Elochoman Valley Soapworks (EVS) began as many cottage businesses do, with an idea. Not a formal idea, but a “sitting in the kitchen having coffee with the cats and how can I make this better” idea. You know what I’m talking about –

To tell you the truth, I hadn’t planned on making soap and other personal products with the intent of selling them to the public. Oh, no. I just wanted to (1) make a better product than was commercially available, (2) craft personalized gifts and super healthy products for my family, and (3) challenge myself to not only try something new, but succeed. Looking back, I guess I managed to capture all three…and then some.

But, as the subject head reads, a little about me. I’m Julie. Glad to meet you. I was raised in rural Clark County, Washington, not far from Vancouver. My story’s rather traditional. I got married, had children – three boys – and lived what I’d consider quite an enjoyable country life. In ’93, I received an associate degree in landscape technology and horticulture from Clark College, and met my future husband. In ’97, we moved to Iowa, where we spent 18 years in a 100-year-old schoolhouse in a town of 180. But The Evergreen State was always home, so in 2015, we bought a house in Wahkiakum County, Washington, about an hour from the coast, and returned to the Pacific Northwest. Today, we live in The LRH (Little Red House), a relatively “new” place of only 96 years, in the beautiful Elochoman Valley, with two black dogs, three cats, and five chickens. We heat entirely with wood, grow a nice garden, eat our own fresh eggs and spend as much time as possible outdoors.

I believe today, as I always have, in family first. And in leaving this world we call home in better condition than we found it during our short time here. To that end, I started EVS in 2017 not with financial gain in mind, but with this one simple goal – To enjoy and care for Mother Nature, while we unselfishly take care of ourselves, and those we love, in the best way we’re able. And to this end, I create high quality products the Mother would be proud of.