Preserve summer bounty with ISU Extension course

Spring is coming, and many families are planning their gardens. Preserving your garden’s summer bounty is a great way to enjoy your home-grown produce year-round – as long as you don’t serve food borne illness, like botulism, with your home-preserved foods, say specialists with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach.

“Home food preservation is not difficult, but it does require following specific directions exactly,” said Sara Sprouse, human sciences specialist in food and health. “Ignoring recommended procedures can result in home-canned products that will make you, your family, and friends very ill.”

To help Iowans safely preserve foods, ISU Extension and Outreach-Jefferson County is hosting a Preserve the Taste of Summer (PTTS) 101 course on Thursday, March 31 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Extension Office in Fairfield.

The PTTS 101 course is a general overview that highlights the key information Iowans need to know to get started preserving food at home. To register, go to www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/preserve-taste-summer For more information, contact Sara Sprouse, sprouse@iastate.edu or 319-293-3039.