The Coos County Master Food Preservers will be offering free pressure canner gauge testing at two upcoming events in Bandon and Coos Bay the first weekend of May. Pressure canner dial gauges are delicate instruments that should be checked annually for accuracy. This free service is offered year-round at the OSU Extension Office in Myrtle Point, but here are two opportunities for those in the Bandon and Coos Bay areas to have their gauges checked closer to home: The Master Food Preservers will have a booth at Bandon ACE Hardware during their annual garden event on Saturday May 5th from 10am to 3pm. Both Master Food Preserver and Master Gardener volunteers will be present to answer your food preservation and gardening questions as well as test gauges. You can also find the Master Food Preservers at Cascade Farm and Outdoor’s event on Saturday, May 5th, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. They will be setup inside the store. Again, gauges can be tested and you’ll have the opportunity to ask your food preservation questions. Starting on Wednesday, May 2, the MFP volunteers will have a booth at the Coos Bay Farmers’ Market. They will be offering free gauge testing, as well as answering your food preservation questions. Hours will be 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Master Food Preservers will be at that location the first Wednesday of each month, through the market season. When bringing your gauge in for testing, you can leave it attached to the canner lid. You may also choose to bring the entire canner so a thorough inspection can be made of the equipment. For more information about gauge testing, to ask food preservation questions, or to just learn more about the Master Food Preserver program, contact coordinator Samantha Clayburn at 541-572-5263, ext. 25299.
