Born in 1934, in the years following the Great Depression and World War II still to come, Grandma Mattie grew up knowing what it was like to ‘use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.’ In 1957, she married Melvin, and they settled onto a farm in Indiana. 12 years later, they bought a dairy farm in southern Kentucky and moved their family of 7 to Kentucky.
In 1977, eight years after moving to KY, Grandpa Melvin was tragically killed in a farm accident. At age 43, Grandma was left a widow now with 9 children at home, the youngest being an infant of 4 months. Times were tough but Grandma had a God in heaven to help her and she never gave up. In 1987 Grandma moved to Maryland to live close to her oldest daughter and son in law Urie and Dayle Ann Kanagy. Ever the resilient woman, in 1995 at age 61, Grandma and son-in-law Urie Kanagy, teamed up and began making jams and jellies in the basement of Grandma’s house. This was the impetus for the name “Grandma’s Jam House.”
Grandma’s Jam House grew as more and more people realized the extraordinary and amazing taste of the jams and jellies that were being produced, taking them back to a time when life was simple and Grandma’s cooking was central.
Active in the jam making process and serving as secretary, Grandma was a vital part of the business until her death. In 2012, she went home to be with the Lord, but her legacy of faith, family, and good food lives on.
With God’s blessing, Grandma’s Jam House, LLC, grew as more and more people realized the extraordinary and amazing taste of the jams and jellies that were being produced.
Once the basement was outgrown, a new facility was built for more efficient operations and in 2011 Grandson Jason Kanagy joined the team officially making Grandma’s Jam House a third generation company. Over the years, we have added many new and unique flavors. Our passionate focus is on making a quality jam, with a taste that will WOW you and transport you back in time.
Since that time, Grandma’s Jam House has expanded again, adding now a larger service market and wholesale opportunities to a growing network of grocery store owners, county store owners, and retailers in several states.
Today, Grandma’s Jam House, LLC products are a favorite must-have on many family tables. This is because our products taste ‘just like Grandma used to make!’
We believe that you as our customer deserve the best jam available – the jam that “tastes just like Grandma’s”!
It’s simple. If you want the best jam, you have to start with the best ingredients. Real fruit, pure, fresh, and hand sorted. Handle it with care at every step to maintain all the flavor that fresh fruit comes with. Do it just the way Grandma always did it!
Our jam is made with careful attention to detail all the way. We do small batches, each made by hand. We use as few added ingredients as we can, and when it’s ready to put in jars, we pour it by hand to ensure you get only the best.
Back when most people made their own jams and jellies, the flavor of the fruit was top priority. If it didn’t taste great, they didn’t use it. The result was a simple, pure product that tasted as close to fresh fruit as possible. That’s the only way we do it at Grandma’s Jam House.