By Janice Randall Rohlf
By day, Jim Lynch is Director of Creative Services at Massasoit Community College, in Brockton. But his passion is pickles and he has spent years perfecting his own version. Now he sells them through his business, Green Vines Pickling Company, artisanal pickles hand-made and hand-packaged in Bridgewater, MA.
Why did you choose to start a pickling company?
I’ve always been a gardener, following in the footsteps of my dad and granddad. A few years ago I started growing pickling cucumbers. They really took off—so much so that I wondered what to do with them all. I’m a big fan of pickles, but I’m very choosy about the ones I like. I’ve been tinkering around, trying to get just the right brine recipe for four years!
About 10 months ago, I finally nailed the recipe, according to friends at Black Hat Brew Works in Bridgewater. One day someone said they were the best pickles he’d ever tasted and offered to buy a jar for $10. Soon after that, I started selling them at the Swansea farmers market, and have been trying out new varieties like spicy habanero and honey and garlic. Coincidentally, as part of a master’s degree program, I had to write a marketing plan for an imaginary company. I gave my advisor a jar of pickles and he said, “You have something legitimate here.” From that point on, it grew. Now, Green Vines Pickling Company is an LLC, and I’m on Instagram and Facebook. The orders keep coming!
What advice would you give someone wanting to follow a similar path?
You have to love it. I love what I do; I love making food that people like. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction. I’m passionate about it; it’s not a job. I’ve also benefitted from the help of others, like an accountant and other people in the artisan food business who have given me advice on things such as how to expand and where to buy ingredients. Don’t be shy about asking people for help!
In your business, what has been your proudest moment?
I feel proud (and humbled) when strangers come up to me and actually want to buy my pickles, and when farmers market customers come back every week specifically for my pickles.
How has the CCCI helped you get your business off the ground?
When I was looking for a commercial kitchen I got into a conversation with Harry Henry, and he invited me to join the CCCI board due to my background in marketing and public relations. I also volunteer [for meal donations], especially at Thanksgiving. CCCI has gained a certain amount of notoriety from its involvement with the Family Table Collaborative. Learning about CCCI started out as a self-serving investigation and now I’m all in.
What one thing/service in the food industry do you think the Cape is missing?
A rental kitchen space for food makers. There’s a lot of need and it’s a big opportunity. CCCI is on the right track so that when the pandemic ends, we’re well situated to support that opportunity.
What keeps you busy besides your pickling business?
My “real” job is Director of Creative Services at Massasoit Community College, in Brockton. Outside of that, I’ve picked up archery recently at an indoor range and have my first competition next week. It requires a lot of discipline but it’s a great diversion.
Describe your perfect day of eating on Cape Cod?
I like going to craft breweries. I’m a big fan of the various food trucks that are often there, and that’s not limited to Cape Cod. Fiamma Bella, which cooks and bakes all their food in a portable wood-burning oven, is one of my favorites—especially when they put my pickles on their thin-crust white pizza! And The Burgundian food truck has spectacular chicken-and-waffles. With access to good-size commercial kitchens in convenient locations around the state, these up-and-coming businesses can stay viable. Their food is incredible!