Time to get pickled! UC workshop to focus on pickling in early August

The UC Master Food Preserver Program of Mariposa County will host a hands-on Refrigerator Pickles Workshop.

The workshop will be on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at McCay Hall, 2820 Highway 140, Catheys Valley.

No canning or special equipment is required. Participants will prepare fresh summer vegetables, mix their own brine and take home a jar of crisp, tangy mixed pickles that are ready to enjoy in days and even better after a couple of weeks.

The class also includes a live water-bath canning demonstration. No experience is needed and all skill levels are welcome.

The materials fee is $10, and no one is turned away for lack of funds. Space is limited to 24 participants, so early registration is encouraged.

“Refrigerator pickling is one of the easiest and safest ways to start preserving food at home,” said Maxwell Rygiol, Community Education Specialist with the program. “You don’t need any special equipment, and you’ll leave with a jar you made yourself and the confidence to make more.”

To register, visit ucanr.edu/county/mariposa-county/mfp-workshops or call the UC Cooperative Extension Mariposa office at (209) 966-2417. To request reasonable accommodation, contact the office at least 10 days before the workshop.

About the UC Master Food Preserver Program

UC Master Food Preserver is an education and outreach program that shares research-based information on home food safety and preservation. Since 1982, trained UC Master Food Preserver volunteers have equipped Californians with the knowledge and skills to safely preserve food at home. It is a statewide program of the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), part of the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP). Locally, workshop fees support the Mariposa County program’s materials and equipment.

The UC Master Food Preserver

Program’s mission is to keep Californians safe and well as they use culturally appropriate, research-based practices to safely preserve food in the home, reducing food waste, increasing food security, and providing engaging ways for Californians to explore healthy food.