Monica Gross, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer
County of residence: Los Angeles
Monica Gross (Used with permission).
Hi! My name is Monica Gross and I am a 2025 graduate of the UC Master Food Preserver (MFP) Online Delivery Program. I heard about the MFP Program when I first became a Master Gardener in 2013. At that time, there was no MFP program in the county where I lived, so I put the idea of entering an MFP Program on the back burner. The Online Delivery Program became available in 2025, so I applied, was accepted, graduated, and I have now joined the ranks of the Master Food Preservers.
I live in densely populated Los Angeles County, but I am fortunate to have a half-acre parcel that has 11 original, mature Valencia oranges trees dating from the early 20th century. In addition to the orange orchard, we have Fuerte avocado, grapefruit, lemon, peach, plum, pear, apple, and cherry trees. The property has plenty of room, so we have developed a large vegetable garden since I retired in 2012. My favorite crops to grow are tomatoes, asparagus, blackberries, beans, artichoke, cucumber, and sometimes giant pumpkins. My extended family recently competed in a familial Atlantic Giant pumpkin-growing contest—my local and distant relatives in Northern California and Oregon competed to see who could grow the largest pumpkin! That summer the entire family spent our vacations traveling to spy on the competing pumpkins throughout the state! The relative farthest north won the contest.
Small Altantic Giant pumpkin (Monia Gross, used with permission).
Becoming an MFP was a natural extension of being an avid gardener. I had some experience in food preservation prior to joining the program—I had canned tomatoes in a water-bath canner and had made various jams, but I had no experience with canning low-acid foods until joining the MFP Program. I look forward to increasing my skills in this area.
If you are interested in food preservation, I highly recommend becoming an MFP! You’ll find a kindred community of like-minded individuals who value preserving the bounties of the garden!