Shelley, one of Spawn’s star project managers, turned heads (and taste buds) in the office with her Alaska made pickles – taking orders from her fellow Spawners every summer. But this hobby might be coming to a market near you!

How’d you start pickling?

A few years ago I tried one of my Aunt Shelley’s pickles and I just had to have the recipe! After that it became a tradition to make homemade pickles every time my mom was visiting in the summer. Every year we would go to the local farmer’s market to stock up on fresh supplies – most importantly the pickling cucumbers (or “cukes“ as we like to call them) that only grow during the summer in Alaska. We’d end up with so many jars that we’d have leftovers to share and when people seemed to love them as much as I did, I had the crazy idea to sell them! I realized that a fun family tradition could be more than a hobby when people were willing to pay for these pickles. Most of my customers are fellow Spawners but you do have to start somewhere!

What type of pickles do you make?

I make spicy dill pickles with fresh Alaska grown ingredients.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who wants to start pickling?

Store bought pickles will never taste the same!

What’s next for Shelley’s Pickles?

I plan to sell my pickles at the farmer’s market this summer. I had hoped to get the business off the ground last year, but then COVID hit and it didn’t seem like the right time to enter the scene. This year I’m feeling more prepared and super excited to unveil my product. I’m ready to introduce Alaskans to Shelley’s Pickles!