Author: Crystal

We are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel! A large portion of our population now has the vaccine and the numbers are declining. We have gotten lots of emails and messages lately asking what our business is going to look like once Covid is over. When would we be returning to the farmers’ market? Would the free shipping threshold return to its pre-pandemic level (free shipping for orders over $50), since it was only lowered to relieve the burden of shipping on our market customers who were not used to paying for it? When will the farm open back up for tours? These are all subjects that have been discussed, ad nauseam, around the farm. We thought it might be a good idea to put our plan out there so everyone knows what to expect from us in the future. While we are still not 100% clear how things will look for us in the future, and expect things to change as we adjust to whatever it is we are moving into, we think we have a pretty solid plan established at this point.

Free Shipping:

Let’s start with the only subject we really have a clear, cut and dry answer for. Our free shipping threshold will NOT return to the pre-pandemic levels, we have added too many customers outside of Richmond and Charlottesville who depend on it, however it cannot stay where it is right now. Over the last year shipping costs have increased and it’s an enormous expense for us. In order to continue to maintain a low free shipping threshold we have to increase our average sale a little. So our new threshold, starting today, will be free shipping on all orders $35+. We believe this small $5 increase will make a pretty big difference and keep us from having to return to the much higher threshold we used to have.

Free shipping on our gift sets will remain at their current level. One of the greatest things about our gift sets is that they are one click and you are done. It makes life so easy on the gift giver, and we didn’t want to change that, so although some of our gift sets are below the new free shipping threshold they will still be eligible for free shipping.

Farm Pick Up:

This is another thing we will not change after the pandemic is over. Our pick up station is now a permanent structure on the farm. Customers are welcome to pick up their orders directly from us. Some people prefer this to waiting for the package to come in the mail. Please keep in mind the distance you will need to travel when choosing this as an option. Many people hear “Goochland” and think the Short Pump area, but we are located in *way* western Goochland, about 45 minutes from both Richmond and Charlottesville.

Farm Tours:

Unfortunately, I do not see us opening up the farm anytime in 2021. As a team of two, farm tours have always been difficult on us. They take us away from our business and farm duties, which are immense! Years ago we switched to doing open houses twice a year so a few lucky customers could come visit the animals, see the set up, and purchase soap. The health of the family and animals is paramount, so the farm will remain closed the rest of the year. This gives us one less stresser to worry about. We are considering bringing back the open houses next year. We will keep everyone up to date.

Farmers’ Markets and Craft Shows:

This is probably the most difficult and most talked about subject around here. When the pandemic hit we made changes to our business to get ourselves over the hump until we could return to our farmers’ markets. However a few months into the pandemic, taking into consideration the high risk individual in our household, we knew we needed to make larger, more long term changes. The business was turned upside down and we had to put a great deal of time, resources, and money into making the website our main source of income. It was, and still is to some degree, like completely starting over. Our workflow and workload has shifted dramatically over the last year. Because of this, it is incredibly unlikely that we will ever return to a full time farmers’ market schedule. It takes most of the week to prepare for market. That time is now spent getting website orders out the door. Our fear is over extending ourselves, which will diminish the quality of our work and customer service.

We did not apply to our Richmond farmers’ market because we didn’t know when/if we could get a vaccination at the time the applications were due. If we decide to return to that market, fall would be the earliest we could make that happen at this point. The Charlottesville City Market has given us permission to come back whenever we are ready. We may decide to return on a part-time basis, but at the moment that is up in the air.

When it comes to our favorite festivals and craft shows we hope to get back to that in the fall. We hope to attend this year’s Clifton Day and Richmond Craft Mafia’s Handmade Holiday (assuming this show returns this winter). It is quite likely that our markets and events will turn into a one-off thing we do now and then.

We want to extend a huge… enormous… gigantic… thank you to all of you who have supported us over the last year. We wouldn’t have been able to keep going without all of you. You lifted us up and kept us going during this very difficult time. We will continue to do everything we can to maintain the high quality products and service that you have all come to expect and we are excited to settle into this new chapter. Thank you!

Mother’s Day is right around the corner (Sunday May 9th). It can be hard finding the perfect gift for someone who means so much, so we are here to help with our Mother’s Day Gift Guide! Find everything you need to pamper mom and let her know you are thinking of her.

