Salinity Presents: Tru Tallow

WEBVTT
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Barbara Dunn (music): Let love
surround you and keep you safe and warm
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May the music in our hearts
be a shelter from the storm
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Emily Wilder: Welcome to Salinity
Presents, a podcast where I interview the
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vendors and friends of Salinity Seafood
& More, my business here on Whidbey Island,
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the largest island in Washington State.
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My name is Emily Wilder.
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I'm the SeaEO of Salinity, and I am
here today with Callie from Tru Tallow.
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Thanks for being here with me, Callie.
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Callie Sirak: Thanks for having me.
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Emily Wilder: Can you tell
us about your business?
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Callie Sirak: Absolutely.
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At Tru Tallow we make small batch,
hand-rendered, tallow-based skincare
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from locally sourced animals.
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Right now we're sourcing local beef
and local sheep for our products.
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We make a wide variety of skincare
for the whole body, head to toe.
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Emily Wilder: How did you
get started with this?
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Callie Sirak: This started for me in 2020.
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I had just recently become an empty nester
and my son had moved away and was working
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during the pandemic, washing his hands
a ton and working with chemicals, and he
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developed some pretty bad hand eczema.
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He had always had a little bit of
eczema, but it had gotten really bad.
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He was starting down the route of
doing some topical steroids, and I
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knew what potential damage that could
lead to if you start down that road.
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I've researched a lot about topical
steroid withdrawal, so I didn't want
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him to start down that road and then
have to go through something like that.
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I started researching different methods
of helping him with settling the eczema.
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I discovered tallow was at that point
very newly being discussed online as
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something that could help treat that.
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I realized how fortunate am I that
I have access to a ranch right down
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the road from me that raises locally
grass-fed, grass-finished beef.
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And so I was able to get some
suet from 3 Sisters Farms here on
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Whidbey, and start making it for him.
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And it helped him right away.
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It didn't take it completely
away, but it settled it down.
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We realized, eczema for most people
is a systemic issue, and treating it
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topically, is kind of just a Band-Aid.
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So you kinda need to figure out
what's going wrong systemically
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and try and clear that up.
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We did discover what
was going on with him.
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It's dairy, and that affects
my entire family actually.
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But what it did do is because he
was washing his hands so much and
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having to put on gloves and take
off gloves, and it was just really
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aggravated, it calmed it way down.
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And then he started sharing it with
some friends that were having some
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similar issues, and my daughter
started using it on her face because
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she gets eczema around her lips.
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It was really helping them, and they
said, "You need to start making this
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for more of the family," which I did.
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I started shipping it off to my
sister and my mom and extended family.
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And everyone loved it and said, "You need
to keep making this and share it." And
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so, I did, and it just kind of blossomed
into this business that I wasn't really
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prepared to be in, but now I'm in it.
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So that's how it all started.
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Emily Wilder: How many years have you
been selling it to non-family members?
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Callie Sirak: I started in 2021.
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In May was when Tru Tallow
officially started as a business.
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Emily Wilder: And where
did you get the name?
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Callie Sirak: Oh, we went through a
lot of series of it, but my husband
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came up with it and it stuck.
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We like the name "Tru" because
there's a lot of tallow makers.
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And even since 2021, I still felt like
I was in a small pond at that point.
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I was a small fish in a small pond.
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But now I'm a small fish in a huge pond.
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So many tallow makers.
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But our tallow, we call it "Tru" because
it's truly from the suet of the animal,
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and we're trying to stay true to retaining
as much nutrition as possible in the
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tallow, as well as only adding the
most natural and pure ingredients to
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it, and not adding anything unnatural.
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So that's how Tru happened, and it
just kind of rolls off the tongue.
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Emily Wilder: For somebody who might
be listening who's never heard of
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tallow and really doesn't understand
why you're talking about farms,
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can you give a little Tallow 101?
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Callie Sirak: Absolutely.
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Tallow is fat from any ruminant animal.
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So any animal that chews its
cud, you can get tallow from.
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Specifically for skincare, tallow
should be taken from the suet of the
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animal, and the suet is a large chunk
of fat that surrounds the kidneys.
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that's just a great place where
a lot of nutrition is stored
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in that big chunk of fat.
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And You'll hear about tallow for cooking
as well, and a lot of that tallow that
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you're finding offered in stores is not
necessarily from the suet of the animal.
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It's from trim fat or other
sources of fat within the animal.
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And that's fine.
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But for skincare, we've realized it's
really important that you use the suet.
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You get a much cleaner, more golden,
richer product by using the suet.
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And we had to go through, it was more
than a year, about 18 months, of testing
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and trialing our rendering process.
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So you take the suet, this big chunk of
fat, you chop it down into little pieces,
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and then you go through a rendering
process, which is heating it, but you
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wanna heat it very low and very slow to
retain as much nutrition as possible.
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You don't wanna cook out the nutrition.
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We end up rendering the suet in
order to get what is called tallow.
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And you can do that with
any ruminant animal's fat.
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You can do it with deer or sheep, bison.
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There's a lot of different types
of tallows being offered right now.
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In a nutshell, that's what tallow
is, and if you wonder why would
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you want to put it on your skin?
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It's full of nutrition.
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It's full of vitamins A, D, E, and
K, and it's full of omega fatty
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acids, which are just really great
at calming inflammation in the skin.
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We like to say it's super food for your
skin because it's more than moisture.
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While it does feel very moisturizing to
your skin, it's actually feeding your
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skin the nutrition it needs to heal.
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So it's ancestral skincare.
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It's what our great-great-grandparents
used to use before petroleum-based
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products in the stores.
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And it's just a fantastic
natural product to put on your
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skin and to keep it healthy.
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Emily Wilder: I know you have your
unscented, that we sell in the
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shop, and then we have your Rose.
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Tell me about some of different
ingredients that you add to the tallow.
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And I know you have a
couple new lines as well.
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Callie Sirak: Right.
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We do a whole line of whole body whips,
which are meant to be used obviously
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over your whole body, so head to toe.
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And those typically are made with
the tallow base, and then we add
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organic jojoba oil and Australian
emu oil to those products, along with
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therapeutic-grade essential oils.
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We pick out specific ones that will
be beneficial for aiding in different
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skin ailments that you might have or
just encouraging health in the skin.
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We're trying to convert right now
into using more herbal infusions
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instead of essential oils.
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I know some people prefer less
essential oils in their products.
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So, we're growing actually a lot of
our own herbs here at our house, and
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I'm growing calendula and chamomile
and helichrysum and lavender, and
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those are all being freeze-dried.
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We take them in and we freeze-dry
them because once again, our
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focus is on keeping nutrition.
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And when you freeze-dry an herb,
it retains much more of the
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nutrition than just drying it.
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So we freeze-dry it, and then we
infuse it into the jojoba oil.
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And we do that infusion for eight
to 10 weeks, and then we add that
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to many of our different products.
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We have lots of different products
with different oils added to them.
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We have a citrus one.
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We have one called Hippie Spice that
has a lot of really beneficial oils
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in it, that also has patchouli - has
a nice little hippie scent to it.
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And like you mentioned that you carry
at the shop, we have the Pure that
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has no essential oils at all in it.
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For those that are highly sensitive
we've found that's a really good one.
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Great for use on baby care as well.
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And then we have the two premium products.
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You carry the Rose, which has rosehip
seed oil in it, as well as Rose Absolute.
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And that's just a beautiful high
vitamin C. I intended it specifically
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for facial care, but it can be
used all over your body as well.
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But it's just really got a nice high
vitamin C quality to it which helps
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with fighting inflammation, rosacea,
age spots, that kind of thing.
