Author: Rita Stewart
Major Program: Food Preservation
Foodborne botulism can happen by eating foods that have been contaminated with botulinum toxin. Home-canned vegetables are the most common cause of botulism outbreaks. In order to educate others about safe methods of preserving foods, this Family and Conusmer Sciences Agent taught nine food preservation classes with a total of 88 participants. Classes included canning meats, venison, tomatoes, grape jelly, and less sugar needed jams and jellies. As a result of the Pectins 101 program
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
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 two-day workshop was held to educate hunters on laws and regulations, hunting tactics and safety, proper wild game butchering, meat handling safety, freezing, jerky-making, and home-canning. Day one of the workshop involved new hunters learning all about t
Author: Kendyl Redding
People have been preserving food through drying for thousands of years. Today more people are eating dried food as a healthier snack alternative to candy and chips. Dried food yields maximum quantity for the least volume and can be stored for long periods without spoilage. Dehydrating makes economic sense as well for those that have home gardens or an excess of produce. Family and Consumers Sciences Agent traveled to the Bluegrass Area Counties to teach Kentucky Extension Homemaker Club mem
Author: Annhall Norris
The Homebased Microprocessing 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 increase farm profits by allowing the production of certain value-added products in their home kitchens. Participants must grow an ingredient in the products they make and the products must be canned using a water bath canner or a
Author: Diana Doggett
Home food preservation saves money for some people. Others reasons to preserve foods include support of local farming community, control of ingredients, provision for the future and benefits of physical and mental therapy. The USDA’s home canning efforts are directed through the National Center for Home food Preservation, the hub of a wheel. The spokes of the wheel are the ‘Extension Services’ that ensure that knowledge from the academic world is transferred i
Author: Caroline Durr
A 2018 report from the Community Foundation of Louisville and the Lift a Life Foundation, found that 44,000 Louisvillians live in food deserts, which have few fresh, healthy food options, and that 20,000 older residents live a mile or more from the nearest supermarket. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control determined that only 8% of adults in Kentucky were meeting the daily recommended fruit intake and only 6.3% were meeting the daily vegetable intake recommendation, lower than the natio
Author: Julia Wilson
Each year during the gardening season, Edmonson County residents reach out to the Edmonson County Cooperative Extension Service with questions about food preservation. Families often wish to save money by preserving fresh produce. According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Data Book(2015) 21.2% of Edmonson County families live below poverty and there were 2,191 SNAP recipients whose average benefits were $240.95 per month.Since 2015 the FCS Agent has scheduled multiple food
Author: Kathy Byrnes
According to Penn State Extension, increased interest in eating locally grown produce has led to renewed popularity of home food preservation. If not done properly, loss of food and money are minor problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the major problem - that home canned vegetables are the most common cause of botulism outbreaks in the US. From 1996-2014, they report 145 cases of botulism from home prepared foods, with 43 of those coming from home canned vegetabl
According to PLOS One, a peer-reviewed science publication, nearly one pound of food per person is wasted each day in America. Of the 22 food groups studied, fruits and vegetables contributed to the most food wasted. As we know, food waste comes at a cost our environment, and our pocket books. The study concluded that one approach to minimizing food waste is to educate consumers about how best to prepare and store fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a complimentary approach to
Author: Diane Mason
Home food preservation can help prevent food waste and save on family food budgets. There is an increased interest in eating fresh, locally grown produce and home food preservation has had an increased interest in recent years. If not done properly, however, loss of food, time and money are the least of one's worries. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, show that home-canned vegetables are the most common cause of botulism outbreaks in the United States. From
Author: Charles May
Over the past decade, people have taken more interest in where their food comes from and what is in their food. This is very much the case in Perry and surrounding counties, interest in heritage skills has increased as a way to preserve skills of grandparents as well as extending their food dollar and taking pride in creating food for their family. This can be seen by the popularity of country ham programs for youth and adults in Kentucky.The Perry County Agriculture and Natural Reso
Author: Sarah Congleton
26 adults (19 female; 7 male) attended the Martin County Food Preservation Workshop. Some of the participants were couples who grow fruits and vegetables together and preserve their home grown produce together. They attended the workshop to learn the latest most up-to-date procedures to ensure top quality safely canned foods. As one male participant commented: "I attended the workshop because I'm interested in safety. I don't want to get botulism or any
Author: Peggy Jones
Culinary Students learn to Preserve SalsaThe USDA and Department of Health and Human Services, consumption of total fruit and total vegetables are expected to grow roughly 4% respectively in the next 5 years. With the increase on the rise of consuming vegetables the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent provides food preservation classes at the local high school to juniors and seniors in Rowan County. A popular food item such as salsa was picked to demonstrate how quick and easy it i
Author: Shannon Smith
Participants of the 2018 Bracken County Food Preservation Program learned the pressure canning, water bath canning, freezing and drying methods of food preservation. Participants said that they learned about the program via the Homemaker Newsletter, on Facebook, on the Extension website, and through a friend. Participants chose to attend the program because of a desire to learn, in order to improve skills, to use the skills to earn and save money, to interact with others an
Author: Laken Campbell
Nine participants completed the 2018 Lee County Food Preservation Program including five participants new to Cooperative Extension programming. They learned the pressure canning, water bath canning, freezing and drying methods of food preservation. Almost half (40%) of the participants reported using food preservation methods never or rarely prior to the class. Many of the Lee County participants said that they learned about the program through a friend, the Extension agent or
Author: Nola Janeen Tramble
A three day food preservation workshop was offered in Crittenden County with 12 participants. During the workshop participants learned to use a pressure and water bath canners, along with freezing and drying methods of food preservation. They Canned Green beans, salsa & tomatoes. Dried apples and bananas and froze corn and freezer jam. Three months following the 2018 Crittenden County Food Preservation Program, four participants completed the Three-Month Follow-Up Survey. &
Author: Karli Giles
SituationDue to the growing popularity for local foods and backyard gardens, home food preservation programs are in demand. PartnershipThe Jessamine County Extension Service partnered with Cheryl Case and Peggy Helton, retired Family and Consumer Sciences Agents, to present a ….Educational Response,,, 3-day food preservation workshop that address water bath and pressure canning, freezing, and drying food. The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for Jessamine County presented nutrition
Author: Kenna Knight
With the increase request and interest in food preservation by clients in Pendleton County, the Family and Consumer Science Educator hosted a multi-day food preservation workshop. A total of 15 individuals attend the workshops. At the close of each topic the following information was shared based on a pre and posttest: (50%) in Pendleton County increased their food preservation knowledge about the dehydration method. (47%) in Pendleton County increased their food preser
