Food Preservation
Perhaps you're new to home food preservation. Perhaps you need a refresher. Purdue Extension Educators are here to help. You may contact any of the Purdue Extension Educators who are Mastering Home Food Preservation Instructors and find helpful resources below. If preserving food at home sparks your curiosity, then check out our Food Science degree program and careers in Food Science.
Mastering Home Food Preservation
Mastering Home Food Preservation is a 4-day program that includes valuable resources, in-depth lectures, interactive discussions, hands-on practice of food preservation techniques, and take-home products. USDA Home Food Preservation recommended procedures are taught. Instructors will provide instructional course work and preservation labs. Topics include food safety, boiling water canning, pressure canning, pickling and fermenting, freezing and dehydrating, and jams and jellies. The following Mastering Home Food Preservation Classes are scheduled for 2024:
- Noble County - April 30-May 3, 2024 - Program Flyer
- Hancock County - May 6-9, 2024 - Program Flyer
- Knox County - June 11-14, 2024 - Program Flyer
Mastering Home Food Preservation Extension Educators (listed by Indiana county)
- Blackford County: Janel Franks, franksjs@purdue.edu, (765) 348-3213
- Decatur County: Christopher Fogle, foglec@purdue.edu, (812) 663-8388
- Dubois County: Chelsea Brewer; cebrewer@purdue.edu, 812-482-1782
- Fayette County: Stephanie McCurdy; smmccurd@purdue.edu, 765-825-8502
- Floyd County: Janet Steffens, jsteffens@purdue.edu, (812) 948-5470
- Fulton County: Jessica Riffle, jcanned@purdue.edu, (574) 223-3397
- Hancock County: Amanda Gray, gray89@purdue.edu, 317-462-1113
- Jennings County: Atina Rozhon, arozhon@purdue.edu, (812) 352-3033
- Knox County:Tonya Short, short43@purdue.edu, (812) 882-3509
- Lake County: Linda Curley, lcurley@purdue.edu, (219) 755-3240
- Marshall County: Karen Richey, krichey@purdue.edu, (574) 935-8545
- Montgomery County: Monica Nagele, mwilhoit@purdue.edu, (765) 364-6363
- Noble County: Abigail Creigh, creigh@purdue.edu, (260) 636-2111
- Vanderburgh County: Meagan Brothers, brotherm@purdue.edu, (812) 867-4935
- Wells County: Molly Hoag, mhoag@purdue.edu (260) 824-6412
Home Food Preservation can be done in the home safely if several factors are followed. One of the key factors to pressure canning is processing product at the correct pressure. Dial gauge pressure canners need to be checked for accuracy every year. Many of Purdue Extension’s county office offer this service. Please see the below map to find the nearest Extension Office to have your dial gauge pressure canner tested. Please note, not all models can be tested.
Refer to the Map of Home Food Preservation Extension Educators and Gauge Testers to find the location most convenient for you.
Home Food Preservation Resources
National Center For Home Food Preservation
Download resources about Food Preservation and Storage as well as numerous other Food & Nutrition topics from the Purdue Extension Education Store. The "Let's Preserve" Series includes free Education Store publication downloads for basic home canning, freezing vegetables, drying fruits and dehydrating vegetables, and preserving meat and poultry, tomatoes, pears, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples, fruit pie fillings, jelly, jam and spreads, peppers, snap beans, sweet corn, sauerkraut, drying herbs, and quick process pickles.
USDA Complete Guide To Home Canning
FoodLink is the resource for anyone who has ever stood in front of produce and wondered, "What is that?" or "What can I don with that?" Scan the FoodLink QR codes on fresh fruits and vegetables to learn more about them, including how to select, prepare, and care for them.
North Central Region Food Safety website provides research based home food preservation information and recipes.
video series- preserve it now... enjoy it later!
The Purdue Extension Mastering Home Food Preservation Team created a series of videos to demonstrate how to safely prepare and preserve food at home. Click the links below to learn more about preserving these delicious foods!
Purdue Extension Food Preservation Newsletter- preserve it now... enjoy it later!
Home food preservers can stay up-to-date on food safety information by subscribing to our newsletter! Newsletters include timely tips for preserving and preparing food at home, as well as information regarding upcoming food preservation programs hosted by Purdue Extension. You can view past newsletters below. Click the link to subscribe to the newsletter!
- Volume 1, Issue 3 - July 24, 2024
- Volume 1, Issue 2- February 7, 2024
- Volume 1, Issue 1 - March 10, 2023