WEBSITE

We now have an offical web page for the farm, soap and candles. It is www.hooverfarms.weebly.com I just listed all my soaps and they are now available for you to purchase. If any one needs a webpage for anything go to www.weebly.com. I found them through the Baking Homesteader and by the way check out her new herb page she also has soap. It is www.wiseleyusedherbs.weebly.com Back to the site it is very easy to use and very easy to list your products for sale. So go on over and check them out. Have a great weekend! From our farm to you Rebekah.

BASIC LOTION RECIPE

This recipe came from http://www.asonomagarden.wordpress.com/
1 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup emulsifying wax
1/4 cup olive oil
24-36 drops essential oil
Melt the emulsifying wax and olive oil together temp will be around 155% set aside Warm water to
125% mix with wax/oil mixture at this point it will turn milky white. Add essential oil. I then put in my blender and blend for a few minutes. Then put in containers of choice. If it does not set up like lotion just reheat in the microwave till hot. Blend again and pour into containers. There are things you can add a little of and will not effect the consistency of the lotion. Some examples are vit. E, glycerin, cocoa butter. Below is a list of oils that can help preserve the life of your natural hand lotion.

Essential oils are the most natural antimicrobials you will find.
Preservatives for Cosmetics by David C. Steinberg, essential oils that have demonstrated antimicrobial activity include;
caraway,
cinnamon,
clove,
cumin,
eucalyptus,
lavender,
lemon,
rose,
rosemary,
sage,
sandalwood
thyme
Grape fruit seed extract
Re-posted from http://www.making-sense-of-scents-aromatherapy.blogspot.com/

Zesty Lemon Soap

Pictures of my latest soap. Zesty Lemon Soap With Lemon Peel. All my soaps are for sale if anyone is interested $3.00 each or 4 for $10.00 If interested you may email me it is on the left side of my blog Thanks. Hope you are all having a great week. From our farm to you Rebekah

ROAD TRIP

Hello everyone, This week held a road trip for the family. On Thursday we set out for Sterling Heights which is a suburb of Detroit. I found a man over there that sells lye for my soap making at a dollar a pound. Which I was paying $6.00 a pound so big difference. We were able to see the bridge which takes you into Canada so the kids thought that was pretty neat. After our 2 plus hours to get there we headed back South an hour to the candle supply store to pick up fragrances for soap and candles. By now the guys were having a grand time. Really they were pretty good about it but you will see why they were. This trip was not only for me there was something in it for them. We then headed south 30 minutes to Dundee where we at a great pizza buffet. Then on to Cabelas for the guys shopping. My daughter had a great time taking pictures of all the animals and the guys were able to find a few things they needed. So we left around 8:30 a.m. and returned home around 5:30 p.m. a long day but lots of fun. Hope everyone has a great weekend! From our farm to you Rebekah

WOOD CUTTING

Well wood cutting was the name of the game here on the farm today. Me, the Son and Hubby went to cut today. We were able to cut a truck and trailer load. Lots of wood to help keep us warm. The guys just got done unloading it all and son is off to take care of a raccoon at the neighbors. My daughter is not feeling well today. She seems to be running a low grade fever hope it goes away quick and no one else gets it. We have chores and 4-H meeting so the day is far from done. Wanted to let everyone know I have a new blog it is www.homesteadsoapandcandles.blogspot.com. I will post ideas links and tips there for candle and soap making. I will not post there as often as I do here. I mostly wanted to do it as a reference and information page. Another reason is I don't want to junk our family and farm blog up with that stuff all the time. As I said on the blog please be patient with me as it will take some time to get it all together. Hope you can all check it out. From our farm to you Rebekah

HOW THE SOAP TURNED OUT

Below are pictures of my latest soap. As you can see it turned out great. The peppermint did not set up like I wanted so I grated and redid it. It still turned out great. They all smell wonderful. I really feel the orris root helps hold the smell. The second bonus about the orris root is I don't feel you need to use as much scent. Enjoy the pictures and have a great night. From our farm to you Rebekah.

The front soap on the left is cool citrus basil with basil leaves, on the right is peppermint with peppermint candy. In the back on the left is cucumber melon with dill weed, on the right is warm vanilla sugar with raw sugar for scrubbing.

Granola

Well today I'm making granola. My son loves yogrut and granola. The yogrut turned out great yesterday. I have 2 gallons and one quart. I will share my recipe for granola.
4c.oats
2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 cup honey or brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or butter
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. vanilla
You can add whatever else you like. We put fruit of our choice in our own bowls when we eat. Other ideas are coconut, nuts, or sunflower seeds. If you use coconut or sunflower seeds cook it with the granola. Bake at 250% till browned.
Have a great day. From our farm to you Rebekah.

Yogurt and Butter

Well today I'm making yogurt and butter. The butter is all done and was great on my crackers. The yogurt is cooling then into the cooler for 12 hours and you got yummy homemade yogurt. The best part is it is from my own raw milk. I feel so blessed to be able to do all the things I do. I will share my yogurt recipe,super easy.
8 cups milk
1/4 cup plain gelatin to an 1/8 cup this depends how thick you want it.
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sweetener note if you want plain omit the vanilla and sugar.
1/2 yogurt starter just yogurt from the store then you can use your own once you make it.
2 quart jars
Heat your milk to 185% take off heat add gelatin, sugar, vanilla. Bring the temperature down to 110%. Add your yogurt starter. Then you will need to incubate yogurt for 12 hours. The temperature for incubation has to be kept between 90 to 110%. I do mine in a cooler filled with hot water to the rims of jars.
Have a great day and if you try this let me know how it turns out. From our farm to you. Rebekah

SOAP AND MORE SOAP

Well today I took my hand at soap making again. I found a recipe that makes just 8 bars. I love it cause I can try new things and if I don't like it I only have eight bars. The kinds I did today is cool citrus basil with basil leaves, cucumber melon with dill weed, peppermint with candy cane pieces, warm vanilla sugar with sugar for scrubbing. If anyone would like to try it the recipe is as follows:
2 cups lard
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbs Vaseline I used cocoa butter
1 cup milk or water
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs lye
dissolve lye in water get temp around 110% then warm first three ingredients to 110%.
Pour oil mixture into lye stir till trace or it looks like thick pudding. Then add fragrance and any other additives you want to. Pour in to molds and unmold in 24 hours. I do not insulate my soap. I also use orris root in my soap it is considered a fixative and helps hold the scent in.
Hope everyone is having a great Sunday. From our farm to you Rebekah