The local farmers markets this summer have given locals as well as visitors a great opportunity to enjoy some great home grown produce and hand crafted products. From the sweetest carrots on the planet to fresh eggs and wild mushrooms the markets have provided an opportunity to buy directly from the hands that tilled the soil, watered the tomato, dug the potato or handpicked the wild berries. Most of the markets are closing for the season, but the opportunity to support local crafts and agriculture continues year round and as Gov. Bill Walker said at Industry Appreciation Day if every Alaskan would spend just $5.00 a week on locally grown produce it would add millions of dollars to Alaska’s economy. While fresh berries or lettuce may not be available year round things like handmade goat milk soap surely are. At a recent Tuesday Market at the Peninsula Food Bank, Twyla Showalter show cased her homemade cold pressed goat milk soaps and products. “I use fresh raw goat’s milk so all the things that are good for you and your skin stays right in the soap,” said Twyla who was born and raised on the Peninsula. “Everything in the soap except for the lye comes right from my kitchen. The soap is great for acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and rosacea. Coming to the markets have given me a chance to have folks sample my products and see if they want me to make it on a larger scale. I only make one batch at a time and it takes six weeks to cure,” said Twyla. Soon she hopes to build a website to offer her products, “It’s a healthy lifestyle and I love making the soaps, it reminds me of when I was a kid with my Grammy in the kitchen!” To learn more about Twyla’s products you can Google Twyla’s Goat Soap and find her website or give her a call at 394-7133.
