About Us
Back To The Earth Company is an exquisitely small home based business situated on the shores of the Kamaniskeg Lake. The beginning of the mighty Madawaska River is within eyesight. Nestled into the Boreal Forest in Combermere, Ontario, Canada, it’s a home firstly with a soap making bonanza as part of the daily things we do. During certain weeks it is transformed into a retreat and is also used as an exclusive private family rental property, see us at www.redstonerentals.com under Darbyson. And all the while very slowly organic mushrooms of the shiitake and oyster variety are growing in the forest. When they are ready in fall we will let you know! Medicinal Ontario Wildflowers have naturally sprung up this year over the property to my sheer delight! The dream of having a “Healing Garden” is becoming closer and closer to reality.
Back to the Earth Company is owned and operated by myself “Christine Darbyson” and my joyous son Bron. At 15 months old he seemed to know instinctively how to use most tools and for the most part insert mushroom spawn plugs into trees with the precision, strength and the delicacy of a pro besides the few he tried to pulverize.
My love for natural remedies all began in the Boreal Forest hiking with my neighbors Vlado and Lilianna and joining in on the search for juniper shrubs on the various plateaus on Schweig Hill which is right in my backyard so to speak. Since then it is hard for me to pass a juniper by without grabbing a few handfuls of berries. I was amazed that the berries were used for so many different aliments including repairing eye/ nerve damage, respiratory problems, arthritis** and they keep ticks, fleas and lice away and are commonly used on animals. Crushed Juniper Berries are in some of my soaps for the scent and the exfoliating qualities.
This year instead of pulling all my “weeds” I decided to check the Ontario Wildflower book to see what was growing down my lane way, in my gardens and at the water. To my delight some very interesting plants appeared like St. Johns wort, wild strawberries, MORE Raspberries, among a whole array of other plants that can be eaten or used in some way. I will plant more Junipers and plant some Lavender from my parents garden and try to grow more for additions for Back to the Earth Company Soap. The “healing garden” is underway!
The value of mushrooms is indispensable! So, I just started our first year of mushroom farming. These mushrooms are not in someone’s basement or a hot toxic plastic greenhouse. These are outdoor mushroom tents ( logs of maple and oak) covered by the forest. The logs have been injected with Organic Shiitake and Organic Oyster mushroom spawn. They are netted because the birds love mushrooms too! If all grows well the farm will be doubled next year. These will be sold locally both fresh and dehydrated.
This is quite an interesting endeavor and I have wanted to do this for years as my contribution to our Local Currency here in the Madawaska Valley– The Unity Dollar. Back to the Earth Company will honor local currencies from anywhere around the world at a rate of 10%.
All my soaps are made in small batches, hand blended, stirred, poured and cut (if an individual mold is not used) – with love and care here locally in Combermere, Ontario. These are wonderful soaps that lather very well because of the Coconut oil.
Please take a look at the “what’s in your soap?” section to compare Back to the Earth soap with what is on the Supermarket shelf labeled “soap”. Another nasty secret is that your soap could be making you sick!
Back to the Earth Handcrafted Organic Soap* base is made with only:
-A blend of 100% Certified organic base oils of Palm and Coconut (Saponified)
-A blend of 100% Certified Organic Essential Oils.
-Purified water
-Glycerin derived from 100% Certified Organic Coconut oil (double distilled and deodorized)
-Sorbitol (vegetable or berry derived)
-Naturally derived color
- Local and Imported Berries, Flowers, Seeds and Grasses
Some recipes have:
-Fair Trade Compliant Cocoa butter -100% natural
-Certified Organic Hemp seed oil
-100% natural and Unrefined Shea butter from Africa is also fair trade compliant
Some ingredients are not yet available in Certified Organic that are used in this recipe yet all are naturally vegetable derived from the highest quality available. Back to the Earth soap base is *70% Certified Organic and 100% Vegan!
Back to the Earth Soap Contains:
NO Synthetic Additives, Preservatives, Fragrances, Parabens or Colors
NO GMO’s
NO Petroleum Bi-products
NO Propylene Glycol Base
NO Flouride, Sulphate, Tar Derivatives, Detergents or Mineral Photspates
NO Animal cruelty or Animal by-products
All Back to the Earth soap is Leaping Bunny and CCIC APPROVED.
Additions of Local and Imported Berries, Flowers, Seeds and Grasses, seed and nut oils, and Certified Organic Essential Oils are selected for their nourishing properties for the skin as well as our state of mind by helping to instill feelings of well being. These are gifts that “Mother Nature” has given to us! You can use them confidentially on yourself, family, baby, pet and you can give them away as a “thank you” and is a wonderful gift idea in general.
Back to the Earth features “Carry Your Own Soap” which is a round stainless steel container with either a 4oz or 5.8oz special soap. This is an inspirational gift idea! You can buy replacement soap after your done! Once you read what is in “normal” soap you may wish to bring your own wherever you go and a smaller size will be available soon.
Back to the Earth Soap designs are absolutely beautiful! Browse through the Celtic, Nature, Gardeners and Knitters, “thank you”, baby and pet designs and recipes and you will sure to be impressed! We have tried to keep our scents unisex because the whole family uses soap.
I do have help besides my son Bron and this great team of very talented and handy group consist mainly of friends and family. It has been said that nothing can be done alone and that is absolutely correct! And I would like to thank them all so very much for their support, work or input in one way or another Cassie Timpano, Alies and John, Blaze, Mike, Kayla, Maria Timpano, Marg, Bill and Elaine, my parents Bev and Peter and good friends Serge and Madeleine Sejourne peace and love to them all!