The Winters Moon story all grew out of a life style for my family.
I’ve always loved goats – oh, ok, I’m addicted to all critters! I had fallen in love with dwarf goats when visiting zoos and started researching their background. Dwarf goats first came to the U.S. from Africa in 1959 to be part of the zoos here. Goats are believed to be among the earliest domesticated animals and were needed for their milk, skins and meat. They are now raised as companions, 4-H livestock projects, educational exhibits at zoos, used as ecologically effective browsers, and even as providers of milk for today’s smaller homesteads. They are alert and playful, and are very people oriented. For several years I kept hinting to the family that what I really wanted for Christmas was a pet
Pygmy goat. Finally Santa heard my heart whispers and the quest was on. We discovered that goats are herd creatures and they are not happy by themselves so my one goat became two. Then we discovered how few goat kids are available in December so my stocking that year was filled with the receipt from a goat breeder that I had my pick of his spring kids. That winter was filled with the excitement of building what my neighbors called the Taj Mahal for goats. Our set up is really not that fancy, but folks in Walnut Cove were often not used to goats being given more than a rope and a stakeout or, at best, a pasture filled with cows and other farm animals. That spring we brought home two wonderful bouncing kids.
Then we made a trip that would forever change our lives. We went to an official sanctioned show of registered
Pygmy goats that was being held in Pennsylvania. The day was included as part of a family vacation and thankfully we had not taken our goats as, though they were registered, looked nothing like these extremely short, wide, muscular little goats who were so obedient in the show ring! That weekend we bought our first show quality goat and, having no carrier with us, brought him home on the lap of two excited girls in the back seat, with a pamper to protect them and the car.
We spent the next 15 years traveling to several states each year showing goats and building a very nice herd of competitive
Pygmy goats under the herd name of “Lily Valley.” We chose that herd name because we had used day lilies so extensively in our landscaping and our yard slopes into a little valley in the back. As my daughters grew up (and out of 4H) our interests began to move out of the show ring and in to more practical use of our goats. We now raise both Nigerian Dwarf and Mini-Nubian goats (Mini-Nubians are smaller versions of those cute long-eared goats).
The goats have given us special gifts that we believe need to be shared with others so they might also experience the joy and pleasure of these wonderful little creatures. In this hustle-and-bustle world, it is easy to miss out on the things that are really important – things like the love, sharing and simple pleasures derived from our dwarf goats. Today there is a term called “biophilia” which literally means the “love of living things”. It describes what scientists believe are our inborn needs to connect with plant and animal life. Scientists are now recognizing that nature offers not only an outlet for recreation, but also a ticket to joy and inner peace, a remedy for stress, and a possible cure for burn out. Funny, isn’t it – the scientists are just beginning to understand what critter owners and gardeners have known for a long time.
As we began to learn about the fantastic qualities of goats milk and especially the soap, we decided to learn more about the age old craft of soaping. We were already growing most of our own herbs and our goats have thrived on the natural, organic way of life. Our crafting began as a hobby for our own use and for gift giving. As we shared our soaps, hand and body lotions, bath salts, and other herbal delights with our friends we began to get pleas for more We absolutely never tire of hearing folks tell us how once they try it they cannot use any other soap. It makes a difference in the way their skin feels and they like the knowledge they are doing something good for their skin, and they love the natural fragrances available in our products.
Our goat milk soap is a product of a chemical process called saponification which occurs when acids (in the form of vegetable oils) are combined with an alkali (a solution of sodium hydroxide and water) and produce a mixture of soap and glycerin. This soap, referred to as “cold processed soap” takes about four weeks to cure (air dry). When the goats milk soap is ready, we shave it into small pieces and add more herbs and essential oils and fragrances to create a pour over solution using the best quality glycerin available. This creates a slippery substance that makes bubbles and makes us clean and smells great! Exactly which oil and herb blends we use and the recipes we have perfected are our family secret, but we have given enough information on our list of soaps available to help folks select one with herbs and oils that they will enjoy.
Did you know that many of the store brands of “soap” are not really soap at all? Look at the label next time you are in the store. On many, the word “soap” is nowhere to be found. The products are often labeled “beauty bar” or “deodorant bar” because they are synthetic detergents. That’s why our soaps do not dry your skin but, instead, help skin to retain its natural moisture.
We use herbs and oils in our products because of the helpful benefits as well as the secrets of plant aromas. Today people are very aware of aromatheraphy benefits both emotionally and physically. Since the sense of smell plays a significant role in overall good health, it makes sense that we should surround ourselves with what makes us feel our best. When essential oils are applied externally they are absorbed by the skin and carried throughout the body. The oils can actually penetrate cell walls and deliver nutrients to the inside of the cells.
Our vision is to keep developing a special place for our family and friends to come and enjoy the goats, the gardens, as well as our herbal products. This adventure has given us the opportunity to educate ourselves more about the benefits of herbs
and goats and to help pass that knowledge along. My personal vision was that when retirement caught up with me, this “old goat” would jump my work day fence right into the goat milk soap business. (Always said I wanted to wear out instead of rust out!) It is even more enjoyable for me since my family is all part of this adventure. Already we have three generations with soapy hands! And to think, all I ever wanted was a little pet goat!
Once retirement did catch up with me, so did a wonderful man named Jim Winters. What a surprise change that brought into my life! It brought the joy of adding more members to the family, the adventures of riding a motorcycle, and so much more. God sure has a way of opening gates for an amazing life path and each time we take that step of faith and walk forward, WOW … We decided that with this family merge we needed to move forward with the freshness of a new farm name. Because my Native American earth name is “Moon Glow”, we chose Winters Moon.
