As a child I spent a great deal of my time on my grandparent’s farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky. I was always interested and involved with the daily routines of the farm, which included at certain times of the year, the smoking of hams and bacon for the winters use. This love of my Kentucky farm life and the remembrance of the scent of wood smoke wafting through the crisp fall air on meat smoking days have indirectly led me to my entrepreneurial adventure with my smoked sea salt and spices.

My grandmother’s use of sugar as a reward for her grandchildren by sprinkling flavored sugar on toast, biscuits, cookies and oatmeal led me to the development of my Demerara sugar blends.

The company name “Shell-Bee’s” is for my beloved granddaughter Shelby, her encouragement and enthusiasm along with that of my children and grandchildren are the driving force for me in my mission to provide the highest quality unique, homemade Kentucky Proud smoked sea salts, sugar blends and spice products possible.

Cathy Gray-Connors