Monthly Articles To-date

Cole Imperi, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program VolunteerCounty of residence: Los Angeles Cole Imperi and fellow trainees (Used with permission).  The first time I canned anything was the second summer after I bought my first house a few blocks from the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky. I…

Maria Giovanni, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer California has a diverse landscape, with altitudes ranging from 280 feet below sea level (Death Valley) to 14,500 feet (Mt. Whitney). The location of your kitchen is an important consideration in home food preservation. The first step is…

Robin Martin, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program VolunteerCounty of residence: Sacramento Robin Martin (Used with permission).  I grew up 10 miles west of the Twin Towers in a third-floor apartment. My mom (a transplant from LA) was (and still is!) an excellent cook; she prepared fresh…

Travis Alexander, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program CoordinatorHave you been enjoying Save the Season newsletter? Do you have ideas on how we can make it even better? Let us know by filling out this survey by February 12, 2026 January 10, 2025. We will select three respondents at random to receive…

Travis Alexander, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program CoordinatorHave you been enjoying Save the Season newsletter? Do you have ideas on how we can make it even better?Let us know by filling out this survey by January 10, 2025. We will select one respondent at random to receive a prize.This data is…

Ariel Patton, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer  Hand picked cluster of grapes (Ariel Patton, used with permission). The thousandth grape drops into the bowl. As the wilting days of summer soften into crisp fall mornings, I pick bunches and bunches of grapes from my garden. I…

Monica Gross, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program VolunteerCounty of residence: Los Angeles Monica Gross (Used with permission).  Hi! My name is Monica Gross and I am a 2025 graduate of the UC Master Food Preserver (MFP) Online Delivery Program. I heard about the MFP Program when I first…

Robin Martin, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Although the best pumpkins for cooking are the smaller, sweeter varieties of pumpkin, pretty much any pumpkin can have its life extended after its role as an autumnal decoration is concluded. Prepare and freeze* pumpkin purée for soups,…

 Paige Weisskirch, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer  Dried fruit bread (Photo caption: Paige Weisskirch, used with permission). Every November, I open my pantry and face the same situation: half-empty bags of dried apricots from the previous year’s baking; figs I…

Earl Weak, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer In simple terms, pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline (basic) a solution is. A pH below 7 indicates an acid solution A pH above 7 indicates an alkaline (basic) solution pH 7 is considered neutral In the context of food…