Happy Freebie Friday!

Congrats to last week's winner - Kasey aka Captain Awesome! Kasey, email us at shop at prairielandherbs dot com with your address and we'll send out your aromatherapy bath salt kit!

This week's Freebie - a bar of our July Luxury Soap of the Month! That's right - it's baaack! We've gotten our act together and are once again posting a new, luxurious soap once a month. These are limited edition specialty bars - so get them while they're here, because when they're gone, they're GONE!

This month's selection is scented with a luscious blend of herbal and citrus essential oils - basil, rosemary, spearmint, lime, tangerine. YUM. Like a visit to your favorite spa!

If you'd like to enter yourself to win one of these bars, simply comment on today's blog post.

Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

Today we're working on an order for our buds at Soul-Flower.com. Did you know that they carry 4 custom-made Prairieland Herbs products that are ONLY sold at Soul-flower.com? That is how much we love this super-cool business! If you love patchouli, go here to check out their custom scents: Patchouli Flower solid perfume and body balm, and Patchouli Soul solid perfume and body balm. Too cool!!

We still have kitties that need homes! Yesterday they all got spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and treated with Revolution. Today, they're recouperating. :( If you are interested in adopting a kitten...let us know! (thanks for the photo John!)

Happy Freebie Friday everyone!

We will be at the Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market tomorrow, on Court Avenue in front of Dos Rios. Stop by and see us!

Last week's winner of a Milk Bath is Melanie from the UK! Melanie, drop us an email - shop at prairielandherbs dot com - with your mailing address and what scent of milk bath you'd like!

This week's Friday Freebie is our Aromatherapy Bath Salt Kit! 4 refillable/resealable tubes of bath salts packaged together in a mesh bag make a fun aromatherapy bath salt kit. You receive 1 tube each of Peppermint, Rosemary, Tangerine and Lavender bath salts. These are AWESOME as a gift, or a delightful way to pamper yourself! If you'd like to enter yourself to win one of these kits, simply comment on today's blog post!

Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

Just a quick post to update everyone. Sorry we've been so quiet lately. Summer is always a challenge in any year - our workload more than doubles, due to gardening, distilling, harvesting, and farmer's markets. We do all those thing in ADDITION to making, packaging and shipping our products, running the blog/website, and just general business maintenance "stuff" (paperwork, paying bills, cleaning, the boring stuff!). I'll try to be better about keeping the blog interesting with photos, recipes, etc!

This summer is even a bit more different. Our business is located on my mom's property, along with her house. She has to have a new septic system go in....which HAS to be located right where the majority of our herbs were grown. That's fine, we dealt with it, moved the plants we needed, and adjusted our other growing areas. THEN, the fellow who was going to put in the septic system sorta went MIA. So now the area where the septic system will go is suddenly a field of 12 ft. weeds. Niiiiiiice. *sigh* So we've given up any great ideas of having a "pretty" farm this year. :)

Another challenge for our summer involves my grandpa's health. My grandpa lives on the farm with my mom. He turned 90 just a few weeks ago! Overall, he's been in great health, and is an utter delight to have around. However, the last few weeks he's been struggling with some health problems; doctors visits and extra health care needs have kept my mom very busy with him, and introduced new challenges to her life.

We are able to enjoy and care for him in the last years of his life, BECAUSE we are a small family-run business able to work near home. For this, we owe you, our customers, a tremendously huge THANK YOU. Thank you for allowing us this job and lifestyle, full of both challenges and flexibility! Thank YOU for allowing us this job and lifestyle that allows us to care for the oldest and youngest (my sister's young children are here often) members of our family as needed. I wish everyone in the world had such options.

So if we're occasionally quiet on the blog, or your order ships a day or two later than we had anticipated, please, know that we are doing our best. We appreciate each and every one of you more than you know, and truly do our best to juggle work and family to the best of our abilities.

Happy Freebie Friday! Last week's winner of a freshly distilled peppermint hydrosol is Laura@lifedreamed. Laura, drop us an email at shop at prairielandherbs dot com with your mailing address, and we'll ship it right out!


