OSU Extension workshop to focus on water-bath canning

With gardening season in full swing and plenty of vendors at local farmers markets, Oklahomans are sure to enjoy the fresh-picked taste of vegetables from a spring and summer garden.

Canning these tasty treats is one way to enjoy that fresh taste throughout the rest of the year, but for some, canning is a mystery. To explain the water-bath canning process, Oklahoma State University Extension educators from Lincoln, Okfuskee and Okmulgee counties are hosting the Tri-County Canning Workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 8 at the First Baptist Church, 800 W. Elm St., in Paden, Oklahoma.

The workshop is open to adults and children ages 9 and older, but youth must attend with a parent or guardian. Registration is $25 and due by June 1. Call Jessica Riggin, Lincoln County OSU Extension educator, at 405258-0560 to register or for additional information. Riggin will provide participants with a list of common kitchen items they’ll need to bring to the workshop.

“Canning is an art in which many people saw their ancestors participate. They likely saw jars filled with colorful fruits and vegetables on their great-grandmothers’ pantry shelves,” Riggin said. “There’s a lot of nostalgia associated with canning, and this workshop will help ensure participants are doing it correctly and safely.”

During the workshop, attendees will make both salsa and jelly using the water-bath canning method. Riggin said she will also demonstrate some freezing techniques of food preservation.

“There’s always been interest in food preservation and canning, but it has increased some over the past couple of years during the pandemic,” she said. “More people put in gardens, and they’re looking for ways to capture that fresh taste and cut down on waste.”