I learned how to can fruits and vegetables from my grandmother while growing up mostly in the Midwest. I loved the cool, earthy smell of a root cellar and took delight in perusing the many rows of colorful jars, especially when it was 95°F outside with 90% humidity.
Wherever the family moved, we always started a vegetable garden, and while I was never much of a fan of okra, fresh-picked tomatoes were always a tasty treat. We went to U-pick peach orchards for several summers, and the sticky, fuzzy sweetness was always a joy I remember that echoed through a snowy winter when we devoured the canned peaches we had put up.
I knew Northern California was a place I could put down roots both personally and professionally when I learned about the delicious, softball-sized U-pick peaches at Chico State’s University Farm. My husband and I planted dozens of fruit trees on an acre+ property to accompany our walnut and almond trees—remnants from the orchards surrounding us. I bought a dehydrator and a three-foot stack of trays that could definitely be assessed as overly enthusiastic until the trees started bearing, but having a house with a basement also meant never having to say no to canning jars at an estate sale.
After attending the first hands-on lab of the MFP online delivery program, I knew I had found the right program to hone my preservation skills for whatever is ripe in the garden. And if you ever need to borrow a vintage jelly strainer, there are two sets in my basement!
If you would like to learn more about how to become a UC Master Food Preserver, please add your name to the interest list and you'll be contacted when recruitment for the next training class begins.