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We also have another premium one called
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Tru Blu,
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Callie Sirak: and that one has blue
tansy oil in it as well as a lot of
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other age-defying oils like neroli,
copaiba, frankincense, And that one
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is by far I think my bestseller.
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My True Blue by far outsells
all the rest of mine.
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I get a lot of orders for that.
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Emily Wilder: Tell me more about
the benefits of those ingredients
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that you add to the True Blue.
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Callie Sirak: Blue tansy specifically
is just miraculous for the skin.
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It's calmed my rosacea.
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It's been my ride or die since I
started making it in the beginning.
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It was my first premium product, and
I started using it right away, so
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I've been using it for five years now.
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And it's my nighttime
moisturizer, basically.
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It's my, like, last thing I put
on before I go to sleep, and
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it has helped calm my rosacea.
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It's helped fade an age spot,
a significant age spot I had,
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a dime-size age spot on my
face that it pretty much faded.
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It took about 18 months,
but it took it away.
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It's just changed the texture of my
skin, just makes it smoother and glowier.
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And I used to always wear makeup.
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I hardly ever wear makeup anymore now,
so- it's just a nice moisturizing product.
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The blue tansy helps with, like I
said, the inflammation which shows up
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oftentimes as rosacea in people's faces.
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But it also can help with cystic
acne, that kind of thing, because
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actually the tallow itself is
antibacterial and antifungal.
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It has those properties within it.
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It's in the omegas, where
you find those properties.
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I say that, if you have oily skin, it will
bring it into balance, and if you have
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dry skin, it will bring it into balance.
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It doesn't make your face oily,
if you already have oily skin.
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That's not what it does.
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It actually will help balance
that oiliness in your face.
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Emily Wilder: How do you
recommend that people use it?
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Like how much do you use?
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Callie Sirak: Yeah everyone is a little
different 'cause everyone has different
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things going on with their skin.
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But I always recommend
with tallow to start slow.
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And so you're gonna use a pea-size amount.
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I like melting it on my fingers
first and then applying it.
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Personally, I like applying it at night.
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And then I find that I don't need to
put tallow on in the morning, 'cause
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it's done its work overnight, and I
wake up and my face is moisturized.
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Other people though tell me they like
putting it on in the morning before
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their makeup, and that's something
that their skin is able to handle.
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For me personally, I've been using
the tallow for five years, and I
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couldn't imagine putting it on before
my makeup, if I'm wearing makeup.
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But other people, it's working
really well in that way.
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So, I always just say, "See what works
for you." You know, if you like putting
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it on in the morning and that feels
great for your skin, then do that.
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I always recommend people start with a
pea-size amount and build from there.
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And if it starts feeling heavy on
your face or like it's not soaking
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in, then you've used too much.
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You just move it to another area.
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Yeah.
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And it'll soak right in.
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Emily Wilder: I know it's very
effective also on, like, your feet.
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I love that at night.
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Callie Sirak: For sure.
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Oh, gosh.
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Yeah.
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I keep it on my nightstand.
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I always keep, I have Heaven
Scent on my nightstand.
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Heaven Scent is the one that's
made with my calendula and
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chamomile infused jojoba oil.
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I'm at the age of menopause and my
leg skin is lizardy all the time.
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I have that really dry,
flaky skin on my legs now.
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But the tallow has really helped
with that dry skin down there.
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And also, yeah, cracked feet in
the summer or in the winter, you
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know, you get that cracked skin.
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And it really clears it up.
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Emily Wilder: Yeah, and in such a
more natural way than a lot of those
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intense lotions that are out there.
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Callie Sirak: Right.
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Emily Wilder: Could you speak a
little bit to why natural skincare?
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You know, like, what's so wrong with
what I can get at the grocery store?
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Callie Sirak: Well, for me, I just
have to look at the label and know
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that I don't need to be putting
all those ingredients on my skin.
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It's a lot of petroleum-based
products, a lot of chemicals.
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Quite often there's dyes in it.
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It's like why would you need to do that?
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It's lotion.
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For me, I think in most of my life,
I'm leaning more towards natural
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things and looking at labels.
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Skincare seemed to just be the next
step, to not be putting chemicals on my
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face, and to be using something natural.
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I find that I don't even wash
my face with soap anymore.
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I'm really just about protecting my
skin barrier and not stripping it.
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And the tallow really helps with that too.
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Some people enjoy using it as
like an oil-based cleanser.
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Instead of using soap, you can use the
tallow and wash your face with tallow.
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And then put a warm washcloth on your
face and then it'll just soak right in.
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It's so nice.
00:11:52.015 --> 00:11:55.945
Emily Wilder: Can you tell me more
about the other oils that you add?
00:11:55.945 --> 00:11:59.715
So you add jojoba oil, and
then you said emu oil as well?
00:11:59.715 --> 00:12:02.905
Callie Sirak: Yeah, emu oil,
which is another animal-based oil.
00:12:02.910 --> 00:12:05.180
It comes from actually
the fat of the emu bird.
00:12:05.190 --> 00:12:08.890
It's just another one of those
powerhouse fats that just
00:12:08.890 --> 00:12:10.430
has so much nutrition in it.
00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:14.137
A lot of people use just pure emu
oil on their skin fighting eczema.
00:12:14.137 --> 00:12:18.384
I had first heard about it for
helping aid with eczema and psoriasis.
00:12:18.394 --> 00:12:21.504
And so that's why I started
including it in my tallow.
00:12:21.514 --> 00:12:26.474
Also because it has a nice stability
for as far as being shelf stable.
00:12:26.474 --> 00:12:27.634
It lasts a long time.
00:12:27.634 --> 00:12:31.084
The oils that I add to my tallow
encourage it to last longer
00:12:31.084 --> 00:12:32.714
instead of going rancid faster.
00:12:32.714 --> 00:12:35.594
These are all natural oils, so
there is a lifespan to them.
00:12:35.604 --> 00:12:41.314
So, besides just being super beneficial
with the nutrition that's in the emu oil,
00:12:41.314 --> 00:12:43.354
it helps extend the life of the tallow.
00:12:43.364 --> 00:12:45.094
The same thing with the jojoba oil.
00:12:45.104 --> 00:12:49.504
The jojoba is a bit of a drier oil,
and when your tallow is already, I
00:12:49.504 --> 00:12:51.384
don't wanna call it greasy, but it is.
00:12:51.394 --> 00:12:53.524
I mean, it's a fat, so fat is grease.
00:12:53.534 --> 00:12:56.744
But you don't really wanna
be adding a really heavy oil.
00:12:56.744 --> 00:13:00.360
I know that some tallow makers
add castor oil to theirs.
00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:01.780
And to me, that's just too heavy.
00:13:01.790 --> 00:13:04.390
Tallow is kind of a heavy product
to begin with, so I wanted to
00:13:04.390 --> 00:13:06.680
use some lighter, drier oils.
00:13:06.690 --> 00:13:08.320
Rosehip oil is the same way.
00:13:08.330 --> 00:13:12.786
It's kind of a drier oil, it's not super
heavy, and it has a nice shelf life as
00:13:12.786 --> 00:13:14.986
well and wonderful benefits for the skin.
00:13:14.996 --> 00:13:18.086
Emily Wilder: And why is it that you
would want to add anything to the tallow?
00:13:18.096 --> 00:13:21.816
Callie Sirak: Well, after rendering
the tallow, at room temperature tallow
00:13:21.826 --> 00:13:24.216
is hard like a brick, when it cools.
00:13:24.226 --> 00:13:25.806
So you have to add something to it.
