Winning a blue ribbon in the Illinois State Fair canning competition would be enough for most home canning enthusiasts. Not Chillicothe resident Ray Nicklin. Ray is known in these parts for his “uncanny” skill at preserving grapes (as jelly), cucumbers (pickled), peaches, pears and many other fruits and vegetables.

At the 2024 State Fair, Ray’s canned pears earned a purple ribbon, designating his offering as Grand Champion — a significant step above the first-place blue ribbon. And much to his surprise, his corn also earned the purple Grand Champion award.

“I was not expecting that at all,” Ray said. He also entered peaches and green beans in the annual competition, but they did not earn such high accolades. However, his grape jelly — concocted exclusively with a specific variety of concord grapes — won multiple blue ribbons at the State Fair in previous years and has been a favorite of judges at the Marshall County Fair for years.

A century ago, most homes had a pantry full of home canned goods. It was a way of preserving the year’s harvest for use in the winter months. Except for a brief renaissance during the COVID-19 pandemic, the popularity of home canning has waned.

Not so for Ray. Except for his time serving in the United States Marine Corps, he has been canning one thing or another for most of his 71 years.

Growing up in Streator, IL, his family had three gardens, fruit trees (cherries, apples), and a vineyard. He said his family would get together with aunts and uncles and everyone would work together to preserve a bountiful harvest for the months ahead.

“You name it, we were canning it,” Ray remembers. He started honing his own canning skills after he left the Marines. Following a career with the federal government he moved to Chillicothe about 13 years ago. 

The first year Ray entered the Marshall County Fair’s canning competition, his 33 entries earned 30 ribbons, including Best of Show. He started setting out a few jars of pickles at garage sales and soon found a loyal following, especially for the spicey and bread and butter varieties.

He said a customer once purchased three jars of pickles, but he had eaten a whole jar before he even left the subdivision. The customer later returned and bought 12 more jars of pickles.

Ray grows many of his vegetables in his own garden but works with Illinois and regional producers for fruit like peaches, pears, and apples. He gets peaches and apples from Champaign, though he has travelled as far as Michigan for a specific variety of apples.

On his most productive day, he processed and canned 187 jars of fruits and vegetables. He admits, it is a lot of work. “But I enjoy it, and I like hearing people compliment what I do.”

Having captured the coveted purple ribbon at the State Fair, “I have nothing else to prove to myself,” Ray said. 

With his competitive canning days behind him, Ray is now passing his knowledge and passion on to his 11-year-old granddaughter. Of her 17 entries in last year’s Marshall County Fair, 14 earned ribbons, including two Best of Show.

“She is good at learning the things I teach her,” said Ray. “It makes me feel good that an 11-year-old wants to be the best.”

Who knows. There may be a purple Grand Champion ribbon in her future, too.