Gift Sets:

With our gift sets we make it super easy for you! You don’t even have to think about it. We have curated these outstanding sets to make your loved one, in this case your mom, feel special. All of our Gift Sets ship for free and can be sent directly to your mom (see the bottom of this blog post to find out how). You order the gift and we do the rest. It couldn’t be easier.

“Surprise Them!” Subscription:

How about giving your mom the gift that keeps on giving. With our “Surprise Them!” Gift Subscription you pay a single installment and we will send your mom a box full of goodies once a month for three, six, or twelve months. Also, as a subscription member, your mom will gain access to our “secret” product line which is only available to our subscription customers. Make your mom feel special long after Mother’s Day is over!

Gardening Mom:

My favorite way to spend Mother’s Day is in my garden with my family. I look forward to it every year. We finish weeding all the beds and everything that has not already been planted gets put in the ground. If your mom is like me, we have a bunch of products that will make her day in the garden so much better.

• Our Nail Brush is perfect for cleaning dirt from under nails and our Coffee Goat Milk Soap removes dirt stains from your hands like magic!
• Did your mom get into some poison ivy or was she fighting off the bugs all day? Pick up a bar of our Tea Tree Goat Milk Soap or our Tea Tree Essential Oil Roller to help relieve the itching.
• Soil can be drying to your skin. Order her a few bars of our Oatmeal Honey or Castile Goat Milk Soaps to give her hands a gentle boost of moisture.
• Finally, pick her up a few bars of soap, inspired by the garden, so she can take those great memories with her everywhere; Lavender, Rosemary Mint, Lemongrass Green Tea Goat Milk Soaps.

Moms That Need to be Pampered:

Ok, so this is every mom out there. We have all had a very difficult year and moms took the brunt of it. They have had to keep all the balls in the air and have had to take care of everyone else. Who is taking care of her? Encourage mom to take some down time and practice some self care. We have everything your momma could possibly need to relax and take some time for herself.

• Lavender is a wonderful relaxing scent. We have a full line of lavender products that will allow your mom to carry that amazing calming scent around with her all day: Goat Milk Soap, Lotion, Essential Roller, Candle.
• We make an extra special set of soaps, our spa line. These soaps are super luxurious and are sure to make your mom feel pampered: Rosewood Salt, Deep Sea, Deep Space, and Turmeric.
• We offer an all natural line of brushes that partner perfectly with our soaps and will leave your mom’s skin feeling like new; Body, Face, Nail.
• At the end of the day help mom set the mood for a long, well deserved, quiet bath with our candles; Lavender, Peppermint Eucalyptus, Unscented.

Athletic Mom:

Is your mom a bit of a gym rat? Is her “me time” taking a long run through the neighborhood? Does your mom play every sport under the sun? We have products that are sure to make her… and her gym bag… happy.

• Tea Tree oil is great for counteracting the skin bacteria that makes sweat stinky. Our Tea Tree products help wash away the scents left behind on her skin and clothes by all that hard work; Goat Milk Soap and Laundry Detergent.
• Speaking of tea tree, our Deep Space Goat Milk Soap not only contains tea tree, but also has lavender and activated charcoal giving your mom’s face an outstanding deep clean after a hard workout.
• Running can be hard on your feet. Our Rosewood Salt Goat Milk Soap, with its pumice stone feel, will help remove rough patches from her feet, leaving them feeling soft.
• When her workout is over make sure she has one of our Lavender Essential Oil Rollers to roll on, so she can go about the rest of her day smelling fresh.

We can send it directly to your Mom!

There is nothing better than getting an amazing-smelling box in the mail. Whether your mom is close by or across the country we will make sure she receives your gift, packaged beautifully with a handwritten card. Simply fill out your mom’s address as the shipping address (your information should still be in the billing address) and include a message in the “notes” section at check out.

Your mom is so special! Make sure she knows it!

Have you heard about our newest (secret) goat milk soap line? These fabulous new soaps are not available for purchase through our website. In fact, they are not available for purchase anywhere. The only way you can get your hands on them is by being one of our subscription customers. We have thoroughly enjoyed coming up with these special new scents and can’t wait to share them with some of our most loyal customers.