00:13:25.816 --> 00:13:29.406
If you're ordering tallow from
someone and they're like, "It's 100%
00:13:29.406 --> 00:13:33.006
pure tallow. There's nothing added
to it," and it looks like a cream,
00:13:33.006 --> 00:13:34.406
I have a hard time believing that.
00:13:34.416 --> 00:13:38.116
You have to add something to
the tallow to make it creamy,
00:13:38.126 --> 00:13:40.216
to maintain that soft texture.
00:13:40.226 --> 00:13:44.226
That was a balancing project for me when
I first started making, finding those
00:13:44.226 --> 00:13:49.526
proper ratio of the oils to the tallow so
that I wasn't adding too much of the oils
00:13:49.526 --> 00:13:51.716
'cause I wanted the tallow to be the star.
00:13:51.726 --> 00:13:55.426
A lot of people, I was seeing them
make these whips online, and it was so
00:13:55.426 --> 00:13:58.016
soft and lotion-y, and almost pourable.
00:13:58.026 --> 00:14:00.886
And I was like, "That's gotta just
feel like an oil slick because you're
00:14:00.886 --> 00:14:03.066
adding so much oils to it." And I tried.
00:14:03.076 --> 00:14:06.596
I was like, "Well, maybe I can make it
softer," but it always felt oily then
00:14:06.606 --> 00:14:08.776
instead of feeling- The tallow, you know?
00:14:08.786 --> 00:14:11.836
And so with my tallow whips,
a lot of people expect them
00:14:11.836 --> 00:14:13.716
to be whipped like a lotion.
00:14:13.726 --> 00:14:14.396
But they're not.
00:14:14.396 --> 00:14:18.126
It's more really like a body
butter, is the consistency of them.
00:14:18.136 --> 00:14:22.043
And that's because I want to keep the
highest amount of tallow while adding
00:14:22.043 --> 00:14:26.743
the beneficial oils, but not making it an
oil slick and letting the tallow shine.
00:14:26.753 --> 00:14:30.303
Because if you want to use jojoba
oil and emu oil, you can just go buy
00:14:30.303 --> 00:14:33.273
jojoba oil and emu oil and put that
on your skin and that's wonderful.
00:14:33.283 --> 00:14:35.883
But if you're wanting to use
tallow, get the most tallow you can.
00:14:35.893 --> 00:14:38.923
So that was my thought process
in making it the way that I do.
00:14:38.923 --> 00:14:39.563
Emily Wilder: That's great.
00:14:39.573 --> 00:14:43.153
And do you use the same ratios
for all of your different whips?
00:14:43.153 --> 00:14:46.583
Or with some of the scents do
you use more jojoba or something?
00:14:46.593 --> 00:14:46.913
Callie Sirak: No.
00:14:46.913 --> 00:14:51.153
It's pretty much the same oil to
tallow ratios just so that I'm keeping
00:14:51.163 --> 00:14:52.833
consistency as much as possible.
00:14:52.833 --> 00:14:58.253
But I will say that, The texture of
tallow varies depending on the season that
00:14:58.253 --> 00:15:00.343
you're getting the suet from the rancher.
00:15:00.343 --> 00:15:03.676
Because the cows during different
seasons are eating different
00:15:03.676 --> 00:15:07.476
things… it's a biological product,
so it's not gonna be the same.
00:15:07.486 --> 00:15:09.516
It's gonna vary from animal to animal.
00:15:09.526 --> 00:15:12.366
Sometimes you'll have a tallow
whip, and I'm adding, and my
00:15:12.366 --> 00:15:13.836
recipe is always the same.
00:15:13.836 --> 00:15:16.826
I'm adding the same amounts,
and my tallow's, like, so thick.
00:15:16.836 --> 00:15:19.836
Other times it's a little bit
whippier, and people are like,
00:15:19.836 --> 00:15:21.046
"It's not the right texture.
00:15:21.046 --> 00:15:23.416
It's not the same one as last time."
I'm like, "Well, this is because
00:15:23.416 --> 00:15:26.420
this is a different cow, or this is a
different sheep." And it's not gonna be
00:15:26.420 --> 00:15:31.070
exactly the same, but I do my best to
try and keep it as close as possible.
00:15:31.070 --> 00:15:34.660
But it's, you know, it's gonna be a little
biologically different with each animal.
00:15:34.670 --> 00:15:36.270
I think that's a good thing, to be honest.
00:15:36.270 --> 00:15:37.320
I think that's a really good thing.
00:15:37.330 --> 00:15:41.115
Emily Wilder: And you are making it in
such small batches that each batch is
00:15:41.115 --> 00:15:43.775
probably even from one individual animal.
00:15:43.785 --> 00:15:44.595
Callie Sirak: Potentially.
00:15:44.605 --> 00:15:44.705
Yeah.
00:15:44.705 --> 00:15:45.775
Yeah, potentially.
00:15:45.785 --> 00:15:48.685
Emily Wilder: So that's a great
segue into talking about the
00:15:48.685 --> 00:15:51.081
source of this tallow and suet.
00:15:51.091 --> 00:15:55.081
Callie Sirak: Yeah, so I would say
a majority, probably over 90%, of
00:15:55.081 --> 00:15:58.091
our suet comes from Three Sisters
Farms here on Whidbey Island.
00:15:58.101 --> 00:16:01.811
They have been wonderful about being
able to get me the amount of suet that
00:16:01.811 --> 00:16:06.511
I need, but there are times especially
during the holiday season, where my demand
00:16:06.511 --> 00:16:08.201
is just a little bit too much for them.
00:16:08.211 --> 00:16:09.761
I need too much and they don't have it.
00:16:09.761 --> 00:16:15.221
I then have a resource over in Skagit
Valley called Northwest Meats, and they
00:16:15.231 --> 00:16:20.646
source from all of the San Juan Islands,
Whidbey Island, Skagit Valley, I think
00:16:20.646 --> 00:16:22.336
as far up north as Whatcom County.
00:16:22.346 --> 00:16:25.026
But it's all grass-fed,
grass-finished beef.
00:16:25.036 --> 00:16:28.406
They are the USDA butcher, so I
work with them sometimes too to
00:16:28.406 --> 00:16:30.246
get some extras if I need it.
00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:31.420
Emily Wilder: Always grass-fed.
00:16:31.446 --> 00:16:31.726
Callie Sirak: Yes.
00:16:31.726 --> 00:16:35.900
And what's wonderful about going through
them is that they have the information.
00:16:35.905 --> 00:16:38.975
Any cut of meat that you buy from
them, or the suet that I get from
00:16:38.975 --> 00:16:41.755
them, they have the number of
the rancher where that came from.
00:16:41.755 --> 00:16:45.695
So you're able to look online at
that specific rancher and how they
00:16:45.695 --> 00:16:49.315
do their business and how they run
their farm and you get to research it.
00:16:49.315 --> 00:16:52.825
I make sure that as much as
possible, it's definitely grass-fed,
00:16:52.825 --> 00:16:56.360
grass-finished, organic when
possible, and regenerative-raised
00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:57.900
is super important to me as well.
00:16:57.910 --> 00:16:59.120
Emily Wilder: Why does
that matter for skincare?
00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:01.430
Callie Sirak: The grass-fed,
grass-finished is important for
00:17:01.430 --> 00:17:04.923
skincare because fat stores toxins.
00:17:04.923 --> 00:17:07.273
Same thing with humans,
our fat stores our toxins.
00:17:07.273 --> 00:17:11.583
For skincare, you really want a cow
that's been eating the nutrition from
00:17:11.583 --> 00:17:15.593
the greens that it's eating, whether
that be just grass or clover or
00:17:15.593 --> 00:17:19.313
whatever the rancher is putting into
their fields to feed their cattle.
