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March 11, 2000
Farm show features new productsSmell the scented soybean candles: an area woman finds her nicheBy FRITZ BUSCH Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- How about candles that smell like baby powder, a country clothesline, cucumbers, fresh cut grass, peaches, jasmine, lilacs, pink pink lemonade, pears, mangos, or raspberries? Not only that, but they are 99.5 percent soybean. You can find them and other soy-based products at the Minnesota Soybean Grower's Association booth at the 19th Annual Farm/City Ag Show at Vogel Arena this weekend. Produced by Jill Anderson in her basement in Redwood Falls, Country Candle Co., LLC got its start 18 months ago when she began refilling empty containers with sootless soybean wax made right there. She began making the candles for herself. Her friends liked them so much, they turned into a business that will soon expand out of the basement of the Anderson home. "We were disappointed with the other soybean wax options on the market, knew we could do better, and we did," said Anderson. She said other soybean candles using anywhere from two to 70 percent soybean wax, don't have a good a scent throw, don't come in as many scent choices, don't hold their color as well or burn as long as hers. The candles could also do wonders for the price of soybeans since there are 550 million pounds of paraffin produced each year. If soybeans comprised just 10 percent of that market, an additional five million bushels of soybeans would be needed each year. There are 70 soybean candle scents available including 10 holiday aromas. Two types of lotions are also available--a light, non-greasy daily-use type and a thick, rich intensive care therapy variety. Other Country Candle Co. products include two and one oz. soybean lotion bars and lip balm available in ten flavors. Tami Nielsen of Courtland is one of four representatives for Country Candle. She said her favorite scent is Orange Dreamsicle which smells like a Schwan's ice cream push up. Nielsen said she began selling the products a month ago to retailers and wholesale buyers. She said the products are also available at the Country Loft & Doll Haus, 204 N. Minnesota. Verne Radloff of Essig, the Brown County director of the Minnesota Soybean Grower's Association said other soybean lotions are also available at the show. Other soybean products include rubber-like carpet backing, bio-diesel fuel and motor oil. Radloff said the bio-diesel fuel is less polluting than conventional diesel fuel and smells better. "Follow something that burns bio-diesel fuel and it smells like fresh peanuts," Radloff said.
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