Wiley Canning Company

Today, I excitedly welcome Wiley Canning Company into the world. Rooted in familial history, Wiley creates and shares canning, pickling, and preserving recipes and offers educational workshops. It feels as though Wiley has been a part of me for a long, long time, and I’m so humbled and full of joy as I witness it come to life. Thank you to every single one of you for cheering for Wiley and all that it is today, the day of its beginning, July 15, 2020.

The name, Wiley Canning Company, is inspired by my family. “Wiley” is of the maternal side of my family, but it symbolizes and is an ode to my entire family. A huge part of my coming of age has been choosing how to carry forward all that I love and treasure about my family and our history. The prioritization of family, education, hard work, good health, and homemade meals are only a few things I wish to bring with me as I build my life, create my values, and define what it means to love healthily and wholeheartedly. I’ve also been so fortunate to know and be known by my grandparents and great aunt, and I especially love that “Wiley," at its core, represents this generation specifically, as it is my grandmother’s maiden name and great aunt’s married name.

Prioritizing a canning practice in my own life has strengthened my relationship with the ingredients in my home. A strengthened relationship with the ingredients in my home has inspired me to create hearty, nourishing meals for the first time in my adult life. Creating hearty, nourishing meals has given my family and me permission to prioritize, really prioritize, dinnertime. Prioritizing dinnertime has expanded our space to listen to, talk with, and love one another… every evening, every day.

You see, Wiley is so much more to me than a trip to the farmers’ market or a see-through can of vegetables. Wiley is a tributary that leads to a body of connection, a space for listening and loving, and an opportunity to carry forward all that I treasure as I leave behind all that I don’t. Do not ever underestimate the trickle effects small pivots have on your greater life. My hope is that Wiley may create one small pivot in your day and countless trickle effects in your life, as it has done in mine.

Without further ado, I invite you to read further about Wiley Canning Company, including what came before us, who we are today, and what’s yet to come. Our recipes and our workshops are now available to explore, as well. Finally, Wiley is on Instagram, and I hope you join us there.

The canning, pickling, and preserving recipes I’ve published here on Chelsea J. O’Leary will move to Wiley Canning Company.

Again, thank you for your encouragement and kindness in person and from afar. I’ll borrow a thought from Elizabeth Gilbert for a moment, like I so often do. She says that encouraging words actually place courage within her; they “en-courage” her. The people around me, around us, have the power to drop pieces of courage into us when we need it most.

Thank you.

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