Workshops in this series cover some or all of these topic areas:
- Lacto Fermentation: Using salt to suppress spoiling bacteria while fostering growth of beneficial lacto bacillus bacteria, which are present on vegetables and produce the preservative, lactic acid.
- Pickling: Using vinegar to preserve vegetables or fruits along with spices and herbs.
- Water bath Canning: Using a boiling pot of water to push out air and seal the rubber lid of glass jars containing high acid foods.
- Pressure Canning: Using a pressure canner to create high temperature steam that pushes out air and seals the rubber lid of glass jars containing low acid foods.
- Freezing: Maximizing nutrient preservation in the food.
- Drying: Removing most of the water from a food and then keeping it dry so molds cannot take hold.
- Culturing: Using microorganisms to transform the sugars or lactose of various liquid foods into other kinds of nutritious and tasty substances.
- Root Cellaring: Putting foods - particularly root crops - in cool, dark, and properly humid conditions for extended storage.
The workshop instructors are experienced food preservation educators with wide ranging skills and culinary styles. The workshop descriptions on back describe the exact topics to be covered, and the website link above provides more details about each presenter. In addition to explaining and demonstrating some key steps that can empower you to incorporate food preservation as a part of your culinary life, these workshops provide an opportunity for you to ask questions and meet others in your community who share your interests. Whether you are a newcomer to food preservation or you are looking to expand your skills and concepts in certain areas, these workshops are for you.
Workshop Registration Information:
- All workshops are $50 except as noted below. There is a $5 discount for members of NOFA/Mass. There is a $5 discount for registering 14 or more days before the workshop you're registering for. There is a $5 discount for registering for more than one workshop. For workshops A&B, all the above discounts are for $3.
- Pre-registration is requested and encouraged. Do so by clicking one of the links at the top of this page. On-site late registration is available for an extra $5 charge, using on-site registration form.
- Cancellations will be honored and refunds issued (except $10 processing fee) with notice made within 10 or more days of the workshop. After that, you may designate someone else to attend in your stead, but refunds will not be available.
- Scholarships may be available for those who need and apply for them. A short application is required. Please ask!
- Potluck Lunches will be shared at each event that runs from 9am-3pm, except workshop D) in Shirley where lunch will be served. Bring utensils & plate and something to share, or bring your own lunch.
- Contact: Ben Grosscup, 413-658-5374. By email, ben.grosscup@nofamass.org; put "Food Preservation" in subject.
View Food Preservation Workshops on September 11 and 18, 2010 in a larger map
Greater Boston
A) Home of Sharon Kane, 18 Cedar Hill Rd, Ashland, MA. September 11, 10am - 1 pm (Special cost: $35 with $3 Member Discount, $3 Early bird discount, and $3 Series Discount.)
Limit: 8
Learn health benefits of preserving food for your family. This hands-on class will move through all steps of lacto-fermentation. You will take home recipes and a jar of sauerkraut or whatever is being harvested. Handouts provided.
- Instructor: Sharon Kane, Musician, energy healer, organic gardener and improvisational cook.
B) Home of Jill Ebbott, 70 Beaconsfield Road, Brookline, MA. September 18, 9am-12 noon (Special cost: $35 with $3 Member Discount, $3 Early bird discount, and $3 Series Discount.)
Limit: 12
Various culturing methods for lacto-fermentation, including making whey/cream cheese, sauerkraut, lacto-fermented soda, yoghurt, raw seafood salad with whey/lime, kombucha, and beet kvass. Handouts provided.
- Instructor: Jill Ebbott, Pregnancy Nutrition Counselor, helping avoid complications and foster child's long-term health.
Central Mass.
C) Many Hands Organic Farm, 411 Sheldon Rd, Barre, MA. September 11, 9am-3pm.
Limit: 25
Using what is available on our farm on September 11 we will ask you to help us can, freeze, lacto-ferment, wine, dry, leather, jam, juice and pickle. We will also make lard. Additionally we will tour our root cellar and any aspects of our farm that interest you - 3 acres of certified organic veggies, 1 acre fruit, chickens, pigs and turkeys.
- Instructors: Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge - life-long food preservationists who can't stand to see anything go to waste.
