Whats more fun than throwing together local ingredients to create delicious jams, pestos and canned products doing it in someone elses kitchen!
The Richmond Food Security Society is launching its weekly Canning Drop-in where residents bring in their supplies, use the equipment and facilities on-site, and then head home with their sealed jars and bags of goodies.
The drop-in will run on Tuesdays, from 5-8pm. For the month of August, the venue will be Garratt Wellness Center at 7504 Chelsea Place.
In September, canning will take place in the kitchen at Minoru Seniors Centre at 7660 Minoru Gate. Hot water canners, jars and equipment will be provided by the society.
With local produce in abundance, this is the best time of the year to put food aside, said Arzeena Hamir, coordinator for the society.
Were very grateful to Vancouver Coastal Health and Minoru Seniors Centre for providing the venue.
Weve been collecting jars and equipment all year so we cant wait to put them to good use.
Participants who dont have their own ingredients can also volunteer to help process produce from the Terra Nova Sharing Farm.
Basil will be turned into pesto for the first couple of weeks. Once tomatoes ripen, they will be canned.
All of the produce that is preserved is then donated to community meal programs run by Gilmore Park United Church, Richmond Family Place, St. Albans Anglican Church, and Bethel Church.
We know that canning and preserving are skills that not many people have but they really are key to making local food affordable, especially through the winter months, added Hamir.
We encourage anyone to come. Families and kids are welcome too. Young people definitely need to witness what canning looks like so the more the merrier.
For more information about the Canning Drop-in, contact Hamir at 604-727-9728 or at [email protected] or visit their website at www.richmondfoodsecurity.org.
