Oral history interview with Jay Tims, November 16, 2023

In this oral history interview conducted on November 16, 2023, Jay Tims recounts his life story, beginning with his childhood in Hooper and Layton, Utah. He details being drafted in 1964, his service in the Air Force , his stationing at Hill Air Force Base , and his traumatic experiences as a flying crew chief in Vietnam, where he was shot down. After returning, he worked various jobs, including at Boeing in Seattle , before founding a food packaging business, Country Harvest Foods, in Midvale and later Midway, Utah. Tims describes the evolution of his business, including a conflict with Bear Creek Soups , and his family's moves between Midway, Payson, and eventually Heber City. He reflects on the rapid growth and special community feeling of the Heber Valley and discusses his role as a founder of a local self-reliance group. He proudly details the group's success in planting a two-acre potato garden that yielded 20,000 pounds of potatoes for the community and food bank , and outlines plans to teach classes on preparedness, gardening, and mental health.