Tag: Farm Fresh Mercantile

Cat Burglar Balm

All businesses must name their products. We tend to come up with some unusual ones for our products. One of these has garnered a lot of attention and questions recently: Cat Burglar Balm. 

Cat Burglar Balm

What is it? 

Well, there’s a story if you have a few minutes.

Back in the 14th Century the Bubonic Plague also known as the Black Death killed a quarter of the population in Europe and Asia. This highly contagious bacterial infection circulated again in the early 19th Century. During one of these outbreaks, it is rumored a group of robbers went from home to home stealing from the dead. Somehow they did not catch this deadly disease. When they were finally apprehended, the authorities offered leniency in exchange for their secret to immunity.

The thieves identified a concoction of essential oils with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties that they claimed protected them from the plague. This mixture of essential oils became known as “Thieves Blend”.

Here at Five Feline Farm, we have formulated our own proprietary version in a handy balm. Lemon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Cinnamon and Clove essential oils are blended with beeswax, coconut oil, vitamin E oil and sweet almond oil to create Cat Burglar. We use it on minor cuts, scrapes and insect bites to aid healing.

But what about the name? 

Well, of course we are Five Feline Farm. Our thieves would all be Cat Burglars.

What else would you expect?

Does it work?

We are not making any health claims; however neither of us has come down with the Plague. 

Get yours on Saturdays through September at the 18th Street Farmer’s Market, Fridays and Saturdays this fall at our onsite Mercantile and anytime through our online Mercantile.

Tea Tree Oil Balm

 Are you interested in using more natural products to replace chemicals in your life? 

So are we. 

In fact, to that end we have created a line of skin care balms with all natural ingredients. Most are infused with essential oils for a variety of uses. 

Below is an unsolicited but used with permission, customer testimonial about our Tea Tree Oil balm. 

“I was cooking a salad dressing that contained oil in the microwave. When I opened it, the dressing exploded and splashed on my face. I immediately thought of my little jar of Five Feline Farm Tea Tree Oil balm and slathered it on the burn. 

I called a family member who took me to the emergency room. At my followup appointment with my regular doctor, he told me the burn was healing beautifully. I told him what I did with the balm and he said that helped with my healing so much that I probably will not have a scar!”

—B. C.

We love to hear these kinds of testimonials about our products. We think our balms are pretty fantastic, but it is great to hear when someone else thinks so too.

What is Tea Tree Oil?

 Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil distilled from the leaves of the Tea Tree which is native to Australia. The aboriginal people have used it for hundreds of years to treat minor skin conditions. It is reported to have antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties. People use it for nail fungus, insect bites or stings, dandruff and other skin irritations. It is typically used in a carrier oil or as we do in a beeswax based balm.

Our Balms

A sample of our balms.

We make two different formulas of our skin balms; each named after cats who have lived on the farm. Both have straightforward simple ingredients (beeswax, sweet almond oil and Vitamin E oil) in addition to an essential oil. 

Phantom Balm is created with a higher proportion of beeswax to almond oil resulting in a more solid product that requires a small paddle to remove from the jar. Reine Balm is a bit softer with a lower beeswax to almond oil ratio. 

Both are available at our Farmer’s Market booths and our on line Mercantile.

Disclaimer: this information is not medical advice and we do not have medical degrees. You should consult your medical professional about any and all medical treatment. 

What is a Real Farm?

What is the definition of a real farm?

Is there a certain amount of acreage required? Maybe a minimum amount of produce raised? Perhaps keeping livestock meets the qualification?

We have asked ourselves these questions as we build this slice of the country we call Five Feline Farm. At first, we referred to it as just the “farm”; a tongue-in-cheek expression of our postage stamp sized property plopped in the middle of large fields of corn, soybeans and wheat. As we discover our mission to live a full life with a blend of old skills and modern conveniences, we also found the answer to being real.

Is there a minimum required acreage?

We have five and a half acres. From this fertile land, we can grow a lot of the produce, herbs, fruit and nuts we need to keep our pantry and freezers full. There is even enough excess to sell at the Farmer’s Market. It takes a lot of planning and hard work but it is a joy to bite into a warm tomato fresh from the garden or add home grown roasted peppers to a pot of chili in the depth of winter.

How about a minimum amount of production?

The line of products we offer in our Mercantile, whether on line or on site is limited only by our time and imagination. We sew cat toys from scraps of fabric and stuff them with catnip grown and dried on the farm. There are balms and soaps and jams and baked goods all created right here. We even offer farm roasted whole coffee beans.

Are livestock required?

Did you know honeybees are considered livestock? It’s true according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Beekeeping has changed our perspective on many things. We are better consumers and more aware of good practice in how we approach planting, fertilizing and particularly pest management. We use this practical mantra: “if it’s good for the bees, it’s good for us”. Plus, any excess honey harvested beyond what we personally use is sold. 

So our answer to the question….

Yes, Five Feline Farm is a real farm.

 

Five Feline Farm is growing beyond our wildest dreams. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for daily updates.   

 

Repurposing–Giving Old Things New Life

Repurposing is similar to recycling.

Once again turning to Merriam-Webster, the definition is “to give a new purpose or use to”. The in-vogue term now is “up-cycling”.

Whatever you call it, we are all in here at the Farm. Anything we can use for another purpose will extend the life of the thing plus may save money.  If nothing else, things we repurpose often turn into a great conversation piece.

Just to give you some examples of the kinds of things we do, check out this list:

—Use cheap discharge drain tubing to route rain water from the greenhouse

—Convert old wooden barrels into a trash can and table in the Mercantile

—Compost vegetable scraps from the kitchen to create soil amendments for the garden

—Transform an heirloom wagon into a display for baked goods in the Mercantile

—Craft scraps of fabric and stuffing from old pillows into cat toys

Perhaps the best repurposing project to date at the Farm is the acquisition and move of a wire frame corn crib. What was once an old, forgotten utilitarian piece of farm equipment has found a new life. Originally designed to store and dry ear corn, it now stands as a feature along the path to the Mercantile.

Named by two fans of Five Feline Farm, The A-Maize-ing Granary holds tables and chairs that beckon visitors to sit for a time and enjoy conversation or simply contemplate life.

As a bonus, just in case you are wondering how we moved the crib out of the pasture and down our country road, check out the video on our Youtube channel.