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Handcrafted Milk Soap

written by

Sue King

posted on

December 13, 2019


Have you ever had the pleasure of using handmade milk soap?

We have had the pleasure of using handcrafted soaps for many years in our home. This soap feels silky when you use it and leaves your skin feeling satiny smooth.

Earlier this year we ran out of our handmade milk soap and had to purchase bar soap from the store. I justified buying regular soap because no one had time to make any during the busyness of summer. Let me tell you why I will never do that again.

When we are using our handmade milk soaps we do not have to use lotion very often. Even when we are washing frequently like when we are in the meat shop. Within a couple days of using store bought bar soap we were reaching for the lotion bottle every time we washed. I even thought I had purchased a good quality moisturizing soap. While using store bought soap we also noticed that everyone was complaining of itchy skin after showering. The store bought soap was totally drying out our skin and making life miserable. As autumn settled in we finally had time to make our much loved handmade milk soap again. We could hardly wait for the curing time to pass so we could once again enjoy the benefits of our milk soap. After less than a week of having a bar of handmade soap at every sink in the house we can say that the lotion bottle hardly ever gets used. I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing better for our skin than our handcrafted milk soaps.

Our handcrafted milk soaps contain no harsh chemicals, alcohol or petroleum products that tend to irritate and dehydrate your skin.

During the commercial soap making process glycerin is intentionally removed to be used in more profitable products. Handcrafted soaps retain all their glycerin which provides deep moisturizer benefits for our skin.

Handcrafted milk soaps offer even more benefits. Milk is rich in proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Milk brings with it the unique natural ability to moisturize and nourish our skin. When you add the benefit of the milk being used in its raw state it is even better.

We use only the best oils that we can source. The essential oils are pure oils. We do NOT use any synthetic fragrance oils at all.

Here at Harmony's Way Family Farm we use milk from our herd of Jersey and Jersey/Canadienne cross cows. Both of these breeds are known for their high milk fat and protein content. The cows are docile and content. They are not force-fed to get the highest production they can give. They are fed a grass-based diet with a small serving of organic peas (mostly to coax them into the barn for milking).

Without further adieu let us introduce you to our new family of milk-based soaps: 

Handcrafted Milk Soap and Spa Sets make great gifts.

Unscented

This is our first creation. It contains only rich raw milk, high quality palm, coconut and olive oil.

Calendula & Honey

We make an olive oil infusion with calendula petals. Just before the soap is ready to pour into the molds we add raw honey. Through personal use we have found that this soap keeps our skin soft and smooth even in the driest part of winter.

Old English Lavender

The addition of pure lavender essential oil brings to this soap a reminder of the romantic, peaceful gardens of our grandmothers.

Winters Gentle Glow

Close your eyes and imagine sitting in front of a glowing fireplace on a cold winter evening. Allow this deeply sweet, warm scented soap to wash away the worries of the day.

Summers Mist Mint

Remember the feeling of a gentle mist settling over the valley after a hot summer day. A blend of peppermint and spearmint essential oils will bring cool refreshment to the hottest skin.

Boreal Forest

My favorite place to walk is through the forest in the early spring. With new life popping up everywhere the smells are amazing. This soap is a way to bring that experience indoors.

The Gentle Husbandman

This soap brings to mind images of the gentle farmer who lovingly takes care of his land and animals. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty, but he will need a gentle, effective soap to get those work-hardened hands clean, while keeping the skin healthy.


All of our soaps are $6.00 per bar. 

They are available at our booth at the Grande Prairie Farmers Market. We are open on Fridays 4 pm to 7 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 3 pm. You can also preorder and pick up at the market.


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Are you Absolutely Satisfied with Store-Bought Pork?

Are you Absolutely Satisfied with Store-Bought Pork?

