My Beloved Male Customers

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!

Love Love Love

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!