Sweet Grown Alabama Blogs

My love for goats began when I was 13 years old after I started an apprenticeship at a friend's farm. For my 15th birthday, my sister and I purchased our first goats. I immediately fell in love with Nubian dairy goats. With their long, floppy ears and playful personalities, it didn't take long for Daisy and Cashmere to become more than livestock — they became part of the family.

What started as a small herd quickly grew into something much bigger. As I learned about the benefits of goat milk, I became interested in soapmaking. After receiving a soapmaking book for my birthday, I began experimenting with recipes in the attic of my family's home. My first batch was a failure, but it sparked a passion that never faded.

Today, seven years later, every bar of soap I make still begins with the same goats that inspired this journey.

Each of my goats has a unique personality, but one stands out above the rest. Miss Trouble, the goat featured in my logo, is everything a Nubian should be — curious, affectionate and always in the middle of whatever is happening on the farm. She came all the way from Minnesota and quickly became the face of Muscadine Creek Creamery. Chances are, if you've purchased one of my soaps, it contains milk from Miss Trouble.

Every product begins in the pasture long before I measure oils or blend fragrances. My mornings start in the barn feeding the herd and my livestock guardian dogs, milking the goats, feeding the kids and caring for each animal. During the day, the goats browse through the pastures and woods, relax in the shade and enjoy one of their favorite treats — muscadines, which inspired the name Muscadine Creek Creamery.

Their fresh milk is the foundation of every product I make, giving my soaps the rich lather and gentle feel goat milk soap is known for. Being involved in every step of the process, from caring for the herd to pouring each fresh loaf of soap, allows me to create products that simply cannot be mass-produced.

One of the greatest blessings of this business has been the relationships I've built along the way. Local markets have given me the opportunity to meet people who appreciate goat milk soap and natural products as much as I do. Those conversations with customers, fellow makers and members of my community continue to inspire me every day.

Over the years, Muscadine Creek Creamery has grown in ways I never imagined. What began as a teenager making soap in an attic has expanded into online sales through my website, wholesale partnerships and retail locations across multiple states. Even as the business continues to grow, I still look forward to seeing customers at local markets and events.

While the business has evolved, it remains grounded in the values that inspired it from the beginning: hard work, craftsmanship and a genuine love for farm life. Whether someone discovers Muscadine Creek Creamery at a farmers market, in a local shop or through an online order, I hope every product offers a small piece of the farm and the joy it has brought me.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Sweet Grown Alabama.