Our Story
Welcome to Washam Farms!
Washam Farms started selling jams and jellies in the summer of 2023. However, we have been making Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly since 2016. Our jellies have always been given as gifts, but after high demand and pressure from everyone around us, we decided to make it available for sale, and so Washam Farms was born.
We created this jelly after a trip to Jamaica and falling in love with Jamaican Jerk Chicken. We wanted to make our own Jamaican Jerk Sauce but could not find scotch bonnet peppers anywhere. We decided to grow our own. The result: More peppers than we knew to do with. The solution: We will make pepper jelly with them. We were pleasantly surprised. It is the perfect sweet-heat combination!
Everything we make, we grow or source from local farms in Tennessee. We are part of Pick TN Products and you can find our website listed in their directory.
We hope you enjoy all of our products and know that a lot of love and care goes into making each one.
About the Chef
Hi, I am Sheila Washam. I have had a passion for cooking for almost 30 years. I am number 2 out of five children and have 4 children of my own and two grandbabies. I LOVE to cook for my family and friends. I love to garden, raise chickens, canning, and anything homesteading. I am one of those awful people who posts their food pics on Facebook and Instagram.
In 2009, I attended the Art Institute of Nashville for Culinary. After finishing, I realized the hours of a chef are brutal, and it wasn’t feasible for me while still raising my children. So, I applied my culinary skills elsewhere, creating new dishes and experimenting with new flavor combinations for fun. I have catered for a few events (not as a business), prepared meals as gifts, and organized meals at our church events. I am also in the process of writing a cookbook. Many of my friends and family have tried very hard for me to open a restaurant. So far, I have not allowed anyone to talk me into it, but they are still trying.
My husband Jason and I make a great team in the kitchen! We love cooking together and trying new things. Part of our ideas come from our travels and tasting flavors from other places around the world. He is the mastermind behind the Grilling Glazes which will be coming available real soon.