00:17:19.323 --> 00:17:22.363
You're hoping, and especially
with regenerative farming, you're
00:17:22.363 --> 00:17:26.803
getting more nutrition from those
crops that are feeding the animals.
00:17:26.813 --> 00:17:28.718
Because they're getting better nutrition.
00:17:28.728 --> 00:17:32.928
And so that just directly goes to the
fat, and all that nutrition is what
00:17:32.928 --> 00:17:36.048
you're getting in there and putting on
your skin and feeding your skin with,
00:17:36.058 --> 00:17:38.008
so that's why it's super important.
00:17:38.018 --> 00:17:38.088
Emily Wilder: Right.
00:17:38.088 --> 00:17:40.258
And our skin is our largest organ.
00:17:40.258 --> 00:17:41.208
Callie Sirak: Absolutely.
00:17:41.365 --> 00:17:43.125
Emily Wilder: Who else is
involved in your business?
00:17:43.135 --> 00:17:46.255
Callie Sirak: Well, it's mostly
me, but definitely my husband.
00:17:46.265 --> 00:17:51.375
So my husband Dan, he is, I call him The
Fat Man, and it's not 'cause he's fat.
00:17:51.385 --> 00:17:55.095
But he does all my rendering
for me, and he has perfected it.
00:17:55.105 --> 00:18:00.595
He has got it down to a science with the
low and slow oven-based render process.
00:18:00.605 --> 00:18:01.655
I couldn't do it without him.
00:18:01.655 --> 00:18:03.535
He does all the chopping,
which is the hard work.
00:18:03.545 --> 00:18:06.445
I mean, I think I would probably
have tendonitis even worse than I
00:18:06.445 --> 00:18:10.841
have right now in my hands if I had
to do all that chopping of the suet.
00:18:10.851 --> 00:18:14.061
We're looking into, if this keeps
going and growing, into getting
00:18:14.061 --> 00:18:16.071
a grinder, but they're expensive.
00:18:16.071 --> 00:18:17.691
In the meantime, he does the chopping.
00:18:17.691 --> 00:18:18.981
You have to chop it really fine.
00:18:19.061 --> 00:18:20.501
As small as possible.
00:18:20.511 --> 00:18:23.641
I mean, you want it to look
almost ground when you put it in.
00:18:23.641 --> 00:18:26.191
So, you just get it as
small bits as possible.
00:18:26.201 --> 00:18:29.161
Emily Wilder: And do you render…
Is it just the fat, like, in a pot,
00:18:29.171 --> 00:18:30.701
or are you putting it in water?
00:18:30.711 --> 00:18:31.311
Callie Sirak: No.
00:18:31.311 --> 00:18:35.051
Well, we do it a couple different
ways, and that's the part that everyone
00:18:35.051 --> 00:18:36.611
is very protective of their secret.
00:18:36.611 --> 00:18:39.211
We do a combination of wet
and then dry rendering.
00:18:39.221 --> 00:18:40.581
But we do not add anything.
00:18:40.581 --> 00:18:42.641
We don't add salt or anything like that.
00:18:42.651 --> 00:18:43.911
Emily Wilder: Oh, some people add salt?
00:18:43.921 --> 00:18:44.971
Callie Sirak: Some people add salt.
00:18:44.981 --> 00:18:47.461
And then people add different
things for different reasons.
00:18:47.461 --> 00:18:47.521
Yeah.
00:18:47.521 --> 00:18:49.161
It's interesting to hear what people do.
00:18:49.161 --> 00:18:52.991
But if you research how it's made
you'll find lots of different options.
00:18:52.991 --> 00:18:55.675
But we do a combination
of wet and dry rendering.
00:18:55.675 --> 00:18:57.777
In the oven, so in a cast iron pot.
00:19:02.711 --> 00:19:06.251
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00:19:51.848 --> 00:19:54.433
So, I wanna hear about
some of these new products.
00:19:54.433 --> 00:19:59.183
That ties into one of my other questions,
which is: how do you decide what to make?
00:19:59.193 --> 00:20:00.523
Callie Sirak: Yeah, that's hard.
00:20:00.533 --> 00:20:04.653
It's a constant battle in my head
between ideas of what I want to
00:20:04.653 --> 00:20:09.523
make, but then also not making too
much to water down my product line.
00:20:09.523 --> 00:20:13.003
I don't wanna just offer all these
different fragrance profiles.
00:20:13.003 --> 00:20:14.173
That's not what I'm about.
00:20:14.183 --> 00:20:17.993
At this point I have about 10 products
and I feel like that's enough.
00:20:18.003 --> 00:20:19.483
I don't really want to be making more.
00:20:19.493 --> 00:20:20.673
My focus is local.
00:20:20.673 --> 00:20:24.203
I don't wanna become some
online huge salesperson.
00:20:24.203 --> 00:20:28.763
I just want to provide a local product
to the people that are here locally,
00:20:28.773 --> 00:20:32.493
or that want something to take from
Whidbey, you know, something special home
00:20:32.493 --> 00:20:34.253
with them maybe if they're a tourist.
00:20:34.263 --> 00:20:37.273
Or send something to family
from local from Whidbey.
00:20:37.283 --> 00:20:39.403
But I think it's a battle between ideas.
00:20:39.403 --> 00:20:43.843
My husband's been begging me for the last
year to make a coffee bean eye cream.
00:20:43.853 --> 00:20:47.903
He's got it stuck in his head that he
thinks that is just the next thing and
00:20:47.903 --> 00:20:49.453
I've been giving him some pushback.
00:20:49.463 --> 00:20:51.083
I just am not ready for it yet.
00:20:51.093 --> 00:20:54.833
Personally, I've been working
on a yam and Vitex cream.
00:20:54.833 --> 00:20:56.473
A wild yam and Vitex cream.
00:20:56.483 --> 00:20:59.953
It's actually for hormone regulation
because it's what I'm going
00:20:59.953 --> 00:21:01.303
through personally right now.
00:21:01.303 --> 00:21:03.693
And so I'm experimenting
with it on myself.
00:21:03.703 --> 00:21:06.373
I've been experimenting with it
for about the past six months.
00:21:06.383 --> 00:21:09.873
Waiting to see what benefits
and if I want to then offer it.
00:21:09.883 --> 00:21:13.453
It's a pretty popular thing online,
not necessarily tallow-based.
00:21:13.463 --> 00:21:17.933
But other cream-based, having wild yam
and Vitex, which is Chaste tree berry.
00:21:17.943 --> 00:21:18.293
Emily Wilder: Okay.
00:21:18.303 --> 00:21:23.283
Callie Sirak: Both are very beneficial for
hormone regulation and hormone balancing.
00:21:23.293 --> 00:21:24.863
That's something I've
been experimenting with.
00:21:24.873 --> 00:21:28.993
I recently started experimenting
with infusing the tallow
00:21:28.993 --> 00:21:30.723
instead of infusing jojoba oil.
00:21:30.733 --> 00:21:35.273
Any introduction of any kind
of water-based anything will
00:21:35.283 --> 00:21:37.003
introduce bacteria to the tallow.
00:21:37.013 --> 00:21:40.983
So you'll see all of these makers
online including honey in their tallow.
00:21:40.993 --> 00:21:42.143
Which I actually attempted.
00:21:42.153 --> 00:21:45.303
I attempted to add honey to a lip balm.
00:21:45.313 --> 00:21:46.073
So hard.
00:21:46.083 --> 00:21:48.603
So hard to mix anything
liquid-based with a fat.