This week's Freebie is a Milk Bath of your choice...cuz I just made a whole bunch of them to deliver to East Village Day Spa! It's a wonderfully soothing, relaxing moisturizing soak. Perfect for summertime sunburns! To enter fora chance to win this milk bath, simply leave a post here on today's entry.

Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

We have FIVE gorgeous kittens that need homes. All are grey and black tabbies...some girls, some boys. All raised indoors, litterbox trained, socialized to other pets, and will be spayed/neutered and ready to go to their new homes in late July. Let us know if you're interested in these wonderful wonderful kitties!!

Happy Freebie Friday! Last week's winner is Karissa! Karissa, please email us at shop at prairielandherbs dot com and let us know which scent of Aluminum-free Deodorant you'd like!



This week's Freebie is a 2 oz. bottle of our Peppermint Hydrosol - JUST DISTILLED YESTERDAY! This a delightful and multi-purpose hydrosol. Add a wee bit to your favorite herbal tea (hot or iced), bottled water, lemonade, or mint julep for a delightful minty "zing"! Use as a facial toner for oily skin. Keep it in the fridge, and use it as an after-workout (or gardening, etc) "cool down" mist. Spray it on stinky shoes, gym bags, or yoga mats. Keep it on hand for hot flash relief. The uses are endless!


Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

Join us for a 3-Farm Tour and “Fun in the Sun”

Sample Sunday July 12th • Noon-5 p.m. (rain or shine) • Admission FREE!

PICKET FENCE CREAMERY


FRESH LETTUCE AND CARROTS! (GROWN IN WOODWARD - NO CHEMICALS)
FRESH IOWA RHUBARB CRISPS! FRESH HERB RANCH DRESSING!
FRESH PEA, MACARONI, SPRING AND RED POTATO SALADS!


Local Food Samples: Root Beer Float Ice Cream,
Buffalo Summer Sausage
Neva’s Cheese Ball
Fresh Made Natural and Honey Roasted Peanut Butter
Fresh Cheese Curds
Spring Pasta Salad
Barbecue Sauce
Creamed Honey
Elk Sticks
Iowa Wines, and More!

Guest Vendors: Penoach Winery, Adel
Russ and Franks BBQ, Des Moines and
Sun Rise Farms, Woodward.

Music provided by HB Productions of Altoona.
Lunch is Served! Picket Fence Grilled Burgers -$3, Hotdog -$1, Kettle
Cooked Chips -$0.50, Chocolate Milk -$1, Ice Cream -$1, Root Beer Floats -$2!

Kids! Join the fun in the hay with a Hay Maze and find your lost treasure in our treasure
hunt! Also enjoy the company of our bottle calves, FREE kittens, and Jack!

Super Deals: Fresh Rhubarb Crisp and Quart of Ice Cream, $10; Our own 90%
Lean Ground Beef, $3.49 with 10 lb. purchase; Any Steak for $9.99/lb.; Buy a Local
Salsa and get a bag of Fresh Tortilla Chips for $1. More In-Store Specials!
“2’fers Deals”: 2 bags Cheese Curds for $6; 2 jars Local Cherry Jam for $9; 2
bottles Select Iowa Wines, $20. Featured Foods: Sweet Breads, Fresh Local Black
Walnuts, Fruit Crisps, 9” Deep Dish Lard Crust Pies, Pella Dutch Letters and Breads,
Kalona Noodles, Wines from 10 Iowa Wineries, and Much More!


PRAIRIELAND HERBS

Guest Vendors:
Massage and Ear Candling provided by Morning Rain Massage
Reiki by Lynn Parkey
Henna Tattoos by Atomic Heart Creations ($15 charge for ear candling, everything else is free!)
Gourmet Handmade Jams by Sally Kilkenny
Hand-turned Pens by Rick and Ryan Nail

Free soap and bath salt samples from Prairieland Herbs! Check our our natural bug
repellants - "buzz off" wand and "bug off" soap.

New products: 100% essential oil incense, Limited Edition "Herbal Citrus" luxury soap of the month.


