Home food preservation

For those interested in the fundamentals of home food preservation, Penn State Extension is offering a webinar, “Living on a Few Acres: Food Preservation,” from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 25.

This session is designed for the beginning producer or homesteader and for those looking to become more self-sufficient by preserving their own food.

This event offers an introduction to home food preservation. Participants will learn about canning, freezing and drying to enjoy seasonal foods year-round. The webinar will cover the scientific principles behind today’s recommended preservation methods, debunk myths, and address unsafe practices.

The “Living on a Few Acres” webinar series covers basic information on how to get started and provides resources with more advanced information for participants to continue pursuing goals or hobbies. Topics have included beekeeping, syrup making, vegetable gardening, tree and small fruit production, backyard greenhouses, and other homesteading topics.

Participants must register by 8 p.m. July 25 to receive the link to access the live webinar. A $5 registration fee accompanies the event. Registrants also will receive access to the webinar recording.

More information is available on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/LFAFoodPreservation.

Water supply testing

Penn State Extension is offering Pennsylvania residents with private water supplies the opportunity to test their drinking water for lead and other health-related pollutants.

The free water testing is available to a limited number of homeowners who use private wells, springs or cisterns.

Participants must attend a workshop at the Monroe County office of Penn State Extension from 2:30 to 4 p.m. July 30. The office is located on Phillips Street in Stroudsburg.

Testing will cover coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, nitrate, manganese, arsenic, lead, copper, barium and sodium. A laboratory accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will conduct the testing.

The program is available to about 20 households in Pennsylvania that use a private well, spring or cistern for drinking water.

This must be a primary residence; camps and summer homes do not qualify.

This initiative was funded by a Pennsylvania Department of Health cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Environmental Health Capacity program and is supported by the Penn State Extension Master Well Owner Network.

Questions about this no-cost testing program can be directed to Peter Wulfhorst, energy, business and community vitality extension educator, at 570-832-2803 or ptw3@psu.edu.

To register for the workshop, visit https://extension.psu.edu/private-water-supply-education-and-water-testing-workshop.