While having a coffee with a friend at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop in Beaver Dam this past year, I came across some handcrafted artisan soaps.

So, let's be real here, I am always drawn to handcrafted and homemade items that are on display at any business I'm visiting. I love the idea of supporting local people who have a special talent. The soaps looked intriguing to me and the nice cashier gave them raving reviews. I bought a bar of soap that day and wanted to learn more about the person behind the product. 

After looking into the goat milk soap maker from Neosho, like in many situations, there was a really great story behind her, but her story includes a strength and resilience for life that really drew me in.

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Lisa Hall's beautiful farm, with goats and all, one rainy summer day and watched her package her soaps while she shared with me the incredible story of her life over the past few years. I wrote the article about Lisa and her business "Soaps and Such From the Farm" that was featured in the fall edition of the Family & Friends magazine distributed by the Watertown Daily Times.

The story talks about Lisa overcoming a debilitating sickness, at the same time that her daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease. The soap making hobby, turned business, came into her life at a time when she needed to make a difference to her family during the chaos of these life altering diseases.

You can pick up a copy of the magazine at the Watertown Daily Times or at local businesses in Watertown. Better yet, try out some of the soaps. With no preservatives, these chemical free soaps made from goat milk include lots of different herbs and natural ingredients that will make your skin thankful.

R.C.P.