The first signs of spring symbolize a fresh beginning, a time when life is vibrant and new. For Deidre Sauer, spring was an inspiration for the name of her prosperous business: The Dandelion Farm.
“We were trying to figure out a name for it. I had the farm, and she (former business partner) loved dandelions. And my view of it is, my whole yard is full of dandelions in the springtime, and it’s like that sign of springtime,” Sauer said.
Sauer revisits the origins of her passion for the art of soap making, which was her initial and only product she sold.
“I was having bad hip pain, and my cousin is like, ‘You need to meet this lady, Polly, and book a reflexology session with her.’ Long story short, she fixed my hip pain, and she and I became really good friends. And she allowed me to have a mini soap-making class,” Sauer said. “I fell in love with it, and 400 bars later, she’s like, ‘What are you doing with all this soap?’”
Sauer bought The Dandelion Farm, located at 120 W. Huron Street, Berlin, on January 2, 2020. However, due to COVID-19, the official opening date was postponed to the fall of 2020.
When customers walk into the Dandelion Farm, the first thing they notice is the smell. The delicate scents of lotions, mists, soaps, and oils surround customers. One such customer is senior Gabriella Franke, who has been a close family friend of the Sauers for about five years now.
“I would for sure recommend the face masks. She just came out with a face mask meant for acne and dry skin, and you’re only supposed to leave it on for five to ten minutes, and I took it off, and there was no acne there,” Franke said.
Aside from Sauer’s 100-120 goats, Sauer’s farm also consists of horses, ponies, a donkey, a pig named Petunia, five emus, and cattle. A herd of goats this size might seem like a lot to handle, but Sauer does it with help from her family.
“When it’s summer, they (the kids, Ashlyn, Mollie, and Owen Sauer) will come to the store and help with checkouts. It helps with math, counting money, customer service, and building that confidence,” Sauer said. “They help with making certain products, labeling, and packaging. They dive into a little bit of everything, and with a little guidance and parental supervision, it will be perfect for when the customer comes to check out.”
While Sauer and her family work the storefront, Sauer also started selling her goat milk to Saputo in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Sauer hopes to expand herself into a full dairy farm in the future.
“We’re milking 60 goats twice a day now. Starting last month, we have been shipping our milk to Saputo, where they make cheese. On Tuesday and Friday mornings, they come and pick up our milk, and I take whatever milk I need for products,” Sauer said. “It was about 4,000 pounds of milk we did last month, so I probably use a good 1,000 pounds of milk per month.”
Sauer uses her milk production for lotions and soaps, as well as her goat’s milk caramels. Sauer explains her lotion-making process.
“For lotion, I want to take the freshest milk possible. Usually, we’ll have everything weighed out ahead of time before I know I have milk coming. I pasteurize my milk, and while that’s pasteurizing, I have my oil that melts down. Then you take your warm milk and your melted oils, put them together, and it saponifies (turning fat or oil into soap by reaction with an alkali) into lotion. Obviously, you have to put a preservative in or fragrance, but as it cools down, it gets thicker,” Sauer said, “It is a science, like cooking, except you don’t lick the spoon.”
The Dandelion Farm also uses its website and social media accounts to get the name out there. Sauer looks back to 2020, when her business, as well as many others, could not open.
“I remember when they said we couldn’t open, I did a Facebook live. That next month, our online orders and curbside pickup were through the roof. I could not believe the support,” Sauer said.
The Dandelion Farm is well known for its organic and people-friendly products. Alumna Molly Gallert has worked there since she graduated high school in 2022.
“Take care of your body and go as natural as you can. It’s the best way,” Gallert said.
