TLC Farms Goat Milk Soap - Buying Local

Up until recently, I had been supplying all our soap needs at our local farmers market. The bad news is that the soap vendor hasn't been at the market since the summer. The good news is I SERIOUSLY stocked up. But come December, we were down to our last bar and it was time to start looking into other possibilities. Enter TLC Farms. 

Located about 40 miles north of town, TLC Farms has been raising goats since 1992. What started out as a few pets quickly became a hobby, and in 2002 owners Tom and Caroline Lawson began selling goats milk soap. The business took off. They now have an entire line of bath and body products including lotions, salves, and (obviously) soap. 

When I first noticed TLC Farm's soaps in our local natural food store, I was faced with a dilemma:  the soaps are wrapped in plastic. Oh, what to do... what to do? I love buying locally, but I am also trying to cut out packaging.

So I did what any earth-loving, hippy chick would do in this situation: I emailed the farm. I explained that I am on a quest to purchase local items, but that I also was trying to reduce waste. I asked if there was a way to either 1) order the soaps directly from them without packaging; or 2) buy from our local food store and return the packaging to the farm for reuse.

Caroline responded quickly letting me know that the packaging was actually not plastic, but rather cellophane and completely biodegradable. Seriously? I didn't know that. But yes, indeed! When I looked it up, cellophane is completely biodegradable. Yes! I can just toss them in my compost pile. Woohoo! I started to do a little happy dance, but when the animals started to look at me like I'd finally lost it, well... what do they know anyway?

So upon my next visit to Brazos Natural Foods, I bought two bars of TLC Farm's soaps. Talk about a win-win situation! I'm supporting a local farm, I'm supporting a local business, and something tells me Mother Earth is happy about this too. And all I had to do was ask.

Be sure to check out the TLC Farm website to find out more about their wide range of products (they make great gifts). If you order from the farm and don't want the packaging, be sure to ask for "naked" soaps in the comment section of the order form. 

Have a great day everyone and don't forget to BUY LOCAL!