Slow Living | A Day with our Founder Bek Chitty
My day usually starts letting the animals out and grabbing a big glass of water with lemon. I then gently wake my children so they can get themselves ready for the day. Recently returning them to school from a homeschool environment has shifted the dynamics in our home but allows me space to work without distraction while the children are able to explore their interests without me.
Once they head off for the day, I usually find 15-20 minutes to move through my favourite yoga poses, then taking a short walk with our border collie, Odin. It is then back home for a walk through the apothecary gardens and hand pick botanicals for our skincare - at the moment this is Comfrey, Chamomile, Calendula and California Poppies. Dropping them into baskets and setting them to dry in the studio.
We use traditional methods of drying, like using baskets, wooden trays and handing plants tied with twine from the ceiling. I find this way I can keep a close eye on when the plants are ready for bottling and subsequent infusions and extracts.
I then switch the watering on and head to my computer to find out what the day will become. At this point I am usually checking in and responding to emails, looking at business metrics and reviewing my to do list. Next it is packing up orders that have come through and taking them to our local post office.
By this time, I am having lunch in the sun and an uploading stories onto instagram. Checking in on messages and catching up with our community and making genuine connections.
The afternoons usually include making up our skincare products in the studio, product photography or some additional time spent in the garden either weeding, harvesting vegetables for dinner or adding more plants to our spaces. We are currently redefining our spaces and extending the garden to include more plant varieties like motherwort and tansy and a regenerative plan for Rose Geranium and Rosemary. A last check in on emails before a walk to the bus stop to collect the children. The evening includes cooking dinner together, finishing up homework and usually one or more of the children have a sporting commitment we need to get them to. Then it's time to downshift gear with some quiet reading with a nourishing cup of tea and to switch off for the night.
Running a slow business to me, looks like taking space to breathe in the fresh air, moving slowly but still supporting and showing up for our community in a way that feels real.