Canning and making jam may seem like something your grandmother would do, but there is a 10-year-old in middle Tennessee that has caught the canning bug.
It is not often you see a kid perusing produce, but Owen Durham is on a mission here at Hendersonville Produce in Sumner County. This 10-year-old can can just about any fruit or vegetable you put in front of him.
He says that he got into canning and making jams when his grandfather brought the family a ton of tomatoes and they knew they could not eat them all.
“My grandpa brought a whole box, so they decided to make salsa. I thought it was pretty interesting, so I decided to make it... and it just exploded,” according to Owen.
He has become a salsa-making sensation and doing it all from scratch-- cleaning and cutting up his vegetables or his fruit for his jam.
The kitchen has become his playground, even though it is not always convenient for a pint-size sous chef. He is also getting to put his two favorite school subjects to good use. Science and math are necessary to achieve the perfect jam.
His menu is constantly expanding and he is always willing to try new things.
While the process can be lengthy and it does take him away from video games, he says that it is worth it when he puts it out on the front step and someone buys a jar.