The Frugal American Family and American Made Products

If you are looking to find old fashioned American made products you are not alone.  People want to turn back time--they are tired of the cheaply made copycat items that look like the originals but never work like the originals they remember from their childhood.  American people are frustrated over the loss of jobs, after American based factories faded away to foreign soils to make these products cheaper.  

Mixed within the overall decline of quality came the theory of planned obsolescence, where if you built a quality product that would last a lifetime, you would at some point be out of business because no one would need to purchase again.  Then  came corporate greed, with less regulations companies found they could take short cuts in the manufacturing process to make even higher profits, some used recycled items containing toxic chemicals, and heavy metals, others did not invest the time into the expensive research and testing to be sure their products were safe and made to last.

There are several other movements occurring across America. Some believe in the potential collapse of the economic system and are scrambling to find back-to-basics self survival gear and non-electric products.  Others are looking for self defense because of the increasing crime and uncertain times we are living in, others are turning back to living off the earth to rid the potential of toxic chemicals and contaminants being found in the food supply chain, or are looking to go “Green” with energy savings and reducing their carbon foot print.  Others are simply unemployed over extended periods are looking how to transform their back yards into a food producing and income producing ventures.

One thing is for sure-- old fashioned American made quality products built to last, that are used to produce homegrown and homemade items are becoming the “New in Thing” for the American family. Frugal back-to-basics living is no longer being viewed as being poor but a necessity of daily living.

Cottage Craft Works located at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com  has assembled a full line of old time American made products still being made within the cottage based businesses and small shops from across the country.  The majority of the products are Amish made and used daily in the Amish back-to-basics way of life, while other products have been found in the back roads and small towns of America from trades and craftsmanship passed down from generations.  This is not “Fu Fu” stuff but real products used daily in the home, garden, farm, ranch, hunting and building construction for those seeking to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle.  Corporate greed and planned obsolescence has never crossed these people’s minds, in fact it’s quite the contrary, as they have built their business and livelihoods on providing quality products to their closest neighbors and small communities.

During the Y2K scare people overwhelmed the Amish communities for non-electric back-to-basic items, in fear that the country would be without electricity or an infrastructure.  This level of uncertainty is beginning to climax again for those same back-to-basic products.   It is not being hyped on the front pages of newspapers as a single issue like it was back then, but the demand to find these products is increasing just as much now.

Across America people in some form have assembled emergency supply kits to survive several days without electricity or infrastructure if no more than to survive from earthquake, storm, or other natural or man made disaster, others are making the move to total off- the- grid in-dependency.

Cottage Craft Works offers over 200 books on self-sufficient living topics.  From building solar/wind efficient housing, raising livestock, organic gardening, to homemade products and cooking from scratch recipes you will find a book on every topic of self-sufficient living, including making an income from self-sufficient products.

Under the Kitchen and Food Processing tab you will find hand crank cooking gadgets, high quality Stainless Steel and cast iron cookware, as well as equipment to process dairy, maple syrup, apple cider and make your own wines.  Cottage Craft Works is a dealer for the commercial grade hand crank mixer formally known as the TROYCRAFT MIXER, the GrainMaker® grain mill and carries the hand crank Master Kuts Food Processor.

Under the Home Goods Tab you will find Amish furniture, pet items, sewing machine cabinets, including a complete treadle sewing machine, vintage toys and board games, handmade baskets, Amish quilts, butane and gasoline clothes irons, laundry tubs, laundry drying racks, and portable clothes lines.  Click on the oil lamps to see the old fashioned indoor and outdoor oil lamps, or discover gas powered lighting.  Need a repair part for an older Coleman lantern; you will find them in this section.  Looking for personal needs, or spiritual items click on the Faith | Family | Hope | Tab to find items for health and wellness, spiritual and Christian based child development.  You can even subscribe to the popular Keepers at Home Magazine under this section.  Scan proof wallets are also available.

Under the Farm and Garden tab you will find items for the horse and tack including horse drawn buggies wagons, and carts as well as tools equipment and books on raising livestock, farming, and gardening, including going “All Organic.” Under this tab you will find a complete lineup of orchard and vineyard equipment, including all types of apple and wine complete presses or the hardware kits to build your own press. Find chicken coops, chicken nesting boxes, beekeeping equipment and purple martin housing under the birds and bees tab in the Farm and Garden section. 

If you need long lasting patio furniture you will find poly plastic recycled furniture under the Patio tab along with Amish Wind Chimes.  The Poly lumber is UV and rot resistant assembled with Stainless Steel screws and hardware.  The furniture is ideal for coastal areas subject to saltwater spray.  The 401 Freezeless Water Hydrant is also made of Stainless Steel ideal for coastal areas as well.  Cottage Craft Works carries a small Amish made manure spreader and will be adding other small hobby farm implements.  Small Express wagons are also located under the Farm and Garden tab.

Entering the Hunting and Outdoors Sports tab is like walking into a full line sporting goods store, except the quality and the craftsmanship of the items will rival anything on the market.  The hand carved gun stocks were featured in the March 2011 issue of Outdoor Life magazine.  The hand tooling detail on the custom leather products from the holsters, ammo belts to the gear belts are all top notch heirloom quality.  High end game and hunting calls perform as well as they look but the prices are as reasonable as the big gigantic sports and hunting stores.  This the type of gear that made legendary hunters, hunting gear that will pass from generation to generation. 

