The problem As food costs have soared in 2023, families have a renewed interest in food preservation as a way to insure food security for the next year.  

The educational program response During the Spring and early summer of 2023 the Rockcastle County FCS agent offered a 5-part hands-on food preservation series to insure that food preservation is done in a safe manner.

The participants/target audience All families in the county.  30% of attendees of the workshops related that they have no canned foods before.

Other partners (if applicable) .  

Program impact or participant response:  .Attendance for the series was as follows Pressure Canning: 47 participants; Boiling Water Canning: 27; Freezing and Drying: 22; Jams and Jellies: 16; Making Salsa: 8.  Two demonstrations will be done by the FCS agent at Farmers Markets in July to complete the canning series for the season.  Participants have been asked to keep a list of all foods canned for the summer, which will be turned in to the Extension Office in September.