More Than Just a Basket

For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of having a small farmstand filled with unique handmade goodies and gifts.

That dream began with simple things made from scratch—fresh eggs, tallow lotion, soap bars, lip balm, and other homestead-inspired products. But I always hoped to add handmade pieces that reflected not only our small chicken coop business, but also my love for gardening, homesteading, and creating a beautiful life in our little suburban backyard.

Our little farmstand became the place where those handmade creations found a home. It was also where I began dreaming of adding more handmade goods that reflected our love for gardening, chickens and homestead life.

For years, I watched from the sidelines. Then, about three years into our small business, my husband finally felt confident enough to spend some time teaching me the basics of woodworking in our home workshop.

I started showing up in the workshop, asking lots of questions, making wrong cuts, and learning how to use the tools. Little by little, I began to understand the machines and the process of turning a simple piece of wood into something useful. It wasn’t always easy, but that didn’t stop me.

One day, while gathering fresh eggs from our chicken coop, I started thinking about how nice it would be to have our own handmade egg basket. So back to the workshop I went.

Since I was still learning and making plenty of mistakes, I started with wood scraps left over from our chicken coop builds. I hated the thought of wasting good lumber while practicing. Slowly, piece by piece, the first basket began to take shape.

Every evening I would eagerly wait for my husband to come home so I could show him my progress. He would inspect the cuts, check the measurements, and gently remind me that I still had a few skills to improve. But I kept at it.

A few weeks later, something changed.

Instead of pointing out mistakes, he looked at the basket and agreed with me—it was actually pretty cute.

And more importantly, it worked.

That little moment gave me the confidence to make another basket. Then another. Soon I was experimenting with different colors and finishes. When I finally shared them on Instagram, I was surprised by how many people were interested.

---

What started as a simple basket for gathering eggs has become one of my favorite things to build.

Today, I love imagining these baskets being used to gather fresh eggs, harvest vegetables and flowers from the garden, or hold little treasures around the home.

Each basket is handmade in our workshop and carries a piece of the journey that brought me here—from a dream of a small farmstand, to learning new skills, to creating something useful with my own two hands.

More then a basket, it is a reminder that some of the best things begin with a simple dream and the courage to try something new.

If you'd like your own handmade gathering basket, I'd be honored to make one for you.

Shop the basket

Thank you for supporting our small family business and following along as we grow, gather and create this dream.

Follow us @Islandcustomcoops