26 Sep 2009 On a unique journey

A self-described “wild child,” Nikki dropped out of school at age 15 and had two stints in drug rehab by her sixteenth birthday. “I graduated high school but after three stabs at college, I decided the regular route wasn’t working for me,” she said.
Her journey to Nikki’s Naturals started with herbs when she worked in a greenhouse, and the owner paid her with flats of herbs. In 1987, her knowledge of herbs came from the Simon and Garfunkel lyrics of “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,” but when making that comment to her boss, she learned of the many varieties of each herb.

Nikki was 21 and living on a farm in Clarkedale (Crittenden County) when what started as a small culinary garden in the backyard soon grew to be over an acre of culinary, ornamental and medicinal herbs. Intrigued by the many uses of herbs, she learned how to take cuttings, plant seeds and the techniques of harvesting, and soon began making herb vinegars, flavored oils, herb butters, honey with fresh herbs and tea blends.

Fast forward a few years – marriage, city life, a baby, then divorce – and Nikki headed back to the hills to find peace of mind and a way to pay the scads of bills inherited from the marriage. “My 3-year-old son, two dogs, an old cat and I moved to a cabin deep in the Ozark Mountains heated by the wood stove I cooked on. We had a composting toilet, well water and an outdoor sink, but we did have electricity,” said Nikki.

While her nearest neighbor was only three miles away, it took 30 minutes to get there, and Nikki quickly realized that she didn’t fit the average work model in location or attitude, so she opted to turn her hobby into a business. She joined the Arkansas Craft Guild in 1990, which provided retail outlets for her product line, and she also participated in arts shows at locations like the Pink Palace in Memphis. In addition to festivals, Nikki’s Naturals started a direct mail order option as well as wholesale.

As her son grew older, her business began to grow as well, and Nikki decided to move out of the woods. She settled near Heber Springs and expanded her product line to include lip balm, talc-free powders and bath herbs. Developing a soap product came about when her old Siamese cat had skin problems and allergies. Her remedy pet soap became popular with campers and gardeners because it repels fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. After repeated requests, Nikki finally made a version for humans.

The basic ingredients include renewable vegetable origins, food grade olive, coconut and palm oils, as well as pure essential oils. Nikki cures the soap bars for a minimum of three to four months, which lowers the pH and allows moisture to dissipate, making a longer-lasting product for the end user.

When asked about her annual production estimates, Nikki’s mischievous grin appears. “If I decide I want to go on vacation, I know it’s time to make some soap,” she said.  “I’ve never run low on inventory, so I guess my system works OK.” She then proudly flexes her muscles, noting that hers come from processing batches of potions and lotions, not from a gym membership.

Her son is now 21 and a paramedic in Heber Springs, and she lives and works in a two-story building she designed that includes a fully operational kitchen, three bedrooms and fully- plumbed bathrooms. A Road King Harley rider, she proudly asserts that she is the only Arkansas female certified MSF Rider Coach, an official recognition from Harley Davidson.

Another accomplishment has been 54 inches lopped off her gorgeous ash blonde mane donated to “Locks of Love,” which provides wigs for children with long-term medical hair loss.

“My business choices have been more about a lifestyle than a career,” she said.  “As a single parent, I could home-school my son and still make a living with mail order sales and select retail customers. It hasn’t always been easy, but as bikers say, it’s about the ride, not the destination, and it’s still a great ride.”