DISPATCHES

After nearly a decade and tens of thousands of hand-poured candles, Farmer’s Son Co. faces a year of change. Rising costs, shifting markets and the physical toll of years of making by hand have led to a reset - a return to artistry, intention and sustainability.

This season marks ten years of holiday markets for me. I have stood behind tables, set up booths, smiled through exhaustion, and carried boxes of candles through snowstorms more times than I can count. Markets have helped shaped Farmer’s Son Co. from the very beginning. They have connected me with thousands of people and reminded me of why I love what I do. But they have also taught me some hard lessons about what it means to be a small business owner during the busiest, most demanding season of the year. This Dispatch is a reflection on the reality of that world - the good, the difficult, and the parts that most people never see.

This summer I stumbled across my mom’s green tomato mincemeat recipe in one of her old cookbooks. A prairie classic she made most autumns, it’s rich, spiced and full of flavour - the kind of preserve that feels festive even before the holidays arrive. I’ve made a few batches already and can’t wait to enjoy these jars in tarts, pies, cakes this cozy season!

As Farmer’s Son Co. enters its tenth holiday season, I’m opening my fragrance archive for the first time. Labworks Discovery is a collection of one-of-a-kind candles inspired by Manitoba’s prairies, lakes, forests and winters - pieces pulled from years of notes, blends, and memories. This is my way of leaning into fragrance as both craft and art, sharing stories of place and emotion through scent.

A behind-the-scenes look at how things have shifted at Farmer’s Son Co. over the past few months. Dan reflects on the reality of running a Canadian artisan fragrance studio during a time of sourcing challenges, supplier changes and rising costs. From fragrance reformulations to format changes, this is a mid-year update on what’s staying, what’s evolving and how FSCo. continues to push forward.