From Beard Balm to Backyard Dreams: How It All Started
From Beard Balm to Backyard Dreams: How It All Started
This all started with beard care. I was tired of spending good money on products from big companies that didn’t really deliver. One day I looked at the ingredients label and thought, “Why can’t I make this myself?” So my wife and I ordered some supplies and gave it a shot.
There was definitely a learning curve, but after some trial, error, and research, we figured it out. That first batch was a game-changer. The scent, the feel, the results—I actually liked it better than what I’d been paying premium prices for. That got me thinking… what else could we make?
I’ve always loved things that smell good, so my wife suggested we try making soaps. That led to a wild haul of essential oils and experiments with soap and candle making. Candles, by the way, are a whole challenge of their own. The more we made, the more I started questioning why so many of these basic products cost so much. A simple bar of soap shouldn’t feel out of reach for families just trying to make ends meet.
That’s when I knew I wanted to take a different approach—one focused on quality and affordability. Premium doesn’t have to mean overpriced. You shouldn’t have to choose between healthy, natural products and staying on budget. We’re building something that offers both.
Making It a Family Thing
Everyone in our family helps, depending on their age. We’ve got seven kids, ranging from 14 down to 2. The older ones help with mixing and making products. All of them love testing out scent blends. We’ll sit around the table, passing around essential oil bottles, just sniffing and trying to come up with something new. It’s become something we genuinely enjoy doing together.
More than anything, I want my kids to grow up knowing what’s possible. I didn’t grow up thinking I could make my own beard balm or soap or even start a business. I didn’t think self-sufficiency was something real people could reach. Now I know different—and I want them to grow up knowing they can learn and create anything they set their minds to.
Why Our Products Are Different
We actually care what goes into the things we make. We use these products ourselves, so there’s no cutting corners. I’ve spent a lot of time researching ingredients that are actually good for skin and hair. One of the standouts was sea buckthorn oil. It came up over and over again for its benefits, so I knew I wanted it to be in everything I make.
I’ve tried others too, like green coffee oil and black seed oil, but they changed the scent too much for what I wanted. I’ll keep experimenting, but only with ingredients that meet my standards for performance and safety.
Yes, I hope this becomes something big enough to support my family and help us build our little farm. But I’m not going to forget why I started. I won’t price things out of reach just to make a bigger profit. Our goal is still the same—good, clean, affordable products for real families.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about soap or beard oil. It’s about a different way of life. I picture a small farm with cows, hogs, and more chickens (my wife’s excited for that part especially). I want to raise what we need, make what we can, and offer the rest to our neighbors and customers. Real products from a real family.
If you’re unsure about choosing handmade goods over mass-produced ones, I get it. But small, homestead-based businesses matter. Supporting family-made products keeps people like us going. We’ve let big companies control what’s on the shelves for too long. It’s time to bring that power back to the people who care about what they’re making—and who they’re making it for.
