We have been on a semi-forced hiatus on Candlefind while we prepped our new site, Candle Scoop, for its go-live date. We have some exciting company reviews that have been waiting in the wings, and what better one to get started with than Finding Home Farms – a company known for their delicious, buttery maple syrup and clean-burning soy candles! Finding Home Farms is a new-to-me company, but they are not new on the scene. They have an interesting backstory (which we’ll get into below), and their recent growth reflects the fruits of their hard labor and attention to detail.
A Closer Look at Finding Home Farms
Finding Home Farms is located in the alluring Hudson Valley of New York, family owned and operated. This lifestyle brand brings the best of the farm to your home and table. They are known for their hand-crafted, certified organic maple syrup (which has been listed as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things), clean-burning soy candles, and select, beautiful home decor.
We are personally inspired by Finding Home Farms, as the brand started back in 2010 as a lifestyle blog. Laura Putnam poured her heart and soul into the blog, with inspiration for amazing home decor and attainable DIY projects. Laura and her husband Dana eventually blended their passion for creating a welcoming home with their craft and love of “sugaring” (making maple syrup) to create the sprawling Sugarhouse you see today, as well as their growing online and wholesale business. Laura and Dana quickly discovered when you make such good things, people just keep coming back…and back…and back again.
Our primary interest with Finding Home Farms, of course, is in their soy candles. They hand pour each and every one, with an inordinate amount of testing that goes into each scent line. We feel quite honored to delve into the brand and put these candles through the Candlefind test!
Products Offered
As of this writing, Finding Home Farms carries three different candle jar sizes: 7.5 oz, 10 oz, and 13 oz. The 7.5 oz & 13 oz candles are lidded, whereas the 10 oz candles come in highly decorated gift boxes without lids. The candles are 100% soy and have lead-free cotton wicks. Of course, they also have their delicious maple syrup and related products, as well as a select few home decor items.
Product Reviews
We tested seven different candles for this review, including a mix of Fall and some holiday-related scents. We tested Cinnamon Pinecone, Nutmeg, Sparkle & Shine, Blackcurrent & Thyme, Pumpkin Sage, Empire Apple, and Shine Bright. We’re noting our initial thoughts below, and will be following up with full reviews for each individual item in the near future.
CINNAMON PINECONE
Cinnamon Pinecone was the one that intrigued me the most and screamed ‘ready for Fall.’ It was the mid-size (10 oz) and came in one of the most detailed gift boxes – lots of description on the outside and a surprise gingham pattern and a phrase on the inside. The scent description from the website is: A perfect blend for the fall and right into the holidays, Cinnamon Pinecone is soon to be your favorite. I have a hard time with some cinnamon scents, as I feel the fragrance can overpower and be too harsh. Not so with Cinnamon Pinecone. This fragrance was BEAUTIFUL! The cinnamon was distinct and full-bodied, but it blended well with the soft woodsy pine notes. I’m not one for seasonal burning or melting, but I must say this fragrance put me in a festive kind of mood. The scent throw on this candle was fabulous! I could smell it in the laundry room, where I started it, and on out into the main part of the house.
As far as the burn, it was clean and even. My wick needed a little trim before lighting and in between burns, but otherwise did not require any intervention from me. It took a while to get a full wax melt pool from this candle (slow burn), but I did eventually get a nice, even one. The glow from the white vessel added to the ambiance and thrilled me from the very start. This was easily one of my favorites of the bunch!
EMPIRE APPLE
First let me say I’m a big apple scent fan. I love apple scented candles and so I was thrilled to try out this one called Empire Candle. The website simply says: A crisp aroma of freshly picked apples! I removed the lid and…wowza! It was such a juicy, delicious, realistic smelling apple scent and it was soooo incredibly strong. Sweet!
This was the smaller sized candle jar (7.5 oz), so I wasn’t sure how it might fare in a larger space. I placed it in a small bathroom and closed the door to wait. I was simply amazed at how beautiful this scent was! It was just like smelling a ripe apple, peel included! And this little baby was strong, too! I had such a nice, clean burn and a full wax melt pool with this one. Oh man…it was becoming hard to choose a favorite!