NORTHERN PRAIRIE CHEVRE


• Back by popular demand – Onion Creek Cloggers and Band from 1:30 – 4:00
• Family pictures or your child’s picture taken with our goats by Karla from KG Photography.
Variety of photo packages available or choose ala cart! VERY affordable prices!!!!!!
• Byron from the Leather Factory will have ongoing mini workshops for you to make and
take home a leather bracelet!
• Enjoy a soothing chair massage with Shannon from Hands On Therapeutic Massage
• NEW – Bloom and Bark dog treats. Our dogs love them!!!
• Tassel Ridge Winery and Sugar Clay Winery will sample several of their wines
• Buffalo Wing Sauce, Denison Mustards, Café Diem coffees, Willow Ridge goat milk products & more
• Milton from Sheeder Farms will have the grill fired up!
• E18 landscaping boulders in various sizes and prices while they last!
• Mary, certified Hoopnautica instructor will have classes on the hour plus hoops to purchase
• Sample Randol Honey creamed honey and soaps
• Kids– free freeze pops. Be sure to visit both barns to say hello and get lovings!
• Come in to Miss Tillie’s for samples of our cheese and MUCH MORE!

Join us in our renovated 1800s Building, complete with restored tin ceilings
and wood floors. Browse over 3000 sq. feet of Period & Shabby Chic furniture.


Donna Jean's Flowers

Antiques & Collectibles .
Large Selection of Willow Tree Angels
.
Beautiful Garden Art .
Blue & White Pottery, Green & Blooming Plants

Featuring local artists......
. Native American Lakota art work by Michael “White Feather”
. Hand Crafted Silver “Moon Dance” Jewelry by Kelly Moore.
. Hand Blown glass by Art Ciccott, and others.
More than just a full Service Florist

215 South Main
Downtown...Woodward


Visit Centraliowasmallfarms.com for more info and a printable map!

Another product review and blog giveaway! If you'd like to read a review of our Bath Teas, Shampoo Bars, and Healing Wand, AND a chance to win all of those items, visit Prissy Green!

Here's a brief photo journal of our last month's Sample Sunday...it was LOADS of fun! If this looks like fun to you, come visit us on July 12th! Visit centraliowasmallfarms.com for details!

Happy Freebie Friday! (yeah, it's actually Saturday...I'm not entirely sure where Friday went and I forgot to do this posting. Please forgive me!).

Last week's winner of our African Black Gel Soap is Nadine! Nadine, please email us at shop at prairielandherbs dot com and let us know your mailing address!

This week's Freebie....an Aluminum-free natural deodorant! We have three scents available - winner may choose his or her favorite. Please note that these are NOT anti-persperants, and are quite different from "drugstore" deodorants. They will not stop you from sweating, they'll just help you smell better while you do it. :) Why aluminum-free deodorants are good If you'd like to win a free deodorant, simply leave a comment on this blog post.

Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

I haven't actually tried this recipe - so take this advice with a grain of salt - but it sure looks like a pretty darn good recipe for a natural deodorant! (Instrustables.com is SO cool! and thanks Jill for the link!)

We have kittens for adoption! One was found at my sister's work - we raised her from a 3 week old, so she is a bottle-baby. The other 4 were found in a Mustang car (currently non-running)on the farm. Their feral momma thought that was a great place to raise a family, apparently. So now Shelby, Bullitt (aka. Steve McQueen), Elanor, Dash and Sally are looking for homes! They are about 8 weeks old, living indoors, socialized to other cats and dogs, and litterbox trained. If you're interested in adopting one (or more) just let us know!

Happy Freebie Friday! Last weeks' winners are as follows:
2 oz. Green Thumb Salve - dazedpuckbunny
1/2 oz. Green Thumb Salve - 1 each to DoulaSara and Carolinamomma! Please, everyone, email us at shop at prairielandherbs dot com with your mailing addresses and we will get these sent right out!