00:21:48.613 --> 00:21:52.873
I realized after attempting it for
about six months, not worth it.
00:21:52.883 --> 00:21:56.453
The difficulty of blending it is one
thing, but then also just knowing
00:21:56.453 --> 00:21:59.913
that there's always a potential
that there was too much moisture
00:21:59.913 --> 00:22:03.133
in the honey and it would introduce
the opportunity for bacteria.
00:22:03.133 --> 00:22:06.953
So, I'm very careful about what
I introduce into the tallow
00:22:06.953 --> 00:22:09.993
itself, which is why I do most
of my infusions in my jojoba oil.
00:22:10.003 --> 00:22:10.913
It's just safer.
00:22:10.971 --> 00:22:14.988
But I did just recently start
infusing vanilla bean, dried
00:22:14.998 --> 00:22:16.428
vanilla bean into my tallow.
00:22:16.438 --> 00:22:21.198
And I've included that in a new product
Vanilla Jasmine is my newest whip.
00:22:21.198 --> 00:22:26.278
And then I also include it in my new
lip balm which is instead of honey
00:22:26.278 --> 00:22:31.658
included, I include the vanilla-infused
tallow and lanolin and coconut oil.
00:22:31.668 --> 00:22:36.228
And then mint, so I have a lanolin,
tallow vanilla mint, lip balm,
00:22:36.238 --> 00:22:37.898
which has been very popular.
00:22:37.908 --> 00:22:40.428
So far I've had it for about
since the end of the year.
00:22:40.438 --> 00:22:42.358
Since the end of 2025 is
when I brought it out.
00:22:42.368 --> 00:22:45.208
Emily Wilder: And so what is it
about the lip balm that makes
00:22:45.208 --> 00:22:47.458
lanolin a useful addition?
00:22:47.468 --> 00:22:49.588
Callie Sirak: Oh, gosh, I love lanolin.
00:22:49.598 --> 00:22:50.948
I would love to use it more.
00:22:50.958 --> 00:22:52.478
Emily Wilder: And also
tell us about lanolin.
00:22:52.488 --> 00:22:53.688
Callie Sirak: Well, it's from sheep.
00:22:53.688 --> 00:22:55.458
It's from the fleece of sheep.
00:22:55.458 --> 00:22:57.248
It's the oil from the fleece of sheep.
00:22:57.258 --> 00:22:59.818
It's just a product that
is once again ancestral.
00:22:59.818 --> 00:23:01.908
It's what the old farmers used to use.
00:23:01.908 --> 00:23:06.238
You hear about bag balm, and it's just,
it's what has been used successfully
00:23:06.248 --> 00:23:08.488
to treat hardworking hands forever.
00:23:08.498 --> 00:23:12.428
So, it's one thing that I told you in
the beginning, that my daughter gets
00:23:12.428 --> 00:23:14.588
eczema around her lips, pretty bad.
00:23:14.598 --> 00:23:17.798
And lanolin was the only
thing that healed it for her.
00:23:17.808 --> 00:23:19.628
This was before I was making tallow.
00:23:19.638 --> 00:23:24.098
But she was using pure lanolin on
her lips, and it really helped.
00:23:24.098 --> 00:23:27.068
And everything else just seemed
to flare it, make it worse.
00:23:27.078 --> 00:23:28.138
But lanolin calmed it.
00:23:28.138 --> 00:23:32.108
So I already knew about the benefits
of that, and so adding that to tallow.
00:23:32.108 --> 00:23:35.388
I'm always looking for I don't know,
things that you put with tallow
00:23:35.388 --> 00:23:37.348
that just make tallow even better.
00:23:37.358 --> 00:23:40.558
And I think lanolin for the
lips is really a good one.
00:23:40.568 --> 00:23:43.258
Emily Wilder: And is that
something that you would put into
00:23:43.258 --> 00:23:45.008
a face product in the future?
00:23:45.018 --> 00:23:46.818
Callie Sirak: I don't think
I would put it on my face.
00:23:46.818 --> 00:23:49.818
It's once again, it's a pretty
heavy thing, kind of like castor.
00:23:49.828 --> 00:23:51.418
I don't know if you've
worked with lanolin.
00:23:51.428 --> 00:23:56.428
It's a really sticky, heavy product,
it also definitely has a smell
00:23:56.428 --> 00:23:58.348
to it, that you have to overcome.
00:23:58.358 --> 00:24:01.058
We're already dealing with that
a little bit with the tallow,
00:24:01.068 --> 00:24:02.258
and then you add the lanolin.
00:24:02.258 --> 00:24:06.388
That's why the vanilla is a really nice
addition, 'cause it just masks, puts
00:24:06.388 --> 00:24:11.228
this nice layer of masking over those
two animal-based smells that you're
00:24:11.228 --> 00:24:13.158
getting from the lanolin and the tallow.
00:24:13.278 --> 00:24:17.338
Our tallow though, and you can
maybe attest to this, the Pure,
00:24:17.338 --> 00:24:18.488
there's no essential oils in it.
00:24:18.488 --> 00:24:20.058
There's no fragrance, no smell at all.
00:24:20.058 --> 00:24:21.728
And to me, it doesn't smell beefy.
00:24:21.738 --> 00:24:24.898
A lot of people will say that they've
ordered tallow online and they've gotten
00:24:24.898 --> 00:24:26.822
it, and it just smells like hamburger.
00:24:26.832 --> 00:24:28.071
Emily Wilder: I have had that tallow.
00:24:28.191 --> 00:24:28.391
Callie Sirak: Yeah.
00:24:28.401 --> 00:24:30.551
And that's part of our rendering process.
00:24:30.561 --> 00:24:32.182
It's so key.
00:24:32.192 --> 00:24:37.322
One, sourcing is so key for that,
and then two, the rendering process
00:24:37.322 --> 00:24:42.661
and how low and slow you cook it,
because any kind of high heat is what's
00:24:42.671 --> 00:24:44.571
gonna make that smell just pop out.
00:24:44.571 --> 00:24:48.661
So if you keep it low and slow, it
really helps with not only maintaining
00:24:48.661 --> 00:24:52.151
the nutrition, but not having that
beefy smell when you're done at the end.
00:24:52.221 --> 00:24:55.461
Emily Wilder: You know, when we are
introducing people to the tallow in
00:24:55.461 --> 00:24:59.171
the shop, when we have a little free
sample, but sometimes people are even
00:24:59.171 --> 00:25:03.310
wary of going near it at all if they've
never been introduced because they're
00:25:03.310 --> 00:25:07.000
scared of the beefiness of it, and then
they're pleasantly surprised when they
00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:08.700
realize doesn't smell like it at all.
00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:09.100
Callie Sirak: Yeah.
00:25:09.280 --> 00:25:11.430
Back to the lanolin is
great, I think, for lips.
00:25:11.430 --> 00:25:14.600
I don't think that I'll be putting
it in any other applications.
00:25:14.610 --> 00:25:16.350
So I might do a new flavor.
00:25:16.360 --> 00:25:18.883
That's actually where I
was hoping to use coffee.
00:25:18.883 --> 00:25:21.023
I wanted a coffee vanilla lip balm.
00:25:21.033 --> 00:25:25.553
But that would be a whole new infusing
of the tallow with not just the vanilla,
00:25:25.588 --> 00:25:29.593
but also I'd have to get a pure coffee
bean, which I would be very particular
00:25:29.593 --> 00:25:31.383
about sourcing on that as well.
