Due to a lapse in appropriations, the IMCOM Enterprise Web sites will only be updated with life, health, and safety information until further notice.
Fort Drum Family Advocacy Program helps family members learn a sustainable ‘can do’ skill
Mike Strasser
Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Sept. 19, 2025) - Fort Drum family members learned the skills to make apple season last year-round when the Family Advocacy Program teamed up with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County for a canning class Sept. 18 inside the Enrichment Center.
Jackie Ferguson, CCE local foods educator and master food preserver, explained the different methods of food preservation and how acidity levels determine which one to use, whether by boiling water, atmospheric steam or pressure canning.
“For this class, we are going to do hot water bath canning and show how to safely do this at home,” she said.
During the hands-on instruction, participants peeled and sliced a bowl of apples and made a light syrup which they used to pack the hot jars. Heat destroys microorganisms and creates a vacuum seal on the jars.
“This process can be used for all sorts of fruits as long as they use an approved recipe from a reputable source,” Ferguson said.
She advised attendees not to follow advice or recipes from blogs or social media influencers who tend to skirt health and safety rules. Instead, the National Center for Home Food Preservation is a trusted source to find research-based methods for canning, freezing, fermenting and pickling food.
Unlike other culinary skills where people can be creative with recipes, Ferguson said there are no eyeball measurements or guesswork with canning.
“It is a scientific method, so you have to follow step-by-step the recipe from a trusted source,” she said. “As long as you do that, you are good to go.”
As a stay-at-home mom, Kately Morse said she has picked up a few hobbies in recent years and has dabbled in canning.
“I thought this class would be a really good opportunity for me to talk to a master canner because I’ve never preserved apples before,” she said. “There’s so much local produce with farm stands and farmers markets, and so much that is readily available, that I thought this would be something productive I can do with my time.”
By the end of the class, Morse said she felt confident she could continue canning at home, and that this was a life skill that would benefit her family.
“Having the access to fresh fruits and vegetables and being able to preserve it is a really economical way to approach a budget,” she said.
Fort Drum FAP hosts a variety of cooking classes for family members that have included nutritious meals, holiday treats and healthy snacks.
“Canning is something new for us, and we thought maybe it was something people wouldn’t seek out on their own,” said Jordan Reeves, FAP family and life development educator. “We have such great connections with CCE and they are a great resource to have, so we wanted to share this with the community.”
Reeves said this was probably the most technical class they’ve hosted, but they also tried something new earlier in the day.
“We made applesauce chocolate chip cookies but because the kids were making the recipe we didn’t want to use raw eggs,” she said. “So, we used a flax seed and water mixture, and it worked really well. And the kids loved them.”
To find out what the Fort Drum FAP team is cooking up next, or to register for the next family-friendly event, call (315) 772-5914 or visit www.facebook.com/FTdrumFAP.
