Chicken Soup For The Soil

Come see us this weekend, at the Frankenmuth Art Fair,  Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14,  from 10am – 4pm, behind the famous Zendhers Restaurant, in the park.  There will be artists demonstrating, food and fun!  We always enjoy Frankenmuth and look forward to a stellar weekend!

Hindsight really does provide clarity.  When you’re struggling, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees.

We’ve been building custom home and garden iron pieces as our full time work for nearly 20 years now.  At one point 15 years ago, we’d opened a store, built a new log home, had many wholesale accounts and were prospering. We can trace the ups and downs by the economy, the period following 9/11 where all of the stores we sold wholesale to closed, people stopped building houses, which greatly effected our railing business.  We sold the home, closed the store, struggled to design new products, find new customers, do new markets and shows and some winters nearly gave up.  But the most evident thing in looking back, is the blessing of God over our work. No unemployment, no bail outs, no more loans, no guarantees, family inheritance or welfare. But as we have continued to ask God for help, looking for creative ways to get through the hard times and working hard, no matter how bad the economy is, our work continues to grow.

I can’t find words to show my gratitude.  Just to know we have a good reputation of reliable work, products people love and desire, and we have the strength to build them, is a gift.

We are building displays for a new store in Frankenmuth, railings on Lake Michigan, selling wreaths consistently in a gallery in N. Carolina, a creative twig sink vanity, orders to various states plus our two weekly farmers markets.  For the first time in many years,  we are looking for help.

Here’s my little set up at a new farmers market I’m doing in the quaint downtown village of Frankenmuth.  I can only carry a small load with my little truck and my back problems,  but my first Saturday was a near sell out and I’m going back this week! I hope to be there as often as we can keep product made.  Hope to see you in Royal Oak, Frankenmuth or Northville soon!

The garden is looking lovely, and we have several birds sitting on eggs.  A Robin has built a large nest in the front arbor and 2 bird houses have natcatchers ready to hatch.  My heirloom tomatoes I started from seed are growing well in a new raised bed, in the one spot of full sun we have in the whole yard. Spring  Herbs are full and being harvested before they flower for the dehydrator.  We’ve had a late, cool but beautiful Michigan spring, so planting was about 2 weeks behind.  I have a new batch of chickens, due to casualties from either a skunk family or owls.  We’ve tightened up the coop doors and battened down the hatches! This time I have 6 Auracana’s, one bantam, 2 barred rocks, 2 silver wyandotts, and a golden wyandott.  The lone survivor Auracana, I named “lucky lucy”… she is getting along fine with her new sisters.

We have new wholesale orders.  Our custom iron twig wreaths are selling well in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in N.C. and our garden structures are going into the Clarkston Flower Shoppes new garden area.  Marvin is busy building railings, trellises, gates, and a fireplace screen.  I’m busy hand painting the steel birds and getting ready for the garden walk, and planning a selling trip to the West side of the state soon.

This Thursday June 16th I’ll be a the Rochester Garden Walk at the Van Hoosen Museum and Farm, from 10-4pm, and Marvin will be at the Royal Oak Market as every Saturday, from 7-2pm.   Come and see us!