Meet “The Jam Lady”

So, who is this Jam Lady, anyway? Well, my name is Amanda Averill and I am a 26 year old single mother, [former] teacher, foodie, and adrenaline junkie.

I better start from the beginning…

I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the quaint Brookhaven neighborhood. My mom and I spent each spring and summer hulling strawberries and stirring jam; using the same spoon her mother and grandmother had used many years before. My aunt and cousins joined in the fun as we made summer "Jamborees" a yearly tradition. From my mother I acquired an admiration of strong, independent women and an appreciation of the tranquility of time in the kitchen. From my father I gained gratitude for Mother Nature and the peace one can find in it without ever looking. I lived in the city, but thrived in the woods; hunting, fishing, hiking, baking, and sewing. I avoided boredom by finding new and exciting challenges, from chasing wild boar and catching alligators to stuffing homemade ravioli and icing 8-layer cakes. After high school, I attended Georgia Southern University where I received my B.S. in Early Childhood Education and went on to teach fourth grade in Cobb County for 3 years.

It was during my first year of teaching that I was blessed with the gift of my daughter. After deciding to adopt, a selfless birthmother made me a mom and for that I am eternally grateful. Ansley Jennifer was born on September 20^th, 2007 in Colorado Springs, CO. She is my angel, my guiding light, and one hell of a drummer.

So, here we are: three generations of gals sticking together for the long haul to share our family's tradition with the world.

What can I say? We be jammin!

Just another Cliché?

It's been said that all things are born from ideas, a simple thought that, on any other day, could have easily been discounted as unrealistic, insane, or just plain stupid. But, on a sunny spring day in the North Georgia Mountains, the light bulb that went off if in my head only grew brighter. Jam: One word, three letters, and a whole lot of history. Could I really do it? Could I resign from teaching to build a business? Could I cook sugar and fruit for the foreseeable future? More importantly, could I make it a livelihood to provide for my daughter? The answer is comprised of two (equally clichéd) parts: There's only one way to find out AND there's no time like the present.

In my 25 short years, I have made some big decisions that were based on others' expectations and desires. A hard lesson to learn, but one worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears, once internalized: Live life for you, it may be the only one you get and it's both too short and too long to suffer through. So, I thought it was time to make a decision for me, grab life by the 'berries' and take a chance.

Thus, an idea is born...

Now what?