By Carol Mowdy Bond
Contributing Writer
Dawn and K.C. Kreger had been doing well, with income from their two businesses, Swinging K Farm and Traditions Leathercraft, LLC, both located inside Archery Traditions of Oklahoma, 328 Elm Avenue in Yukon. However, since COVID-19 hit, they’re working double time, trying to get ahead of the pandemic’s impact on their sales. But they’re not letting it get their goats.
K.C. said, “The pandemic has impacted 55% to 60% of my wife’s sales of goat milk products and income, because the state fair and other shows have been cancelled this year. It’s impacted my leather sales and income, but not as badly as hers.”
Dawn said, “At first, the pandemic caused us to close the store in Yukon because it’s not an essential business. And I do five or more shows annually. They’ve all been shut down. So, we’ve continued our business on line.”
Both entrepreneurs, and graduates of Cheyenne High School in far western Oklahoma, Dawn and K.C. love their Canadian County farm, their eight children, and their two businesses.
“I’ve been making leather items for about 30 years,” K.C. said. “I make about 200 different handcrafted leather items. I relocated to this location about five years ago. I make leather archery quivers for national companies, and also for Archery Traditions. I also sell supplies for people who are leather crafters. And I teach classes for leather crafters. I also teach individuals.”
In K.C.’s shop, you’ll find shelves full of Dawn’s goat milk products. And you’ll find all things leather that K.C. makes, whether big or small, plus his work room.
“Dawn has now gone primarily to web site sales,” K.C. said. “But our goat farm has been approved by the state as an agri-tourism business. In about another month, everything will be ready. Then we’ll start having farm visits, and demonstrations on the farm. We’re adding signage, and a milk barn, and a parking lot.”
The Kregers have Nubian and Alpine goats on their farm. Dawn said, “My oldest daughter and I wanted to get goats, and it soon became a lot of goats. Our family consumes the milk. But soon we had too much goat milk. So we investigated what we could do with the milk. We tried a lot of recipes, and found what we love. I’ve been making handmade farm fresh goat milk products in my kitchen for about 10 to 11 years.”
“We make and sell goat milk skin care products. We began by selling soaps and lotions at farmer’s markets. Now we sell through our web site, and through our brick-and-mortar store inside Archery Traditions.”
“We scent our soaps with essential oils and fragrance oils,” Dawn said. “We make our Honey Oats soap by adding raw honey and ground oats. It isn’t scented.”
“We make soaps and lotions, and all natural balms,” Dawn said. “They sell very well. I love our products. They are amazing for your skin, and I prefer no chemicals. I believe everything you put on your skin goes into your body, because skin is our body’s largest organ. We also sell the goat milk, and we sell baby goats.”
“Our daughter Lillie is my main goat helper,” said Dawn.
Lillie said, “I really like our soaps and lotions a lot, and the goats are fun to have around.”
Dawn said, “I just love the simple farm life.”
K.C. said, “Facebook is where we engage with people a lot. People can keep track of the classes I teach on our Traditions Leathercraft Facebook page. Dawn even has monthly goat product giveaways on her Facebook page.”
To connect with Swinging K Farm, go online to swingingkfarm.com, or call (405) 924-0279, or on Facebook at Swinging K Farm.
To connect with Traditions Leathercraft, go to traditionsleathercraft.com or call (405) 595-8279, or on Facebook at Traditions Leathercraft.