Our Secret Winter Goat Milk Soap was a huge hit this past winter and we think Secret Spring may even step it up another notch! This awesome bar of soap is scented with jasmine, lemon, and basil essential oils. It smells simply divine, a wonderful representation of the season! Each season we will debut a new Secret Goat Milk Soap alongside the seasonal soap that is available to the public.

• Purchase one of the following subscriptions and you will unlock the door to our Secret Soap Line:
• * Everything You Need Subscription
• * Surprise Me! Subscription
• * Surprise Them! Gift Subscription
• * Seasonal Subscription

Our Secret Soaps are not the only reason to become a subscription customer. These customers are always the first to try a new soap or product. Occasionally we will throw in other products that are not available to the public… maybe we are trying something new, maybe we just feel like spoiling these special customers. They are also guaranteed to get their hands on at least one bar (more if you are a Seasonal Subscription customer) of our Winter Soap, which is enormously popular and sold out in only 36 hours in 2020.

Head to our website and sign yourself up for one of our subscriptions so you can try our new Secret Spring Goat Milk Soap today!

Welcome the newest additional to our laundry line – Virginia Cedar Goat Milk Laundry Soap!

Customers often contact us with ideas for new products or soap scents. We can’t always make these request happen, sometimes we aren’t able to make a scent because the essential oils are not available (they don’t make a cotton or beach scented essential oils, for example) or we are unable to create a product recipe that we are happy with (we demand perfection), but we always do our best to fulfill the request. Last year, in the early spring, we had a customer contact us, asking if we could add a Cedar Laundry Soap to our line. She was storing away all of her winter clothes and wanted the added benefit that cedar offers clothes while in storage (check out #11 in this article). We thought this was a fabulous idea and were happy to oblige her request.

This brand new laundry soap has the same recipe as our other laundry soaps that you know and love, but with the wonderful woody scent of Virginia Cedar essential oil. Just add one tablespoon to your wash (if you are using an HE machine you add it directly in with the clothes, not the dispenser) to take advantage of this powerful all-natural laundry soap. It will leave your clothes smelling clean and fresh, while adding an extra layer of protection against moth damage.

So as winter comes to a close and you are starting to pack away your winter clothes and blankets consider washing everything in our Virginia Cedar Goat Milk Laundry Soap. This brand new product is now available on our website!

We started 2020 with the (enormous) goal of finally building our much needed soap facility. For years we had been making product and curing our goat milk soap in a large shed structure that we conditioned in the early years of our business and doing everything else in our home office. It was extremely difficult having the operation broken up like this. Having the office in our house meant the work life balance was completely impossible, and we had LONG since out grown both spaces.

We spent years trying to “tiny house” the workshop so that we made use out of every square inch. Towards the end of 2019 we finally reached a breaking point and decided we just couldn’t put it off anymore. As soon as we rang in the new year we hit the ground running. Of course trying to complete any project during 2020 meant we hit many set backs and road blocks. It was mid-summer before we were able to move in and get to work.

It was wonderful being able to build the soap facility to our specific needs. The cure room is separate to keep us from having to live in an essential oil fog and it keeps moisture out and away from product. It also keeps the room at a temperature and humidity best for curing which helps control cure time. We have an office that also includes classroom space for the children. A photo station that I don’t have to pack away so it’s not taking up valuable work space and is full of light (I chose the placement of the windows for this specific purpose). So.. so much work space. Enough work space that we can make soap and then turn around to make laundry detergent without having to move materials and product to make workspace available. We have massive amounts of storage. And maybe best of all… our massive sink. It can fit even our largest soap making equipment.

Want to see it for yourself? Check out our video tour below!

2020 was a big year for our website. We ended up having 4x more website sales than we did in 2019… completely making up for the lack of in person markets. As Kevin and I boxed up orders to be shipped all over the country, and sometimes to other countries, we wondered how many states our soap has visited. How close were we to hitting all 50 states? When the holidays were over, and we were able to breathe, we made a plan to create a visual of all the places we have sent orders over the years. A visual reminder of our growth.

