Preserving Local Fruit

The Santa Clara Valley is an incredibly fertile place.  Santa Clara Valley is home to Citrus (Oranges, Lemons), Stone (Cherries, Plums, Peaches) Fruit, Pome (Apple, Pear) Fruit and Rare (Feijoas, Loquats) Fruit too.  In most places in the world, if you can grow Citrus, it's difficult to grow Stone and Pome Fruit and vice versa.  In July we actually have stone, pome and citrus all ripening at the same time -- incredible!

There is so much to choose from when preserving what's grown right in our own "backyards".  Education in food preservation includes understanding all that we have available to us, how to preserve it for enjoyment and nutrition after the fresh season,  and often creating recipes that preserves the natural flavors of the fruit.

Jammin' Team

This is the team makes the preserves for Village Harvest fundraising.  We make boutique preserves with recipes formulated specifically for the type of fruit that is being harvested at the time.  Preservers of all experience levels are welcome.

Meets monthly (or when fruit is ripe) at All Saint's Episcopal Church Kitchen in Palo Alto.

Preserving from the Garden Interest Group

A social, tasting, and sharing event for preservers of all experience levels.  There is much tasting of preserves that fit the "theme", sharing of recipes, questions and answers, and helpful hints.

This is a bi-monthly meeting on the 3rd Friday in the early afternoon at member's homes.  Organized by the Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.  Guests welcome by invitation.

Recent News and Press on Preserving from the Garden events and participants:

• Preserving Fall Produce, Oakland Tribune, October 8, 2008
• The Chill Factor: A guide to what freezes, what doesn't and why, SF Chronicle, May 18, 2005
• Afghan women taught ins and outs of canning:  South Bay official creates program in war-torn Kabul, SF Chronicle, January 15, 2005
• Cambrian couple cultivates blue ribbons, Cambrian Times, December 2004
• Let's Jam: Neighbors gather for Carroll's jam session, Campbell Reporter, November 24, 2004.  (No longer available on the web.)
• Cambrian resident wins blue ribbons at Cal Expo and Santa Clara County Fair despite lack of fruit, Cambrian Times, October 2003

Preserving from the Garden Email Forum

This group is for gardeners and preservers in the San Francisco S. Bay and Peninsula.

It's a forum for questions and sharing ideas and resources for preserving from the garden.  Members are welcome to post questions and recipes, hints and ideas, events and happenings related to home food preservation methods.

To join in, email:  preservingfromthegarden-subscribe@yahoogroups.com