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Grow and Preserve Open House

• Saturday, May 6, 2023, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Event Description

Do you want to be more active in growing or preserving your own food? Our Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver Volunteers are ready to share their knowledge with you!

Enjoy a spring Saturday with like-minded community members at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Grow and Preserve Open House on May 6th, 2023 from 11am-2pm. Everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned homesteaders are invited to join us at the Extension Learning Farm in Canton for a lively time. This event is open to all ages and abilities, stop in anytime during the three hour period.

Every visitor to the open house can enter their name for a free chance to win a gift basket filled with local foods, gardening, and preservation supplies valued at over $300. The drawing for the gift basket will be at 1:45pm. Visitors do not need to be present to win. See below for local food basket business donors. Also, the first 50 households will get a free canvas Harvest Kitchen tote bag!

Open House Activities

Preservation related activities

• Preservation equipment showcase
  • The front classroom of the Learning Farm will have several tables of equipment to see and ask questions about. Visitors can compare various styles of equipment including water bath canning, pressure canning, dehydration, lacto-fermentation, and freezing.
• Canning jar giveaways
  • While supplies last, the Master Preservers will redistribute jars collected during our first-ever Canning Jar Donation Drive, The jars will be in a custom canvas Harvest Kitchen tote bag
• Tours of the Harvest Kitchen, a shared-use teaching and commercial kitchen
• Preservation demonstrations
• Pressure canner gauge testing
  • If you have a dial gauge canner, the gauge should be tested annually for accuracy. Bring your canner lid with gauge attached to the event.
• Recipes and other informational handouts

Gardening related activities

• Seed giveaways
• Planting activities
  • Stop in the high tunnel to plant seeds with the Master Gardener Volunteers
  • Plant seeds in a 6-pack to bring home
• Tours of high tunnel

Energy Efficiency related activities

• Ask energy questions of our St. Lawrence Co. Energy Advisor, Nolan Rishe and our Energy Navigator Volunteers
• See our insulation display and learn about DIY energy saving measures
• Find out about programs, incentives, etc. to save money and energy

About the Master Gardener, Master Food Preserver, Energy Navigator Volunteers

The Master Food Preserver Volunteers receive intensive training from Extension on various preservation methods and then share this information with the community through workshops and 1-1 support about freezing, dehydrating, water bath canning, pressure canning, fermentation, and more.

Master Gardeners are volunteers who support Cornell Cooperative Extension's educational programs in consumer horticulture. They develop their horticultural expertise through participation in educational programs and help run the CCE SLC Growline, to offer practical gardening advice to the public.

Energy Navigator Volunteers are concerned and capable residents of the North Country who help their friends, neighbors, and other community members learn about ways they can reduce their energy use and energy bills, and enjoy safer and more comfortable homes. Energy Navigator's receive training before working within their North Country community, and lead by example.  

No registration is necessary, stop by the Learning Farm anytime 11am-2pm.

This event was made possible in part with funds from the ALCOA Foundation and the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program.

Local Food Gift Basket Business Donors

• Adirondack Fragrance and Flavor Farm
• Big Spoon Kitchen
• Bittersweet Farm
• Hare and Moon Farm
• littleGrasse Foodworks
• Malorie's Beehive
• Milkweed Tussock Tubers
• Nature's Storehouse
• Never Tire Farm
• Orebed Sugar Shack
• Pat & April's Pork
• Squeak Creek Apiaries

Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Fee

Free

Location

Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County
2043B State Highway 68
Canton, NY 13617

Last updated April 17, 2023