Preserving the Harvest

By Caroline Homan, Food Education Coordinator
This summer, we’re excited to offer a full program of food processing and food preservation classes in collaboration with the Burlington Schools Food Service. We’re teaming up for a full afternoon and evening’s worth of work, fun, and learning about local food in one place for people who want to come to some or all.

City Market will be teaching food preservation techniques – delicious honey-sweetened jams, dilly beans, vegetable ferments, and more – to community members who want to make the most of the growing season. This year, we’re excited to offer the City Market classes in the brand-new kitchen of the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes School (123 North Street) – with a walk-in cooler, Blodgett oven, and 6-burner stove!

And while we have green beans coming out our ears, Burlington Schools Food Service needs help processing local veggies for the school salad bars and menus. Volunteers who have been through City Market’s member worker orientation can earn City Market member worker credit for pitching in.

The free City Market classes at the Sustainability Academy, which will be held on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. (see topics and dates below), will be preceded by food processing for the Burlington schools from 2-5:30 p.m. and a potluck from 5:30-6 p.m. Come to some or all!

Sign-up for classes at the City Market Customer Service Desk or 861-9701. For more information about the classes and potluck, contact Caroline Homan, Food Education Coordinator, at choman@citymarket.coop.

For more information about food processing for the Burlington schools, and to sign up, contact Sarah Heusner, Farm-to-School Coordinator, at sheusner@bsdvt.org.

City Market Food Preservation Classes
Growing Season 2011
Tuesdays, June through September, 6 p.m.
at the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes School, 123 North Street

June
June 14 – Canning Jam: Honey-Sweetened Strawberry/Rhubarb Jam
June 28 – Culturing Dairy Products: Homemade Yogurt, Kefir, and Fresh Muesli

July
July 12 - Making Lacto-Fermented Summer Drinks: Blueberry Soda & Ginger Ale
July 19 – Canning Dilly Beans
July 26 – Preparing Peak Flavors for the Freezer: Tomato-Cucumber Gazpacho & Freezer Cucumber Pickles

August
Aug 9 – Making Fresh Tomato Ferments: Tomato-Peach Chutney and Tomato Salsa
Aug 16 – Making Vegetable Ferments: Brine-Cured Crunchy Veggies
Aug 23 – Canning Ginger Carrots

September
Sept 13 – Drying Fruits and Veggies for Back-to-School Snacks and More (with guest Peter Burke)
Sept 20 - Storing the Last of the Harvest: Refrigerator Pickles
Sept 27 – Making Authentic Korean Kimchi and Sauerkraut