Little did Madelyn and Matt Morris know when they took a class in organic beekeeping back in 2007 that the two beehives they established in their Portland backyard would become the springboard for a 30-acre operation and home to 20 hives. In 2011, the husband-and-wife team launched Mickelberry Gardens, crafting a variety of healing remedies using what their beehives produced: plenty of raw honey, propolis and beeswax. Closely aligned in mission with Market of Choice, Mickelberry Gardens enjoys its place in the Pacific Northwest as an independent, family-owned business that focuses considerable effort in giving back to the community and to organizations that enhance bee health, plant diversity, water conservation, land stewardship and equity.

Tim Schley wanted to use a deodorant with all natural ingredients. He couldn’t find one on the market that did the job, so he decided to try making it himself. That first batch that he whipped up at a friend’s apartment in Eugene worked well, but it wasn’t quite the texture and consistency that he wanted. “From that point on, I started tweaking the formula and giving numerous samples out to everyone I could get to try it and asking for feedback,” Tim says. “Within about five months, I felt ready to hit the market, and although it continues to be a learning process and I've evolved along the way, it’s been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life.” Tim’s company, Green Theory Naturals, makes aluminum-free deodorants that include probiotics and bentonite clay. Tim says the clay has a detoxifying effect to help the body rid itself of the aluminum used in other deodorants. He says the key to long-lasting odor protection is the probiotics, which outcompete bacteria that feed off sweat.