00:25:31.393 --> 00:25:34.453
So we're looking into that, and
sourcing the right beans for that
00:25:34.453 --> 00:25:37.213
application, and then once I'm doing
that, I'm sure my husband will get
00:25:37.213 --> 00:25:39.023
his way and an eye cream might appear.
00:25:39.023 --> 00:25:42.213
Emily Wilder: The tallow itself
is so good for under the eyes.
00:25:42.213 --> 00:25:44.877
My question is do you need
an additional product?
00:25:44.887 --> 00:25:46.987
Callie Sirak: Yeah, that's
kind of how I felt about it.
00:25:46.997 --> 00:25:49.177
But he just, he thinks
different marketing-wise.
00:25:49.177 --> 00:25:52.457
He's a graphic designer and
marketing person, so you know, his
00:25:52.457 --> 00:25:53.867
mind goes in different directions.
00:25:53.867 --> 00:25:55.427
Emily Wilder: I definitely
think it'll sell!
00:25:55.437 --> 00:25:57.347
Callie Sirak: Yeah, but that's not
why I make things, just because
00:25:57.347 --> 00:25:58.797
I think they're gonna sell well.
00:25:58.797 --> 00:26:01.147
I make things that I
think I would really enjoy.
00:26:01.507 --> 00:26:05.717
For me the jasmine had to happen
and I held off for a long time,
00:26:05.727 --> 00:26:09.496
but jasmine to me is like the
most heavenly smell on the planet.
00:26:09.506 --> 00:26:12.886
Then adding the vanilla to it, oh,
it's just… As soon as I made it I
00:26:12.886 --> 00:26:16.073
sent it to my daughter, she's like,
"This is the one!" And all she's
00:26:16.083 --> 00:26:17.923
been using for years is Heaven Scent.
00:26:17.973 --> 00:26:20.740
And she's like, "This is the best
one. I don't want anything else."
00:26:20.750 --> 00:26:21.120
Emily Wilder: Yeah.
00:26:21.125 --> 00:26:24.915
We have a giant jasmine bush
out here, and it's amazing.
00:26:24.925 --> 00:26:26.205
One of the best things of the year.
00:26:26.365 --> 00:26:26.895
Callie Sirak: Yeah.
00:26:26.957 --> 00:26:28.153
And that's another thing.
00:26:28.163 --> 00:26:31.073
A lot of these fragrances…
they're not artificial fragrance.
00:26:31.073 --> 00:26:33.833
They're natural fragrances
that are plant derived.
00:26:33.833 --> 00:26:36.213
They're so good for your nervous system.
00:26:36.213 --> 00:26:39.693
Like, the Rose is such
a nervous system calmer.
00:26:39.703 --> 00:26:43.613
So using that at night on your
face, it serves multipurpose.
00:26:43.613 --> 00:26:43.843
Emily Wilder: Yep.
00:26:43.853 --> 00:26:45.473
It calms me down a lot.
00:26:45.483 --> 00:26:48.863
Callie Sirak: And I wasn't a Rose fan,
but now when I make it, I love it.
00:26:48.873 --> 00:26:51.923
It actually makes me feel so good to
make it, and I'm not even… Like,
00:26:51.933 --> 00:26:55.203
Rose is not my favorite scent, but
now it's become really wonderful.
00:26:55.203 --> 00:26:58.033
Emily Wilder: You have a
new beard product as well.
00:26:58.093 --> 00:26:58.363
Callie Sirak: Oh, yeah.
00:26:58.363 --> 00:27:00.083
That's our sheep tallow product.
00:27:00.083 --> 00:27:02.873
It's the only thing that we're making
with the sheep tallow currently.
00:27:02.883 --> 00:27:04.163
We call it Fleece Grease.
00:27:04.173 --> 00:27:07.963
To pay homage to the fleece, although it's
not made from the fleece with the lanolin.
00:27:07.963 --> 00:27:12.403
It's just the sheep suet we're getting,
and then we render it the same way.
00:27:12.403 --> 00:27:17.583
And then I'm infusing the jojoba
oil with rosemary, which I grow.
00:27:17.588 --> 00:27:20.418
Rosemary, the calendula, and burdock root.
00:27:20.418 --> 00:27:22.818
Burdock, I am not growing
myself, although I could.
00:27:22.818 --> 00:27:25.128
It grows wild everywhere
here on Whidbey Island.
00:27:25.128 --> 00:27:29.838
But burdock root is a real
booger to dig up and work with.
00:27:29.838 --> 00:27:30.958
It's hard as a rock.
00:27:30.968 --> 00:27:34.998
And just through trying it myself,
realizing it's gonna be better time-saving
00:27:34.998 --> 00:27:36.958
for me to have someone else do that work.
00:27:36.958 --> 00:27:39.098
So I source it from a wonderful place.
00:27:39.108 --> 00:27:42.468
I do burdock, which is
great for hair growth.
00:27:42.468 --> 00:27:46.958
And the rosemary is also really great
for hair growth, but it's also great for
00:27:46.958 --> 00:27:49.368
fighting any kind of bacteria on the skin.
00:27:49.368 --> 00:27:51.558
And the calendula's just
super soothing to the skin.
00:27:51.558 --> 00:27:55.668
So we're making a beard balm
that is a softener for the beard.
00:27:55.668 --> 00:27:59.378
So it's not a shaper, it's not gonna have
a putty or anything like that consistency.
00:27:59.378 --> 00:28:02.518
It's really more of a balm
that turns into a soft oil.
00:28:02.518 --> 00:28:06.718
It treats the hair of the beard as
well as treating the skin underneath.
00:28:06.718 --> 00:28:11.388
My husband was getting some pretty bad
beardruff, and it gets red and inflamed,
00:28:11.388 --> 00:28:13.028
and it just calms it right down.
00:28:13.028 --> 00:28:13.488
Emily Wilder: Yeah.
00:28:13.498 --> 00:28:14.908
Callie Sirak: That one's
been pretty popular.
00:28:14.908 --> 00:28:17.778
It's been nice to have a product
that the men will stop… Like when
00:28:17.778 --> 00:28:20.928
I'm selling at markets, the men will
actually stop and try and be interested.
00:28:20.928 --> 00:28:22.488
Emily Wilder: Well, it's
such cute packaging too.
00:28:22.488 --> 00:28:25.568
I love that you say for baaaadass beards.
00:28:25.568 --> 00:28:25.918
Callie Sirak: Yeah.
00:28:25.928 --> 00:28:27.138
That's my husband.
00:28:27.143 --> 00:28:30.528
He's also, as well as my Fat
Man, he is my graphic designer.
00:28:30.528 --> 00:28:34.328
He does all my labeling and helps
me with fun ideas for names.
00:28:34.328 --> 00:28:34.658
Yeah.
00:28:34.658 --> 00:28:36.448
Emily Wilder: That's so
helpful to have a partner with-
00:28:36.458 --> 00:28:36.818
Callie Sirak: It is.
00:28:36.818 --> 00:28:38.948
He's been really supportive, and fun.
00:28:38.958 --> 00:28:42.258
Fun to have things like, he totally
came up with the Fleece Grease idea.
00:28:42.268 --> 00:28:42.858
Emily Wilder: That's great.
00:28:42.868 --> 00:28:44.848
And so what's next for the business?
00:28:44.858 --> 00:28:47.358
I guess you've already talked
about some fun new ideas.
00:28:47.358 --> 00:28:47.818
Callie Sirak: Right.
00:28:47.828 --> 00:28:48.238
Yeah.
00:28:48.238 --> 00:28:50.048
We don't have huge plans of growth.
00:28:50.048 --> 00:28:51.388
That's not on our radar.
00:28:51.388 --> 00:28:52.578
We wanna keep it small.