BLACKCURRANT & THYME
This was the ‘exotic’ one in the bunch to me. This was the mid-size candle (10 oz), and it came in a black vessel nestled into a lovely black gift box. The combination of scents was intriguing…blackcurrant and thyme? Tell me more! Looking at the website’s scent description, it says: A sweet and earthy blend of black currants with woody notes of thyme. Smelling it cold, it reminded me of of a glass of Merlot with some sediment. Earthy, wine-y, and a rich fruitiness. It smelled divine!
Once burning I noticed that this was a milder scent compared to the others – more subtle and subdued. It still smelled fantastic, but I would consider this a spa-like or relaxing, background scent. This was also the slowest burning of the bunch, as it took a really long time to get a full wax melt pool. Still, it was full and even, and the candle itself gave off a nice, clean burn.
NUTMEG
The Nutmeg candle was the largest size jar (13 oz) and had a nice, clean look. I absolutely adore the labels! The website describes this scent as: A fresh combination of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove that will fill your home with a delightfully scent straight the fall and into the winter holidays. Cold sniff was fairly strong but unassuming – there was a warm spicy scent that was definitely inviting.
Once this candle started burning, it completely won me over. Oh. My. Goodness. It was fabulous! There was a creaminess mixed in with the spice that made me want to dip the wax out with a spoon! This is not a bakery scent, per se, but it is definitely warm, cozy, and just makes you want to snuggle! I could have sworn I smelled some vanilla notes, but I didn’t see that in the description. This candle had another flawless burn and the throw was fantastic. It easily filled the medium sized bedroom I had it in and a little beyond.
PUMPKIN SAGE
I was having such success with my Finding Home Farm candles, I was almost scared to keep trying! I didn’t want to be let down. Pumpkin Sage sounded interesting and different. According to the website: Nothing says fall quite like a pumpkin candle. By pairing it with sage it brings all the yummy scent into your home without being too powerful. It is a truly delightful candle! On cold sniff, it really just smelled like creamy pumpkin with a hint of spices. It was the burn that made all the difference on this one. The sage was just what the pumpkin needed to keep this from being ‘just another pumpkin candle.’ The blend was unique and warm and, even though the description described it as not being “too powerful,” I found the scent throw fantastic. This was the smallest size (7.5 oz), so I think the larger candle would be perfect for a larger space.
The candle had a nice clean burn as long as I kept my wick trimmed in between burns. I got a full, even wax melt pool with this candle. And it seemed to burn forever! This was a great candle and a perfect twist to the usual pumpkin scent.
SPARKLE & SHINE
Getting a little more festive, I broke out the Sparkle & Shine candle (13 oz), which read Notes of champagne on the label. There were cute champagne bottles all over the label, so you knew what you were in for. The website description reads: Whatever the reason, whatever the occasion, with notes of champagne Sparkle & Shine makes the celebration better! The cold sniff was delicious – slightly sweet and fizzy with just that hint of sour that champagne scents can have.
Burning this candle was like a party in a jar. It was amazingly realistic! As the candle burned, I got less of that sour note and more of the slightly sweet and bubbly notes. I was floored…and craving champagne! This candle had a great scent throw and a flawless burn. Another winner in my book!
SHINE BRIGHT
Finally we end with Shine Bright (13 oz), which has notes of Bergamot, Fir & Ivy. The site describes this scent as: A festive blend of bergamot, fir and ivy. This scent was fairly soft and festive, with the fir notes standing out the most to me. Once this candle started burning, the scent did get a bit stronger, but still never overpowering. It was festive with that “Christmas tree” vibe to it and an interesting green-ness from the ivy. I found it beautiful. I think this would be great for holiday gatherings, as it wouldn’t overtake a room but still be noticeable enough to keep everyone in the festive mood.
This candle was another slow-burner, but I never did get a full wax melt pool from this one. I think I trimmed my wick a little too short. The burn itself was very clean and no black sooting whatsoever.
Overall Impression of Finding Home Farms
I am over the moon impressed with the candles from Finding Home Farms! The candle scents were beautiful and the performance was fantastic. Some fragrances were stronger than others, but that was to be expected. I think if I had to choose a favorite, it would probably be Empire Apple closely followed by Cinnamon Pinecone. But truthfully there wasn’t one in the bunch I didn’t personally like scent-wise. I am already plotting an order from this company, as I see it being a perfect place to get some thoughtful gifts. And let’s not forget the maple syrup!
These candles can be purchased by heading over to their website. While the Sugarhouse is closed early this season due to COVID, if you’re in the area, local pickup is available. Get these candles any way that you can…we don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
