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.

081-Making Hard Decisions

Sometimes as business owners, you discover you can not do it all.

On today’s podcast we discuss a couple of difficult decisions we had to make for our business; ending early produce orders and early sales at the Farmer’s Markets. We want to meet our customer’s needs; however, we can’t do everything.

The end result was a peaceful morning which allowed us to interact better with our customers.

Be sure to listen all the way to the end for some special cowbells.

Until next time….

How To Shop The Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s Market

A Farmer’s Market can be overwhelming. Who has the best product? Who has the best prices? How do I know I am getting a good value for my dollar?

This post will answer your questions. 

Get to know the vendors.

Ask questions about their products. Growers and market vendors should be able to answer your questions. Some questions you can ask are: “When was this picked? Where was it grown? Has it been sprayed? Is it a GMO seed?” Based on answers to these questions, you can make your decision about what to buy.

If this is your first visit to a market, do a quick sweep around the market to see what is available and prices. In small markets, prices will usually be similar with only a bit of variance based on the variety or quantity available. Larger markets may have a more significant price difference among vendors. If you are a regular customer, you will know what to expect from your favorite vendors.

After a quick perusal of what is available, go back and make your purchases. One caution however, vendors may have limited quantities of some items. If you have an established relationship with particular vendors based on their reputation for quality and price, you may want to shop those vendors first.  

Learn what is in season.

Eating seasonally will not only provide the most nutritious bang for your buck, but also the best flavor. Local produce has a limited availability due to growing conditions and climate.

For example, you can find tomatoes in Illinois in May, but these are not likely to have been grown locally. The best tomatoes in Central Illinois are available from early July through the end of August, sometimes even stretching into mid-September. These tomatoes will be fully vine-ripened, bursting with tomato flavor.

Shop a Farmer’s Market first.

Above all, find a local farmer’s market and shop there before the big box stores. Produce will be fresher and there are other some great finds like honey, balms, craft items and much more.  

Plus you have the opportunity to develop relationships with great people. What could be better?

If you would like to read more about how we found a community at the 18th Street Farmer’s Market, check out this book: The Long Road to Market. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

080-Reducing Food Waste

Do you find yourself wasting too much food? We are working on reducing the waste here on Five Feline Farm.

On today’s episode we discuss a few of the ways we are reducing food waste, from cutting out damaged parts of tomatoes to compost.

At Five Feline Farm, we grow as many of our own vegetables as possible, the most beautiful of those veggies go to the farmer’s market and we use the less than perfect for our meals.

Until next time….