Unique summer jobs are a challenge for teenagers to find. Most students tend to earn their money bagging groceries for the local market or working as a babysitter for a neighbor. But senior Clay Conner spent her summer doing something unique: working for a granola factory. Hudson Henry Granola is located right outside of Palmyra on Haden Martin Road. Conner works alongside owner Hope Lawrence to make the home-style granola designed to please the soul as well as the tummy. “Hope is such a sweet person and she makes it enjoyable to work there,” said Conner.

Hudson Henry Granola is based out of Lawrence’s basement which houses a full kitchen filled with all the necessities to make the granola. Conner works two days a week putting all the ingredients together to make the delicious packages of granola. Lawrence’s goal is to make people happy with the “goodness” inside while also giving them a bit of inspiration. On the back label of each package of granola, buyers will find an inspirational message that Lawrence hopes will help brighten their day. “My vision is to build a family business that helps others be their best,” said Lawrence.

Conner begins the granola-making process by gathering the dry ingredients for the type of granola that she wishes to make. They have two main types: cashews and coconut and maple pecan. She then weighs out the dry ingredients and places them into a bowl to be mixed together. From there she adds the specific seasoning to give that type of granola its unique flavor. The granola is then spread over trays and baked in the oven to give it a crunchy texture. After it cools, Conner places it in bags to be sent off and sold at local stores.

Connor had an opportunity to represent Hudson Henry Granola by selling the granola products at the Orange County Food Festival over the summer. “It was a great experience being able to share Hope’s granola and watching as people took a sample of the granola and raved how great it was,” Conner said. The granola can also be found locally at Cuppa Joe, Whole Foods, and Rebecca’s Natural Food.

Conner looks forward to continuing to work there throughout the school year. She hopes that Hudson Henry continues to improve their sales as they were recently given a shout out on The Today’s Show. So if granola sounds like a tasty treat to you, make sure you give Hudson Henry a try.