We purchased a map, mounted it to a cork board, and hung it up in the soap facility’s office. We then created a spreadsheet of all the counties and cities we have shipped to over the years. When we switched over to the new website this summer the orders from our first two years in business didn’t transfer, so we were only able to get the shipping locations from the last 5 years. I then placed a pin for the first time we shipped to a county/city. This ended up taking a lot longer than I expected! Over the course of a few days I added pins and watched the map fill in. (Check out the progress video below to watch as I add the pins to the map.)

Of course our home state of Virginia is very nicely filled in and it was really fun to see the little blue pins build up in other states… there are not many blank spaces left in Maryland, and while the states don’t look very full, we ship a lot of orders to California and Ohio (y’all love us in Ohio)! We were very excited find out that we have shipped to 43 different states and the District of Columbia. We would love to continue this growth over the next year and hopefully hit all 50 states!

The States Remaining: Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming

I will share an updated map picture at the end of 2021

This has been a trying time for us all. Truly every one of us. It’s remarkable to think about the magnitude of what we are experiencing right now. As a small business owner, who spends most of my time around other small business owners, I have a very clear picture of how this is affecting our small business community. Most of us are having to figure out an entirely new business plan to continue on and bring in the money we need to support our families. The resilience of this group is amazing. However we all need support from our community to get through this. So when you are shopping (hopefully from home on your couch) consider shopping small. Amazon, Walmart, and Target do not need our help but the small business down the street does.

We will all be getting our stimulus checks soon. Many of us need that check just to pay our bills and purchase our basic necessities, but some still have their jobs and these checks will just be extra income. I suggest that if these checks are “extra” for you that you put the money back into your community and support small businesses.

For those of you who are just getting by right now you can still support small businesses without spending a dime! I have added links to the Facebook and Instagram pages for the businesses below. Go to their pages and follow them, like and comment on their posts, and share their products with your friends and family. Show them love! This sort of support goes a long way and is totally free.

Below I have outlined lots of great small businesses I would love for you to support through this crisis. These are businesses that I have worked with and can vouch for:

Food Hubs: These have been an amazing resource for Virginia farms through social distancing.   They are online systems where farmers list all of their available goods, you place your order, the farmer puts it together and takes it to the delivery location. From there the volunteers or market managers distribute the products… you go to pick up your order, from all the different farms, all together in one place. It’s the farmers market without the crowd. Below I have listed some of the Food Hubs we are working with and suggest you use.

• Fall Line Farms and Local Roots – Dozens of pick up locations in Central VA. Facebook – Instagram
• Kelrae Farm Food Hub – Williamsburg area – Facebook – Instagram
• RVAgriculture – Starting in May – Pick up locations at each of their six Virginia farmers markets. Take advantage of their FREE Two Week Trial by entering “TwoWeekTrial2020” when you join.  Facebook – Instagram

Virginia Small Businesses: I have to start by highlighting the businesses of my own community, Goochland, VA. These individuals are like family… my support system. As you get further down I have highlighted companies I love throughout Central VA. I tried to note if the companies were offering any specials.

