Edwina Tries… A Canning Class

Contributed

This month, Edwina tries a free community class hosted by Erie Food Policy Advisory Council that teaches attendees how to make the most of their summer harvest by canning and preserving their bounty.

We are coming upon the magical time of year where mysterious zucchini from your neighbors shows up on your porch, where you can get BOGO berries everywhere, and co-workers leave bags of tomatoes in common areas for the taking. Bumper crop season is upon us and there's no better time to learn how to save the summer bounty in ways that can help you enjoy it when the days inevitably get shorter.

I dipped my toes into what the kids are calling "Grannycore" long before it was trending. I like to bake, crochet, arrange wildflowers, and grow tomatoes and herbs in backyard garden boxes as much as the next gal. But, I have always been a little scared of preserving food – afraid that I would do it wrong and make my loved ones and myself sick. So when I saw that the Erie Food Policy Advisory Council (Erie FPAC) was hosting a free community class on preserving local and seasonal fruits, I knew I had to try it and report back to you.

The class took place at Erie FPAC's 4th Street Community Farm, which is a collaboration between Groundwork Erie and Emmaus Ministries, smack dab in the lower east side at Fourth and German streets, one of Erie's urban farm spaces that demonstrates the principle that you don't need a huge space to grow food. The outdoor classroom was inviting under shady trees and I joined an eclectic mix of eager and smiling students.

Stephanie Thauer of Raintree Farm had a cool outdoor kitchen set up with a camp stove and prep table. Thauer was kind, open to questions, and quickly made me feel confident that I could do this canning thing. We all took turns doing different prep work on a local blueberry and peach jam while Thauer explained processes not only for the jam that we were making, but how to safely preserve other fruits, vegetables, and herbs. She encouraged us to continue to use and pass down preservation practices, trading and sharing as a tie to the earth, to family, to community.

By the end of the class I'd dubbed her "The Poet Farmer" and I was truly inspired.

For me, the highlight of the class and what really drove home the messages was a lovely, friendly neighborhood mom and her mini-me child (who was probably around six years old). Seeing a child so eager to learn, to be involved, asking questions, and sharing her own knowledge with the rest of the class, noticing and enjoying everything that was around … well, I think that's what a community farm is all about.

Check out more Erie FPAC offerings and information on Facebook (Erie Food Policy Advisory Council) or on Instagram (@eriefpac)

Edwina is Erie's (self-proclaimed) biggest fan who loves being a tourist in our own town. If you have an idea of something new she should try you can email her at edwina.capozziello@gmail.com