Food preservation classes planned in Cordova

University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service agent Sarah Lewis will offer in-person food preservation classes over four days in Cordova.

On Thursday, March 14, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Lewis will discuss the regulations and best practices to start a cottage foods business. The event is free. From 7-8 p.m., she will lead a class on produce safety on farms. It briefly introduces topics covered in the Produce Safety Allianceʼs Grower Training program recommended for all Alaska gardeners and farmers. The cost is $5.

Friday, March 15, Lewis will hold a free open house from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Cordova Center to test pressure canner gauges and answer questions about food preservation. Free publications on food preservation will be available. From 5 to 8 p.m., she will teach participants how to preserve vegetables by pickling and fermentation. The cost is $10.

Lewis will teach a class, “Cooking for Brain Health” from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 16. The cost is $10. From 2-7 p.m., she will present a workshop on preserving fruit and berries. The cost is $25.

On Sunday, March 17, Lewis will lead a class on how to include foods with bone-strengthening nutrients in your daily diet from 10 a.m. to noon. The cost is $10. From 2 to 7 p.m., she will focus on preserving wild fish, meat, and vegetables that grow in the region by pressure canning,  freezing and dehydrating. The cost is $25. 

All classes will be held at the Cordova High School teaching kitchen.

To sign up, visit the reservation site. Classes are free for tribal members and youths who are joined by an adult.

For more information, contact Lewis at sarah.lewis@alaska.edu, 907-455-2010.

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Lewis.

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