Experts from the West Virginia University Extension Service are offering a one-day, hands-on workshop for those interested in producing and marketing dried fruit and vegetable products.
The workshop takes place Thursday, May 11 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Marshall County WVU Extension Office, 126 Barn Drive, Moundsville, WV 26041.
“This workshop can help producers learn how to dry fruits and vegetables as an additional way to market it, which extends the effective season of which they can sell their goods,” said WVU Extension Agents Cheryl Kaczor and Karen Cox. “However, the training can also help any individual who is just curious about how to safely and properly prepare dried fruit and vegetable products for home use.”
Pre-registration is required and is due by Thursday, May 4, 2017. The cost is $15 (scholarships available) and includes all necessary materials and lunch.
For registration information, contact Cheryl Kaczor at 304-843-1170, Karen Cox at 304-234-3673 or Paul Crumrine at 304-293-8588.
The workshop is taught by experienced food processing experts, and will address what products are viable for drying, the processes involved, ingredients, product safety, proper packaging and storage and handling, shared facility, marketing and more.
Instructors include food preservation, marketing, business, and food safety experts from WVU Extension Service and Penn State Extension. The program is sponsored by the WVU Extension Service with funding from Branch Banking and Trust company, WVU Public Service Grant, National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE IT Program under Award HRD-1007978, Northeast Extension Risk Management Education and Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety.
For more information on food safety and preservation visit the WVU Extension Service website, or contact your local county office of the WVU Extension Service.