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SHARON —
Home canning can provide quality, nutritious food for your family and can be a satisfying and rewarding experience. When it comes to canning information, lots of people are sharing what they learned from Grandma, a neighbor, or the internet.
Many of these sources can be unsafe. Improperly home canned foods can be a source of wasted food and money and serious foodborne illness, including the potentially fatal botulism.
It is important to follow the most current research-based tested recipes. Whether you have canned for many years or would like to can for the first time, you can learn the most up-to-date information at the upcoming Penn State Cooperative Extension workshops, which will cover important topics such as when to use a boiling water bath canner or a pressure canner, “open kettle” canning—what’s wrong with it, what canning equipment is needed, recommended Penn State approved resources for canning recipes, current recommended methods for fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, venison and more. The workshop will also cover information on making salsa, jams and jellies, jerky, flavored oils and vinegars. You can check the accuracy of your pressure canner’s dial gauge at the workshop. This is recommended yearly before each canning season including new gauges. The following workshops will be held this summer:
* Today, 1 – 3:30 p.m., Shenango-on-the-Green, 238 S. Market St., New Wilmington.
* Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – noon, Blasco Library (Admiral Room), 160 E. Front St., Erie.
* Tuesday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. – noon, Crawford Co. Conservation District, Woodcock Creek Nature Center, 21742 German Road, Meadville.
* Thursday, July 29, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Mercer County Cooperative Extension, Route 19, 463 N. Perry Highway, Mercer.
* Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Shenango Valley Community Library, 11 N. Sharpsville Ave., Sharon.
* Thursday, Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m., Caplan’s, 12607 Route 19, Waterford.
* Tuesday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Crawford Co. Cooperative Extension, 13400 Dunham Road, Suite A, Meadville.
The cost is $10 per person. Prepaid registration is required. Go to http://mercer. extension.psu.edu. Click on 2010 Home Canning Workshops; call 724-662-3141 ext. 302 for a registration brochure or to register by phone.
