Conversations with Chelsea O’Leary

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea O’Leary.

Chelsea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began Wiley Canning Company in July 2020 to celebrate and teach the practices of canning, pickling, and preserving fresh fruits and vegetables. I grew up 30 minutes away from my grandmother who farmed full time loved to garden.

She grew cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, and sweet corn, and she would can, pickle, and preserve them every season. I cherished the canned goods she created, and I wished to grow and share the joy and comfort they brought to my family and me.

My grandmother loved her family through food, and this is one way I aim to love mine, as well. Canning, pickling, and preserving specifically strengthen our relationship with our food and land.

We are encouraged to move slowly through farmers’ markets and in our kitchens, and we are inspired to gather around our tables with loved ones when we’re creating and enjoying delicious canned goods.

Wiley Canning Company allows me to create and share family-inspired recipes and teach others how to can, pickle, and preserve, as well.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
We are approaching our two-year anniversary, and the truth is that it has felt relatively smooth! I remind myself I have my entire life to build Wiley Canning Company; not every goal has to be accomplished by next year. I can launch an exciting workshop when we’re 10 years old!

I can host a retreat when we’re 15 years old! I want to grow Wiley Canning Company like any healthy, living being ought to grow: Slowly, steadily, and responsibly. This may mean we grow more slowly, but I choose remaining aligned with my vision for Wiley over moving too quickly for publicly-impressive metrics as consistently as I can.

The greatest internal challenge I face is remembering this on a day-to-day basis. I am so painfully aware of everything I want to do, but I remind myself day after day that I have time.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am very proud to have double-majored in biology and Spanish in college.

When I began college, I envisioned going to medical school, but my path has led me to Wiley Canning Company. My background in biology benefits Wiley Canning Company tremendously.

I very much lean into the science of canning, pickling, and preserving, and I believe this sets me apart as an educator in the field.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Yes! I love Evernote, OmniFocus, and Apple’s Notes app. I also love the All Things Within daily journal created by Tiana Gidley. Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic” shaped the way I see and respect my own ideas and creativity. Reading, no matter the author or topic, expands every aspect of my life and work.

Right now, I am captivated by the written work of Anne Applebaum, a Polish-American journalist, and historian. Her work has absolutely nothing to do with canning, pickling, or preserving, but her approach to her work has everything to do with how I wish to approach my own.

She is a very concentrated journalist and historian who drills deep into the details and histories of focused topics. When I read her work, it is very clear she is an absolute expert in her field. She does not try to cover wide academic ground. She tries to know the most about a small set of focused topics alone. I greatly admire this.

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@wileycanningcompany.com
• Website: https://www.wileycanningcompany.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wileycanningcompany/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wiley-Canning-Company-111425127296162

Image Credits
Lydia Jane Plageman and Lauren Taylor Watt