Last Saturday, the crew went to Seven Springs Resort to witness the Mother of all Homesteading-type trade shows, the Mother Earth News Fair.

Hundreds of vendors with thousands of products, ideas, and knowledge.

As a first timer, I had no idea what I would be in for and I can’t wait to attend next year. I learned so much and found so many amazing products. I wanted to share them all with you.

Hydrosols. I now want a still in the worst way. Most people think of alcohol, but I think of essential oils and hyrosols. What is a hydrosol? Think of rose water or even witch hazel. You can make your own! Yes, there are ways to do it without fancy copper stills and Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde glass wares, but don’t you want to look cool doing it? I overheard a conversation that talked about fragrant flower preservation. If the flower is ready to be used and you are a little busy, don’t freeze them. Freezing them can cause them to lose their smell. Instead, crush them in a mortar and pestle with some salt. They’ll preserve just fine and when you are ready to use them, the salt isn’t part of the final product because, as the water evaporates, the minerals (or salt) is left behind. Cool stuff!

Night predators. If, like me, you need to safeguard your animals with night protection, they make these little contraptions with beady red lights that look like predators and keep other predators away. They are solar powered and catch other animals off guard. How neat is that?

Wool Dryer Balls. When someone says their wool dryer balls come from their sheep, you open up your wallet and scream, “take my money!” It’s so hard to find authentic ones that aren’t bleached. The best part? They were pre-scented in lavender. Another cool tip? When you are ready to refill it with more essential oil, use a pipette. It helps penetrate deep down into the dryer ball and helps with a longer lasting scent. And, you won’t have the transfer of oils to your clothes issue. WIN!

Lamb (Sheep) Cheese. It never occurred to me that this was a thing. THIS IS A THING! A delicious, delicious thing. A very expensive, and yet, delicious thing!

Cultured Butter. Butter made out of heavy whipping cream is not the same as cultured butter. Apparently, it enraptures the tastebuds, begging for more. Oh, and they make modern day churners… WHHHHHAAAAAT?!?! If I had the money, I would have given them every last penny for one. So beautiful and elegant. Also, so easy to do! Heavy cream and some creme fraiche. Or, if you are like me, you can make your own with cream and kefir grains. A food processor will whip anything into butter as well. I can’t wait to try this!!!

Fermented Bevvys. I learned the my Kefir water gets super fizzy because the neck of the bottle allows it to do so. If you put your Kefir water into a mason jar after first fermentation, it will hold up very well after you put it in the fridge. It’s not as fizzy, but it’s a cheaper alternative for storage.

Everything Soap. There were a lot of soap vendors, but everyone thought their products were of the highest dollar (I don’t blame them for thinking this way). However, the audience this fair attracts is people who can usually do it themselves or are looking for the better deal. Sorry, I am not spending $14 on a bar of everything soap if I have all of these soap making ingredients at home. Although, the concept is marvelous. And the people were so nice! And I am now inspired to make my own!

CBD Oil. I took a shot of it. My achy feet were achy no more. It could have been a placebo effect, but I felt gooooood! I have always wanted to try the stuff. It tasted awful. But I am a believer. And now officially a hippie!

Ducks. It’s not a common thing. I had no duck friends. The only thing I found was a book. Maybe that is my niche for next year! The book I did find is a wealth of knowledge and gives me reassurance as to why I have ducks over chickens. It restored my faith in those messy birds. I also learned that not all ducks need water to mate, brings a new meaning to the words “dry hump”. Sorry. I had to.

FAVORITE PRODUCTS! I wanted to buy everything! I want this t-shirt in the worst way! And there was another one, not pictured, by this woman of all of the moon phases. If that doesn’t describe me, I don’t know what does. And, drum-roll, please– WASHABLE PAPER PRODUCTS!!! Because I couldn’t buy everything, I asked for this for Christmas. It is waxy paper that is like fabric. They get softer and look more like leather with wear. You can use it as a clutch, or for bread. It’s a brown paper bag on crack. They also had a variety of shapes, sizes, and uses and I asked Santa Claus to include one in my stocking this year.

Things that were lacking. I didn’t see any DIY things. I would love to create a booth that allows people to get messy with me. Make your own lip balm, roll ons, or tooth powder (it’s a thing), or even deodorant. It would educate those wanting to try it. Or, you can buy it outright. More fermented things to try. I found Kefir water and some Kombucha areas, but what about bone broth with acv, or other acv stations. Maybe I missed it. I can see someone giving out wellness shots of lemon, acv, cayenne, and honey.

All in all, I loved it. The whole family did. Even our 13 month old daughter. She couldn’t stop laughing at the animals and saying, “Hi” to all of the other kids. And of course trying chocolate gobs for the first time… that reminds me, there weren’t many healthy food snacks. Not that she would have tried them. But I would have!