Soapmaking On Leegacy Farm

We've been reading about how in pioneer days a family could make a years worth of soap from a barrel of ashes and about twelve pounds of fat from their hogs.  And of how a new family might be welcomed to the neighborhood with a jug of this soft soap since they wouldn't have the needed ingredients for making their own until they had pigs to slaughter. 

 

While we have been saving the fat from our pigs, we haven't used it (yet) for making our soap.  Someday!  And while we haven't learned to make lye from ashes, we'd sure love to learn.  Someday!   But my daughters have been saving batches of the goat's milk in preparation for making milk soaps.  For us, the milk soap was a bit trickier and the first batch didn't turn out right.  But we were very pleased with the following batches and are very glad to be able to put the milk to good use!

The coffee soap is really good for exfoliating the skin and cleaning one's hands.  And we especially like it because it can be used very soon after making.

Chocolate swirl turned out great and I had to remind the younger ones and myself that it's NOT for eating.:)

The soaps include essential oils and the one above has a citrus smell that we all really like.

Along with making soaps, there has been a flurry of activity around the farm as we are preparing to participate in a local Arts and Ag Farm Tour.

The whole family - from the oldest to the youngest - are busily making things for our little farm store and getting the fencing repaired and the property cleaned up and ready for the farm day.

It's kept us extra busy, but it's always good to have a deadline, of sorts, for getting things done.  We're learning that there's much to do in getting a *working* farm up and going.  And while we're new at this and sometimes feel like *greenhorns*, we're very thankful for the opportunities we're given, and we're thankful to know that there are always new things to be learned and new skills to be acquired.  In other words, life should never be dull!

Do you have any favorite soap recipes?  We've acquired recipes from online and from the following books:  Milk-Based Soaps by Casey Makela and The Soapmaker's Companion by Susan Miller Cavitch.  And from The West Ladies, a talented family who have dvd's covering all sorts of skills which are helpful to know!

Blessings,

Sherry