Farmer's Daughter Brand

The company: Farmer's Daughter Brand, a one-woman operation making creative and crave-worthy pickles and preserves out of the North Carolina Piedmont.

The people: April McGreger, who traded in a Masters in Geology to produce small-batch seasonal Southern preserves sourced from local farms.

Why we picked them: We think April's preserves are some of the best coming out of the South. We love how she takes tried-and-true Southern recipes passed down from her grandmother and makes them her own with inspiration from international cuisines and the bounty of local farmers. We also love her small-batch, handmade methods that produce well-balanced flavors that exhibit the vibrancy and diversity of North Carolina. She's a perfect example of how tradition and forward-thinking can come together to create something truly delicious.

*photos courtesy of The News and Observer & Southern Foodways Alliance