During the COVID-19 Pandemic it was evident that a renewed interest in food preservation has been sparked.  The Laurel County Extension office, Family & Consumer Sciences Agent, gave the community the chance to come and experience a hands-on approach to educational sources on how to safely and correctly preserve their produce they harvested for the year.  

Classes were offered every Tuesday and Thursday evening for four weeks.  Topics discussed each week was pressure canning, water bath canning, freezing and dehydrating.  During the class we discussed the basics of food preservation with hands on pressure canning of green beans, water bath canning of diced tomatoes and salsa, freezing of corn and dehydrating fruit leather and dried apples.

Participants were asked to complete a pre and post survey of the program.   The surveys indicated that:

88% can identify safe, research-based methods of home food preservation

75% can better understand the difference between low acid and high acid food

100% have better skills preservation methods

100% can identify necessary equipment for home food preservation methods

Participants stated “they enjoyed the hands-on experience of being able to do it themselves.  It gave them a better understanding of how to process pressure and water bath canning.”