Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Danielle Ford
Major Program: Food Preservation
The Food Preservation workshop that took place at the Marion County Extension office was a great success. Between 11-14 participants attended a three-day workshop where they learned all about pressure canning, a boiling water bath, dehydrating, freezing and various tips of the trade. The ages ranged anywhere from 11 yrs. old to 60+. And the level of expertise in the area was just as broad-there were some who have canned all of their lives and those who had never even seen a pressure cooker befor
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Food Preservation
The consumption of fruits and vegetables is a key element in nutritional well-being of adults and children. Data from Kentucky Health Facts states that only 5% of adults in Letcher County consume 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. These statistics confirm that poor nutrition and not consuming enough nutritious foods are a contributing factor for the increasing rates of obesity in Letcher County. To help combat these issues the Letcher County Family and Consume
Author: Deborah Messenger
Major Program: Food Preservation
According to USDA: Food Atlas, Cumberland County has 2 grocery stores, 8 convenience stores, 3 fast food restaurants and 6 full service restaurants. There are also 2 Farmer's Markets. Furthermore, according to the 2013 County Health Rankings, 13.2% of adults have Diabetes and 33.4% of adults are obese in the county. Both of these rates are higher than the average for Kentucky. Fresh food is vital to combating these high numbers. However, there is limited access
Author: Eugenia Wilson
Major Program: Food Preservation
Due to increased consumer concerns about food additives, food recalls, and the local food movement, there is an increased demand for hands-on canning classes. The Family and Consumer Science Agent conducted a three day hands-on canning workshop for individuals with interest in learning safe canning methods. Participants practiced safely using the pressure canner and water bath canner and prepared three separate recipes and each took at least one preserved item home after each class. Prevention o
Author: Kevin Perkins
Major Program: Food Preservation
The Third Annual Hunt Your Food program was a great success again. Even though numbers were not what we had hoped for the entire program was well received. The collaboration of this agent and my 4-H counter part went well as usual. The participants were a small percentage of hunters in the area. What was lacking in numbers was made up in by enthusiasm. All members were very active, responsive and asking extremely good questions. By utilizing expertise from 3 different speakers, we were able to e
Author: Lora Pullin
Major Program: Food Preservation
The rate of residents living in Greenup County with diabetes has risen to a rate of nearly 34%. As part of a Food Preservation Series, Greenup County Cooperative Extension in collaboration with the Diabetes Today Coalition sponsored a three session series focused on “Home Canning Basics”. The programs focus involved teaching participants how to properly preserve a variety of foods to benefit their health and budget. In hopes to encourage participants to savor the flavor of summ
Author: Alivia Faris
Major Program: Food Preservation
Lawrence County Food Preservation WorkshopsAccording to the data collected by Kentucky HealthFacts.org, over 1/3 of Lawrence County’s Population is in less than good health. This is an 11% higher rate than Kentucky’s population of adults in less than good health. With this knowledge in mind, the Lawrence County FCS Agent worked in collaboration with the Nutrition Education Program (NEP) to present a 3 day Food Preservation Workshop. The workshops included educational information on:
Author: Brittany Bowling
Major Program: Food Preservation
Participants of all ages attended the Leslie County Food Preservation Workshop. 40% of participants had experience preserving foods but only 20% of the participants owned and used a pressure canner. Participants shared reasons for attending the workshop. Most wanted to be sure that they preserved food safely. One participant commented that she always wanted to home can foods but "didn't have the nerve to try pressure canning on her own". Pa
Author: Amanda Broderick
Major Program: Food Preservation
2017 Lewis County Food Preservation WorkshopSix participants attended the 2017 Lewis County Food Preservation Program including one participant new to Cooperative Extension programs. They learned pressure canning, water bath canning, freezing and drying methods of food preservation. Half of the participants identified their current food preservation skill levels as ‘Novice’ and half as ‘Intermediate’. Many participants reported learning about the program
Author: Madison McAlmond
Major Program: Food Preservation
Nine participants attended the 2017 Nicholas County Food Preservation Program including three participants new to Cooperative Extension programs. They learned pressure canning, water bath canning, freezing and drying methods of food preservation. Half of the participants identified their current food preservation skill levels as ‘Novice’ and 25% as ‘Intermediate’, and 25% as ‘Skilled’. Many participants reported learning about the program via
Author: Catherine Jansen
Major Program: Food Preservation
Food PreservationAccording to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Department of Food Banks, “Food insecurity is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. Using county data from the five-year period of 2010 to 2014, the study reveals that 17 percent of the population in Kentucky is food insecure – 743,310 people, including 222,380 children. This year’s report fo
Author: Lora Davidson
Major Program: Food Preservation
This summer Harlan County Family and Consumer Science Agent teamed up with two retired Family and Consumer Science Agents for a 2 day workshop that taught participants pressure canning, water bath canning, dehydration and freezing methods of food preservation. The participants did hands on training with each of the methods and were taught the importance of proper food preservation methods.End of program evaluation results from 19 participants in the Harlan County Food Preservation Program show a
Author: Katherine Alexander
Major Program: Food Preservation
