Have you wanted to set up a display of your products inside of another retail space? This is a great way to gain exposure, sell your products, and reach new customers without the overhead of your own boutique.
Currently I have products in 6 locations outside of my own shop. Each location is unique in it's clientele, but our products compliment each others. At each of these shops, I sell based on a commission and/or rent the space. I have found that each business owner has their own ideas when it comes to the best practices for selling in their store.
Here's some ideas for displaying your products inside of retail stores.
This is my soap display in a local antique store. Here I rent the floor space, and i provided the shelving.
In this local winery, they provided the shelf space. They take a percentage of sales each month.
A table display inside of another local winery. Using crates to add height to the tabletop display.
If you are a handmade maker, I highly recommend trying this out! It has greatly increased my sales and brand recognition!
]]>Wild Carrot, whose scientific name is Daucus Carota, is commonly known as Queen Anne's Lace. A flowering plant that is a member of the carrot family, which includes parsley, parsnip, fennel and angelica.
Where does it grow?
The herb is native to temperate regions of Europe, southwest Asia and naturalized to North America and Australia. Around our farm it grows wild in my flower beds and fields. Cultivated carrots could also have escaped from gardens to become naturalized. Wild carrot now occurs at different levels of weediness in most eastern and southern Canadian provinces and all 48 contiguous states of the USA, with reports also from Alaska and Hawaii
Beware look-a-likes!
It is quite similar in appearance to the deadly poison hemlock. Wild carrot is distinguished by a mix of tri-pinnate leaves, fine hairs on its solid green stems and on its leaves, a root that smells like carrots, and occasionally a single dark red flower in the center of the umbel.
Why is it called "Queen Anne's Lace"?
It is named for Queen Anne of England. It is so called because the flower resembles lace; the red flower in the center is thought to represent a blood droplet where Queen Anne pricked herself with a needle when she was making the lace.
Plant description
Wild Carrot is an herbaceous, biennial plant that can reach a height of 3 feet and a spread 1 foot. It prefers fine-particle soil and a high nutrient status, but endures a wide range of condition. The herb has small and spindle shaped root that is whitish, slender, hard, and resembles a white carrot. Stem is erect and branched, generally about 2 feet high, tough and furrowed. Leaves are bipinnate-pinnatifid in structure Both stems and leaves are covered with stout coarse hairs.
Leaves
Leaves are bipinnate-pinnatifid or pinnate-bipinnatifid in structure; oblong-linear or narrowly rhombic in shape, and sometimes sparsely ciliate along their margins. The upper surface of these leaf segments is light-medium green and glabrous, while the lower surface is light green and glabrous to sparsely hairy. Both stems and leaves are more or less clothed with stout coarse hairs.
The compound umbels of flowers are 2-5 inch across and flat-topped to slightly dome-shaped. Each compound umbel consists of 20-90 umbellets, and each umbellet has 15-60 flowers. Flowering normally takes place from Jun to August.
What is it good for??
Do not take Wild Carrot if you are pregnant or hope to become pregnant in the near future. It may serve as an implantation preventer. The seeds are a beneficial antiseptic diuretic useful in the treatment of cystitis and prostatitis. Also, the seeds are used for the prevention and washing out of gravel and urinary stones. As a diuretic, it helps with dropsy and the elimination of uric acid from the body (thus, used for gout). The seeds, which are high in volatile oil, are soothing to the digestive system, useful for colic and flatulence The root is very high in Vitamin A and minerals. The juice is reputed to have anti-cancer activity. The root helps to expel worms and is an effective antacid for heartburn and gastritis. A poultice of the root is excellent for first aid, especially for itchy skin.
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Carrot seed essential oil can be used as an aromatherapy. It's earthy scent is great for relieving stress and anxiety. Use it in your oil diffuser or mix it with a carrier oil for direct skin use! Here's some benefits of using carrot seed essential oil-
Carrot seed essential oil stimulates the growth of new cells and tissues. The high amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A in carrot oil promote the regeneration of cells.
Antioxidants in this essential oil repair the damages done to your tissues by free radicals and stop them from doing further harm. Antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, and E, work to stabilize these free radicals. Antioxidant molecules will give up an electron to stabilize the free radical without becoming a free radical themselves. These antioxidants protect your skin from wrinkles, keep your hair from graying, your joints from stiffening, your muscles from weakening and your eyesight from declining. They can protect you from macular degeneration, and other problems related to aging.
