As long as you’re having fun
The below story and photographs were created as part of the Mountain Workshop in Williamsburg, Whitley County, Kentucky. Being embedded in the community was a unique experience. I was lucky enough to tell the story of Jim Sharp and his meat smoker business “Lil’ Jim’s Smoked Meats”, on Highway 25.
You can find his Facebook page here.
And please visit the Mountain Workshops website here. There’s an amazing amount of beautiful stories by very talented photographers and videographers and I recommend having a look at each of them.
After three decades as a professional photographer and gas station owner, Jim Sharp returned to Whitley County to be closer to his aging father.
Life has taken Jim, 61, many places, including Indiana, Mississippi and Ohio. In Mississippi, where he bought the gas station, a meat smoker came in the deal. Now in Whitley County, he's serving up smoked mac and cheese, smoked sweet potatoes topped with pulled pork and caramel sauce and his signature "Redneck Burrito" from the same smoker that came with the gas station years ago.
The smoker with Jim tending to the meat is a familiar scene along U. S. Hwy. 25, where he serves up food five days a week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The smoker has turned him into a Williamsburg celebrity, but he's also secured a place as a pillar of the community. Just ask the woman who stopped by to show him her newborn twins. Or all the people who stop for the food but stay to chat.
It doesn't take them long to realize Jim is not only quite the conversationalist but also, simply, a good man.
From May to November, Jim and his wife Eileen, 55, work tirelessly, smoking meats and serving customers five days a week, four hours every day. Most customers don't see the preparation that requires a grueling 8-10 hours daily, with Wednesdays and Sundays (if needed) reserved for smoking the meats required for the week. Despite the hard work, Jim’s passion for barbecue remains strong. Each week, he smokes 14 pork shoulders just for pulled pork, along with 20-30 pounds of chicken or pork chops and an assortment of other dishes, such as Hillbilly Sweeties and a tangy coleslaw.
The work is fulfilling. As long as it stays that way, Jim says he'll continue to keep the smoker fired up, serving his signature barbecue to all who stop by Lil’ Jim’s Smoked Meats on Highway 25. His mantra, “If it’s not fun anymore, don’t do it,” continues to shape his life and business, ensuring that every day at the smoker is one he enjoys.
