02/10/13

What About “Blog”? Our Organic Body Care Beginnings

Okay, I don’t think I’m that fascinating of a person (fun, though) but I do know a lot of fascinating things and have way too many interests. Since my marketing consultants, web guru, social media designer and support system say I need to blog, here I go.

Those who know me and love me are well aware of the fact that I love herbs, organics, gardening, bees and all things that fall into the homesteading arena, body wellness (okay, not so much exercise but definitely tea drinking), and many other creative endeavors; all to the chagrin of my slightly amused and mostly tolerant husband and children.

Laura Bergh, Proprietress

I started Indigo Blooms Botanicals in earnest during 2012 after dabbling in organic body care for a few years because I am fanatical about organics. How did I get here? Once our children were old enough to fend for themselves for hours at a time, I fell in love with perennial gardening. That led me down the path of herbs and vegetable gardening.

“Ooh,” I told my family, “look at this. I can take a course through our county extension office to become a Master Gardener.” “Hmm,” my husband said. “I only need to travel to another county (Summit) to take it (our county being too small to sponsor their own),” I tendered. “Hmm,” he said. “It only requires traveling 120 miles round trip for months in late winter tackling snow storms to complete the program. Isn’t this great, I’ll learn about gardening at 9000 feet, zone 4!” The course taught gardening at a higher elevation than my own zone 5. “Hmm,” he still said. I loved it from the beginning.

This then led me into my passion (some would append “fanatical”) for heirloom, open pollinated and organic seeds to grow and save. Did I mention that I live at 8500 feet and our season is so short I have to grow my herbs and veggies at my indulgent sister’s two acres in Denver?

Did I also mention that my friends and family helped me dig three feet into the rocky mountain soil (at said 8500 feet) to erect a 10 ft x 20 ft solar greenhouse kit (complete with solar openers) in early winter so that I could start the aforementioned herbs and veggies? Did you know that you could build a non-existent hillside from concrete blocks, pea gravel and rocky mountain soil? This is what crazy gardeners do to indulge their passion.

Oh, did I tell you about the pick-up loads of pea gravel we had to carry by wheelbarrow from the front of the property to the back (we’re talking an acre, forest and slopes)? My good Samaritans said that if I ever doubted they loved me, just remember this little three month event. But I recall the indescribable feeling when we were erecting the last slanted roof panel during a snow storm and looked up through the ceiling gap into the cloud break at the beautiful stars overhead (yes, it was evening). Euphoria. Aren’t there times when you feel like your over-full heart might burst? I also feel this way when the first seedling pushes out of the rich soil. And, yes, you can still see the Milky Way in the mountain skies.

I next stumbled onto a lavender class taught by a local herbalist given at Denver Botanic Gardens. I was hooked. I found there was something more than aesthetics to the beautiful blossoms and plants I nurtured. Could it be true that there were health properties hidden within something I loved? Enter the beginning of my medicinal herbal education.

The short of it is that I’ve become hooked on herbalism. After years of classes at the local colleges, expert webinars and seminars, herbal telecourses, local workshops, books galore, expos and travels afield, who wouldn’t be hooked? Not only can you eat your way into health, but you can introduce botanical benefits through body care products. Lotions and potions that are actually good for your health? “No methyl-ethyl bad stuff,” announced my husband.

Often heard coming from my mouth is, “Did you know that your skin is your largest organ?”  “Would you really want to slather that methyl-ethyl bad-stuff all over your skin after you finished that incredibly healthy salad for lunch?” Or, “Protect your baby’s perfect skin with something organic and delicate that’s made just for her.” So I’ve become an organic mixologist and orator. Indigo Blooms Botanicals is my creative outlet for truly organic body care products. Next up will be tinctures, teas and spices. Life is good. 

Oh, did I also mention this has gotten me into beekeeping? I keep organic, top bars hives that I’ve enlisted my husband and sister into building and sponsoring. We have two hives underneath a very old apple tree; the bees tolerate the windfall landing on their houses. I can’t tell you how much fun it is to go catch a swarm of bees and settle them into their new home. And organically kept bees create amazing honey! We use it in our products. That’s a topic for another day; the medicinal quality of honey.

Just know that our company cares about your health and the health of your family. We express this through our organic formulations and our commitment to the environment. Yes, everything we put in that glass jar is listed on the label. Yes, we truly meet the USDA Certified Organic guidelines. Yes, we are truly transparent about our products. Check other products you normally purchase and see if the same is true of their products and labels.

Time to sign off and get cracking on the newest product in our Wee Bees line in honor of our smallest Indigo blossom, Ellie Ivy. She is just five days old so no methyl-ethyl bad stuff for her. Stop by and see our Wee Bees organic line.

And, let’s see, next is learning to spin and dye  (with organic botanical herbs, of course) alpaca yarn…

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