By Mike Donahue

Moapa Valley Progress

A two-day Master Food Preserver course hosted jointly by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE) and Utah State University Cooperative Extension has been scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday June 28-29 in the Logandale UNCE office.

The class will cover all types of food preservation including water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, drying/dehydrating and making jams, jellies and pickles, according to Carol Bishop, UNCE educator in Logandale. Everyone from a novice canner to someone with years of food preservation experience can benefit from the class and is encouraged to attend.

“The UNCE Master Food Preserver programs trains volunteers to become food preservation educators for the community,” Bishop said. “The course uses researched-based methods on proper food preservation techniques and uses lectures and hands-on practice.”

Instruction will be led by Carolyn Washburn, the USU FCS agent in Washington County, UT. The class will be based on the latest guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“USU Cooperative Extension has been publishing safe home food preservation recommendations since 1909,” Washburn said. “We have come a long way in making home food preservation exceptionally safe in the last 102 years.”

The class is limited to 16 participants and there must be at least 12 who sign up or it will be cancelled. Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and a Master Food Preserver certificate will be issued to all who finish the course and pass a brief test.

The course is $150 per person or $100 for those who will commit to contribute a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service to UNCE as a Master Food Preserver within the first year of certification, Bishop said.

“Volunteers are required to use and share only the food preservation information and recommendations provided in the MFP training,” Bishop explained.

Prospective students must register for the class by June 23 at the Logandale UNCE office, 1897 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., at which a $50 cash or check deposit will be required to hold the reservation. Checks should be made out to Board of Regents.

The registration fee covers all canning supplies used in the class and all learning materials such as binders and manuals.

For information about the class, those interested can call the Logandale UNCE office, 397-2604 or visit between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.