Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Pickard-Ellerbe.
Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The seeds for Soulshine in a Jar were planted a long time ago. Canning and pickling have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until right before Covid that those seeds started to sprout. I was invited into a long-time friend’s kitchen to learn how to make pepper jelly. I was hooked. I took this newly acquired knowledge home with me. Once I mastered the basics of jelly making, I began crafting more and more unique combinations of fruit, veggies, herbs (most of which I grew myself). Being in the kitchen, creating jams and jellies, became my zen place. It was more meditation than work and it helped me cope with the changes Covid brought into all of our lives.
Proud of my new hobby, I posted pictures on my personal Facebook page. I was quickly asked about when I was going to start selling them. The seed was now fully grown and Soulshine in a Jar was created. When it came time to choose a name, I wanted one that represented all of the positive energy and alchemy that I put into each jar of my jelly. I really do put a little of my heart and soul into each jar. I like to say that if you hold one of the jars up to the sun, you can see a little of my soul shining through.
Soulshine in a Jar has grown so much from that little seed. I am almost 5 years into this journey and it has had its share of ups and downs, but every time I step into the kitchen to create my jellies and jams, I feel grateful I get to do this. Soulshine In a Jar has grown beyond my wildest imaginations. I am in markets all over Central Florida weekly and have shipped all over the country.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Since the inception of Soulshine In a Jar, there have been several obstacles and challenges I have had to navigate to be able to stay in business. Not long after I started selling at markets, the cost of jars, fruit, and pectin started rising. Deciding how to handle this particular challenge was not easy. My prices had to increase as well. Thankfully, sales have not been affected like I feared.
Another challenge is finding specific fruits to make certain flavors. An example of this are peaches. My peach jam is a top seller, but peaches are very seasonal and hard to find out of season. I realized quickly that some jams and jellies would have to be special and only offered seasonally.
It is also a challenge, even today, to make sure I am in the right markets for my product. It has taken me some time to realize that all markets are not the same-they don’t all offer the same kind of products and that matters with how well my jams and jellies sell.
My biggest obstacle has been juggling 2 additional jobs on top of running Soulshine In a Jar. My days have been long, trying to squeeze it all in. One of my goals for 2024 was to get to a point with Soulshine that I could let one of these jobs go. At the beginning of December 2024, I was able to make that goal a reality. I was ready to take that leap of faith and put even more of my time into making Soulshine In a Jar all that it can be in years to come.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
With Soulshine In a Jar, I’m most proud of how far it has come and how much it has grown since the beginning. I have customers that drive from hours away to buy my jam and jellies. I’m known for creating unique flavor combinations that you really can’t find anywhere else, like the special flavor I just created: Soul Good Pineapple Ginger Turmeric. Most of my unique flavors can used is the kitchen for adding flavor to many dishes, adding as a glaze to steak, chicken, pork, or fish. For an easy hors d’oeuvre, open a jar of Apple Sage and add to a Crockpot of meatballs. Many of my flavors pair with a charcuterie board.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Some may say that day that my long-time friend shared her talents and skills with me was luck. But I don’t feel that way. I have spent my life in search of the things that feed my soul and saying yes when the opportunity comes along. Soulshine In a Jar exists because what I found in the kitchen that day was something that sparked my soul and I didn’t want to let that go. I have worked really hard, made sacrifices with my time and body (hours in the kitchen are not easy on the feet) to grow that little spark into something that keeps me warm, even when it’s hard and challenging.
Pricing:
- Apple Sage $10.00
- Pear Rosemary $10.00
- Plum Basil $10.00
- Pineapple Ginger Turmeric $13.00
- Strawberry Ginger Turmeric $13.00
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulshineinajar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Soulshineinajar/
Image Credits
Personal photo taken by Evelyn Bell with BellEve Photography. The rest were taken by myself.
