Press Release from Trinity Lutheran Church, Nampa –

On Aug. 24, Trinity Lutheran Church (Trinity) will begin hosting its fifth annual Home Food Preservation Series, in cooperation with the University of Idaho Extension. The three-part series covers basic canning, pressure canning and freezing. In 2013, Trinity was given a Domestic Hunger Grant from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. After the Harvest was a two-part grant proposal meant to extend the impact of Trinity Community Gardens Inc. Not everyone who receives produce from food pantries knows how to prepare it and once the harvest season ends, the produce goes away. Part One of the grant was a cookbook, completed in 2015, containing simple recipes, six ingredients or less, for produce grown in Southwest Idaho.  Part Two sent four Trinity members to the six-day Food Safety Advisor Training at Ada County Extension.  These Food Safety Advisors then led the labs at Trinity in late summer.  Each evening of the series at Trinity begins with a lecture by an Extension Nutritionist.  Then the students break into laboratories.  Over the last five years, Trinity has sent 13 people (eight Trinity Lutheran Church members and five community members) to the training in Ada County. Around 60 people total have taken the three-part series offered at Trinity in late summer.  This year the series will be Aug. 24, Aug. 31, and Sept. 7 from 5:45-9:00 pm.  The fee of $40.00 covers the lectures, labs, a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving Food, and a dozen pint canning jars with lids.  Enrollment will be limited to the first 20 paid applicants.  Scholarships are available.  Registration forms can be found on the announcement page of Trinity’s website: nampatrinity.org.

Quotes

Joey Peutz, Extension Nutritionist

“After the Harvest is such an amazing program and strong partnership between Trinity Lutheran Church and University of Idaho Extension.  The After the Harvest volunteers are committed to their community and so motivating to work with.  It is a transformational experience to see a community learning together and working together.  On top of that it is just fun to teach and prepare home food preservation products with our community.”

Bambilin Beavers, Community Member and Food Safety Advisor

“Food preservation is one of those basic skills that can provide people the know-how to prepare healthy food for themselves and their families.  It can provide the autonomy to take part in their own health and well-being, and allow for a sense of accomplishment.”

*About Trinity Lutheran Church: a community of faith whose mission is to refresh the faithful and reach out with word and service to all others through the Holy Gospel. Trinity is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and has been served by Pastor Meggan Manlove since November 2010.

*About Trinity Community Gardens Inc.: founded in 2008 by three advanced master gardeners, the original plot was planted in the backyard of Trinity Lutheran Church. The project has expanded to gleaning and a second plot on East Railroad.  In Dec. 2014, the gardeners published an English/Spanish book, Growing to Feed Many: How Trinity Community Gardens Inc. gets more food from less space.

*About UI Extension: helps citizens through research-based, locally relevant information and programs. They offer programming in 4-H and Youth Development, Crop Production, Food Preservation, Small Acreage and Livestock Management, Nutrition, and Horticulture. Clients learn through hands-on classes, workshops, trainings, office visits, phone calls and online resources.

* About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.7 million members in more than 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.