Label used by Varney Canning Inc. in nearby Roy, Utah. Although the design of the exact "Those Good Peas" label used by The Morgan Canning Company is not extant, it was likely similar in style as this one.
“Heart of Utah Brand Vintage Roy Utah June Peas Can Label.” Thelabelman, https://thelabelman.com/products/heart-of-utah-brand-vintage-roy-utah-june-peas-can-label. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
A Local Affair
Prior to the nationalization and globalization of agriculture due to the rise of supermarkets, many Americans took pride in supporting local farmers. As such, many can labels of the time prominently displayed the location of production, such as this label by the Varney Canning Company, printed in the 1930s. This label appeals to an audience of locale-conscious Utahans in two distinct ways.
Firstly, note the brand name "Heart of Utah," which is likely the first part of the label to catch a shopper's eye. Since the cannery was located in Roy, Utah, the label displays a graphic of the state and its major settlements, showing that Roy is in the center (the "heart") of the state. Secondly, a clever play on words is used in the design as a literal heart is placed on the city of Roy. The label goes beyond a simple demarcation of where the peas were sourced from - it's portraying Utah-produced produce as an object of affection and admiration. According to Varney, shopping local was a matter of personal identity.
Quality Sells
The company likely wanted a shopper to feel like their peas were a Utah staple, a pillar of a happy family and a cozy home. Although the concept of "Suburbia" didn't take off until after World War II, many townsfolk romanticized the farming lifestyle as something distinctly American, a fact Varney Canning Inc. leveraged in its advertising. Notice how nearly every color used in the graphic are warm colors. Additionally, the cartouche surrounding the state of Utah in this design was a common element of foodstuffs packaging to convey elegant quality. Notice the use of flowers and haygrass in the design's "plumage" to evoke themes of peaceful agriculture.
Although shoppers were eager to buy local foods, some customers purchased faraway brands that they perceived to be of better quality. The advertisement needed to convey that in the case of Varney, local does not mean bad. That is why the label utilized flowery text descriptions such as "an abundance of sunshine," "cool nights" and (dubious claims of) "pure radium charged air." They needed to hammer home the concept that Utah produce was the best that store shelves could offer the discerning wife and mother.