D) The Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road (2A), Shirley, MA. September 11, 9am-3pm. (Special cost: $60, includes organic lunch. No need to bring potluck item)
Limit: 25
Elena will teach a Russian version of water bath canning for cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers. Technique and health benefits of lacto-fermentation, dill pickles, using culinary herbs, making small fruit jams, dehydration, and freezing. *** Participants are asked to cover hair; hairnets will be provided.
- Instructor: Elena Volkova, graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, individual health and nutrition coach, leads workshops for parents and families. Adds a unique Russian and French flavor to classic healthy recipes. For more info on Elena, see: www.vibrantnutrition.org
E) Noonday Farm, Home of B. Ingham, 96 Windsor Road, Winchendon Springs, MA. September 11, 9am-3pm. Limit: 15
Sauerkraut, pickles, kimchee, beet kavass hands-on demonstration and health benefits discussion. Pressure canning of tomatoes. Storage of root crops in the root cellar. Growing winter greens in attached greenhouse. Storage of squash and garlic. Garden tour of no-till raised beds. Emphasis on the importance of the tools and the space you make in your home and mind making "storing the harvest" easy, fun, and beautiful.
- Instructor: Beth Ingham, CN, Whole Health Educator, Certified Nutritionist, 20 years experience farming and preserving the harvest.
F) Home of Dawn Sulmasy, 243 Thompson Rd., Princeton, MA. September 18, 9am-3pm.
Limit: 20
Freeze zucchini and berries, can tomatoes and pear preserves. We'll demonstrate different dehydration methods for fruit spread, cherry tomatoes and crispy nuts. Lacto-fermentation for delicious vegetable condiments: sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger carrots, and more. We'll demonstrate making fresh butter and kefir.
- Instructor: Dawn Desilets Sulmasy: Holistic Health Counselor whose passion is to feel great every day. For more info on Dawn, see: www.newdawnnutrition.com
- Instructor: Tess Bois: Community acupuncturist and decade long food fermenting enthusiast and pragmatist.
G) Home of Clio Fisher, 320 Old Ayer Road, Groton, MA. September 18, 9am-3pm.
Limit: 15
Water bath canning for fruits and jams, pressure canning for low acid vegetables, dehydrating, freezing, cold-cellaring, and culturing dairy and techniques for preserving dairy, and long term storage of eggs and grains and other dry foods.
- Instructor: Clio Fisher, Decades of experience with canning, which she learned from her parents.
Western Mass.
Canceled H) Home of Connie Clarke, 117 Old Greenfield Road, Shelburne, MA. September 11, 9am-3pm.
Limit: 12
Integrate food preservation into your kitchen. Store winter vegetables without a root cellar. Dry, water-bath can, and make jam out of peaches. Prepare kale to dry. Blanch and package peppers or corn to freeze.
- Instructor: Connie Clarke, editor and administrator: learned from physician father who grew up amongst Bulgarian peasants.
I) Home of Fiona deRis, 1428 Hartsville-New Marlborough Road, Great Barrington, MA. September 11, 9am-3pm.
Limit: 12
Learn water bath canning method to make sauced and stewed tomatoes. Learn yoghurt making from raw milk; use the whey to make your own lacto-fermented dilly beans and other vegetables. Learn which vegetables benefit from par boiling and blanching before freezing. We'll also make an intense non-alcoholic fermented beverage called fire cider.
- Instructor: Fiona deRis, Proprietor of S.O.L. (Seasonal, Organic, Local) Kitchen Catering in Great Barrington. For more info on Fiona, see: http://justincasebook.wordpress.com/
J) St John's Episcopal Church, 48 Elm Street, Northampton, MA. September 18, Time: 9am-3pm.
Limit: 15
Can chicken using pressure canner and can tomato sauce and raspberry jam with water bath canning method. While jars are processing, we'll touch on tips for blanching and freezing string beans and small fruit. We'll also demonstrate using a dehydrator to turn kale and carrots into a tasty treat. We'll make dilly beans and kimchi. Handouts provided.
- Instructor: Kathy Harrison, Author of "Just in Case: How to be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens." For more info on Kathy's Book, see: http://justincasebook.wordpress.com/
*** For archives of the 2009 Massachusetts Food Preservation Workshop Day, see here.
This page was last modified on September 01, 2010 at 10:09:30 AM.
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