Cottage Craft Works strives to bring unique items that just can’t be found elsewhere.  They carry a  4-1 combo turkey call that has all the turkey locator calls built into one handsome handcrafted unit.  American made briar proof coats, vest, bibs, and chaps are also available in this section along with gun accessories, blinds, and outdoor sports items.  This is where you can still purchase the red metal runner and wood snow sled, croquet set, and an easy up volley ball set.  This is the section where you can find two sizes of a very handy all aluminum bicycle cargo trailer.  It is a light weight trailer that easily attaches to any bicycle without using an additional hitch.  You can carry groceries and supplies, camping gear, or use it at work to transport gear around large factories.  The cart is ideal for island living or where traditional automobile traffic is limited.  Bike mounted police and emergency workers can also use it to carry gear and emergency equipment in and around crowded events.  Best of all with its convenient handle you can roll it around the yard as a yard cart.

Under the Building Products tab you will find the Natures Head a self contained composting toilet.  It uses no running water or sewer plumbing.  It is odorless and even approved by the US Coast Guard for on board toilet facilities.  You will find complete restoration services, for duplicated spindles and house trim, as well as cupolas and copper weathervanes.  Solar and wind power kits will be added to this section in the near future.

Cottage Craft Works provides a source for the old time American made quality products that were used and cherished for generations, which are still being manufactured today. Products to help you and your family live a more wholesome self-sufficient life style in today’s very uncertain times. Looking through the Cottage Craft Works online is store is just like picking up an early 1900s Sears and Roebuck Co. Catalog and spending hours making your wish list!  Products are full of nostalgia and memories, products you grew up with but never dreamed would still be available for purchase in today’s crazy fast moving high tech and dependent vulnerable world. So take a deep breath, slow down a bit and enjoy the country life with us at Cottage Craft Works .com

About Cottage Craft Works Back-to-Basics General Store:

About Cottage Craft Works

When people think about Amish products they generally think of high quality handcrafted wooden furniture and crafts, or they think about the homemade noodles, baked goods, or Amish quilts. The fact of the matter is that the Amish have developed a whole self-sustaining manufacturing network made up of small cottage based workshops and factories where they manufacture and sell their wares and goods. The variety of goods they manufacture fits virtually every self-sustainable personal need imaginable.

For over 35 years Paul and Liz Stevens have bought and used Amish made products for their own country back-to basics lifestyle, not realizing someday those relationships and friendships they were building would develop into a business opportunity. The two of them spent many weekends and vacations over that time period exploring the Amish country back roads in Indiana and Ohio seeking out different ideas and products used in home food preservation, gardening and frugal living. They were intrigued with the simple life style and quality products the Amish produced. Year after year they developed new relationships and friends throughout the Amish communities. They began to see a real need to help the Amish market and sell their quality products to the outside world in order to help them secure self employment incomes to support their own families. They also saw the lack of trust and respect from commercialized corporate environments that didn’t understand or respect the Amish culture, values, and beliefs. With the encouragement of family and friends they began offering Amish made hunting and game calls online in 2006. As those grew in popularity they added more hunting and outdoor goods.

As the economy worsened many of the Amish who worked in Northern Indiana RV factories began facing layoffs, and the products they made part- time became more and more dependent for their own household incomes. The economy hit the Amish communities hard, as the tourism and visitors from the outside slowed greatly and the crafts and goods they sold in the small shops slowed as well. Even the Amish didn’t have the level of incomes to support their own fellow Amish shops. They simply needed more market exposure and began turning more to the outside world. Simultaneously the economy also developed into the fear and concern for the general public. This sparked a back-to-basic movement of people wanting to escape a debt and energy dependent world. People began looking for more off grid options, and self-survival knowledge that the Amish possessed in order to become less dependent on the economics and live a more self-sustainable debt free lifestyle. The mass loss of jobs to foreign soil over the past decade also created a bitter feeling toward imported products, and a boycott of those products. American made products suddenly became the protest cry for many Americans distraught over the loss of jobs, and corporate greed.

Connecting all the dots, in 2010 Cottage Craft Works General Store at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com was launched to help fulfill a need for those searching for back-to-basics goods to live a more wholesome self-sufficient lifestyle and to help support the many Amish friends they had made over the years.

Although 90% of the products are Amish made, the mission of Cottage Craft Works is to support American cottage based businesses and small companies. Most of the vendor shops consist of small family owned, or small business owned shops, employing one to thirty people. Occasionally you will find a foreign made product, which is noted as such, because our customers request it. All selections carried are based on quality workmanship, such as our German made Family Grain Mill.

In 2010 we received customer feedback from our loyal hardcore hunters who appreciated all the products we had expanded to, but liked it much better when we only featured hunting calls and hunting gear, thus a separate subsidiary was developed just for our hunting friends, CCW Hunting and Game Calls. CCW Hunting and Game Calls carries one of the largest stock of custom made Hunting and Game calls on the market. From a complete turkey box call to a box call kit, deer call, elk calls, predator calls, duck calls, goose calls and more you will find them at CCW.

Cottage Craft Works provides a source for the old time American made quality products that were used and cherished for generations, which are still being manufactured today. Products to help you and your family live a more wholesome self-sufficient life style in today’s very uncertain times. Looking through the Cottage Craft Works online is store is just like picking up an early 1900s Sears and Roebuck Co. Catalog and spending hours making your wish list! Our products are full of nostalgia and memories, products you grew up with but never dreamed would still be available for purchase in today’s crazy fast moving high tech and dependent vulnerable world. So take a deep breath, slow down a bit and enjoy the country life with us at Cottage Craft Works .com.

We enjoying having you stop by our store, feel free to sign up and come back again, we keep your contact information private, we will never sell it to another company and we don’t spam our customers with email deals. We only contact you if we need to give you an update on an order. So start your wish list and come back as often as you like, your list will be saved and ready for your next visit or for a quick checkout at Christmas time. But don’t wait too long many of our custom items may take weeks to make for that special Christmas or other occasion gift.