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY PORK DISHES ALWAYS HAVE SO MANY SWEET SAUCES ON THEM? For many years this question never crossed my mind. Until we started raising and eating our own pasture-raised pork. But what lead us to start raising pigs?  Neither Larry nor I had much experience with pigs growing up. We started our married life buying all our pork in the grocery store, but then switched to sourcing it from a neighboring conventional pork producer. We were not aware that most of the pork that is available in the grocery stores comes from pigs that have never seen the light of day. They spend their whole life crowded into huge hog barns. They are fed an industry standard diet of grain with no green, living food at all. They are crowded into small spaces with many other pigs where their natural ability to move is restricted. Much to our surprise and horror, we discovered that the neighbor we were purchasing our pork from was raising them no differently than what we could get in the store. At that time, little did we know that eventually Larry would face a digestive issue from this type of pork. After certain meals he would feel sick to the stomach and end up with diarrhea. It got so bad before we clued into the cause. When we quit eating pork these issues went away. Now we had a dilemma. We really like pork but couldn’t eat it anymore. Being the DIY homesteaders we were back in those days we decided to buy a couple little pigs and raise them ourselves. We knew that we didn’t want to raise them in a barn. So outside they went. These were the happiest pigs I ever saw. They were free to roam around their pasture, rooting in the soil and wallowing in the mud while searching for whatever they thought was tasty to eat. We fed them grains from a neighbor, kitchen scraps and milk from our milk cow. When they were big enough to harvest, we sent them to the processor, not knowing if we would even be able to eat this pork. Much to our delight Larry had no adverse reaction to the meat. It was delicious! The meat was firm, not mushy like barn raised pork. It also had a richness to it that we had never experienced before.  No more bland and flavorless conventional pork for us.  No sauces required! We thought that we couldn’t be the only people who had experienced something similar and wished for a pleasurable eating experience. This success started us on a new farming adventure, raising pastured pork for sale. Encouraged by the success we had with our first pigs we decided to purchase our breeding herd. We have tried many breeds of pigs over the years and have settled on the Berkshire breed. They are a heritage pig that matures slower thus producing an excellent quality meat and the best lard fat that I think you can get. I have heard it said that Berkshire pork is the gold standard of pork among chefs. Besides that, they are very personable and entertaining to have around!  And mischievous. I truly believe from our personal experience that all animals that we raise for food need to be able to live in conditions that are natural for them and have the ability to express their God-given characteristics. When we domesticated animals, we became responsible to steward them well. We strive to do just this with all our animals. One of my favorite cuts of pork is the Boston Butt Roast.  It is juicy, tender, melt-in-your mouth meat. This is the cut that pulled-pork is made from. It is an economical cut that we also use to make ground pork and our special gluten-free, nitrate-free sausages. When you purchase our pasture-raised pork you will experience what real pork should taste like. We offer a variety of options when it comes to purchasing our pasture-raised pork.   Individual cuts to suit your needs. Pork Chops, Traditional salt-cured and smoked ham and bacon, Whole Tenderloin, Boston Butt Roasts, Ground Pork, Breakfast Sausages (Nitrate-free, Sugar-free and Filler-free). Coming soon!  Our "1/4 Pork Bundle."  Our newest addition to our pastured-pork line-up.  This bundle is perfect for a smaller family or if you have limited freezer space.  It will consist of a variety of the individual cuts, including Pork Chops, Pork Sirloin Steak, Ham Steak, Bacon, Ground Pork and Sausage. And, last but not least if you want to customize the cuts you receive, we have whole hogs available.   You can find all of these options in our online store. Do you want to try my simple Boston Butt Roast recipe? It’s so simple. I place the roast on a rack in my cast-iron dutch-oven. Add a little water. Sprinkle chopped onions on top (I used my home-grown dehydrated onions) salt and pepper. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 160F. I slice it and serve with apple sauce, oven roasted potatoes and a veggie.  You can purchase our pasture-raised pork from our online store or from us at the Grande Prairie Farmers Market on Fridays or Saturdays.

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