HODGDON, Maine – A business rooted in a mother’s attempt to soothe her screaming infant at 3 a.m. has blossomed into a full-time venture that has doubled its income in one year.
And for Tammy Kerekes, Willow Wood Farm and Apothecary on Catalina Road in Hodgdon, is the realization of a long held dream that began with her son Alexander’s ear infection nearly 16 years ago.
“He woke up screaming and all I had was a little bottle of tea tree, an essential oil known for antifungal and antibacterial properties, and some olive oil,” she said. “I mixed them together and dropped some into his ears and he quickly stopped screaming.”
That was the first time she applied herbal therapy.
Since that night, Kerekes has studied herbs and herbal blends and how to create body soothing products from all natural ingredients. It took her over a year to create the perfect formula for her lotions and she admits she’s had a lot of fails that ended up in the trash along the way.
But it’s part of her creative process and she enjoys the discovery, she said.
The Hodgdon shop opened last year and since that time her business income has doubled and in 2023 Kerekes sold 1,576 bars of her elaborate and hand-signed goat’s milk soap bars made from the milk of her own goat herd. It’s her number one seller, she said
“It blows me away how quickly it’s grown into a full-time business. I’m totally humbled,” she said. “I used to have people at farmer’s market and craft fairs ask if I had a store they could come in and shop. That really got my wheels turning.”
Willow Wood Farm and Apothecary is one of many Houlton-area small businesses that are thriving with their hand harvested and created products. And they currently have repeat customers from California to Maine, said Kerekes.
“Most people love using natural and especially locally produced products, to start. I get a lot of testimonials from people who have cleared up skin issues since using our soap and won’t use anything else now,” she said. “It’s highly nurturing for the skin with the rich oils and goat’s milk. I’m always thrilled to hear when people like it so much they want to share with friends and family. “
With the help of her husband and one of her sons, the apothecary was built completely by hand on their 31-acre family farm and having the shop has made a world of difference for her business, Kerekes said.
“Now it is mostly word of mouth , I seem to have more and more new customers every month,” she said. “ I’m just so happy people are enjoying the products as much as they are. I never dreamed. Our community is really wonderful and our customers are not simply customers, they are our friends and neighbors.”
The apothecary is packed with fun and healthy options including Moon Goddess Ageless Face Serum, Maine Chaga Tincture, Mt. Katahdin and Secret Garden Soaps, Allergy Relief Potion, Whole Flower Arnica Oil, Flaxseed Therapy pillows, Whipped Shaving Foam, Turkey Tail Tincture and Coffee Facial Scrub to name a few selections.
Over the holidays, the apothecary sold out of patron favorites nearly every day and Kerekes was working round the clock to get them back on the shelves.
Also in December, she whirled up her first new batch of whipped shaving cream with a light splash of grapefruit, vanilla and Ylang Ylang for a refreshing scent and French green clay to nourish the skin and provide a nice glide for the blade, she said.
Starting with raw materials and individual oils is at the heart of everything and she never uses dyes or fragrances. Much of her color comes from natural spices and herbs like turmeric and cinnamon.
“Powdered sage and powdered rosemary make the most gorgeous green color,” she said.
Learning how to make the soaps and lotions was a long process and Kerekes watched hundreds of soap-making videos, she said.
Her husband, Dennis Kerekes, established the farm in the 1980s and he lived in an old camphouse on the property. At the time, he paid $7,000 for the property.
And now as the family continues to grow – they have seven children and the 11th grandchild is on the way – the farm grows with them.
Kerekes believes in keeping a focus on what is happening seasonally and she follows the earth’s natural cycles.
There are chickens that produce lots of eggs in the spring and for many years there was a herd of 11 goats until Kerekes had an injury and milking became difficult. Now her goats are at a friend’s farm where she still gets the milk for her soaps. She grows or harvests most of the herbs for her products, has an elderberry patch.and makes her own oil blends. One of her proprietary blends took over a year of experimentation to create.
“I wanted to make a wonderful creamy, moisturizing lotion that wasn’t greasy. I searched and searched different recipes and different oils, but it was really hard to come up with something that was not greasy,” she said, detailing all the batches that went into the trash.
But one Sunday, Kerekes was standing in her kitchen after whipping up a new batch. She rubbed it on the back of her hand.
“I was like oh my gosh this is it,” she said. “That was two years ago and I use the same recipe for all of my lotions and body butters.”
The apothecary is a family business and four of Kerekes’ seven children help with creations. Daughter Ashley Kerekes who lives in Massachusetts makes all the crocheted items sold in the apothecary and she has her own business, Warmth and Whimsy; daughter Olivia Morris created the business logo from a watercolor; daughter Jessica Harvey of Monticello, puts the art on all merchandise like cups and aprons; and son Joe Kerekes and his wife Brittany make the macrame plant hangers sold in the shop.
Additionally, Kerekes teaches others how to make tea blends and soaps and her 2024 Crafting Workshop Series begins on Feb. 10 with an Herbal Tea Crafting event.
All supplies, take home products, refreshments and a gift are included in the $35 registration that is limited to eight.
Willow Wood Farm and Apothecary items are also in several local shops including Wilderness Pines Campground in Monticello, Lotus & Leaf, Houlton and Kerekes is in discussions with a local motel to provide room soaps, she said.
“I love what I do and it comes from the heart,” Kerekes said.
This story was updated to correct the name of Ashley Kerekes’ business.