• The Freckled Farm Soap Company – Goochland, VA – Goat Milk Soap, Lotion, and Laundry Detergent – We are offering free shipping on all orders $30+ until the farmers markets open back up. If you are local you are can pick up your order from our pick up station in the farm’s driveway. The farm itself however is closed to visitors. Instagram – Facebook
• Grayhaven Winery – Goochland, VA – They offer a drive thru pick up service and free delivery with $60 minimum within 30 miles of the winery. Cost share on shipping in VA. Facebook – Instagram
• Haashrooms – Goochland, VA – Fresh mushrooms, mushroom logs, and products featuring mushrooms. The farm store is always open and they are selling shiitake logs for the next week for $20 apiece. A great project to do with children while they’re out of school. Facebook – Instagram
• Donovan Apiaries – Goochland, VA – Fresh, raw, unfiltered honey – They are offering farm pick ups and local deliveries. Facebook – Instagram
• Peacemeal Farms – Goochland, VA – A diverse homestead with meat and veggie offerings. They also offer classes for tanning hides and butchering occasionally throughout the year. Facebook – Instagram
• Luna Blossom Design – Goochland, VA – Handmade Dog Collars – Facebook – Instragram
• Amanda Miles Photography – Goochland, VA – Portrait Photographer – We love Amanda. We have used her services in the past and when the social distancing is over she is coming out to get family pictures and farm pictures for the business. I am sure the shut down has moved most, if not all, of her current bookings back, so make sure you contact her so you can get on her schedule before she books up for the year! Facebook – Instagram
• River Road Cottage – Goochland, VA – Adorable gift shop in Goochland Courthouse. You can shop virtually on their Facebook page until everything opens back up. Facebook – Instagram 
• Courthouse Creek Cider – Goochland, VA – Order Bella Vita, GF beer, or any of their other all-natural ciders by emailing Liza at cider@courthousecreek.com. Pickup is available at the farm every day from 9am-4pm or Scott’s Addition every Thursday from 4-8pm. Local delivery is also available and free with a 2 bottle minimum purchase – Facebook – Instagram
• Brookstone Buildings – Goochland, VA – Sheds and buildings – They are open and can take orders online or over the phone if necessary. You can visit their lots and shop from inside your vehicle as well. (As many of you know we are in the process of building a new soap facility. This is where our building came from! We are so pleased with it.) – Facebook
• Bandit’s Ridge – Goochland, VA – A wonderful little place to hold events… when they start holding events again. Facebook – Instagram
• The Estate at River Run – Goochland, VA – They have specials for people still looking to do events in 2020 – Facebook – Instagram
• Virginia Free Farm at Spotted Pig Holler – Kent’s Store, VA –  Non-Profit Homestead Farm in Central Virginia – Facebook – Instagram
• Laura Botanicals – Richmond, VA – Herbalist – Her zoom meeting community gathers 5 PM every Sunday (EST), folks purchase series of 4 sessions at a time for $100. This price also includes 1 herbal consultation (45 minute focus 1:1 call valued at $45) booked with her over email upon payment of invoice, a 20% online shop discount, mailed herbs for at home projects, emailed worksheets to compliment the weekly learning sessions, access to a private group on FB AND unlimited email support for any and all questions personal health related or otherwise. Facebook – Instagram
• Josh’s Jungle – Richmond, VA – Pepper infused salts – Facebook – Instagram 
• Lesley’s Garden – Westmoreland, VA – I adore this produce company. They are next to me at South of the James Farmers Market. They are wonderful people with a diverse produce farm. Facebook
• Black Boar Farm – Center Cross, VA – Pork and Honey Products – Facebook
• Earth’s Echo Farm – Fredericksburg, VA – Grass-fed grass-finished beef, pasture raised chicken, and eggs – Facebook – Instagram 
• Just Bee Kind – Appomattox, VA – Honey products and eggs – Facebook
• Bon Air Naturals – Bon Air, VA – Bath Bombs and other soap products – Facebook – Instagram
• Teething Around – BPA Free: Bibs, teethers, pacifier clips, necklaces, rattles, rings, + More – Facebook – Instagram
• Thinking Of You Creations – Henrico, VA – Baked goods and granola – Facebook – Instagram
• Owl Spoon Water Kefir – Richmond, VA – Water Kefir – Facebook – Instagram
• Chestnut Ridge Farms – Blue Grass, VA – Pasture raised beef and pork – Facebook – Instagram
• Evolutions Salon – Midlothian, VA – They are are offering a $125 gift certificate for $100! Email them to take advantage of this offer. Kendall has cut my hair forever. Facebook
• Studio Jane – Richmond, VA – Jewelry – Offering 20% off – Facebook
• Adam Goldsmith Photography – Richmond, VA – Fine Art Photography – Facebook – Instagram
• Itty Bitty Press – Richmond, VA – Graphic Design – Facebook – Instagram
• Nicole Lee Designs – Richmond, VA – Bags and pouches – Facebook – Instagram 
• Phoenix Handcraft – Richmond, VA – Blacksmith and mosaic artist – Facebook – Instagram 
• Prayer Monkey – Richmond, VA – Enameled housewares, art, and jewelry – Facebook – Instagram
• Shade Metals – Richmond, VA – Silver and gold jewelry that replicates the botanical world. Facebook – Instagram

Please visit the websites of these awesome small businesses, follow their social media pages, and purchases their products when you can! Thank you!

