Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Williams.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Amy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Where and when Underhill Urban Farm Co began is a bit of a blurred line.
I was raised by my dad who always had an organic garden and my mom who canned as a hobby. For us, gardening, and raising animals was a way of life. Connecting with nature and farming in a way that supports the natural balance of nature is something that I am very passionate about. Naturally, it was something that I wanted my children to experience. From a young age, they were out in the garden with us, picking, planting, even tilling the soil. Underhill developed very naturally. It came in its own time after many requests and lots of encouragement from our family. What began as gifts for family and friends became our business today.
I am very blessed to not only be working with my amazing family but my friend Leslie Burch. I’ve always admired Leslie’s creativity. There is typically a lot of laughter when we are brainstorming names for new recipes or coming up with new combinations. To be able to work with someone that shares your enthusiasm for healthy, beneficial and sometimes off the wall, but equally, delicious food combinations, makes the experiences so much fun!
Underhill is very personal to us. We put our soul into every jar. For us, this isn’t just a business, its a lifestyle.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We have been very blessed in watching our business thrive in such a short time.
I feel that there are so many aspects that contribute to our success. First and foremost, our family. We totally transformed our backyard, at my request. My husband has built so many fences and gardens at this point I think he’s become a professional carpenter! Our family has been gracious enough to donate supplies and help with some of the growth that we do.
We have had the support of friends that have helped our business grow and brought in new customers.
Along the way, we have worked with some really amazing people and really great markets.
Meeting new customers and seeing our regular customers on a weekly basis is the highlight of our week, we have the best customers!
Please tell us about Underhill Urban Farm Co.
We are an Urban farm in the heart of Houston. Our farm is located on a city lot, which means we have to be very creative with our space. That can be a challenge but its always fun! Gardening, farming, and foraging are all aspects of our business as well as the time we spend in the kitchen.
We specialize in canning our seasonally grown produce. We pickle all different types of vegetables, jams, jellies, salsa, relishes, and seasonings. We also sell potted plants, succulents, and herbs that we raise as well as a few home decor items because I love to make them!
Our most popular items are our Spicy Pickle, dill pickles with your choice of jalapeño or habanero peppers, and our Texas Zuke Salsa, a zucchini and tomato based salsa.
We recently won 1st place in The Leader News Readers Choice Awards for Best Specialty Food Store. That was such an unexpected honor!
I am definitely proud of the fact that we are an honest company. Our ingredients are honest, even if that means that we cannot meet the demand simply because the product is out of season or we have run out.
Our recipes are original to our company. We don’t do boring, there is always a little twist to what we do.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t think I would have done anything differently. We’ve made some mistakes along the way, but they were great learning experiences for us. We’ve learned how to run and manage our time and business, and that sometimes, it’s ok to make the choice to walk away from something that doesn’t work for your business.
Pricing:
- 1/2 pint jars (jellies and jams) $6
- Pint jars $8
- Quart jars $12
Contact Info:
- Website: UnderhillUrbanFarmCo.com
- Email: UnderhillUrbanFarmCo@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underhillurbanfarmco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnderhillUrbanFarmCo/
Image Credit:
Emily McKenzie Photography
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