The Misty Manor, Mercers

The primitive soap-making workshop scheduled for this weekend (Saturday, 22 May) is rescheduled for 29 May, also a Saturday, mostly due to persistent bad weather and partly due to the need to get the online ordering system back online after the recent break-in. The workshop will run from 10 am until 4 pm.

The workshop is to demonstrate traditional potash soap-making. We will be making soap from leached wood ash over a wood fire. We will talk about how this is done, how the quality of the potash is controlled, how Missouri pioneers accomplished these tasks, and explaining the differences between traditional handmade soap and modern products (including our own). I also hope to have time to demonstrate several products made from lye soap, including saddle soap (leather care) and oil soap (wood finishing). Recipes and handouts will be available. There will be a weed walk in the afternoon to show people some of the wild herbs used in soap-making as well as medicinal and dye plants visible this time of year.

There is no charge for the workshop. We will have many of our products available for sale and will accept donations. Any money we receive for these programs helps us offer more of them in the future.