"As an elementary teacher in Tucson, Cheri Romanoski taught children about the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. She later utilized this knowledge to preserve many fruits grown on her property to provide her family with natural, healthy preserves. The excess production was given to neighbors who soon began sending over fruit grown on their own property for her to preserve for them. As a result, Cheri learned how to make many different varieties of preserves, some of which she continues to make for her own business today. Since 1985, her homespun hobby blossomed into a national and international business."