Call Rusty Hight the jelly judge and he likely won’t get offended. After all, Hight has been entering his renowned mayhaw jelly in contests since 1985 and he has won enough awards to cover a wall in his chambers with blue ribbons.

Every year, he and his jelly-making partner Gerald Kolarik cook up the preserves, made from the sweet fruit of the native East Texas mayhaw tree, and enter the annual Mayhaw Festival in the small town of Daisetta.