For decades, food preservation has been used by families to preserve garden harvests. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, one in five households in the United States practice home canning or food preservation. The Center for Disease Control has stated that 30 percent of botulism cases from the past decade was caused by home canning practices.

As by popular demand, the Floyd County Family & Consumer Science Agent held multiple food preservation hands-on workshops at the Extension Office. Five total workshops held up to10 individuals to participate through a hands-on learning experience with food preservation.

In June 2022, the Floyd County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent completed five total workshops including pressure canning and water bath canning. The Agent demonstrated safe pressure canning methods and safe practices when it comes to canning green beans and tomato-based products. 

A total of 42 individuals participated in the hand-on workshops. Surveys indicated that 95 percent of participants agreed that they were able to identify safe, research-based methods of home food preservation. One individual also stated that she had been attended the food preservation workshops since the Agent started in 2016. From that one food preservation workshop, she gained enough confidence to start canning at home. She has also attended a workshop at the Floyd County Extension Office each year to refresh her memory and learn more about food preservation. She now cans on her own, keeps an adequate supply of canned foods in her home. The individuals also stated that she now has peace of mind that most of her food will not go bad during we experience power outages in the area.