About Anne James (aka Jelly Grandma)
Anne James—affectionately known as Jelly Grandma—is a retired school librarian, paralegal, legal secretary, and small business accountant who brings more than 55 years of hands-on experience to everything she teaches. A master of jelly-making, home canning, Southern cooking, gardening, quilting, and bartending, Anne is the real deal when it comes to preserving the “old ways.”
She’s the founder of Preserving Sweetness, where she shares expert guides rooted in real-life experience. Anne has run a professional canning business, been featured in the Daily Commercial, and was even recognized by Hershey for her fudge recipe. If you grew up in the South, you probably had someone like Anne in your family—only she is that person for thousands of readers online.
With a master’s degree in Library & Information Science and a lifelong curiosity for learning and teaching, Anne’s background bridges academic rigor and practical know-how. She rarely needs to consult reference books—because she is the reference.
Her journey from legal offices to libraries to the jelly pot reflects her passion for self-reliance and her deep respect for the generations that came before. Inspired by her parents’ Depression-era stories of plowing with mules and storing meat in the smokehouse, Anne continues to learn, preserve, and pass it all on.
When she’s not in the kitchen or garden, Anne enjoys quilting, spending time with her four granddaughters, her sons, and caring for her beloved dogs and cats. She hopes your visit to Preserving Sweetness leaves you with more knowledge—and maybe a little sweetness too.
- Survival Freedom Profile
- YouTube
- Graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi
- Quora
Featured in:
- The Daily Commercial (local newspaper article with photo)
- You may have seen some of my articles on Survival Freedom.
- My fudge recipe has been recommended by Hershey! Here is a link to the article!
đź“ť “Researching these topics and writing about them is pure fun for me. I want to preserve the knowledge needed to sustain my family—and yours—should modern methods ever fail.”
Thanks for stoppin’ by!
—Anne James (Jelly Grandma)
