Mercer County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences recieved many calls related to food preservation and Homesteading. Many questions were related to non research based food preservation methods such as water glassing eggs with lyme water.

The Agent recognized there was an interest Food Preservation among Mercer County residents so the Agent planned a series of Food Preservation Classes in both water bathing and pressure canning.

The target audience was those who grow their own food or purchase locally grown items from the Mercer County Farmers Market or those wanting to gain confidence in food preservation methods.

The agent offered classes on:

Chicken Soup

Green Beans 

Garlic Jelly 

Tomatoes 

Salsa 

Mango Pineapple Relish 

Apple Butter 

Roasted Red Pepper Spread 

Bluberry Lime Jam

Sweet Cider Apple Butter

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Apple Preserves

There was a total of 62 participants and 300 pints of food preserved.