More and more people are moving away from mass-produced goods and toward hand-crafted wares made in their local communities.

On the Palouse there are many small businesses that provide these handmade products to consumers who are wanting to shake the hand of the person who made it rather than buy from a corporation.

Fire Creek Forge is a business based out of Moscow founded by Elijah and Sarah Williams. They make completely hand-crafted knives and razors to be sold online and at the Moscow Farmers Market.

“So many people are tired of American consumerism,” Sarah said. “Blacksmith has been a dying art, but it’s growing again because people are becoming more and more interested in handmade items.”

Elijah and Sarah started their family-run business in 2015 after Elijah spent most of his life enjoying the outdoors and learning from books and videos how to make knives by hand. Later he got into blacksmithing, and Fire Creek Forge was born.

“Knives are a fundamental tool and have been since the beginning of time,” Elijah said. “The use of knives crosses cultural boundaries. We want to educate the community about how they were made before mass production, as well as give them the opportunity to own something that gives them a connection to a different time.”

Elijah said he enjoys being a part of the Moscow Farmers Market because the people of are very art-focused, enjoy living “organic lives” and seeing how the products they’re buying are made.

At their booth at the market, Elijah allows community members to watch him forge knives and razors so customers can really know what they’re buying.

“I love the connection to the community, getting to answer questions and teach them about something I love,” Elijah said. “People like to be educated and have information about what they’re buying, it makes them feel more connected to it.”

Elijah is the head blacksmith of Fire Creek Forge while Sarah runs most of the marketing and sales. They both love that an art form they both enjoy has given them the opportunity to be completely self-employed with their family-run business.

Fire Creek Forge sells knives and razors on their website at firecreekforge.com as well as traditional items at the farmers market such as dinner bells and wall hangers.

“Supporting family-run businesses help people to put a focus on what they’re buying,” Sarah said. “People love to get back to our roots with hand-crafted items made in our backyard.”