Food Preservation

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Image of jars of jam or jelly spread out on a tabletop
Make food preservation easy and convenient with steam canners
Now that gardens are being planted, it’s my turn to plant this important seed: how you are going to use the bountiful harvest so that it doesn’t go...
Image of couple in kitchen with a flashlight during power outage
Keep food and water safe when disaster strikes.
Springtime carries chances of severe weather, including thunderstorms, high winds and tornadoes that can lead to power outages and boil orders....
Red rhubarb with large green leaves
Rhubarb: Select the best
Spring is here, signaling a time for new beginnings as the colder temperatures of winter melt away, ushering in longer days, warmth, and a time of...
Four images. Image one - three varieties of asparagus: white, purple, and green. Image two a basket of green asparagus, image three washing green asparagus under running water, and image four, a plate with asparagus, salmon, and cherry tomatoes.
Asparagus: A tasty spring favorite
One vegetable that is notably present in grocery stores across the nation each spring is asparagus. Although asparagus can be found year-round, the...
Image of a variety of fruit jams in jars with a variety of fruit and berries scattered in front of the jars
Making fresh jam could be easier than you think
As berries start to ripen, mason jars are being gathered and dusted off in preparation for making jam. Unlike jellies, jams include the actual fruit...
Bag of Flour with Question Mark
Is canning flour safe?
During gardening season, Americans home can fruit and vegetables to store them at room temperature and enjoy them throughout the year. Fruits and...
elderberry leaf, berries, and jar of elderberry jelly
Wild Jelly: What is it and what plants can be used?
“Clark, that’s the gift that keeps on giving.” No truer words have ever described a Jelly of the Month Club. Yet, upon my annual family viewing of...
A pile of orange pumpkins sitting outdoors with sunshine filtering through the leaves in the background
Preserve your pumpkins this fall by following these simple tips
After a long summer tending to your garden, you may be getting a little tired. However, if you want your pumpkins and other winter squash to last...

News Releases

grapes on a vine
Learn to dehydrate fruits and vegetables
Dehydrating food is one of the oldest food preservation methods around. However, safely dehydrating is critical to enjoying dried goods months after harvesting. Whether you want to lighten the weight of your favorite foods for camping and backpacking or preserve fruits and vegetables for later...
pressure canner testing
Pressure Canner Dial Gauge Testing Clinic
Canning season is fast approaching! Are you ready? Have you had your pressure canner gauge tested lately? Did you know it should be tested yearly to ensure accuracy?   Pressure canners are the only safe home food preservation method to destroy the harmful microorganisms that can...
canned goods on a shelf
Brush up on your canning skills this spring!
It seems as though home food preservation continues to be a growing trend. Whether it is due to the increase in food costs, the desire to know what is going into your food, or because it benefits the environment by reducing one’s carbon footprint, home food preservation continues to be extremely...
Canned tomatoes
Learn 3 ways to can with confidence
UBBANA, Ill. — One of the best ways to preserve food is canning, a home-based method of food preservation that helps people prolong garden harvests, save on food costs, participate in family traditions, and control the quality of the food they eat. Discover how to can with confidence and...
cup cakes
Tips for entering the cottage food business
URBANA, Ill. — Last year, the Home-to-Market Act, a set of legislative updates to the Cottage Food Law, came into effect in Illinois. Before this legislation passed, food operators could only sell homemade foods...

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