Sun Days on Orcas | Chris & Eliza Morris

||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by EDEE KULPER |||

Chris and Eliza Morris are the owners of Island Thyme and some of the most genuine, down-to-earth people you’ll ever meet. Many of us islanders have their locally grown and made products in our pockets, showers, and cabinets. While I’ve crossed paths with them umpteen times over the years in the parking lot at Salmonberry School, at farmers’ market and various holiday faires, downtown in front of their store, and in the process of including them and their business in my book, I haven’t had the chance to hear more of their story until now.

Chris and Eliza, how did you first meet?

We were both attending Evergreen State College and met through mutual friends. We shared a mutual interest in beatnik literature and had both moved to the Pacific Northwest from the East Coast, so we immediately had some common interests to share. 

How did Island Thyme come about – was it a plan from the start or did it gradually unfold over the years?

Island Thyme has gradually unfolded over the last couple of decades. We always like to say it has developed organically, slowly and steadily, on “island time.” Eliza had a flower farm and nursery business and was doing the farmers’ market with fresh flowers and plants, but always had a few of her handmade herbal products at the booth as well, mostly salves and tinctures to start. Then she and I started dabbling in making soap together one winter for a holiday fair. Then things really took off, and Eliza’s lease of the flower farm was ending, so it seemed like a perfect moment for a shift. A few years later, when our first child Linnea was born, I became more involved, and slowly shifted from my career building houses to be a full time partner in Island Thyme.

How did you learn how to make products off the land?

I had started learning with an herbalist while living on a farm in Canada on Cortes Island. At first, it was making herbal extracts (tinctures) and salves and balms. Later, as my knowledge grew, I began formulating more complex combinations, like creams, lotions, and soaps. Chris joined in on the formulating and took it to a whole new level. But the goal was to always keep the ingredient list simple and natural, and to use as many herbs and flowers that we could grow ourselves in the products.

What are the differences between your products and those that are on the shelves in big stores?

There are plenty of great products out there on the shelves these days, but we feel like our products shine because they are made in small batches, using high-end natural ingredients. People can trust that these products are made with care and will be safe to use.

From all your years in this business, have you been surprised by any particular plant (or plants) due to its (their) healing properties or efficacy?

We have so much respect and appreciation for all the botanicals we choose to use in our products. The calendula is so amazing because it grows almost like a weed all over our garden and has such healing effects on hard-to-solve skin conditions like eczema, as well as phenomenal wound-healing properties. Lavender is such a beautiful plant, and when paired with peppermint in our headache and stress-relieving formulations, it really works some magic!

You appear to be thriving as you work together. When I have taken photos of you, the best moments are when you look at each other. Working constantly together appears to suit you both very well. What would you be doing for a living if you weren’t working together? Are there other life/career paths you considered pursuing early on?

I had been designing and building houses, and might have continued on that path, had we not decided to both go all in on Island Thyme. Eliza would likely still be gardening and working with goats, as those are her passions, but maybe the business model might be making goat cheese or flowers. But one of the great things about Island Thyme is that we are able to weave these interests into various aspects of the business. I loved designing the Island Thyme retail store. Goat milk and flowers are some of the main ingredients in several of our products, and Eliza spends much of her time at the farm working with the goats and the garden.

How old are your two children now?

It’s hard to believe, but our children are 17 and nearly 20. One is a senior in high school and one is starting her sophomore year in college. 

Walking through your idyllic farm, seeing your flowers drying and the two of you meandering through the lavender, and hearing your goats maa-ing off in the distance feels dreamy. What are your favorite aspects of your business? What are the most challenging?

One of the satisfying elements for Chris is that the business is a vehicle to be creative, work with fun people, and make things that are beautiful. For me, being able to collaborate on a project that brings people so much joy and comfort in simple ways is very fulfilling. The challenges come from the full immersion of owning your own business; it’s hard sometimes to find space to nurture other aspects of your life, or get away from the business for a moment. Also, it takes patience to work on something that is so multifaceted and organic in its nature.

What was your greatest hardship or your hardest moment in your business when you look back over the years?

The handful of occasions when we realized we weren’t making enough money to pay ourselves.

What are some of the things on your bucket list? What would you like to include in your “someday”?

We have been fortunate to be able to do many of the things that are our interests. We’ve been able to spend a lot of quality time together and with our kids through the years of working on Island Thyme. But looking ahead, some more down time would be fun!