The Glass Rooster Cannery involves OWU students

The Glass Rooster Cannery, located in Sunbury, is looking to Ohio Wesleyan for patronage.

The Glass Rooster Cannery opened in May of 2011. They have set out to help people understand fundamental parts of their world, including eating and stewardship of the earth, ever since.

The Cannery is owned and ran by sisters Jeannie Seabrook and Susie Schmidhammer. Schmidhammer is an artist who takes care of the art and antique side of the Cannery, while Seabrook works in the kitchen with her daughter, Rachel.

“Susie has lived on the property since 2003, every year improving it and creating a park-like setting,” Seabrook said. “I came to her with the idea of the Cannery in autumn of 2010, and she offered to share her farm with me. We built the Cannery building together, and she has since restored two barns on the property for art and other events. We have onsite gardens where we grow what we need for canning, classes and catering.”

“My goal is to reinvigorate the nearly lost art of home preserving, home cooking and enjoying nature. Susie loves to take old and renew it, fashioning new life into her art.”

Senior Ali Smith said, “its great that the Glass Rooster Cannery is getting OWU students involved and that they are able to take different classes there that would benefit them greatly for their whole life.”

“Every class we teach focuses on the principle behind the process, empowering people to do it themselves, or choose to farm it out, based on being educated about the process,” said Seabrook. “We strive to have fun, enjoy the farm and each other, and be grateful for the beauty around us. Currently we have an artisan food shop where we sell over 150 varieties of canned goods and such, and two arts and antiques barns filled with Ohio-made art and upscale antiques.”

The Cannery offers classes for canning and preserving and cooking. Students can also get involved by visiting and touring the farm and volunteering in the garden.

“We encourage people to come out and see what is going on, form private classes on their own, or join a class on our calendar,” Seabrook said.

The Glass Rooster Cannery is currently offering a college student discount: enroll in four classes, get the fifth free. To keep up on the events and offerings at the cannery, or to sign up for a class, go to www.glassroostercannery.com. The Cannery will be holding an open house on May 9 from 9 p.m. 5 p.m.