Canning jars. They’re found all over Pinterest boards as soap dispensers, drinking glasses, home décor and even chandeliers!
In 2014, Medina Co. Master Gardener Volunteers (MGVs) decided to capitalize on this canning jar craze by hosting a “Harvest in a Jar” event. The event started as a program to educate citizens on the proper canning techniques and share ideas to take advantage of the fall’s excess harvest. Through discussion, the program expanded to cover canning, seed saving and decorating with backyard flora.
Two Family and Consumer Science Extension educators taught the canning session. Summit Co. MGV, Heather Stefanik, discussed the art of seed saving from favorite vegetables, and Gloria Sheller lead a talk on saving amaryllis bulbs.
To continue the jar theme, the MGVs served tea and lemonade in pint jars with drinking lids. Quart jars were used during the visual portion of the décor design, and each person received a quart jar filled with an assortment of garden flora to take home.
For the second year, Harvest in the Jar was renamed Harvest 2.0. This time, more Medina Co. MGVs were involved in the program’s educational talks. Topics included drying flowers, cleaning garden tools and canning. Joanna Rini, Medina County Family and Consumer Science Extension Educator, also checked pressure canner gauges for safety.