Canning the bounty of Windsor and Essex County

It turns out that mason jars are more than just hipster drinking glasses.

This Saturday (Sept. 12), the Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market will host a participatory workshop called "Learn to Can."

Local markets are now bursting with fresh produce, but it will disappear before you know it. So the best way to enjoy the bounty of the county throughout the year is by canning it. 

I love the idea of preserving, but I've always been worried about doing it wrong. The last thing I want to do is ruin a batch of beautiful tomatoes with botulism.

To learn more about the workshop and the art of canning, I met with Krysta Glovasky-Ridsdale and Steve Green. Steve is the general manager of the market, and Krysta is running the workshop. They're both avid canners and they stress canning at home is really simple and safe.

Click on the audio player to hear my conversation with them.

Windsor Morning9:29Food with Jonathan Pinto - Canning Workshop

Everything you've wanted to know about canning - but were afraid to ask. Jonathan told us about a canning workshop happening at the Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market this weekend.

Ready to can some fresh local tomatoes?

The Learn to Can participatory workshop takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market, located at Charles Clark Square. The workshop starts at 8 a.m. and will run until the market closes at 1 p.m.

All materials, including the tomatoes, will be provided, and participants can buy the finished jars on a cost-neutral basis — $1 for a small jar, and $2 for a large one.

Can't make the workshop?

Check out this document, courtesy of Windsor-Essex Community Supported Agriculture and the Ford City Community Garden. It contains detailed instructions for boiling water canning, as well as recipes.