We just closed out the weirdest month in the history of our company. Every company in the entire world is probably saying the same thing though.

We keep very meticulous records of where our sales come in each month… web sales, wholesale, or “in person” retail sales (farmers markets and craft shows). This helps us when it comes time to submit sales tax but it also helps us plan for the future. At the beginning of the year we set a goal of growth in each of these categories and make plans for reaching a sales goal each month. From year to year March is a relatively slow month for us. We didn’t have extremely high expectations for last month, but as craft shows around the state started to postpone and we finally got word that our farmers market (the largest part of our income) was closing for the foreseeable future we were faced with trying to recover all that loss in a different way and all the sudden these “low expectations” seemed like an impossible hurtle. It was completely overwhelming, but it forced us to think fast and adapt. We decided to lower our threshold for free shipping to help our customers who usually pick up their soap directly from us at the market, so they could still get what they need without the additional cost of shipping. We also started focusing extremely hard on our social media. This event shone a huge light on the areas in which we had become complacent. We were comfortable with our markets. Posting on social media a few times a week had been enough to bring in a steady trickle of web orders. We got into our routine that was predictable. We could depend on it, plan around it, and we had no reason to deviate from it. We were just… comfortable. This virus took all of that away in so many different ways, as it did for each and every person in the world. Like everyone we had to change the way we do everything; personally and professionally.

When it came to the business, looking at our numbers, I didn’t think there was any way we would make up for the lost markets… but then you guys stepped up. You supported us and guess what… We reached our overall goal for the month of March. I still can’t believe it! We have the most amazing customers. We cannot thank you enough! You made up for the loss of three missed farmers markets and for a large portion of the stores/businesses that carry our soap temporarily shutting down. Now we are moving forward… April and May are two of our four biggest months each year (December and November being the other two). Normally, all of our markets are starting back up, the weather tends to be amazing, and people are ready to get out after a long winter. Looking at the situation as it stands now I think it is doubtful that we will be back at the markets until mid-June. It’s for the best, safety and the health of community absolutely comes first. We don’t expect to totally make up for the loss of the markets like we did in March (because it is the loss of two big markets each weekend, not just one), it feels like too much of a mountain to climb, but we are going to continue to work hard and try to get there. We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received so far and hope you will continue to come to us when we you are in need of soap, lotion, and laundry detergent.

We are hoping to continue to offer additional ways to pick up our soap as we learn to navigate this new (temporary) normal. If you are local you are welcome to pick up your website order from our pick up station in the farm’s driveway (we are not allowing anyone to visit the animals at this time) and we will continue to provide free shipping on all orders $30+ until the markets open back up. We are still stocking our soaps at Ellwood Thompson’s, the Short Pump Whole Foods, and Union Market. Our products are available to order every weekend on Fall Line Farms. It’s a great way to pick up all your farmers’ market needs in one place without the crowds. Starting in May RVAgriculture is offering an online marketplace for all six of their Central VA farmers’ markets (Manakin, Cumberland, Goochland Courthouse, Powhatan, Midothian’s Urban Farm House and On the Square in Richmond). It is run on the same system as Fall Line Farms. You place your order, vendors drop the filled orders off to the market managers, then you pick up everything from the market manager at your chosen market. We will return to South of the James when all of this has passed and we are back to our normal schedule. We do not know how the Charlottesville City Market is handling markets at this time, but I know they are working on a plan.

For the time being we are not participating in markets that require the vendor to come in direct contact with customers. As of right now our whole family is healthy and we are taking extreme precautions to stay that way. If we get sick the farm and all of our animals still need to be taken care of (about eight hours of farm chores are required each day) and Kevin’s asthma puts him at a higher risk. Also, if we get sick we have to shut the business down (web orders and all) until our ability to spread the virus has passed and to say we can’t afford to do that is an understatement… so we just can’t get sick (knock on wood). We will continue to keep everyone informed. Please stay healthy and take care of yourselves… and wash your hands!

Finally, keep an eye out! We will be posting a blog in the next week or so outlining how you can support some of our favorite local small businesses (any specials they are offering and how you can get their products). We are living in a really weird situation right now but we are all in this together.