From Our First Tent to Our Last: Wrapping Up Our First Festival Season

As the last tent comes down and the bins are packed away for the season, we find ourselves feeling a mix of emotions — tired, grateful, proud, and just a little bittersweet. December 13 marked the final festival of our very first year on the road, and what a year it’s been.

Between May 17 and December 13, we participated in 27 festivals, not including the many weeks we spent set up at the Attalla Farmers Market during the summer season. For a first year, it was a lot — and somehow, it was exactly what we needed.

If we had to sum it up in three words? Hectic. Rewarding. Fun.

Our very first festival was eye-opening. It showed us quickly what worked, what didn’t, and how much room there was to grow. Every event after that helped us improve — from how much product to bring, to how our booth functioned, to how we shared our story.

One of the biggest surprises was seeing how a following truly forms. We met customers who later traveled just to find us again, and that alone still amazes us. Every interaction mattered — whether it was someone who walked up knowing exactly what they wanted or someone who wanted to hear all about goat milk and its benefits.

And then there were the kids. If you’ve ever visited our booth, you know exactly what we mean. They smelled every single fragrance, carefully choosing favorites and insisting mom or dad smell them too. We heard “Oh wow, that smells good!” more times than we can count — usually followed by Seth saying, “Just let me know if you smell something bad.”

Product-wise, festivals kept us guessing. Sometimes soap was the star. Other times it was lotion, body butter, or even car air fresheners. Creekside Orchard always caught attention, but Midnight in the Holler quietly stole hearts again and again. Every setup got a little better — adding signs, gridwalls, shelves, giveaways, and creating a checkout space that felt rustic, welcoming, and true to who we are.

Behind the scenes, it wasn’t always easy. Figuring out inventory, setting up, tearing down — and often doing it with one person when two were needed — was a challenge. Jill and Adam packed up many nights while Seth worked. Seth set up solo on Fridays while Jill worked. We were lucky to have help sometimes, especially from Jill’s sister Amber, but Adam was our MVP — learning the checkout system, product facts, and always stepping up without hesitation.

What truly made it all worth it was watching people connect when they learned we do everything ourselves — from milking the goats to making the products. That connection shows in our 50%+ return customer rate, and we couldn’t be more thankful.

This season ends with bittersweet exhaustion. We worked nearly nonstop since May, taking only a few weekends off — some for our sons’ birthdays. But we’re proud. Proud to be a small family on a small farm doing something we love, and even prouder that others love it too.

We’ll be back for festival season 2026, with new ideas, new products (we’ll keep those a surprise for now), and the same heart behind everything we do.

Thank you for being part of our first year. Truly — we couldn’t have done it without you.