Bootleg Jerky
Columbia

Overview

Adaptability and a strong work ethic are important for Maine living. Bootleg Captain, Tammy Snider, has a bounty of both. Raised in a rugged coastal Maine fishing and seasonal work community, I learned as a very small child to rake blueberries in the summer, make Christmas wreaths in the winter and go worming, clamming and lobster fishing in the spring, summer and fall. As most of us know, life in Maine is not easy. As a child we learned to grow our own food and preserve it for the winter months. I enjoyed learning to improve on the basics and add flavor to the food we grew. Then, as an adult, I discovered jerky making. Using a small home-kitchen style dehydrator, I started out making homemade gifts for my nephews and other family members. I soon discovered I had a knack for creating unique and flavorful beef jerky. Watching my nephews tear into their holiday gift packages seeking out the greatly anticipated jerky treats, I realized I might be onto something big.

Soon my family members and friends began requesting and sometimes downright begging me to make some of my jerky. They gladly paid me to make one Cabela’s dehydrator worth at a time. And so, Bootleg Jerky was born. As friends, family and local fisherman gladly snatched up as much as I could make, I knew there was a definite small business opportunity for me and my family. An opportunity that would provide financial stability for my hard working family. Armed with a belief that every experience in life is a learning opportunity, I began taking the steps to transition from a local friends & family bootleg operation to a legal jerky small business that provided a way for everyone to obtain delicious and flavorful beef jerky. It was a challenge I was ready to tackle. It’s been a long, frustrating, and sometimes overwhelming journey but very rewarding at the same time. Progress meant both success and failure. The support and input of my family and close friends was instrumental in my pursuit to keep going. They have been my eager taste testers, supporters, task helpers, and driving force through it all. Several years, headaches, and miles of red tape later, Bootleg Jerky is a thriving business with plans for a small retail shop in the near future. Featuring 14 delightful and unique beef jerky flavor profiles, it is no surprise that there are talks of having to expand the crew in the near future. Currently a one woman show, with occasional help from my mom, I look forward to the not so distant time when I will be able to offer stable income to hard working locals as my business expands. Well on my way to making my own dreams a reality, I offer these words of wisdom for others with a vision:

“Sometimes the best things in life are the hardest to obtain but always strive to reach for your dreams! ”