Food security begins at home

Juicy ripe peaches, snapping fresh green beans, sweet raspberry jam, and crunchy dill pickles – nothing tastes better than home-preserved foods. In addition, a well-stocked pantry is a big step towards ensuring your family always has plenty of healthy food available. However, safely preserving fruits, vegetables, and meats requires a bit of knowledge, some time set aside, and a small investment in equipment.

May 27, 2011 10:53 am
From tomato sauce and pickles to jams and spiced fruit
From tomato sauce and pickles to jams and spiced fruit

Preserving the Harvest, a hands-on, how-to food preservation series teaches how to can, freeze, and dry local foods.

Juicy ripe peaches, snapping fresh green beans, sweet raspberry jam, and crunchy dill pickles – nothing tastes better than home-preserved foods. In addition, a well-stocked pantry is a big step towards ensuring your family always has plenty of healthy food available. However, safely preserving fruits, vegetables, and meats requires a bit of knowledge, some time set aside, and a small investment in equipment.

You can learn how to safely preserve fresh foods in a series of Saturday workshops at WSU Snohomish County Extension in Everett. WSU Master Food Preserver Susy Hymas will share her knowledge and passion for preserving food in five workshops: June 4, June 18, July 9, July 23, and August 6. Please bring a brown bag lunch.

Basic Canning: Sat. June 4 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.): Learn the basics of food safety and canning skills, including bacteria and food spoilage, canning equipment, and canning high acid foods. Demonstration and hands-on.

Canning Specialty Items: Sat. June 18 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.): Learn to safely can specialty items, such as jams and tomato or fruit salsa. Demonstration and hands-on.

Pickling: Sat. July 9 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.): Learn how to make great crunchy pickles of all types, not just from cucumbers. Demonstration and hands-on.

Drying Foods: Sat. July 23 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.): Learn the basics of drying and freezing foods for long- and short-term storage. Includes basic preparation steps to ensure quality and nutrition are retained. Demonstration and hands-on.

Pressure Canning: Sat. Aug. 6 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.): Learn how to safely pressure can low acid foods such as vegetables, seafood, and meats. Demonstration and hands-on.

Instructor: Nutritionist and WSU Master Food Preserver Susy Hymas has been canning, freezing, drying, and preparing local foods for over twenty years. She loves to share her passion for food by teaching classes on home food preservation and nutrition all over Western Washington.

Class size is limited. All sessions held at WSU Snohomish County Extension’s Evergreen Room in McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett. Pre-payment required. $30 per session or save and take all five for $125. To register, download a form and mail with your check, or contact Karie Christensen: 425-357-6039, e-mail klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu.