I recently discovered a unique gem of a store in Walworth, WI. After driving by the Main Street Country Store several times and being very curious I decided to stop in. As a new age hippie farm girl, this is my kind of a place. With a cute coffee and ice cream bar in the corner, a great selection of wine, local meats, and horse and dog products there isn't much more that I could ask for.

So as a fan of the store, I am very excited to announce that The Hippie Homesteader product line is now available at the Main Street Country Store! Stop by their location at 320 S. Main St in Walworth and check them out. I know you won't be disappointed.

Amanda

This time of year there is nothing I love more than to curl up in a blanket with an nice hot cup of tea. The sweet warm liquid seems to seep all the way down to my toes and warms me completely from the inside out. It is also my beverage of choice to help me through when the cold or flu strikes. The properties of steeped herbs and tea leaves can help boost our immune system and help clear up congestion and relieve sore throats. But this year I am bound and determined to not let the flu even in the door. Instead of waiting for illness to set in I have been drinking the new Hippie Homesteader tea PROTECT.

Happy 2017 everyone! I hope the new year finds you happy, healthy, and abundant. Abundant today seems to be a new age buzz word, often used in place of the word money or wealth. But being abundant is so much more than material things. 

Every fall with the threat of frost looming I frantically try to use up the last of my pepper harvest. What were just tiny seedlings a few short months ago are now 4' tall shrubs with thick stalks and branches hanging low, heavy with their hot fruit. I have a habit of planting way more than I need and jalapeños are no exception. 

The first product in The Hippie Homesteader line that I would like to feature is WAKE Essential Oil Room/Linen Spray. I use this spray daily as part of my morning routine. I will spray it in my kitchen or bathroom as I prepare breakfast or get ready for the day. I often use it as a body spray when I'm in a hurry so I can take the sweet scents with me. It just gives me that extra boost, helping me feel refreshed and giving me a burst of energy to start the morning.You can also find WAKE as an Essential Oil Serum that you can use as aromatherapy and as a skin conditioner and perfume. WAKE smells fresh, sweet, and citrusy with a hint of spice.

If you've been reading my posts you're probably starting to wonder 'Who is this hippie?' So let me take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Amanda and I'm just a new age hippie chick doing my best to live a healthy, sustainable, green life. I live smack dab in the middle of my town in Southern Wisconsin on a 1/3 acre city lot with my doggy friend Bob. I raise vegetables, chickens, and beef cattle (they live at my moms farm, although I would love it if I could have them here, save me on lawn mowing). I make my own breads and pasta, and I don't own a microwave or dishwasher. Now that's not to say that I don't order pizza delivery or hit the Taco Bell drive thru on occasion. Nobody's perfect.

Also, over the years I have studied herbal medicine and aromatherapy and started developing my own health and wellness products. This mostly started as a necessity. I have a variety of allergies and sensitivities to common cosmetic ingredients. Plagued by chronic itchy skin I developed my own soaps, lip balms, salves, room sprays, and serums. I loved creating products with herbs I had grown in my backyard and infusing them with my energy. There is kind of a running joke with my friends and family that my secret ingredient in my foods and products is love. So cliche I know, but it really is what drives me. I love to create, I love to prepare foods and products with my own two hands and I truly believe that the loving energy I feel is somehow transferred to what I make, and in turn makes it better.

Along with my mantra "Don't pull that weed" I need to add "Don't kill that bug!" Many insects that roam my garden are considered to be beneficial. The elegant dragonfly is one such insect. They may look intimidating due to their size but these creatures help keep the mosquito population down and feast upon a variety of other insects. They do not sting or bite people or pets so they are always a welcome guest in my garden space.