FREDERIC - Karin Reinert once held a government job working with a housing program until she was diagnosed with a rare stage 4 blood cancer and was given two weeks to survive. With only a 10% chance of survival, she beat the odds, but was left unable to return to her previous job due to health limitations. She began seeking out alternatives to chemically-laden products as she recovered from a stem cell transplant and chemotherapy. Her daughter had been involved in 4-H, which Reinert describes as a beneficial and wonderful program for youth, and with that interest in farming and a series of events unfolding, it led to the acquisition of an alpaca farm. She now runs Always-Chillin Alpacas with her husband. They produce yarn products, including roving, hats, mittens, socks, dryer balls and shoe liners and are now branching out into soaps and felted soaps.
On Monday, Jan. 30, Reinert shared how to make solid lotion bars with four basic ingredients in a class as part of the Frederic Community Education program. She teaches several classes throughout the year and also attends classes herself. Attendees were taught about the value of sourcing natural ingredients versus chemically laced ones found in the marketplaces, as well as proper storage techniques. Processes for making the bars were fairly simple and required a double boiler for melting the materials and some silicone molds for setting the ingredients overnight into a solid form after melting.
Currently, Reinert has 16 alpacas and has been raising them for eight years. Her farm, Always-Chillin Alpacas, is located south of Grantsburg at 14914 Fish Lake Road. Purchases can be made on the property by calling her or her husband, Steve, at 715-431-0042. Their products can also be found at the Pink Squirrel in Grantsburg, the Looking Glass in Osceola or at the North Branch Makers Market. You can also contact Reinert by emailing always.chillin.alpacas@gmail.com