This week we are offering our Black Gel Soap! We purchased some true, handmade African Black Soap from our favorite Fair Trade shea butter supplier (Agbanga Karite) and then added our own hydrosols to create a lovely, thick all-natural gel soap that is delighful as a face, hand, or body cleanser. This cleanser has thick, rich lather and is unscented - smells pleasantly of, well, soap! It's mild and very gentle. If you'd like it scented, feel free to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. If you'd like to win a bottle of our Black Gel Soap, simply leave a comment on today's blog post.

Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

Well! Maggie's computer is on the fritz....and I can't change the website until it's fixed, so, you folks get to enjoy the $5 shipping sale until it's fixed!!! haha!!! happy shopping! :)

A few pics from around the farm, last Friday afternoon.

St. John's wort is starting to bloom!

Here you can see St. John's wort (closest), prairie sage (tall and grey) and mountain mint (behind the prairie sage).

Happy Freebie Friday!!!

Last week's winner of our awesome Natural Laundry Gift Set is Melissa aka LbFool! Melissa, drop us an email at shop at prairielandherbs dot com and let us know what scent you'd like!

This week - a little gift for all the hardworking gardeners. We're offering 1 - 2 oz. jar and 2 - 1/2 oz jars of our "Green Thumb Gardener's Salve". Perfect for soothing garden-rough hands and feet, and healing any little nicks and scrapes (or massive scratches like we get when pruning the roses). Also? the scent of this stuff keeps the bugs away. You really can't go wrong.

If you'd like to win one of these, simply leave a comment on this blog post!

Rules:
1) One entry per person.
2) You must have a registered ID to post - if your post shows up under "anonymous", we don't know who you are, and therefore you can't win.
3) You have until the next Thursday at midnight, CST, to enter your comment.
4) Winner will be announced the following Friday - you must check back to see if it's you!
5) International folks are welcome. We ship Prairieland Herbs items all over the world, so we'll ship our "Friday freebie" anywhere too!
6) Each eligible post will be assigned a number, and we'll use a free online random number generator to determine the winner.

We have an AMAZING Sample Sunday lined up this Sunday, June 14th!

Spa Sample Sunday at Prairieland Herbs!
Get ready to relax with:

• FREE Gauranga Reiki
• FREE yoga demonstrations from Firehouse Yoga
• FREE henna tattooing
• FREE ear candling
• Reflexology sessions
• Free bath salts, soap and shampoo bar samples

And the finest selection of handmade natural bath and body products available ANYWHERE!

Sally Kilkenny will have her usual selection of amazing gourmet jams for sale, and she'll also be selling miniature roses.

At Northern Prarie Chevre you can enjoy:

Brat lunch

FREE concert “Sweet Tater” Matt TeRonde 1:00 – 4:30
FREE hula-hooping lessons on the hour
Soothing chair massages available
Free samples from Snus Hill & Tassel Ridge Wineries
Loads of delicious local food samples!

Come in to Miss Tillie’s for samples of our cheese and MUCH MORE!

at Picket Fence Creamery:

Pony rides for the kids!

Free food samples galore: Orange-pineapple ice cream, Buffalo Summer Sausage, Neva's Cheeseballs, Fresh Cheese Curds, Chocolate Milk, Iowa Wines, Creamed Honey, Elk Sticks
and much more!

"2'fers Deals": 2 bags cheese curds for $6; 2 jars local cherry jam for $9; 2 bottles any Iowa wine for $20!!!

Fresh Iowa Strawberries, lettuce, and rhubarb crisp!

and at Donna Jean's Flowers:

Join us in our renovated 1800s Building, complete with restored tin ceilings and wood floors. Browse over 3000 sq. feet of Period & Shabby Chic furniture.

Antiques & Collectibles

Beautiful Garden Art

Large Selection of Willow Tree Angels

Blue & White Pottery, Green & Blooming Plants Featuring local artists......

Native American Lakota art work by Michael "White Feather"

Moon Dance Jewelry by Kelly Moore

Hand Blown glass by Art Ciccott, and others.

We will be handing out a Flower to the Ladies and Free popcorn for the Kids.

Visit Centraliowasmallfarms.com for a full listing of events and printable map!