Free Canning Workshop Empowers Locals to Preserve and Save Food
In a bid to promote sustainability and empower the community, the Gravette Public Library recently hosted a free canning workshop as part of its Grow It — Cook It — Save It program. The workshop, held on August 17 at the Gravette Civic Center, saw several participants eager to learn the art of canning and preserving food.
Under the guidance of Trudy McManus and Cathy Love, Family and Consumer Science county agents from Bentonville, students in the class were taught various canning techniques, including using boiling water canners, making jams and jellies, and freezing fruits and vegetables. As a hands-on approach, the students had the opportunity to make pomegranate jelly themselves, with the instructors supervising their progress.
The workshop was made possible through a generous $1,000 grant received by the Gravette library from Penguin Random House. The grant covered the workshop fees for all participants and provided funds for each one to receive a canning kit. The kit included essential tools such as a funnel, jar lifter, debubbler, and magnetic lid lifter. Additionally, the participants were given two potholders adorned with the library’s logo, courtesy of a donation from 4imprint.
This canning workshop is just one of the many activities organized under the Grow It — Cook It — Save It program. Previously, the library hosted gardening and cooking classes to educate locals on sustainable practices. As a continuation of the program, the next class will focus on food dehydrating and will be held at the library on September 7 at 6 p.m. The guest speaker for the workshop will be Melinda Crawley, and attendees will have the chance to enter a drawing to win a Cosori food dehydrator, made possible once again by the Random House grant.
The workshop saw enthusiastic participants from various locations, including Gentry, Siloam Springs, and Kansas, Okla. Becca Newberry of Gentry, along with Kevin Mangold and his daughter Penny, were seen pouring pomegranate juice into a measuring cup while waiting for their boiling water canner to simmer. Stefanie Fields and Ashley Arce, both from Siloam Springs, and Holly Mefford from Kansas, Okla., also attended the workshop and patiently waited for their water bath canner to reach the desired temperature.
The free canning workshop organized by the Gravette Public Library not only equips locals with valuable skills to preserve and save food but also fosters a sense of community. Through initiatives like the Grow It — Cook It — Save It program, individuals are encouraged to adopt sustainable practices and contribute to a greener, more self-reliant future.
