CANTON – Three workshops offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension in the coming weeks offer new or experienced cooks an opportunity to build skills and make the most of local food. 

The Harvest Kitchen at the Extension Learning Farm, 2043B State Highway 68, is offering one live online class and two hands-on in person workshops in late September and into October. 

There is a free option for the online session, whereas the other two have a sliding scale that starts at $10 to cover ingredients and other supplies. 

The first workshop All About Water Bath Canning, will be a webinar shot live from the Harvest Kitchen at the Extension Learning Farm on Sept. 23, 6-7:30 p.m. 

The session includes seeing the instructors make and water bath can tomato salsa. 

In addition, they will cover why and how this method of canning works and the foods, such as jams and pickles, that can be safely preserved using water bath canning methods. 

The Harvest Kitchen has a video set-up that includes two cameras and microphones, so workshop participants will enjoy multiple angles to get a feel for the entire process. 

There is not a class size limit for this online session, but pre-registration is required to access details about how to watch the live online workshop. 

This workshop is available on a sliding scale, $0-30 so that participants can pay what they can afford. 

Questions are welcome throughout the workshop.

On Oct. 2, 6-8 p.m. is Homemade Tortillas and Seasonal Tacos, an in-person workshop in the Harvest Kitchen. 

Enjoy this hands-on class using locally-raised produce and meat to make tacos. 

In this lively session, the group will participate in mixing and pressing masa dough for corn tortillas, preparing all fixings, making fresh tortillas, then sitting down to share the meal together. 

We'll discuss ideas to layer flavor and texture in your tacos to create unique seasonally inspired snapshots.

 Class size is limited and registration is offered on a sliding scale, $10-40 where participants pay what they can afford.

The third workshop is Pressure Canning Meat on Friday, Oct. 25, 1-4 p.m. in the Harvest Kitchen. 

Here’s an opportunity to take part in the pressure canning process from start to finish, using chicken raised at the Extension Learning Farm. 

The skills learned will be transferable to many other low acid foods such as vegetables, beans, soups and more. 

Class size is limited and registration is offered on a sliding scale, $10-40.

The instructors for this session are multiple Master Food Preserver Volunteers along with Flip Filippi, co-owner of the community farm littleGrasse Foodworks and Extension’s Local Food Program Leader.

Reserve your spot via the events calendar at stlawrence.cce.cornell.edu or by contacting Cornell Cooperative Extension at (315) 379-9192, ext. 229.