Merrymeeting Community & Adult Education

Have you ever thought about preserving your own food? Perhaps you enjoy the bounty of farmers markets, and want to find a way to enjoy local produce year-round. Or, maybe you have your own vegetable garden and end up with more produce than you can eat. Whatever your reason, if you want to try preserving but aren’t sure how to get started, this is the class for you! In this four-part, hands-on class, taught by Master Food Preserver and cookbook author Allison Carroll Duffy, we’ll cover all of the primary home food preservation methods you’ll need to get started, including canning, freezing, drying, fermenting, and cold-storage (root cellaring). Each week we’ll focus on a different method (or two), discussing proper procedures, techniques, food safety, and use of tools and equipment. We’ll then practice the method(s) hands-on, preparing and preserving food as a group, enjoying some samples as well. No matter what types of foods you enjoy and are hoping to preserve, this class will provide all you need to know to get started preserving food confidently at home! *A materials fee of $40 must be paid to the instructor on the first night of class.