Dallas County
All
Natural Hand Crafted Products
The
Simple Story as
told by Laura Spencer
In today’s society, “simple living” is almost a lost art.
The old fashioned ideas of backyard chickens for eggs, dairy goats, home grown
meat, and clotheslines are typically not convenient for most Americans. A
few years ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to become a full time wife
and mother. That is when my family was able to begin our adventure to
living life as naturally as possible, with simple, homesteading mindset.
Making soap with goat milk produced on our farm has been part of
this adventure. I first started soap making strictly for our personal
use. This was one more thing I could permanently cross off my Wal-Mart
list! However, after sharing bars with my friends, and them sharing with
their friends, I found myself taking orders for more soap. From there, I
began researching body creams and lip balms using many of the same natural soap
making ingredients that I keep on hand.
I have enjoyed making, and using, these natural products. I
am aware that it would be much easier to go to Wal-Mart and buy a 3-pack of
whatever soap is on sale and be finished. I wouldn’t have to bother with
early morning milking, or the occasional kick! But, the rewards of
knowing that I am using chemical free soap, and especially feeling the positive
difference in my skin, makes it worth all the trouble. After all, I said
life was “simple”, not easy!
Laura uses all natural products – containing beeswax, natural
butters and oils, and goat milk. Candles and body butters are complete in
a matter of hours, but soap can take up to 3 months before reaching
perfection. Laura attended soap making classes at Camp
McDowell’s Folk
School in Walker County.
She loves knowing that her products are as useful to others as they are to her
family, and that they are not harmful to skin or to the environment.
Besides showing her work at Black Belt Treasures, Laura’s
products are also available at Mark’s Mart in Selma,
and Jim’s Little Store in Marion.