Inside The Jam Lady's Kitchen [VIDEO]

Sue Wilgan, a.k.a. The Jam Lady, crushed strawberries inside the kitchen in 's Rexford House last Friday, as she and crew member Cindy Robertson made and jarred a variety of jams for this year's Strawberry Festival.

The 41st Annual Strawberry Festival will be held on the Monroe Green on June 16 (from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and 17 (from noon - 5 p.m.). Visitors come for the strawberry shortcake, chocolate dipped strawberries and to see crafters, while listening to live music. But many anxiously await the chance to buy the homemade jam.

A wide variety of flavors include other fruits mixed with strawberries, including mango, peach, blueberry and pineapple to name just a few. Each eight-ounce jar costs six dollars and Wilgan said some people buy a case at a time. A case holds 12 jars. Wilgan said the jars make great gifts.

"I took over making the jam nine years ago," said Wilgan, a mother of three.

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On Friday, she and Robertson made 60 jars of Strawberry-Jalapeno jam.

"I made 1,173 jars already," Wilgan said. "After two days, we'll have over 1,200."

Wilgan entered some of her jams into contests at the Durham Fair in 2009 and 2010 and a few of them placed. Her Strawberry-Blueberry, Strawberry-Kiwi and Strawberry-Raspberry won first place ribbons; and her Strawberry-Cranberry and Strawberry Rhubarb both had won second place ribbons.

Monroe Congregational Church's Strawberry Festival has kids' games, burgers, hot dogs and treats. Admission and parking are free. For up-to-date information on the festival, visit its Facebook page.