Manchester man has been giving away homemade pickles for free, for decades. Now officials say it’s against the law
Earlier this month, the Manchester Health Department issued him a cease-and-desist order, telling him he needs a permit to keep producing food.
For more than 40 years, Daniel Mowery has been filling jars with jellies, tomatoes, and his grandmother’s bread-and-butter pickle recipe. He buys the supplies himself, spends hours in the kitchen, and then hands them out to anyone who wants them, free of charge. It’s a practice he learned as a child, growing up poor and relying on gardens and canning as a way of life. But this long-time tradition has now landed him in trouble with local authorities, as reported by WMUR TV.
Earlier this month, the Manchester Health Department issued him a cease-and-desist order, telling him he needs a permit to keep producing food and that his kitchen must meet commercial standards, which came as a shock to Mowery. "It’s not worthy to put on TV, put it that way. I was not happy," he told WMUR. City officials say they’re simply enforcing food safety laws. State rules already allow some homemade goods to be sold under specific guidelines, but Manchester has its own ordinances. When complaints come in, the health department investigates, and in this case, that meant telling Mowery to stop.
The mayor’s office declined to comment, but the health department noted in a statement that it follows ordinances set by city leaders and will continue to act on any verified complaints. Behind these regulations lies a serious public health warning. As per a CDC study, earlier this year, a botulism outbreak sent eight people to the hospital after they consumed improperly canned vegetables. The CDC reminded the public that home canning can be dangerous when not done under approved conditions. The FDA’s Food Code reinforces this, mandating that any food shared publicly should come from inspected facilities.
Still, not everyone agrees with how this is being handled. Alderman Joseph Kelly Levasseur said it’s one of those rare issues that cuts across party lines. "It’s pretty common sense that we should allow this to go on," he said. Studies show that such laws stifle these operations, limiting opportunities for those relying on homemade goods to support themselves or share within their community. A national study surveying 775 cottage food producers found that overly restrictive food laws disproportionately hurt rural and low-income entrepreneurs by limiting their ability to sell homemade goods and build lasting livelihoods.
Levasseur also warned that unless the law changes, Mowery will likely face more fines and orders to shut down. Mowery, however, isn’t backing away. To him, canning is a piece of his history and a way of showing kindness to his community. "I’m not stopping. For the city of Manchester… we’ll see you at the aldermen meeting," he said. The clash in Manchester stands in sharp contrast to what happened hundreds of miles away in Minneapolis, where officials took the opposite approach with a teenager selling hot dogs outside his home.
When complaints came in about 13-year-old Jaequan Faulkner’s stand, the city didn’t shut him down. Instead, they partnered with local groups, helped him secure permits, trained him on food safety, and even covered the costs. Community members and organizations stepped in to sponsor his permits through the summer, while inspectors worked with him on simple changes, like removing diced tomatoes that required refrigeration, to make sure he was operating safely. "The permit helps me let other people know that I’m officially ready to take care of business," Faulkner said.
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