Food Safety and Preservation in Penobscot County

Ever wonder how to preserve and use all of that great locally-grown produce?

girl with braids and hat in a kitchen with two adults. One adult is washing dishes in the background while the other is showing how to wipe the rim of a jar recently filled with vegetables and pickle brine. Bowl of curled garlic scapes and miscellaneous canning supplies in foreground.
Laurie Bowen, Community Education Assistant and Food System Professional in Penobscot County, helps campers make refrigerator pickles, freezer jam, and gives them a taste of fruit leather made with Maine wild blueberries.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers food preservation workshops in Penobscot County, where you’ll learn the basics of canning and freezing—plus how to safely use pressure and water bath canners for foods like pickles, jams, and vegetables.

Workshops are taught by both UMaine Extension staff members and Master Food Preserver Volunteers.

Cooking for Crowds

Cooking for a crowd isn’t as simple as it seems; safe storage, proper cooking, and serving times all matter. Check out this workshop designed to help volunteers handle food safely and confidently.

For details about this workshop, visit the Cooking for Crowds page on Extension’s Food and Health website.

Would you like to host a workshop for your group?

Request a Cooking for Crowds training

ServSafe® Certification

Get certified with confidence. UMaine Extension offers an 8-hour ServSafe® training with the latest materials and exam proctoring, perfect for anyone working with food, including nonprofits.

For details about this certification, visit the ServSafe® Certification page on Extension’s Food and Health website.

Request Form: ServSafe® Training

Home Food Preservation

Thinking about canning your garden harvest this year? Whether you’re new or getting back into it, make sure you’re using safe, up-to-date methods. Start by looking into Extension’s Home Food Preservation resources.

Updated recommendations are as close as your local UMaine Extension office or call 800.287.0274 to find an office near you.

For details about this set of resources, visit the Home Food Preservation page on Extension’s Food and Health website.

Interested in hosting a workshop or want to see one offered near you?

Request a Food Preservation Workshop form

Master Food Preserver Volunteer Program

Passionate about food preservation?

Become a Master Food Preserver Volunteer, gain hands-on training, share research-based knowledge, and serve your community. Maine residents 18+ can apply. Participants complete a 28-hour course with labs, pass quizzes and a final exam, and contribute 20 volunteer hours.

Learn more: Master Food Preserver Volunteer Application Process

Learn more: Master Food Preserver Volunteer Role Description

Have any other questions?

Contact Kathy Savoie at ksavoie@maine.edu.

For details about this program, visit the Master Food Preserver Volunteer Program page on Extension’s Food and Health website.

Pressure Canner Dial Gauge Testing

The gauge on your pressure canner should be checked annually for accuracy. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers free pressure gauge testing on the following brands: National, Magic Seal, Maid of Honor, and Presto® Pressure Canners.*

Call 207.942.7396 or email Laurie Bowen at laurie.bowen@maine.edu to have your gauge tested.

For details about this service, visit the Pressure Canner Dial Gauge Testing page on Extension’s Food and Health website.

* Information in this webpage is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned in this webpage. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.