For Gillunds, the sweet smell of success is unscented

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For Gillunds, the sweet smell of success is unscented

By ANDREA JOHNSON, Valley Editor

WILDROSE, N.D. - For and Gerald Gillund the sweet smell of success

has never smelled so, so ... well, it doesn't smell at all, and that's just

fine with them.

In the process of developing a line of all-natural, fragrance-free, and

non-toxic personal care products that met their own special needs, the

Gillunds also discovered they'd made some great products other people wanted

as well. Thus was created In the Potter's Hands, Inc., their business in

which they manufacture Dakota Free products.

Born out of necessity

The Gillunds didn't set out to start their own business, they were simply

looking for ways to help with her own special needs.

In 1994, became very sick after a home project in which the couple

had put wood chip borders around their trees. was diagnosed with

chemical poisoning which apparently happened when she opened a bag of wood

chips that had a very heavy chemical smell.

Life changed dramatically for the Gillunds who were in their early 30s at

the time. developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. As a result her

system couldn't tolerate anything that contained petroleum products or

chemical fragrances.

" Basically we had to redo our house and take out anything that had synthetic

chemical odors in it, " said Gerald. " Now we've got hardwood floors, our

house is pretty well sealed, there's an air system that filters the air, and

we have air cleaners throughout our house. "

It took a couple years to recover from severe weakness and memory

loss caused by the chemical poisoning. As she began to feel better, she was

able to garden when the neighbors weren't spraying.

" Mosquitoes were always a problem - she couldn't use any of the products on

the market and the natural products weren't that effective, " said Gerald.

So they set out to develop something that could use without any

ill side affects.

Answer right under their nose

was researching various plant oils when she realized the mint in

her flowerbed smelled good and repelled insects.

For four years the couple worked on various mosquito repellent formulas

until they finally developed one they deemed perfect. And the mint, which

they now raise on their Divide County farm, is one of the main ingredients

they use. Some of the other ingredients are purchased from local farmers or

processors.

" We were just boiling the mint up on the stove and it wasn't very

eye-appealing, " said Gerald. " We decided to get a distiller - and we

discovered they were pricey. "

The Gillunds received a Farm Diversification grant through the Agricultural

Productions Utilization Commission to help purchase a distiller and other

equipment needed for packaging their products.

They formed a company - In the Potter's Hands, Inc. - dedicated to providing

customers with quality, natural and fragrance-free products that were both

effective and affordable.

They began making other products using the same concepts as they used to

make the mosquito lotion - good personal care products that were fragrance

free.

Dakota Free products include mosquito repellent in gel or spray form with

mint, fragrance-free lip balm, moisturizer, bath crystals, soap, and

deodorant, and tea tree gel to treat cuts and scrapes.

" It's going really well, " said Gerald, 40. " The only glitch we had last

summer is we ran out of insect repellent. We harvested more mint this fall

so we're hoping we'll have enough until the next mint harvest. "

" It's an interesting diversification, " said Gerald. " I used to raise pigs.

There hasn't been a good market for them for a long time, so we got started

on this and it's going real well. "

The business is still in the building stage, but eventually Gerald thinks it

will add to the family income because there is such a demand for quality

fragrance-free products.

" We're making something good, " said Gerald.

For more information on Dakota Free products, check out www.dakotafree.com,

call 701-539-2256, email info@..., or write In The Potter's Hand,

Inc., 11310 89th St. NW, Wildrose, N.D. 58795.