For many people, the fantasy genre offers mystical words and thrilling adventures that serve as an escape from the stress and tedium of daily life. The realm of fiction is only limited by one's imagination, allowing avid readers of J.R.R. Tolkien's novels and attendees of the annual Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire to become daring adventurers and sage wizards.

For Austin Eschenwald and his wife, Steph, the world of fantasy is far from fiction.

Austin was born in Lancaster General Hospital, and he grew up in the Hempfield and East York areas between both his parents' households. After graduating from Christian School of York in 2011, Austin attended Messiah College, where he met Steph during their freshman year. Today, you can find the husband and wife at Owl & Cedar Homestead, a 5-acre plot of land tucked inside a misty valley in Centralia, Washington.

"We wanted to live more resiliently, have less fragility in our lives and reduce our carbon footprint," Austin said. "We realized how scary it is that we rely on grocery stores and big corporations, so we started trading with local farmers and building personal relationships."

In 2022, Austin, Steph and Steph's mother, Estelle Ducharme, officially established Owl & Cedar Homestead to sell a variety of artisanal goods, including roasted coffee beans, handmade jewelry and fantasy-themed drinks such as jun kombucha and wildcrafted sodas. Austin also offers blade sharpening and repair services through the homestead, and his clients include local chefs, gardeners and anyone else in the area looking to polish the tools of their trade.

In addition to functioning as a rustic home, Owl & Cedar Homestead is a melting pot of each family member's unique skills. Austin uses whetstones to sharpen each blade by hand; Steph roasts batches of organic, fair-trade coffee beans; and Estelle fashions a variety of handmade crafts. In 2024, Austin built a commercial-grade kitchen on the property to house a coffee roaster as well as the equipment necessary for brewing fermented drinks.

Austin, Steph and Estelle sell their products at local farmers markets and fantasy festivals - and they fit right in. Owl & Cedar's melting pot of products and services revolves around a central theme; Austin and Steph consider themselves fantasy geeks, and they design and package their merchandise to be suited for tabletop game sessions and Renaissance Faires.

The packaging isn't the only thing that makes Owl & Cedar seem like a vendor that was transported straight from Middle Earth. Austin and Steph make their wildcrafted sodas with ingredients such as wild yeast, pine needles and honey, resulting in a sweet and fizzy beverage that looks more like a magic potion than a Dr Pepper. Owl & Cedar's jun, a kombucha-like drink that is made with honey instead of white sugar, comes in a variety of flavors, including blackberry basil, black currant and raspberry lemonade.

Austin and Steph's short-term goal is to acquire a mobile tap system for their kegs of jun and wildcrafted soda. Owl & Cedar recently launched an online store to allow shipping to customers beyond the local community, and Austin said the long-term plan is to open a storefront in downtown Centralia. "We have a vision of having a physical location that is designed like a tavern out of a fantasy book," Austin added. "We would have an espresso machine for our coffee, our own syrups made from honey and a line of taps for our jun and sodas. There would be a seating area for people to play games, too."

Owl & Cedar's brand is heavily influenced by the fantasy genre, but the true foundation of the business is sustainability. The homestead's fermented beverages come in reusable glass bottles, and their coffee beans are shipped in sustainable packaging. Additionally, Austin's sharpening services allow people to extend the lifespan of their kitchen knives and tools instead of buying a new set once they're too dull. "Every dollar you spend is a vote for the world you want to live in," Steph said. "One of the biggest ways we can impact the world is how we purchase things, and we keep that in the forefront of our minds."

For more information, visit https://owlcedar.com or search for "Owl & Cedar Homestead" on Facebook.