Carrot seed oil is diuretic. Meaning that it increases urination. Cleaning the kidneys and clearing our renal calculi. Each time you urinate, fat, toxic substances like uric acid and bile, and microbes that cause infections in the urinary system and otherwise, are removed from the body with urine.
Carrot seed essential oils have antiseptic properties and can protect against infections. Topically it is extremely effective in sores, psoriasis, ulcers, and rashes. When ingested, it effectively helps to treat infections of the throat, mouth, colon, stomach, intestines and urinary system.. It is used for the treatment of viral infections of the respiratory system, including bronchitis.
Eases period pains! Making it less painful and more regular. This particularly helps when someone is suffering from irregular or obstructed menstruation.
Carrot seed essential oil stimulates brain functions and nerves, thus making you more alert and active. Stimulates circulation and metabolic functions. Also stimulates the secretion of hormones, enzymes, gastric juices, bile, and the peristaltic motion of the intestines.
Carrot seed oil has the ability to detoxify the blood, tissues, muscles, and internal organs like the liver and kidneys. It eliminates toxins like uric acid from the blood, tissues, muscles, and joints.
Facial Polish - Carrot Extract – Calhoun Farm (calhounfarmstead.com)
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Carrots are a rich source of potassium that helps to hydrate and moisturize skin. Carrot oil moisturizes deep into skin without leaving a greasy residue. Carrot oil contains antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin C, which are all beneficial to the skin. Carrot seed oil can also be used by those with sensitive skin.
Carrot oil contains power antioxidants beta-carotene which helps repair cell damage . Vitamins A and C boost collagen production in the body. Collagen contributes to our skin elasticity and helps prevent wrinkles.
Carrot oil has anti-inflammatory properties, due to high levels of vitamin E. These benefits ease most forms of inflammation on your skin and scalp, including sunburn, dry skin, and some acne.
The linoleic acid content of Carrot oil is another reason this ingredient has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin, helping to calm and soothe sensitive skin.
Carrot oil is helpful with protecting skin from harmful UV rays as they are rich in carotenoids and vitamin A. Carrot oil protects your skin from free radicals. You can make an exfoliating face mask with a carrot to hydrate, soothe, and revitalize your skin.
Vitamin A is beneficial for treating acne. The antibacterial properties of carrot oil can help fight acne. It’s one of the best plant-based facial oils for preventing acne without causing additional breakouts.
Facial Cleanser - Carrot Extract – Calhoun Farm (calhounfarmstead.com)
Comfrey herb has a million uses! Here are 10 great ones to get you started!
Where can you get great comfrey oils and salves? Right here!- Herbal Remedies – Calhoun Farm (calhounfarmstead.com)
]]>What is Drawing Salve?
Drawing Salve is a handy tool to keep in your home first aid kit. It's the kind of product you're happy to have on hand when you need it. Drawing Salve grew in popularity in the 1800's as family concoctions each with a unique recipe. Door to door sales soon began because if the widely known usefulness of these salves and balms.
There are tons of ingredients that have been used in drawing salves. Everything from petroleum products, herbs, clays, and oils. Each offering it's part to add to the effectiveness of the salve or balm.
What is Drawing Salve for?
Drawing Salve is a product that is made to help draw skin impurities, infections, or foreign objects to the surface of the skin where they can be easily removed.
Some of the things that drawing salves have been used for are:
What is in Calhoun Farm Drawing Salve?
Our Drawing Salve takes several months to make! We start with comfrey, calendula, and plantain herbs grown right here on our farm. Each of these herbs are packed with healing properties. These herbs are solar infused over several months in a mix of soothing oils. When the oils are done with their solar infusion, they are strained. We then add activated charcoal and clays. These help with the drawing action of the salve. We also add vitamin E, shea butter for their healing action. And raw honey for it's anti-bacterial properties.
How is Drawing Salve used?
A little bit of drawing salve goes a long way. To use the salve it is best to smear a little dab on the affected area. Then cover with a bandaid or bandage. This will keep the salve from staining any fabric. Keep changing the dressing and re-applying as the salve dries out. Usually multiple applications are needed to pull the skin impurities out, depending on how deep.
How can you get Drawing Salve?
Our Drawing Salve is available in our store and also can be ordered here-
Amish Black Drawing Salve – Calhoun Farm (calhounfarmstead.com)
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It's been a rough year for all moms!
