In Kentucky, 12.9 million acres are utilized in formal farm operations (nass.usda.gov), with a growing usage of smaller properties being used to grow farm commodities. Green, Adair, and Russell counties, as rural counties, have a growing population that utilizes property to grow their own crops, then processes the crops for personal consumption. Canning, a method of food preservation, was taught by the Russell, Adair, and Green County Family and Consumer Science Agents to instruct on proper food safety and home preservation methods to better assist their communities in proper food preservation protocols.

Agents taught a three-day food preservation workshop series at the Adair County Extension Office focused on three main food preservation methods, hot water bath canning, pressure canning, and dehydrating. The workshop series offered instruction-based learning as well as hands-on experience. Participants were able to make salsa, vegetable soup, and apple pie filling through a hot water bath and pressure canning methods.

During the three-day series, 28 clients processed 61 pints of canned goods, 47 through hot water bath canning, and 14 pints through pressure canning. Of the 10 clients that participated in pressure canning, 100% indicated they felt more comfortable using a pressure canner and gained knowledge about proper food safety practices while pressure canning. Of the 18 total clients that hot water bath canned, 100% indicated they gained knowledge on proper food safety and canning practices.  100% of participants that were surveyed stated they were more likely to can at home after attending the workshops. Additionally, after completing the three-day workshop series, 2 clients indicated they had already purchased canners to utilize for processing food through canning at home.