This one is for Kate, who is very fond of goats …
So earlier this week, you may have seen this story about the Suffield FFA chapter trying to set a world record by making a 40-foot-long bar of goat soap.
From the article, in case you missed it:
The bar of soap was made with 41 pounds of olive oil; 24 pounds of coconut oil; 14 pounds of palm oil; 12 pounds of lye; and 30 pounds of goat’s milk and ice, said Jennifer Pinto, the FFA chapter reporter. The 3-inch-by-3-inch-by-40-foot bar of soap will be cut up and sold at the Agriculture Expo in April to benefit the FFA chapter.
This story put a big smile on my face for two reasons:
1. Gotta love any group that comes together to create the world’s biggest __________ (insert any random object, the more off-the-wall, the better).
2. GOAT SOAP!?!
Okay, I’ll grant you that I didn’t grow up on a farm, nor have I spent any prolonged time studying agricultural business applications, but by the same token, as you can tell by most of what I’ve written here on this site, I have a pretty good sense of curiosity and am not shy about reading up on obscure or unusual subjects. All that disclaiming aside, until this past week, I had never ever heard of goat soap! Goat cheese and goat milk, yes, of course, but goat soap?
Apparently, I’m not the only one who has not heard of this unusual application for goat’s milk. Heck, there isn’t even a Wikipedia article about it. (Yet!) At least Mike Rowe and his “Dirty Jobs” crew know of it, as goat soap maker was featured on the “Reef Ball Maker” episode in 2007 , which I will now be on the lookout for (as I couldn’t find it on the Discovery site. Go(at) figure!
In the meantime, there’s this thing called the intranets, so courtesy of Canus Goat’s Milk Skin Care Products — The beauty of fresh goat’s milk, explained:
Ever since Cleopatra filled her bathtub with it and jumped in, fresh goat’s milk has been revered for its superior moisturizing properties. Little did La Belle Cleo know that the reason fresh goat’s milk left her skin feeling silky smooth and supple was because of its unique protein structure. Shorter protein strands allow for easy absorption. A whole host of natural minerals and vitamins in fresh goat’s milk are absorbed right along with all that protein, helping to nourish healthy skin and heal the rough patches.
Fresh goat’s milk also contains capric and caprilic acids that naturally balance the alkalinity of our products so that it more closely matches the ideal alkalinity level of the human epidermis. This keeps skin and hair from being “stripped” of their natural moisture – a common problem with regular commercial soaps and shampoos.
Of course, keeping with that all-natural and green vibe — think globally, act locally — your next question is obviously, “Where can I get goat soap from here in Connecticut! A quick search turns up three goat farms that make their own goat soap here in-state.
- Goatboy Soaps in New Milford
- Misty Highland Farm in East Killingly
- Meadowstone Farm in Brooklyn
Apparently, there are other places around the state that sell it as well. So the next time I need my skin to be its silky softest — whenever the heck that might be — I now know the all-natural regimen to try.
I kid you not.
2 comments
I have been using Goatboy’s soaps, lotions, and lipbalms for the past 3 years or so. The products are amazing, they smell great, and I love supporting a local artisan business!
Thanks to Lauren for the comment and Ray for the post. I’m happy to send each of you a free bar of soap, just email me lisa@goatboy.us.
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