00:28:52.583 --> 00:28:55.093
I'm not wanting to hire,
I'm not wanting to expand.
00:28:55.103 --> 00:28:57.970
I just want to be a local
source for Whidbey and the
00:28:57.970 --> 00:28:59.920
surrounding areas for tallow.
00:28:59.930 --> 00:29:03.840
And I'll keep making it probably as long
as people want to still get it from me.
00:29:03.840 --> 00:29:09.620
But this is really just a kind of
an empty nest hobby/business for me.
00:29:09.620 --> 00:29:14.000
I needed something to focus on once I'd
raised and homeschooled my three kids.
00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:18.330
And it's gotten me very much into
herbalism, which I super enjoy.
00:29:18.330 --> 00:29:21.140
And it's got me researching
a lot and learning a lot.
00:29:21.150 --> 00:29:24.250
And now I know I just wanna
keep it kind of where it's at.
00:29:24.260 --> 00:29:27.430
You know, we might add a little
product here or there, do some tweaks.
00:29:27.430 --> 00:29:30.460
If something's not doing well,
we'll change it up a little bit.
00:29:30.470 --> 00:29:35.380
But, so far there's only been one
product that we've had to stop making.
00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:38.030
Well, that's not true, ' cause I
stopped making the honey lip balm.
00:29:38.030 --> 00:29:41.720
But at the very beginning, we had
just a lavender, pure lavender.
00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:45.160
And I was using a local lavender,
my favorite lavender from
00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:46.660
Lavender Wind Farm in Coupeville.
00:29:46.660 --> 00:29:49.520
They have a Pink Hidcote that
to me was the best lavender
00:29:49.520 --> 00:29:50.810
I've ever smelt in my life.
00:29:50.820 --> 00:29:54.265
It's so much that now I grow the plants,
'cause it's the most lovely smell.
00:29:54.275 --> 00:29:59.305
But for some reason, the lavender
was turning sooner than it should've.
00:29:59.305 --> 00:30:03.815
I would go do a quality control testing at
the stores that are offering my products.
00:30:03.815 --> 00:30:07.735
And I would smell after about four months,
five months, and it wasn't smelling right.
00:30:07.745 --> 00:30:09.595
It was like the smell had
changed in the bottle.
00:30:09.605 --> 00:30:12.655
After realizing that, I just
pulled it and said, "Nope, we're
00:30:12.655 --> 00:30:16.045
not gonna deal with that," even
though it wasn't a huge seller.
00:30:16.045 --> 00:30:18.265
People either love
lavender or they hate it.
00:30:18.275 --> 00:30:21.105
I figured I could include
lavender elsewhere, and it
00:30:21.105 --> 00:30:22.835
is in our calendula balm.
00:30:22.850 --> 00:30:23.850
Emily Wilder: We haven't
talked about that.
00:30:23.850 --> 00:30:25.460
Callie Sirak: Yeah, we
have a calendula balm.
00:30:25.470 --> 00:30:25.780
Ah.
00:30:25.780 --> 00:30:26.300
I love it.
00:30:26.300 --> 00:30:28.420
It's overall, like, a first aid product.
00:30:28.430 --> 00:30:29.560
It's in a one ounce tin.
00:30:29.570 --> 00:30:32.910
A lot of calendula balms, they're
very popular, most of them are
00:30:32.910 --> 00:30:35.250
sold or made with shea butter.
00:30:35.260 --> 00:30:37.350
A lot of people use
shea in their calendula.
00:30:37.350 --> 00:30:41.710
But we're tallow based, so my base
is tallow, and I add almost equal
00:30:41.710 --> 00:30:46.480
amounts of the calendula and chamomile
infused jojoba oil, along with
00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:51.480
local beeswax, and then just some
lavender and chamomile essential oils.
00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:54.890
And it creates this wonderful balm
that's great for treating cracked
00:30:54.890 --> 00:31:00.260
cuticles, cracked heels any kind of
cut, open cut, or a bite, or burn.
00:31:00.270 --> 00:31:02.510
Oh, it's done wonderful
things for treating burns.
00:31:02.510 --> 00:31:06.050
We've put it on pets' paw pads
that get dry in the summertime,
00:31:06.060 --> 00:31:07.670
or wintertime, it treats paw pads.
00:31:07.670 --> 00:31:09.820
We've actually healed a
chicken's neck with it.
00:31:09.830 --> 00:31:14.450
Our chicken got attacked by a raccoon, and
his neck was literally almost ripped off.
00:31:14.460 --> 00:31:18.470
And we sprayed it with hypochlorous
acid, which is amazing product,
00:31:18.470 --> 00:31:21.510
too, for healing and then packed
it with our calendula balm.
00:31:21.520 --> 00:31:24.760
And we did that, and within a week
its feathers were growing back.
00:31:24.770 --> 00:31:28.710
We've seen it do some crazy things and
it's healed not just animals, but my
00:31:28.710 --> 00:31:33.480
in-laws have used it and successfully
healed up… When you get older you get
00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:37.460
really thin skin, and you can just bump
into something and it opens and you don't
00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:38.760
even realize it, but you're bleeding.
00:31:38.760 --> 00:31:41.930
So they would just put it on their wounds
like that, and it just heals it right up.
00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:43.740
It's a pretty miraculous product.
00:31:43.750 --> 00:31:44.550
Emily Wilder: That's amazing.
00:31:44.550 --> 00:31:47.710
That's more of, like, a thicker product?
00:31:47.710 --> 00:31:47.940
Callie Sirak: It is.
00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:48.750
It's a balm.
00:31:48.765 --> 00:31:51.155
Any of my balms are gonna
have beeswax in them.
00:31:51.155 --> 00:31:54.665
Instead of it being whippy like a
butter, it's gonna be more solid.
00:31:54.675 --> 00:31:57.285
And as it warms to your skin, it softens.
00:31:57.565 --> 00:32:00.662
Emily Wilder: Are there any
other sustainability or community
00:32:00.662 --> 00:32:03.212
aspects of your business
that you'd like to highlight?
00:32:03.212 --> 00:32:05.582
Callie Sirak: That's kind of the
whole reason we love doing markets.
00:32:05.592 --> 00:32:08.712
We are part of the Anacortes
Farmers Market, and also the
00:32:08.712 --> 00:32:10.418
Skagit Valley Farmers Market.
00:32:10.428 --> 00:32:15.048
And we do lots of different events and
smaller markets here on the island.
00:32:15.058 --> 00:32:16.858
Love educating people.
00:32:16.868 --> 00:32:20.898
With tallow, I find that if it's
at a store, unless you have someone
00:32:20.898 --> 00:32:24.138
there that's able to educate
about it, it's not a great seller.
00:32:24.148 --> 00:32:26.758
People won't just gravitate towards
and be like, "Oh, tallow, I'm gonna buy
00:32:26.758 --> 00:32:29.248
some." They need to learn about why.
00:32:29.258 --> 00:32:29.778
Why should I?
00:32:29.788 --> 00:32:32.348
First what is it, and
then why should I use it?
00:32:32.348 --> 00:32:36.648
So, being able to educate is really
our goals at going to the market.
00:32:36.648 --> 00:32:41.083
We love teaching people that there's
a natural option for their skin.
00:32:41.093 --> 00:32:44.233
I love hearing the stories
that come back afterwards.
00:32:44.243 --> 00:32:47.838
I've had people come up, a gal come up,
during her pregnancy she got horrible
00:32:47.838 --> 00:32:50.338
cystic acne all along her jawline.
00:32:50.348 --> 00:32:53.358
Her whole jawline was just
horribly covered with cystic acne.
