Hey there, friends! July is here and the heat is ON — and honestly, that's just the way we like it. This is one of our favorite times of year at Sugar Hill because the garden is going full speed, the jars are flying off the shelf, and the whole farm smells like something good is always about to happen. We hope your summer is treating you just as well!
This month we've got a lot going on — from the official kick-off of pickling season to a couple of new jam flavors we are so excited to share, plus a recipe at the bottom that we think is about to become a cookout legend. Let's get into it.
If you've been coming around the Jelly Hut for a while, you know that when July rolls in, so does pickling season. The cucumbers are coming in fast and the garden is keeping us busy — which is a good problem to have! We're putting up jars of pickles as quick as we can pick them, and that means our shelves are stocked and ready for you.
Whether you're a dill pickle person or you go straight for the bread-and-butter, this is the time of year to stock up. Pickles make great gifts, great snacks, and — as you'll see below — a pretty incredible cookout ingredient. If you haven't made it out to the Hut in a while, July is a great time to come by and grab some fresh-canned jars while we've got a full selection.
Tip from the Hut: Pickles ship great, too! If you can't make it out to Benson, just reach out and we'll get a box on its way to you. Perfect for topping off a cookout spread or sending to someone who needs a little taste of home.
Okay, we have been waiting to tell y'all about these. This summer we're introducing two brand new flavors, and they are both something special — meet our Watermelon Jam and our Watermelon Basil Jam.
The Watermelon Jam is everything you love about a cold slice on a hot July afternoon, tucked right into a jar. It's bright, sweet, and just a little nostalgic. Spread it on a biscuit, spoon it over cream cheese, or let it melt into a bowl of vanilla ice cream — we won't judge any of those choices.
The Watermelon Basil Jam is for the folks who like their sweet with a little something extra. The basil gives it this subtle herby depth that plays beautifully off the watermelon's sweetness — it's the kind of flavor that makes people stop mid-bite and ask, "Wait, what is that?" In the best way. Try it with cheese and crackers or tucked into a caprese-style bite.
Both flavors are available now at The Jelly Hut and can be shipped anywhere in the continental US. These are small-batch summer flavors, so once they're gone, they're gone!
July means cookouts, and cookouts mean we need to talk about BBQ sauce. We carry a housemade BBQ sauce that is absolutely built for the grill — rich, tangy, with just the right amount of sweetness and kick to make whatever you're cooking taste like you know exactly what you're doing out there.
It's great on ribs, chicken, pulled pork, burgers — or honestly just as a dipping sauce if that's where the day takes you. A lot of folks have been mixing a spoonful of our pepper jelly into the BBQ sauce for a little extra heat and sweetness, and we have to say, that combination has become a Sugar Hill staple.
If you're planning a cookout this month (or being invited to one and want to show up with something impressive), grab a jar or two and let the sauce do the talking.
We're excited to host two hands-on classes at the farm this month! On July 10th, join us for a Canning Tomatoes class — perfect timing as the garden starts pouring them in. Then on July 11th, we're teaching a BBQ Sauce class, where you'll learn how we make the sauce so many of you already love.
Both classes will be held at Compassionate Kitchen, located behind White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Willow Spring.
Spots are limited for both classes, so don't wait too long to grab yours! Reach out to us at sugarhilljams@gmail.com or message us on Facebook for details on time, cost, and how to sign up.
This one sounds fancy but it couldn't be simpler — and once you bring these to a cookout, people will ask you to bring them every single time. Sweet, salty, tangy, smoky, and just the right kind of unexpected. You'll need a jar of our pickled watermelon rinds for this one!
Thin-cut bacon works best here — thick-cut can end up underdone before the outside gets crispy. If you want a little heat, stir a spoonful of pepper jelly into your BBQ sauce before brushing. These also reheat well in the oven at 375°F for about 8 minutes, if you somehow end up with leftovers.
That's everything from us this month — pickling in full swing, two new watermelon jams to try, BBQ sauce stocked and ready to go, and a cookout recipe we hope earns you some serious compliments. We are so grateful for every one of you who follows along, shops with us, and keeps spreading the word about Sugar Hill. It means more than we can say.
Stop by the Jelly Hut anytime — we'd love to see you. And if you try those bacon-wrapped rinds, we want to hear all about it!
— Debbie & the Sugar Hill team