New to Forum

[Vicky_b2G]

Hi everyone! I've been a soaping for 20-30 years, back when people looked at you weird for making your own soap (lol), but I didn't like the commercial soaps or I should say that my skin didn't like them so began my soap-making.

I initially made mostly tallow based soap from our own livestock that we butchered (50 acre homestead). I still to this day think that tallow based soap is the gentlest, longest lasting soap you can make but in this current vegan generation I generally only make it for myself and not what I sell. I think I have done just about every kind of method for making soap except Melt&Pour, I prefer to have total control over what goes in my soap.

I didn't start selling soap until about 8 years ago (because I began to get too many request for it) until then I always just gave it away. Since i have started selling I can say that my business had doubled each year to the point that I now not only do many different bars but also a Baby Wash, Body Wash, Liquid Hand Soap and Shampoo plus some Scrubs, Body Oils, Lotions and Butters.

I'm just getting into the internet (I know I'm WAY behind the times) and I can say that having calculators is a very handy asset to use. As I said I know I'm late in the game on this....always did it the old-fashioned way.....calculated each oil by itself and added everything up....Oh and did a WHOLE LOT of experimentation to get just the right feel to a soap recipe.

I hope can learn something from everyone here to improve the more so and pick up good tidbits on eCommerce as I have only been selling locally and maybe give some good tried and true advice also.

I hope this introduction wasn't considered too long, if so please forgive.

 

[GeezLouise]

Welcome!

 

[CaraBou]

Welcome Vicky. Wow, that's a long time to be soaping! I'm looking forward to learning from you too, and seeing some pics along the way.

 

[SaltedFig]

Hello Vicky_b2G,

It's great you've decided to join here (may I say? ... finally! :wink

Welcome aboard.

 

[SunRiseArts]

:bunny:

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and welcome!!!

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Cellador]

Welcome!

 

[toxikon]

Welcome! It's always nice to have soapmaking veterans around here.

I recently started adding tallow to my recipes and I do really like it. I use a combo of tallow and lard and they work very nicely together. Maybe it's because I live in a small city in northern Ontario, but no one around here seems to mind that my soaps are made with animal fat. It's a nice way to reuse and recycle, since animal fats are a byproduct of butchering that is often just thrown away. Instead it gets to go into lovely bars of soap.

 

[jewels621]

Welcome, Vicki.....I use tallow from our own livestock, too. So satisfying to use as much as you can when you butcher. I'm actually rendering today!

 

[dixiedragon]

Welcome! I myself am a devoted lard soaper - I would use tallow more except I have to render my own from suet.

 

[SoapAddict415]

Welcome Vicky

 

[cmzaha]

Welcome :bunny: I like a combo of 45% tallow 25% lard 5% castor any soft oil of choice for the remainder

 

[Primrose]

Welcome! I love tallow, though I've only used shop-bought thus far.

We are butchering a sheep and a goat this weekend, so hopefully it will be my first attempt at rendering my own home grown tallow

 

[cmzaha]

Welcome! I love tallow, though I've only used shop-bought thus far.

We are butchering a sheep and a goat this weekend, so hopefully it will be my first attempt at rendering my own home grown tallow

Please let us know how the sheep tallow works out, I have been wanting to make some but it is quite expensive in the only health store I have found it in. Of course it is not as expensive as the camel fat I purchased...

 

[ashdigger]

Vicky; It took me a while to join and its a great place to learn (always Learning) there are some people here, good luck

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Welcome Vicky!

Another long time (19 years) lard and talow soaper here. I also render my own from our animals.

Primrose, goat & sheep tallow are Awesome!! They create a harder bar than beef tallow. Keep the heat low and render the suet without water. I use a couple electric roasters on rendering days but I've also used the oven when I only have a small amount to do.

Dry Rendering

 

[Primrose]

Welcome Vicky!

Another long time (19 years) lard and talow soaper here. I also render my own from our animals.

Primrose, goat & sheep tallow are Awesome!! They create a harder bar than beef tallow. Keep the heat low and render the suet without water. I use a couple electric roasters on rendering days but I've also used the oven when I only have a small amount to do.

Dry Rendering

Thanks! The sheep and goat actually got a reprieve for another weekend or two, because the guy with the gun had to reschedule. I've also got a couple of pigs almost ready to be turned into lard

When butchering them, where do you harvest the fat from, particular areas, or can any fat be used?

 

[jewels621]

Thanks! The sheep and goat actually got a reprieve for another weekend or two, because the guy with the gun had to reschedule. I've also got a couple of pigs almost ready to be turned into lard

When butchering them, where do you harvest the fat from, particular areas, or can any fat be used?

I take mine from around the kidneys and the heart. It's the cleanest and least smelly to render. I believe the fat from around the kidneys is called the leaf fat.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

I take mine from around the kidneys and the heart. It's the cleanest and least smelly to render. I believe the fat from around the kidneys is called the leaf fat.

Yes, the fat around the organs is the cleanest. It's called leaf fat in hogs and suet in other animals. I always render the organ fat separate from the muscle fat (which has another name which is escaping me right now).