Enjoy The Fruits of our Labor Workshop

“Enjoying the Fruits of Our Labor” Horticulture Workshop, March 28

Franklin County Extension is holding an educational workshop on selecting cultivars of fruit trees, small fruits, and grapes for northern Iowa, Saturday, March 28, at the Franklin Farm Bureau Office in Hampton. General care, such as: planting, pruning, pest control, and harvesting will presented by graduate students and staff from the Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University.

One of the speakers, Barb Ristau, Franklin County Extension Families Program Assistant will demonstrate how to preserve harvested fruits. Canning fruits destroy the organisms that cause spoilage, such as molds, yeasts, and bacteria; canning also inactivates enzymes that can cause undesirable changes in flavor, color and texture of raw fruits. Because fruits are high in acid they can be safely processed in either a boiling water canner or a pressure canner. Freezing fruit is a quick, convenient, and popular way to preserve extra produce. Freezing is not as economical as canning, but it preserves more nutrients in food if properly done.

To learn more about growing, harvesting, and preserving fruits please pre-register by calling the Franklin County Extension Office at 641-456-4811 or go on-line at www.extension.iastate.edu/franklin Cost is $10.00 per person, $15.00 per couple. The workshop is approved for Master Gardener recertification training hours. Participants are asked to come dressed for an outdoor demonstration of pruning. The program will run from 8:30 -11:30 a.m.

Whats going on in Hampton?  click here   

picture courtesy of Stephen Poff over at flickr.com