OSKALOOSA — Preserving your summer bounty is a great way to enjoy home-grown produce year-round. The key is not serving food borne illness, like botulism, with your home preserved foods.

Home food preservation is not difficult but it does require following specific directions exactly, said Cathy Drost, a human sciences specialist in food and health with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “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, Preserve the Taste of Summer 101 will be offered on July 25 from 6:00-7:30 pm. The class, offered at the Mahaska County Extension Office located at 212 N. I Street in Oskaloosa, is part of the ISU Extension and Outreach Preserve the Taste of Summer program.

“Preserve the Taste of Summer 101 is a general overview course that highlights the key information you need to know to get started preserving food at home,” said Drost.

This class will:

• Discuss four food preservation techniques – pressure canning, hot water bath canning, dehydration and freezing;
• Provide science-based, reliable, food preservation resources; and
• Answer your general food preservation questions.

“This information-packed class is helpful for beginner home food preservers as well as for experienced home food preservers interested in staying up-to-date on the current recommendations,” said Drost. “Past participants have shared that Preserve the Taste of Summer 101 was informative and fun and that it provided new information to keep them up to date and safe.”

The cost of this workshop is $10. The registration deadline is July 20 or until the class is full.

Participants can register for the workshop at https://go.iastate.edu/9QC6BM

To learn more or to ask questions, contact Suzette Striegel at (641) 673-5841.