Food preservation, gardening classes offered in Petersburg

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension will offer in-person food preservation classes and gardening classes in Petersburg this February. 

On Monday, Feb. 20, Sarah Lewis will be at the Petersburg Indian Association, 15 North 12th St., from 4 to 6 p.m. for a free workshop. She will test pressure canner gauges and demonstrate the safe use of pressure canners for home use. Lewis also will answer questions about food preservation. 

Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Heidi Rader and Darren Snyder will be at the Petersburg Library, 14 S. 2nd St., to discuss the basics of gardening in Petersburg. Also Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Jasmine Shaw will present a workshop at the Petersburg Library on 4-H activities, how to volunteer and how to start a 4-H club. 

Wednesday, Feb. 22, Rader will teach a free class on cooking with fresh garden ingredients from 5:30-6:30 p.m.. From 6:30-8 p.m., Lewis will demonstrate the basics of smoking and canning fish. Both workshops are at the Petersburg Indian Association. 

On Sunday, Feb. 26, Lewis will teach two sessions on how to preserve the fruits, berries, vegetables, fish and meat found in Petersburg gardens, forests and shores. She’ll demonstrate pickling, water bath canning, dehydrating and pressure canning. The first session, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., will focus on fruits, berries and vegetables. The cost is $20. The second session, from 2 to 7 p.m., will focus on wild fish and meat, as well as vegetables that grow in the region. The cost is $25. Both sessions will be at Petersburg High School.

Also Sunday, at 10 a.m., Snyder will share best practices, pitfalls and tips for running a community garden. The class will be at the Petersburg Community Garden. Visit the community garden course registration webpage to sign up. 

Visit the Petersburg Extension workshops page to sign up for the other workshops. Classes are free for tribal members. 

For more information, contact Lewis at sarah.lewis@alaska.edu, 907-523-3280, ext. 1. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Lewis.

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