Contributed report

The Powhatan County Extension Office is offering two canning workshops on July 21 and 28 at Powhatan United Methodist Church.

The first workshop will cover pressure canning, while the second focuses on canning basics. Learn how to preserve your fresh garden fruits and vegetables and enjoy them all year long.

Pressure canning is used to prepare low acid foods such as vegetables. A pressure canner is designed to heat foods at a higher temperature under steam pressure. Pressure canning is the only safe method for processing low acid foods (pH value higher than 4.6) such as vegetables, homemade soups and meat.

The pressure canner can supply enough heat to properly destroy all bacteria that may cause spoilage in low acid foods.

Hot water bath canning is used for processing acid foods such as pickles, fruit, jams and jellies. This method requires the jars of food to be completely covered with boiling water for a specific period of time. The amount of time depends on the food.

Participants will can vegetables and make jelly from start to finish, learn how and why to preserve foods, examine different methods of preserving food and equipment needed. 

Come and increase your knowledge, gain confidence in canning and enjoy the benefits of food preservation by attending the one or both canning workshops. 

Cost for each session is $3 per person, or $5 to attend both.

The pressure canning workshop will be held on July 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The canning basics will be held on July 28 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Both sessions will be held at Powhatan United Methodist Church at 2253 Rosson Road, just off route 13 in the Village of Powhatan. Registration is required due to limited seating.

For registration or more information, contact Arla Halpin, Family Consumer Science Program Associate, at the Powhatan County Extension Office at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 598-5640.