Our new Soap Line!

 

With the last batch made, completing 24 scents of our Homemade Soap! Getting back to one of my true loves, soap making! 

Each bar contains Olive, Coconut, Palm and Soybean Oils! They are soft and high in lather as well. Each smells amazing but not too over powering. Each bar is weighed at over 4 ounces at the cut to allow for drying. 

All kinds of designs, colors and scents. This is Witches Brew just in time for the season! We have holiday scents as well. 

Like little soldiers they have been lined up curing and getting ready to go.

(Pictured Amber in front and Candy Cane in back)

Each batch is 8 pounds so you can imagine that we have a lot of soap on hand!

(Pictured from bottom up, Witches Brew, Confetti, Rainbow, Cafe Latte and Lemon Poppyseed at the top)

We also have pre-packaged Soap Balls to fill a soap dish or a great gift idea as we get ready for Holiday Shopping! These are available in the scents listed below or in assorted packages too! This year give a purposeful gift from a small business!
 

 Available Soap Scents

Amber                                     Lavender Fields         

Bergamot Black Tea                       Lavender Mint

Beach                                      Lemon Poppyseed

Café Latte                                  Oatmeal, Milk & Honey

Candy Cane (Peppermint)                 Pumpkin Spice                                                        

Cardamom Chai                            Rain  

Christmas Spice                            Rainbow

Coconut Paradise                           Rose Garden

Confetti                                      Sage & Lemongrass

Cranberry Pomegranate                    Strawberry Fields

Dragon’s Blood                             Vanilla Swirl

Honeysuckle Citrus                         Witches Brew

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Soap Bars (4 oz)                       $6.00 each or 2 for $10.00

Soap Balls (pack of 10 - 1 oz balls)   $12.00

Felted Soap (asst scents)              $8.00 each

These can be purchased from here at the farm or check our upcoming events. You can also give us a call on our farm line @ 203-881-1986 or email us@ CoonHollowFarm@aol.com. We can provide shipping too!

 

Making Rainbow Soap!!!

I have been wanting to make Rainbow Soap for a long time. I just love rainbow's with 6 colors or 7 colors, it doesn't matter. After the past year that we all have had, we can use some rainbows in our lives. 

I have stalked Youtube videos, soap groups just to figure out how I was going to do this. I wanted straight bands and was worried about each color blending. The secret was to mix each color separately of course but it was all in the trace. Blending it to a very thick trace was the trick. What is a trace you must be asking yourself? It is bringing just blended soap to a thick consistently,  I marked each mold a half and inch times 6. I would have loved to do the actual 7 colors of a true rainbow but it was hard to divide 3 inches by 7 and easier to do it by 6. The soap was beyond what it should be as far as thickness without seizing to a solid blob. I gave this so much thought before attempting it. I ran it through my head over and over again, and then went for it starting with purple and working my up through the rainbow.

Even the clean up after the process was a cheery rainbow over colors. 

Coming up with a scent was given a lot of thought until I saw a soap company that had a scent called "Rainbow". I ordered it and was amazed that someone actually made a scent that was cheery and fun. The soap set really quickly and I was worried, however each color pour didn't seem to blend and I knew I was close as far as success goes. Every process is a learning curve and then once in a while you just nail it and I did!

The 24 hours waiting for it to saponify was hard. I was full of anticipation and couldn't wait. Luckily I had to go to work for a few hours but when I came home I went right to it! I was so pleased when I took it out of the molds and then when I made the first cut, my results were perfect!
 

Just like little rainbow soldiers in a row! Now to put them away for a couple of weeks to cure and be ready to go! We have 24 different scents of soap and will be available at different shows that we will be at listed on our side bar!

 

How does that chicken color the egg?

I borrowed this picture from online just to show just a few of the different colors of eggs produced by different breeds of hens.  

 

Egg colors come in a variety of colors as seen on this wheel of eggs that I took of some of the colors our hens produce. 

The eggs we sell are always a selection from different breeds.

So how does the chicken make their eggs a certain color? As the egg moves down the oviduct a few things can happen depending on the breed. The egg moves down and squeezes against glands. These glands then produce the color. If the egg stays stationary for too long it will be spotted. The pigment can permeate the shell in some cases, but in other cases like the Black copper Maran chicken, it simply coats the outer part of the shell in the deep rich brownish red color. Chickens have been bred and cross bred for years to get these effects in color. White eggs will be white all the way through, browns are white inside, blues are all the way through and green are blue on the inside but green on the outer part of the shell! So all in all, it depends on the breed, the pigment the chicken produces and the age of a chicken can also be a factor. A chicken could loose her "tint" as she gets older. 

 This egg is interesting, at first I thought she ran out of color but under quick inspection, there is a build up of calcium around part of it and can be easily chipped off. This could be from her getting too much calcium but who knows. 

Playing the Tom or Hen game!

I have fallen completely in love with the Royal Palm breed! They are a passive, gentle breed and pleasing beautiful to look at and just watch which is what I find myself doing constantly! This fine fellow who we are calling "Strutter", because we see him often displaying his tom strutting routine and gobbling. You can also tell by the snood which is that flap of skin on the top of the upper mandible of the beak. As he grows this skin will change colors with his mood. His feet are also about twice the size of the others. 

Raising these birds has been a learning experience for sure.

I have also learned to never put the camera away too quick because right after I took this picture, "Strutter" displayed his beautiful tail feathers and puffed up, but by the time I got my phone back out it was all over!

This one I have most definitely confirmed is a hen. "Strutter" likes to show off for her. What I am finding interesting is she has more black in her feathers than he does. She's not a plain jane at all.

 They have discovered this piece of fencing that we separate the young birds from the older one as they grow out. This is a fun congregation spot for the turkeys but the chickens have discovered it as well. We did have another piece of fencing above it but took it down as we were often finding the turkeys trying to climb it. So at this point we have either 2 toms and 2 hens or 1 tom and 3 hens. That 4th bird is giving me some trouble trying to determine exactly what it is, but when it's ready to reveal itself as to if it's a tom or a hen I will know at that time!

Another live and learn...

To say that we learn from our mistakes is an understatement! Especially when it costs you in a sad way. Over time we have always used this bird fencing medium over our chicken and turkey run.

And for whatever reason I bought this this year, a wider cotton type fencing to drape over the current fencing on top for extra protection. This decision cost me big in the loss of a sweet little turkey, Ricardo Shilly Shally. On a tragic day I came home to find that he had gotten the draping down by knocking the chair over and getting his head stuck in it and then twisted until he strangled himself. That baby we raised from an egg, he struggled the first few weeks but did well later only to have this happen. I am beyond heartbroken at this loss.

 Everything was removed and new smaller gauge fencing has been replaced as this was a huge learning lesson and I still don't know what I was thinking! The safety of each and every being on this farm is so important to us. This was definitely a live and learn...

It's never easy to say goodbye...

Today we said goodbye to our beautiful sweet "Teddy". He has been in declining  health in his old age, suddenly collapsed and passed very quickly. We named him Teddy because he reminded us of Teddy Ruxpin. Those soul full eyes would just stare at you and kiss your soul. He always kept the peace in our flock. He was just the kindest soul. 

Teddy came to live with us in the Spring of '08. We purchased him with 3 others who were inseparable. 

Those eyes!

Sadly as he was passing Norman and Awan would not leave his side. Even after he passed they would not leave him. His passing is such a huge loss for us here. Every so often a beautiful soul touches your world, for us it was Teddy.

 

Trying something new!

For the life of me I just don't know how chickens do it, but they get their eggs so dirty! No matter how clean you keep that coop, change the straw, they still manage to get a mess going! I did some research on how to build something but Tim is just too busy to get it done these days. I found these inexpensive egg laying trays on line and gave them a try.

The eggs roll down into the trap and they are protected from not getting dirty or eaten by the chickens. We do have a couple of annoying "egg eaters" that I would love to strangle these days! They have to be kept in an angled position but do seem to be doing the trick.

 After a couple of hours I went to check and was pleased with the results. These will do just fine until we can get a door built on the coop and build some egg boxes and trays. They are saving time in cleaning the eggs or rejecting them all together. 

They are growing and growing and...

Ricardo Shilly Shally is growing and holding it's own! Since we still don't know if we have a Ricardo or a Ricarda, we are just so happy to see it thriving and growing. This was the only one that hatched for us, so it has taken a special place in our hearts. This poor baby had a touch and go beginning but still comes through every day stronger and more determined. Sadly it managed to break it's middle toe and I'm not sure how but it makes it easier to identify as they all grow. 

The tail feathers are coming in nicely. I can't wait to see how these Royal Palms grow and come into color. 

 These three may very well be hens or also known as jenny's when they are younger. The coloring is coming on them too. Just a stunning breed and can't wait for them to get bigger. They are beginning to settle down and get excited with all kind of vocalizations when I come into feed. 

Getting back to an Old Passion

Sometimes you have to go on a journey to come home! A long time ago, before we started the farm, we ran a small soap making companies. We did fairs and I taught it as well. Between raising two kids, working full time, running a household and all the other crazy things I seem to get caught up in, soap making was my passion. This passion went on for a long time until I found myself competing against my students which is mostly what happens all the time right?! My son and I were once at a fair and he was admiring some Strawberry soap (his favorite) and the woman was rude to us. We walked away completely dumbfounded and asked each other what we thought about that. As we went through the fair, he just couldn't stop thinking about that soap. We returned to her booth only for her to apologize and state that she was a former student of mine and was embarrassed that she had taken some of my ideas. We bought the soap and went on my way and I was still a bit surprised.

At the Holidays my husband bought me some new molds that were a complete game changer! He also bought me a new cutting box and blade. They sat in the box until I came across them one day and created a batch. Also I have been looking at some of the soap supply companies at the new and techniques that are out there. Sometime back I was experimenting with mica colorants too. Well lets say I am back to my old friend, soap making! Above are some of the scents and colors I have been using.  

