A Natural Home

Recently we have had a few people send us emails complaining about the high prices of \”green\” stuff on our web site (please note, there are NO prices on our web site).  They do not even have the courage to post real emails, so we decided to post the emails and our response on the blog.

Here is one post: 

What the hell does \”affordable\” mean to you?

Your prices are ridiculous.  Yet another \”green\” company who makes money off the fears of the masses. Just like what the other \”greedy\” corporate companies do.  Don\’t you think?  What\’s the difference?  Preying on peoples\’ fears and making money.  Well, I have to go now.  I have to buy Stella McCartney\’s eco-friendly vegan shoes for $700.00. Yes, that is sarcasm.  Maybe with all the money she is making from her \”green\” shoes, she can afford to buy your furniture

Our response:

Real furniture, made with real products, manufactured by people making a real wage, cost
real money. I have no way of knowing if those $700 shoes you lust after are hand made in
this country or not.

In the last year we have encountered a gradual increase in organic cotton prices, but it just keeps going up and up. Part of this has to deal with the higher costs in fuel, but for the most part is has to do with the increased awareness of the importance of organic cotton.

Because we buy only usa organic cotton, we are paying even higher prices for our batting as more and more companies are buying up the organic cotton.

One of the things we all need to be aware of is China is getting into the organic cotton movement.  Since they have little or no regulations on organics, it is hard to say how organic it is actually . Recently, a Chinese company bought one of the largest conventional USA cotton farms. This is scary. Why?  Well, the obvious is that we are selling our land to the highest bidder.  We are selling our cotton to another country.  How far away are we from selling our organic cotton farms to another country all in favor of the allmighty dollar?

When you buy organic cotton, ask where is it coming from. This does matter, in the big picture, and where we want our organic materials to come from now and in the future.

Why am I telling you all of this, it is more than just about a price increase it is about awareness.  Shop for price but shop for where it is coming from too! 

We love to give back to the community and freecycle is a way to do just that. We have donated orphan furniture, organic fabric, and organic toys that may have been slightly damaged in shipping.

If you have something that you were considering selling at a garage or tag sale, think free cycle. By the time you set things up and have to deal with the heat, the people, the sales, you are better off just donating it.  With goodwill and salvation army being so picky about what they take freecyle fills in the gaps.

Do a google for freecyle.org to see if there is a group in your area, there probably is one located in at least your county. Do a good deed, with your unwanted things that still have life left in them, freecycle!

We are very exicited to annouce that we are going wholesale only effective August 1, 2008. This will really help grow the community with our line of organic mattresses, organic furniture and sustainable natural cribs that are all hand made by the Amish in our small community.

We are accepting new brick and mortar dealers to carry our organic baby line, or organic furniture line, and our organic mattress line.  We have a small opening order and even offer drop shipping for our entire line.

We love to make organic items for the home and are happy to do private label organics, so before you go overseas to make an organic line, give us a call we might be able to help. 

It is leap year and what a great time to bring organics into your life.

What are you eating? How about buying organic lettuce instead of conventional lettuce? Organic lettuce feels better and tastes better.  What about the difference between organic carrots and regular carrots? Organic carrots taste like real carrots, what an oddity to eat food that tastes like food.

So once you start eating better, you might notice the chemical poly furniture you have in your home. What about that computer table you bought at your local office supply store? What is it made out of?  We have a cute little sustainable computer table that is made out of poplar and is less than you think. Buying real wood feels better to sit at and puts off less toxic fumes than a chip board computer desk. 

What about the sheets you are sleeping on?  Even the most non organic people I know love our organic cotton sheets because they feel good.  Organic cotton breathes, and feel alive, there is chi to organic cotton sheets, unlike conventional regular sheets.

So,today, this leap year that comes once but every four years, buy something organic and work at changing your life.

Everyone is rushing about this season. Seems like none of us have time to sit down just enjoy a cup of java or bake some cookies. It is hard to keep up with kids, school activities, work, and home.

I know I am stressed out with all the things going on, especially with work and getting the house clean for holiday guests, but at some point I need to sit down and enjoy wrapping up presents in recycled newspaper and decorating the gifts with fun crayons and markers.

Here are some fun ways to make your life a little more natural and less “commercial” this holiday season:

1. drive less.  Make a list and make all your stops or as many as you can in one day.

2.buy local.  Find a local craft fair or seek out local artists in your area and support them, encourage them, and even buy from them.  I found a potter locally and purchased some lovely plates and saucers as a special gift for my DAd.

3. Use recycled newspaper that you can hand decorate yourself (or better yet, have the kids do it- they lov eto draw on stuff anyways).

4. Go to thrift stores and buy small things for stocking stuffers, you are recycling and supporting local organizations that help the less fortunate in the area.

5. Find items that are non plastic or that are recycled plastic.  Buy wood, buy metal, buy cloth.  All of these are less stress on the environment are possibley made in the USA (locally) , and are going to last longer. 

6. Forget those silly gift cards, you are just supporting the big corporations that have less regard for the environment unless they are doing it as a publicity stunt.  Smaller stores are more concerned about the local economy and are oten more concerned about the environment, they know the impact people make in their purchases.

7. Regift.  There is something about your house in great condition that you do not use. Perhaps a great sweater that you have grown tired of, or was not quite the right color. I know I have found great books that I know a friend might enjoy, but that I have already read. Why not re-gift. 

8. Give a food basket. People love food baskets, get some yummy local organic cheese, fruits, breads, even throw in some homemade cookies (if you have time).

9. Spend less, stress less, have more fun.  I should follow my own advice.  Quit worrying if the house is clean enough, or the tree has enough gifts, just enjoy your family and the spirit of the season.

Hope these things help.  I am by no means an expert, but I try to employ most of my suggestion (well the less stress I am working on) in my daily life.

Have a GREAT organic new year!!! 

Waking up to a brisk day is so glorious.  I loved getting out of my organic latex bed surrounded by organic cotton sheets and an organic cotton blanket. 

My wool pillow kept my head cool at night and I woke up refreshed and feeling great.

After sleeping on organic sheets and an organic mattress I can not imagine sleeping on anything else. The energy flow and the comfort I feel when I wake up makes me want to POP out of bed everymorning and start the day.