Common Ground Garden Program

UC Cooperative Extension Serving San Mateo and San Francisco Counties

Mailing: 80 Stone Pine Road, Suite 100 UCCE Master Food Preservers Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 Physical Address: 1500 Purisima Creek Road 2015 Volunteer Training Program Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 San Mateo/San Francisco Counties (650) 712-3151 March 21, 2015 – May 23, 2015 http://ucanr.edu/sites/cesanmateo/

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) invites adults interested in helping others learn about safe home food preservation to apply to train as a Master Food Preserver (MFP) volunteer. UCCE Master Food Preserver volunteers learn research- based information and then share that knowledge with our communities in San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties through public classes, community events, and newsletters.

Who Can Apply?  Residents of San Mateo, San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties.  Applicants must be available to attend 10 classes: Saturdays from 9 am – 1 pm from March 21 through May 23, 2015. All classes will be held at Elkus Ranch Environmental Education Center in Half Moon Bay. Only one class may be missed and the content must be made up by arrangement with the instructor. The Food Safety class (March 28) is mandatory and cannot be made up.  Applicants must be comfortable using a computer and accessing the internet. Quizzes and homework are online; class communication is via email.

How to Apply  Attend one of our orientation meetings to learn about the Master Food Preserver Program, our community involvement, and your participation requirements. The meetings will be Thursday, February 12 from 4 – 5 pm and Saturday, February 14 from 10 - 11 am at Elkus Ranch Environmental Education Center in Half Moon Bay. Please RSVP for either session with Kathi Baxter at [email protected] by Wednesday, February 11.  Applications will be provided at both informational meetings. Completed applications are due by Friday, February 20, 2015.

What We’ll Do  Review applicants. Main criteria for acceptance: 1) prior community service, 2) experience teaching, either by giving presentations, writing, or in one-to-one situations, 3) experience/interest in home food preservation.  Conduct interviews during the week of March 2, 2015. We will contact you by March 9, 2015 if you have been accepted into the program.  Provide you with forms for a background check, including fingerprinting, which is required to become a certified Master Food Preserver.  Teach you how to preserve food successfully using scientifically researched home processes. Topics include Food Safety, Canning High and Low Acid Foods, Pickling, Jams & Jellies, Freezing, and Dehydrating.  Provide you with plenty of Volunteer and Continuing Education opportunities.

What You Will Do If Accepted into the Master Food Preserver Volunteer Training Program  By March 16 pay the $300 course fee.  Attend all classes. Only one class may be missed and must be completed outside of normal class time with a mentor. (Food Safety class may not be missed)  Provide completed LiveScan verification.

What You Will Do as a Certified Master Food Preserver  Actively participate in the Master Food Preserver program; answer food preservation questions on our help line, at the county fair, in public classes, and at other community outreach events. Help with program activities through internal committees.  Attend monthly MFP meetings in Half Moon Bay as often as possible.  Complete 50 volunteer hours your first year, then 25 volunteer and 12 continuing education hours annually. Take an annual food safety recertification test.

For more information, contact Kathi Baxter at 650-712-3151 or [email protected].

The University of California, working in cooperation with county government and the United States Department of Agriculture UC Cooperative Extension Serving San Mateo and San Francisco Counties

The University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources (ANR) Mailing: 80 Stone Pine Road, Suite 100 prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person in any of its programs or Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 activities (Complete nondiscrimination policy statement can be found at Physical Address: 1500 Purisima Creek Road http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/176835.pdf). Inquiries regarding ANR’s Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 nondiscrimination policies may be directed to Linda Marie Manton, Affirmative (650) 712-3151 Action Contact, University of California, Davis, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618, (530) 750-1318. http://ucanr.edu/sites/cesanmateo/

The University of California, working in cooperation with county government and the United States Department of Agriculture