Wheat harvest has come to an end but home gardens are nearing their peak production. When that happens, I notice an increase in the calls I receive related to safe food preservation practices. I have invited Karen Blakeslee, our Rapid Response Coordinator, at K-State Research & Extension, to bring a hands-on food preservation workshop to Great Bend. The workshop is set for Friday, July 22, from 9 a.m. – 4:30 pm. and it will be held at the Great Bend High School Family & Consumer Science classroom. There is a $15 charge payable to Barton County Extension by Wednesday, the 20th. This fee includes many of the supplies plus lunch.
If you don’t know where to start or have canned garden produce for years, this is a great learning opportunity. There are many factors which can affect the quality of your finished home canned product. Acidity of the food helps determine if it can be safely water bathed or if you must use a pressure canner. Altitude affects the time and amount of pressure required to safely preserve your produce. Most reference books are written for altitudes in the 1,000 feet above sea level, yet we are around 2,000 feet here.
It is also a great idea to have your pressure canner gauge checked for accuracy. We offer that service at the Barton County Extension Office and it just takes a few minutes. I can check the dial gauges; however, the weighted gauges cannot be checked with my equipment.
Call our office to register for the Food Preservation Workshop soon. Our phone number is: (620)793-1910.
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research & Extension – Barton County. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu