where the eggs she found made her very happy. The yolks were bright in color and stood up to being handled. For a while, as she learned her new craft, she painted portraits of things and people she loved. She painted her dogs, her childhood toys, and her friends. But she was running out of toys to paint. And who would want to buy portraits of dogs they didn’t know? She’d painted a couple of paintings about the bee crisis, but she didn’t feel that she could sustain the idea to a third painting. One evening last Autumn, while she was reading through the Fall issue of this magazine, she came across a beautiful photograph of two young farmers, brothers Kosma and Teague, with their hands dirtied holding huge arm loads of just picked carrots. She said, 'I had an epiphany looking at that picture. I could see a series of paintings that could go on and on for years. I had to paint the farmers! I found something that I loved, that I could paint about. And I found a topic that I believe in, local farming and sustainability. I found a way to blend my art and my politics. I was so excited that I could hardly sleep that night, thinking about all the possibilities, all the connections.'

"The first painting Miranda did was of another neighbor of hers, Natasya Gundersen of Mr.G’s Organic Farm. She road her bicycle down the road and found Gary and Natasya in their field picking white turnips for the market the next day. The morning light was exquisite, and Natasya’s hands were beautiful, with the requisite dirt that Miranda was looking for. From there Miranda went on to photograph Stanley Crawford on his garlic farm in Dixon, on the morning of his first garlic harvest. She helped bring in the harvest, which thrilled her to no end. She visited Daven Lee and her "girls,” goats who supply her with the milk she makes her soap from. She spent one morning tromping around Pollo Real with Tom Delehanty, while he showed her his operation, and talked with her of sustainability. He pointed out plants in his field that in her yard, had seemed like weeds, but now she knew to be nitrogen fixers and chicken food. Not only was she finding subject matter for her work, but also she was seeing first hand where her food was coming from. She was learning from the farmers, hearing their stories, and loving even more her own work.

"Miranda says that she still feels the voyeur. She is not the farmer, like Phil, who stood on his portal this spring and watched while a ten-minute hailstorm ruined his lettuce crop. She doesn’t have to get up before dawn, and put the sleepy kids in the car to drive two hours to market like Tom and Tracy do each week. She is hoping that her paintings will work as prayers for these farmers; that through the hours she sits painting, thinking of them and the good they bring, that somehow she can work a bit of magic into this amazing life, as these farmers do.

Miranda Gray’s paintings may be viewed at Selby Fleetwood Gallery, 600 Canyon Road, Santa Fe. 505-992-8877. Her show opens on Friday October 3rd from 5:00 to 7:30,and Saturday October 4th from 1:00 to 5:00. This time on Saturday was chosen so that the farmers may attend the opening after their Saturday market.

We're in our new home!

2008-09-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

Here we are inside our gorgeous new, spacious, light, clean, and LEED Certified Farmers Market Pavillion! I can't tell you how palpable the excitement was as we opened the market in our new location this week. Now, I am inside (and happy to be there), but there is a full and bustling market outside as well--so festive. There was a sense of deep ownership, both from the venders and farmers, as well as from our local, regular customers: This is OUR Farmers Market. The grand opening events for the entire Railyard will be this coming weekend, 9-5 both Saturday and Sunday. I will be away, sadly, at an ice skating competition in Colorado, but Jackie and Maya will be running my booth. And by the way, my booth will be getting more and more spruced up, now that I have a permanent spot, and am indoors, not having to brave the elements. Look for festive lights, beautiful cabinets for storage, new pictures and signage. . . Yipee!!

Tranquility in the Bee Yard

2008-08-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Beekeeping has become so popular--it is a special way to be a part of nature's vital cycles of reproduction, food growing, and of course results in this incredible liquid gold called honey--that cannot be reproduced artificially by humans, no matter how hard we try. Beehives can be kept within city limits, in small back yards, so it is a simple, pleasing way to bring wildness, agriculture, and nature into almost any living space (roof gardens in NY have beehives, too). And, let's face it, it's incredibly cool to be able to tolerate large clusters of buzzing, flying, stinging insects with tranquility--or at least pretending to tolerate them with tranquility--as opposed to running, screaming, as far away as possible at the mere site of one on a close-by flower.

I have to say, up until this year (I guess this is my fourth season beekeeping), I got very tense out at the apiary. These stinging insects made me mighty nervous. As I would work deeper into the hive, their buzzing would increase in volume--obviously a bad sign, and the guard bees (yes, that's really their job, and yes, they are female too, like the workers), would start buzzing in front of my face (veiled), trying to find a way in. Every once in a while I would feel an intense vibration on my hand, through my gloves, and I would look down to see a bee curling its body tightly trying to sting me. I had to take frequent calm-down breaks, walking several yards away, farther if necessary, until the last guard bee took off. Then back in. Yikes, they made me nervous. The bars full of comb and bees were heavy, and if it was hot out (and it always was--you harvest in summer, of course), trying to get the bees off the combs (great fun--they love it too--you brush them with a special brush, causing them to swarm all around your head and buzz louder), and get the comb, clean, over a bowl to cut off the comb, BEFORE IT BROKE OFF, was mighty stressful. There's nothing so aggravating as having a comb full of honey and watching it suddenly break off the bar, and fall, oozing honey and covered with bees, to the ground. Damn. Then there's trying to progress through the hive, manipulating the bars, and discovering that some combs are formed all crazy--vertically across a couple of bars, or attached at the bottom, so that as you gently try to shift one bar, it suddenly rips off, and, again, an entire comb full of honey and/or brood, and covered in bees, collapses to the bottom of the hive--AND I HAVE TO SCOOP OUT HONEY AND SQUISHED BEES RIGHT FROM THE HIVE, WHERE ALL THE BEES ARE JUST GOING CRAZY. Whew.

Well the point of all this is to say that this year, I have been all business in the hive. Sure, they started buzzing around me, I had some clean up to do, I had to brush bees off to clean the combs, but I just ignored the bees--I just didn't even notice their buzzing, or their kamikaze missions around my head. Now it's not that I'm some kind of mean giant who just comes through and bullies her way through the hive. I just was able to stay focused and calm, and get the work done. I even got half a bee sting--and this did not phase me. Yay!

So what you see in this picture from early in the season, is myself and 13 year old Maya. Maya, who helps her grandmother Jackie in my booth, has become enamored of bees. In preparation for getting her own hive (at this writing, the bees have already been established at her home), I gave her a tour of mine. Such fun.