- Grace

Berry Inspirational
by Grace Belew

         Laura Berry always had a dream; that dream was to come to Alaska. Berry was born and raised in Iowa, but always knew Alaska was just the place for her to start a business. When Berry finally made her way to "The Last Frontier" she did not plan on leaving, and has been here 26 years now. Berry lives in Talkeetna on a three-acre commercial farm on the outskirts of town.
         Berry did not have a job when she first moved to Alaska, but soon found a good way to make money doing something she really enjoys. The unique flavor of the fireweed jelly is native to Alaska and is what originally got Berry hooked. Fireweed jelly with its distinct taste of (?) was the real reason she started her own jam and jelly business called Berry Delightful.
         Berry really likes her job, saying, “it’s a really good job.” She is very enthusiastic about what she does, and wants others to share her passion. “If you lived in Alaska you could work for me! It’s so much fun,” Berry exclaimed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                
         Berry glowed with pride when she spoke about her jelly.  With over 20 different flavors and 12,000 jars distributed each year it seems Berry’s business is booming. Berry not only loves her job, she loves the openness she finds in "The Last Frontier." “[My favorite thing is] you can go to the wide open spaces and not see anybody,” Berry said.
         Berry has followed her dreams, showing that in Alaska anyone’s dreams can come true. It still requires hard work and dedication to achieve something worthwhile, but Berry has taken what she wanted to do as a hobby and turned it into a career. Berry wants to continue making jam and living her dream for many years to come.