Webster County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent offered a food preservation workshop for a total of seven participants. One-hundred percent of participants identified research based methods of home food preservation as a result of the program. One-hundred percent of participants differentiated between high and low acid foods and 100% of them accurately prepared food products using the boiling water canning method of preservation. One-hundred person identified signs of spoilage in hom
Author: Laken Campbell
Major Program: Food Preservation
Food Preservation Workshop10 (female) participants attended the Lee County Food Preservation Workshop. Only a few of the participants had experience with preserving food at home. Participants expressed a desire to learn all the recommended safe ways to preserve foods. Participants canned green beans in the pressure canner, tomatoes and salsa in the boiling water canner, apples and tomatoes and fruit leathers in the dehydrator, and prepared blackberry jam for the freezer and blanched and packaged
Author: Heather Cheek
Major Program: Food Preservation
Twelve participants returned evaluations from the Mason County Food Preservation program, including three new to Cooperative Extension programs. They learned the water bath, pressure canning, freezing and drying methods of food preservation. Participants identified their current skill levels as mostly intermediate (67%) with 25% identifying themselves as novices and 8% as skilled. Half of the participants reported learning about the program via the Homemaker newsletter; others from friends and o
Author: Crystal Osborne
Major Program: Food Preservation
In recent years an increased interest in preserving foods like our ancestors did a long time ago has prompted the Owsley County Cooperative Extension Service to offer classes to teach adults and youth to do just that. Country Hams are one of those things that were unique to the Southeast Region of the United States and more specifically to Owsley County but has not been practiced for many years. Owsley County Cooperative Extension Service offered a family class to families wishing to learn the t
Author: Annhall Norris
Major Program: Food Preservation
Family and Consumer Science Extension provided an agent in-service training concentrating on basic techniques in food preservation. Thirteen new agents, with little or no food preservation experience, attended the hands on training and learned best practices of home preservation with emphasis on water bath canning and pressure canning. Agents were also introduced to food safety and sanitation principles as well as literature enabling them to locate research-based answers to client questions. Age
Author: Christine Duncan
Major Program: Food Preservation
The locally grown food movement has gained greater interest and popularity in Oldham County in recent years. As more families plant vegetable gardens or make large purchases at Farmers’ Markets the need for information and advanced cooking skills associated with food preservation become greater.To meet this need the Oldham County Family and Consumer Science agent arranged a series of “Canning Boot Camp” classes. Time saving techniques and food safety requirements were stre
Author: Kendyl Redding
Major Program: Food Preservation
Retired Family and Consumer Sciences Agents, Peggy Helton and Myra Braden worked with Powell County Extension staff to present the NEP Food Preservation Workshop at the Powell County Extension Office June 18-21, 2018. A total of eleven people participated in the three-day, hands-on workshop. Two male and nine female participants took part with a wide range of knowledge and skill levels. Powell County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, tested two pressure canner dial gauges during the workshop f
Author: Annhall Norris
Major Program: Food Preservation
Just as the local food movement continues to grow and gain speed, the homebased microprocessing program continues to grow as well. The program is a collaborative effort between the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and the Kentucky Food Safety Branch. The program enables Kentucky farmers to add value to their homegrown fruits and vegetables by water bath canning and pressure canning in their own kitchens. Farmers must gro
Author: Jane Proctor
Major Program: Food Preservation
Home canning is a great way to preserve your garden produce. People are returning to home canning after years away or even starting to can for the first time. However, it can be risky or even deadly if not done safely and correctly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five households can their own food and 65% of those households can vegetables. With an increased interest in home gardening and food preservation, the concern for safe canning information has increas
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Food Preservation
Preparing and cooking wild game is an important skill that hunters need to know about, and more than just “how to cook”, but also about food safety. In partnership with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, a day-long workshop was held to educate hunters about proper wild game butchering, meat handling safety, freezing, jerky-making, and home-canning. While the workshop focused on deer/venison, other wild game butchering, cooking, and preserving techniques were expl
Author: Tamera Magee
Major Program: Food Preservation
Franklin County held it's first Food Preservations in Franklin County which was sponsored by the Nutrition Education Program. Eight females and one male attended the Franklin County Food Preservation Workshop. Participants expressed excitement, appreciation, and an eagerness to learn throughout the workshop. Retired Family and Consumer Sciences Agents taught participants how to use a pressure canner to can low acid foods and a boiling water canner to preserve high acid food
Author: Courtney Jenkins
Major Program: Food Preservation
In August 2017, 26 individuals (23 female, 3 male) participated in the Magoffin County Food Preservation Workshop series. Less than half of the participants had food preservation experience, with a percentage of those with experience still utilizing improper preservation practices, and only five owning their own pressure canner. During the two-day workshop, participants were eager to learn the newest food preservation techniques to ensure that they were following correct procedures and get
