I got 10 the first day. People are attracted to the soap for a couple reasons, Kim said. One is the novelty of its sheep milk base. Kim has learned that people with sensitive skin, who usually must avoid scented soaps, can use hers. The lactic acid in the milk acts as a rejuvenate, and the high butterfat content makes the soap a good moisturizer.
Sheep milk has about eight percent butterfat, compared to three or four percent in cow's milk.
Because the soap making business has grown fast over the last year, Kim hasn't taken time yet to figure out how much her profit she making. But she and Larry are betting they'll make more money from the soap business this year than they will from milk sales. The milk is stored at -10 degrees. Besides milk and soap, Shepherd's Dairy sells lambs and wool. According to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, the Curtis' operation is the only sheep dairy licensed through the state's Bureau of Dairies and Foods.