Food preservation program available

 

November 4, 2021

Miriah Kardelis

The Food Preservation Program through Sanders County Extension Office offers the rental of food preservation equipment to the community for free.

In the wake of the pandemic, people saw empty shelves, increased prices and a break in the supply chain. Montana State University (MSU) Extension Office in Sanders County saw the struggles the community was continually facing as people turned to preserving their own food to help get through the challenging times.

The extension officers for the county saw a need in the community and stepped in to fill it. "When the pandemic started, the shelves were pretty bare for a while," said Jeanette Allday, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for MSU Extension. "We saw a trend of people who became interested in food preservation."

While people's interest turned to food preservation, they faced barriers in doing so, such as accessibility and affordability. Because of all the classes offered through the Sanders County office, the extension officers already had the necessary equipment on hand.

Allday says if the equipment is needed for access to healthy food, they are capable of filling that need for the community. After conducting a brief survey in order to assess what people would be interested in using, it was decided the extension officers would launch the food preservation program.

"We really do feel like it's more than a hobby, it's something people rely on to feed their families," Allday said. "We can help provide equipment and help people make use of it."

As of now, the equipment available to use includes a water bath canner, two sets of canning equipment, a food dehydrator, a pressure canner and an apple peeler and corer. The equipment is free to use and can be rented out for a week at a time, but Allday says that time can be extended if needed. "We want this to be accessible and not a hardship for people," she said.

Allday says while there will be people who already know how to use the equipment, those who need some help will be provided with guides and directions at check out.

Allday says you must call ahead to check availability as the item you are looking for may already be on loan. For information, visit bit.ly/3jurL3I or email at [email protected] or 827-6934.

 

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