This fun one was my favorite, Pumpkin Spice. As I am returning to Soap Making, I am bringing back my signature Soap Balls. In the late 1990's I was the only one doing this. I would do shows with graduated boxes. Customers could mix and match my soap balls to put in their soap dishes! 

Sage and Lemongrass! I wish this had a scratch and sniff! Such subtle scents of each combined to make a beautiful relaxing scent.

Dragon's Blood Soap with multiple mica colorants and it smells amazing! I walked into my house after I made this and couldn't believe how amazing it smelled !

Rose Petal Soap reminds me of my Grandma.

Lavender Fields forever!

 My most exciting new feature to my old design is using burlap around my soaps! I went into my stash room and found a 10 yard roll of it! I cut strips to wrap my soap to preserve the labels. Soap will sometimes sweat and this helps to save the labels! So as we push through summer here the house smells amazing! Many of what I have made is curing but will be ready for the upcoming fall season with some shows we are working on! 

Movin' on up!

With a stretch of cooler weather it was time for the turkeys to move up to the coops. Let's just say it did not go as smoothly as we would have liked. Did you know turkeys vomit when they are stressed out? I took 2 and Tim took 3! By the time we were at the coop they were going in, well lets just say a change of clothes was necessary.

There was also some pooping going on, lets just say it was a both ways transfer! Their bottoms got a bit dirty. They adjusted quickly though and seemed to like their new surroundings. We put a hardware cloth barrier between them so they can acclimate to the other chicks as they become familiar with their surroundings. 

 Little Ricardo Shilly Shally is growing like a weed and is just the cutest thing! By my next post of them they will all be double in size!

Using Colorants in Soaps

 

I've struggled with soap colorants for years. You would order them, the company would guarantee them, some would work and some would not, until I discovered Mica colorants! These are natural colorants, not chemical! Mica is a mineral that does not break down in the chemical change of soap in the process of saponification. It's a translucent mineral that in some cases, is dyed but holds that color in the harshest of soap making processes!

                                     

I did a layer method here that I was very pleased with. This is a Lavender Soap made with Lavender essential oil and a Lavender Mica. I am so pleased with the way this soap came out!

The cherry on the top of my changes to soap making also comes with this cutter! It's a game changer on how the process can be efficient and uniform in cutting my bars! Of course I would love to get one of those nice multi wire ones but for now this one is just fine! At the perfect setting it cuts a 4 oz bar perfectly!

We are Turkey obsessed!

To say I am obsessed is an understatement! These little ones have my heart! I have read and researched everything I can find on the Royal Palm turkey breed. Most importantly that they are a Heritage breed and of special concern. The breed is classified as being on the "watch" list with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. So, making sure we get this right is the greatest concern to us.  

The chick we hatched is the smallest one in the picture, or little "Ricardo Shilly Shally". Not sure what sex it is yet.

 Soon it will be time to head out to the coop as they begin to round their 6 week mark. They have been taken off the heat lamp and just have their "Chick Plate" to keep them warm as their feathers are coming in beautifully. So far at least 2 are acting like Toms, but we shall see! 

Moving on to new equipment...

Soap making after 25 plus years has really evolved and so has the equipment. I recently gave away all my old molds after I tried these new molds with silicone liners! No more lining my liners with parchment paper that would leave creases in my soaps, a pain to pull off and just not my idea of how I wanted my soaps to look. I was gifted these and wow! You literally turn them inside out and your soap comes out smooth and amazing! 

I did a test batch with this Oatmeal, Milk and Honey soap. My soap recipe makes 8 pounds. It filled two molds and about a third of the other which I will use for soap balls. 

Wax paper over it to keep the heat in as it saponifies, which is a fancy word for saying the fats and the lye water have to come together and make soap through a chemical change, but when they do, you get soap!

 I added an old towel to help hold in the heat and in a few days, we have soap! I wish this blog had a scratch and sniff option because it smells amazing!

So what was in that incubator?

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So our incubator experience turned out to be quite a disaster. In the first week our incubator failed causing me to call my friend and run to her house at 10:30 at night to borrow hers. All she had was a small mammal one available so I transferred the eggs into that and hoped for the best. I struggled to keep the humidity just right. The best was far from what happened here but we did have some success. These chicks are above are Black Copper Marans that hatched.

However, this is what we were going for, out of 6 eggs, we only had this single Royal Palm turkey hatch. This is Ricardo Shilly Shally! This little turkey poult is currently growing up with the chicks and is a bit of a special friend. I haven't been able to figure out why I constantly find it on it's side but everyday it's growing stronger, eating better and doing well. The falling over is less so fingers crossed!

So our dream to have Royal Palm turkeys came with the help of Daisy Knoll Farm who answered my million questions, was beyond patient and were very helpful too! So we now have 6 of these beautiful 3 week old turkey poults! With fingers crossed we are hoping they all do well, even Ricardo!