00:32:53.368 --> 00:32:57.868
And she ended up taking some of
the Pure home, and it helped.
00:32:57.878 --> 00:32:58.778
She took pictures.
00:32:58.778 --> 00:32:59.548
It's so good.
00:32:59.548 --> 00:33:02.458
I'm horrible about putting
testimonials up on my website.
00:33:02.468 --> 00:33:03.788
I need to be better about that.
00:33:03.788 --> 00:33:07.348
But hearing the benefits is just amazing.
00:33:07.358 --> 00:33:10.858
I love when people come back at
the markets and tell me that, that
00:33:10.858 --> 00:33:13.068
they've been loving the product,
that it's been helping them.
00:33:13.068 --> 00:33:16.128
I've had a gentleman that
had pretty severe nasal
00:33:16.128 --> 00:33:18.248
surgery, like inside his nose.
00:33:18.258 --> 00:33:21.283
They had to do some like opening,
and he said, "They told me to put
00:33:21.293 --> 00:33:23.143
Vaseline up there every night.
00:33:23.143 --> 00:33:26.203
Every single night I'm supposed to pack
my nose with Vaseline." And I'm like,
00:33:26.213 --> 00:33:29.218
"Oh, please don't do that." I just
handed him some calendula balm and I
00:33:29.218 --> 00:33:32.588
said, "Give this a shot 'cause I think
that you'll enjoy this so much more."
00:33:32.598 --> 00:33:36.758
Being able to tell people that
there's options is really key for us.
00:33:36.758 --> 00:33:40.898
And then also being able to take
a product like suet, which Three
00:33:40.898 --> 00:33:44.528
Sisters, in general, before
tallow making became popular, they
00:33:44.528 --> 00:33:45.888
weren't selling a bunch of suet.
00:33:45.898 --> 00:33:48.238
People would buy it to mix
with birdseed, you know?
00:33:48.248 --> 00:33:51.418
Or maybe there was a random candle
maker, I don't know, but they
00:33:51.418 --> 00:33:52.768
weren't selling a bunch of suet.
00:33:52.768 --> 00:33:55.978
But I'm pretty much clearing
out their suet supply right now.
00:33:55.988 --> 00:33:59.028
And I think that's wonderful if
you're looking at the animal,
00:33:59.038 --> 00:34:02.898
and using nose to tail as much
as possible, honoring the animal.
00:34:02.898 --> 00:34:06.738
And it's using a product that generally
would be wasteful and not used.
00:34:06.753 --> 00:34:09.553
And now being able to use it,
and turn it into something that's
00:34:09.553 --> 00:34:11.593
so healing, is really rewarding.
00:34:11.603 --> 00:34:11.983
Emily Wilder: I love it.
00:34:11.983 --> 00:34:13.853
Well, you make fantastic products.
00:34:13.863 --> 00:34:14.493
Thank you.
00:34:14.493 --> 00:34:14.903
Callie Sirak: Thank you.
00:34:14.913 --> 00:34:16.983
Emily Wilder: Where can
people get connected with you
00:34:16.983 --> 00:34:18.173
and purchase your products?
00:34:18.183 --> 00:34:21.573
Callie Sirak: I always love to
guide people to my website first.
00:34:21.583 --> 00:34:24.093
That's trutallow.com, so pretty easy.
00:34:24.103 --> 00:34:24.783
T-R-U.
00:34:24.783 --> 00:34:27.253
There's no E on it, it's just T-R-U.
00:34:27.253 --> 00:34:32.143
And if you're local, here on Whidbey
Island, you can actually use the code
00:34:32.143 --> 00:34:36.893
LOCAL and pick up from my house directly,
and that way you can save on shipping.
00:34:36.903 --> 00:34:38.783
And so I always offer free porch pickup.
00:34:38.783 --> 00:34:41.083
I'm located between
Coupeville and Oak Harbor.
00:34:41.093 --> 00:34:44.003
So it's easy for that to
happen for most islanders.
00:34:44.003 --> 00:34:47.813
But then also if you're on the island,
there's only a couple places on island
00:34:47.813 --> 00:34:51.053
currently, and that's Three Sisters
Market, which is in Penn Cove, and
00:34:51.053 --> 00:34:53.193
then also at your shop Salinity.
00:34:53.203 --> 00:34:57.983
And then off-island, I'm at the
Skagit Valley Co-Op in Mount Vernon.
00:34:57.993 --> 00:35:01.333
And then I'm at two locations in
Bellingham and one location in Ferndale.
00:35:01.343 --> 00:35:04.563
So I'm at Lettered Streets
Coffeehouse in Bellingham, and I'm
00:35:04.563 --> 00:35:06.338
at Living Pantry in Bellingham.
00:35:06.348 --> 00:35:07.538
And then we're at markets.
00:35:07.548 --> 00:35:09.298
We love visiting with you at markets.
00:35:09.298 --> 00:35:11.358
Emily Wilder: And then
you're on Instagram as well?
00:35:11.358 --> 00:35:12.708
Callie Sirak: Yes, Instagram and Facebook.
00:35:12.708 --> 00:35:15.618
I'm not the best with
posting social media.
00:35:15.618 --> 00:35:17.408
I'm just kind of old school that way.
00:35:17.408 --> 00:35:20.178
But when we do have specials,
if you do follow me on the
00:35:20.178 --> 00:35:24.528
socials, I do run specials quite
often for different holidays.
00:35:24.538 --> 00:35:27.018
I try and offer, like for
Mother's Day I try and offer free
00:35:27.018 --> 00:35:28.728
shipping as a little incentive.
00:35:28.728 --> 00:35:33.018
And if I have overstocks, like I just had
an overstock of some of my products, and
00:35:33.018 --> 00:35:36.128
I ran a special and people grabbed them.
00:35:36.138 --> 00:35:36.748
Emily Wilder: That's great.
00:35:36.748 --> 00:35:39.048
Well, thank you so much
for joining me, Callie.
00:35:39.048 --> 00:35:40.398
This has been really nice-
00:35:40.408 --> 00:35:41.008
Callie Sirak: Thank you.
00:35:41.018 --> 00:35:42.628
Emily Wilder: I hope you have
a great rest of your day.
00:35:42.638 --> 00:35:43.218
Callie Sirak: Awesome.
00:35:43.218 --> 00:35:43.718
Thank you.
00:35:44.428 --> 00:35:46.898
Emily Wilder: If you'd like to
support other small businesses
00:35:46.908 --> 00:35:50.973
from the Pacific Northwest, head
over to www.eatsalinity.com.
00:35:50.973 --> 00:35:55.603
That's E-A-T S-A-L-I-N-I-T-Y.
00:35:55.865 --> 00:35:59.235
You can also shop in person if
you're here on Whidbey Island.
00:35:59.610 --> 00:36:03.350
If you enjoyed this episode,
please leave a review, subscribe,
00:36:03.350 --> 00:36:04.480
and tell all your friends.
00:36:05.489 --> 00:36:11.279
This podcast is hosted by me, Emily
Wilder, SeaEO of Salinity Seafood & More.
00:36:11.575 --> 00:36:15.915
It's edited by Luc Hagopian and
exists entirely to eventually
00:36:15.925 --> 00:36:20.045
bring everyone to the topic of
our native Olympia oyster species.
00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:24.851
Please help increase demand and
appreciation for this beautiful oyster by
00:36:24.871 --> 00:36:27.601
asking for it everywhere you find oysters.
00:36:27.602 --> 00:36:30.002
Barbara Dunn: Our love is like an onion
00:36:30.002 --> 00:36:31.602
Many layers to peel.