Mother’s Day is a special day for all moms and mom figures. It’s our day to be reminded how much we are appreciated and for us to show our mother’s that we know everything they do for us. Mother's Day Gifts – Calhoun Farm (calhounfarmstead.com)
Mom is always there, silently taking care of everything without notice. Whether your mom is near or far. Show Mom some love with a special gift. We’ve put together our top gifts for Mom. I hope have an amazing Mother’s Day!
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Hay friends! I get TONS of questions about my goats! SO many times people stop me at the farm to find out the answers. Here's some of the most commonly asked ones!-
1. Do goats eat tin cans? Goats DO NOT eat tin cans like you see in movies or read about in fairy tales! Goats DO like to taste things and explore with their lips. Often when they look like they are chewing on a tin can, they are actually pulling off a label or glue on the can, not eating the metal!
2. Why do their eyes look so creepy? Goats have rectangular shaped pupils! This shape helps them see all around them. They have a view of 320 degrees! This helps them see danger that may be lurking in the fields. They also have excellent night vision.
3. Are goats easy to care for? Goats are typically easy to care for. Goats are herd animals and you must keep more than one goat, or else they will be very lonely and naughty! Goats also need proper fencing, good hay, clean water and minerals to be healthy and happy!
4. What snacks do they like? If you'd like to bring a goat snack they love to eat salty, crunchy snacks like fishy crackers, saltines, chips and crackers. The crunchier the better, and only in moderation! Just no chocolate!
5. How many babies do goats have? Here at our farm we have pygmy and nigerian dwarf goats. Typically our goats have 2-4 babies per pregnancy!
6. How old can goats get? Pygmy goats can live 12-15 years. We have a couple old ladies around the farm!
7.How big do goats get? Depending on the breed goats can be very small or very big. Pygmy goats are normally about 35lbs where boar goats can be up to 240lbs!
8. Do girl goats have horns? Yes. Sometimes. Both female and male goats can have horns. Some breeds do not have horns. Sometimes goats can be "polled" which means they have a recessive gene to NOT have horns. Sometimes owners choose to remove goats horns when they are babies in a procedure called "disbudding".
9. What are those things on their necks? Many of my goats have "waddles on their necks. Waddles are fur covered dangles that adorn the neck area of many goats. There is no real purpose for them, but I have heard it could be to help goats escape from predators. They can be pulled of kind of like the tail of a lizard, without harming the animal.
10. Do you sell milk? I do not. While I do milk my goats to make products like soap and lotion, I don't sell the milk to the public. Selling milk requires licenses and inspections that I do not have.
Do you have any questions about my goats? Feel free to send me a message to the farm, and I'll be happy to try to answer for you! Stop by the farm sometime for some goat cuddles and pets!
]]>Goat yoga at Calhoun Farm located in Falls Creek Pennsylvania! Have fun on all fours! Get down and dirty with the baby goats! Every goat yoga class is an adventure!
These classes are so much fun! The baby pygmy goats have a great time climbing and jumping while our yoga attendees are guided through a gentle yoga flow with Gabby Orcutt our resident Goat Yoga Instructor. Each of Gabby's classes are unique experiences and every class is different!
Check out the Calhoun Farmstead Facebook page for upcoming dates and times for goat yoga classes. www.facebook.com/Calhounfarmstead/
Classes are great for beginners and advanced yogis! The goaties don't care what your mat skills are! They just want to cuddle! So come as you are and enjoy the fun!
All ages are welcomed. Bet we ask that children are old enough to participate and be gentle with the goats.
]]>At Calhoun Farm we have an "honor system" farm stand. "How does it work?", you may ask. "Very well!" we would say! It's a great way to serve our local community!
Our farm stand is open all day, every day through the spring, summer and fall. That means that you can come help yourself to any of our farm offerings whenever you like! Located on our farm in Falls Creek PA, where we also offer goat yoga classes, summer festivals, and fun farm events!
What's available at the farm stand? It changes with the seasons but some items you might find are- seasonal local produce, maple syrup, local honey, canned goods, jellies & jams, fresh eggs, goats milk soaps & lotions, and handmade gifts.
Inside the farm stand there are shelves with handmade items, an area to bag your items, and a refrigerator for the eggs and canned goods. All of the items are either made/grown on our farm or locally sourced! Prices are clearly marked for you!
There is a money box mounted to the wall for your payment. Cashless payments may be made via paypal (paypal info is located on the wall). Just be sure to close the door behind you! Our free ranging chickens also enjoy fresh produce and like to make messes inside the farm stand! No chickens allowed inside!
So stop by and check out the ever changing selection at our honor system farm stand!
The farm stand does close Jan 1 - April 1 due to freezing temps and snow.
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