Who Can Apply
- Residents of counties that do not have a local UC Master Food Preserver Program.
- Applicants must be available to attend the online and in-person classes listed to the right.
- Applicants must be comfortable using a computer and accessing the internet. Quizzes and homework are online; class communication is via email.
- Applicants must be comfortable developing educational content desiged for online delivery.
How to Apply
- Watch the recorded Training Information Meeting to learn more about the volunteer requirements as well as the selection and training process. Attendance or viewing of the information meeting is a mandatory pre-requisite to apply.
- Complete and submit the online application by the end of Monday, November 25, 2024. Interviews will be during the early weeks of December.
What We’ll Do
- Review applicants. Main criteria for acceptance: 1) prior community service, 2) experience teaching, either by giving presentations, writing, or in one-on-one situations, 3) experience/interest in home food preservation.
- Request a CA DOJ Clearance, including fingerprinting. (If you are already a volunteer with UC ANR through the Master Gardener or 4-H program, you do not need to be fingerprinted.)
- Teach you how to preserve food successfully using scientifically researched home processes.
- Teach you how to educate our community about safe home food preservation.
- Provide you with plenty of fun volunteer and continuing education opportunities.
What You’ll Do If Accepted
- Pay the $130 course fee by December 15, 2024.
- Attend the 11 classes in the track you select (Thursday evenings or Friday afternoons), as well as the in-person labs. Only one class may be missed and must be completed outside of normal class time with a mentor.
- Complete the Live Scan fingerprinting process by February 14, 2025. Forms are sent with the acceptance notification.
- Attend at least one public class hosted by a UC Master Food Preserver Program; either in person or online by May 9, 2025 as part of your training program.
- Attend monthly online UC Master Food Preserver business meetings, currently on the first Mondays from 3:30-4:30 as often as possible.
- Complete 50 volunteer hours your first year, then 25 volunteer and 12 continuing education hours each year thereafter.
- Participate in one or more committees: online class delivery, newsletter, helpline, social media.
- Pass the annual reappointment quiz.
- Have fun!
Class Locations
Lecture classes & labs:
Online classes: Students will choose one track for online classes via Zoom
- Thursdays, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
- Fridays, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Hands-on labs:
- Three in-person activities are scheduled to build community within the program and to give students a chance to practice the food safety and preservation methods taught online.
- Students must be able to attend the three in-person labs and are responsible for their travel expenses.
- Lab sites are at UC Davis and UC Los Angeles campuses.
Training Fee:
- $130
- Note: The majority of the student training costs are covered by a grant; this amount covers the non-lab expenses.
Important Dates
2024
10/4: Training Info Meeting
10/25: Training Q&A Session #1
11/14: Training Q&A Session #2
11/25: Applications Due
12/15: Payment Due
2025
1/15: Zoom Usage Class (optional)
1/16 or 1/17: Class 1: Orientation
1/18: Lab 1: Orientation, Los Angeles or Davis
1/23 or 1/24: Class 2: Food Safety
1/30 or 1/31: Class 3: Cold Storage
2/13 or 2/14: Class 4: High Acid Canning
2/14: Fingerprint Forms Due
2/27 or 2/28: Class 5: Pickle & Ferment
3/13 or 3/14: Class 6: Fruit Spreads
3/22 or 3/29: Lab 2: High Acid Canning, Pickling & Fermenting, Los Angeles or Davis
4/3 or 4/4: Class 7: Low Acid Canning
4/24 or 4/25: Class 8: Dehydration
4/26 or 5/3: Lab 3: Dehydration, Low-Acid Canning, Fruit Spreads
Los Angeles or Davis
5/8 or 5/9: Class 9: Kitchen Pest Management
5/22 or 5/23: Class 10: Emergency Prep
6/5 or 6/6: Student Presentations (additional dates added as needed)
5/29 or 5/30: Class 11: Being an MFP
6/26 or 6/27: Certification Celebration