Since 1925, Early’s has been operating  in Spring Hill, Tennessee. It all started with two barrels and a board serving honey by the old toll gate on US Highway 31. With lots of people traveling from the north to sunny Florida, Early’s stand became well known for its products, specifically the honey and the meats. 

Founder Erskine Early would sell the rich, golden honey during the summer and the slow-smoked country meats during the winter. Eventually, a new interstate highway was built and routed most of Early’s over-the-counter customers away from the stand. Because Early’s products were the best they’d ever tasted, most of them called and asked to ship baskets of goodies to them. This was Early’s introduction into the mail-order business, and today Early’s is the oldest mail-order house in the South! 

Early’s has a variety of honey to choose from now; however, pure, local honey is still sold right from the Spring Hill area. Pure, local and unpasteurized, Early’s honey is great for allergies and extremely delicious! Since then, many products have been added over the years, and Early’s always strives for quality, southern authenticity and local ingredients.

Erskine’s father was a skilled sausage maker, and his mother made the jellies and jams in the kitchen. The Hickory Smoked sausage is some of the best you can find and is still made the same way Erskine’s father did back in the day. Early’s sausage is hand spiced with its proprietary spice recipe and slow-smoked over hickory embers. That whole process takes place right here in the great state of Tennessee! Early’s shares the delicious taste with others as they now ship their products all over the United States to eager recipients.  

Over the years, Early’s products have been enjoyed by governors, award-winning chefs, senators, national championship coaches, Elvis Presley and even the Queen of England! In addition, Early’s has an array of other fantastic products that you are invited to try, including the spiced Griddle Cake mix, which is custom blended and has been shipping for over fifty years now. Along with some of its newest, like the Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup, Early’s has partnerships with Northern Maple Syrup and Kentucky Bourbon Barrels that light up flapjacks and cocktails alike! 

Erskine once said, “Business goes where it’s wanted and stays where it’s treated well.” That’s the motto he used to preach constantly, and it’s something Early’s still lives and works by today.  

Early’s added jams, mixes, cheeses, nuts, other sausages and country fixings as the business grew. An on-site museum will be opening in spring 2022 in honor of Erskine and the business he built. 

A Breakfast Charcuterie Board with Early’s  

Charcuterie boards have recently become a popular staple for events, parties and special occasions. These decadent boards are the perfect snacking option for guests and are customizable! Instead of putting together the usual charcuterie board with meats, cheeses, accompaniments and crackers, try a breakfast charcuterie board! For our Eat, Drink & Be Merry edition, we put together a charcuterie board that includes various breakfast items including the perfect fried egg, fruit, yogurt, waffles, pancakes, bacon, pastries and biscuits. Of course, you can customize it to your favorite breakfast foods and any dietary needs.

Additionally, we incorporated Early’s Honey Stand Dry Cured & Hickory Smoked Bacon, Strawberry Preserve and the Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup with our charcuterie board, and it was delicious! Once cooked, the bacon was crisp and flavorful. The preserves had a great consistency and spread wonderfully on the biscuits. The maple syrup was just the right amount of sweetness to add to our pancakes and waffles.

There are many ways you can customize your breakfast charcuterie board. If you don’t like fried eggs, make a batch of scrambled eggs, and put them in a side dish. Use your favorite fruits or purchase what is currently in season for peak freshness. If you are in a pinch, there is no shame in using frozen waffles rather than making a mess with a waffle maker! Lastly, if you don’t happen to be a bacon lover, Early’s also has sausage and ham options! Get creative, have fun with it and ENJOY the comforts of breakfast foods!