That’s why, right now I’d be enjoying the oysters Rockefeller over raw. They taste so much better cooked, to me.
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Yikes! A seller at the farmers’ market told my husband and me about a friend of his who contracted botulism from improperly canned food. He said that she didn’t die, but she had lifelong health problems as a result.
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My brother got it from a cajun buffet. Months of recovery. It was horrifying what he went through. Avoid at all costs! It may not kill you, but for sure you’ll wish you were dead for a period.
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I’m a Master Food Preserver (currently on hiatus), and it’s kinda scary how many folks use unsafe canning/food preservation methods on the justification that “My [insert ancestor here] did it that way and never killed anybody so it must be safe.” Wax seals, oven canning, flipping filled jars, the list goes on. I don’t have a problem with “my kitchen, my rules”, unless you give away canned product and fail to inform the recipients of your canning methods. I used to be quite militant about admonishing folks on The Other Site about safe vs unsafe canning, but on HO I’ve mellowed a lot. I respect other people’s right to do as they please.
One thing the Eater article points out with which I agree wholeheartedly, is that the USDA guidelines make recommendations both on the basis of food safety and quality. There’s a lot of stuff that can be canned safely, but you wouldn’t want to eat it afterward because it would be unappetizing.
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Or it may 
Nice! I am a Master Gardener, and think of doing that too! In addition to wanting the training, I am always frustrated when I can’t write about cooking when I write about gardening for MG. Probably just as well; my plate already has as much as I can eat!
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Mrs. ricepad is an MG, and we have several people who are both MGs and MFPs. I don’t know how they manage to get in all their volunteer time!
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the “rebel” canners LOL me so bad. nobody’s treading on you, sweetie.
I’m a Master Gardener course drop-out 
I enrolled in the programme at a local university, and started the plant identification course. I was winging the weekly tests without reading or learning the material. I decided I’m a little too old to be doing my coursework like that. 
I admire you for getting it done!
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I was so into it! When the director was passing out the scored final, other students were discussing which ones they got wrong, and I got a perfect score.
It was an “open book test”, and hanging out on HO is good preparation that. 
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My course was entirely online, online tests weekly. Assignments online. I dropped out about 8 weeks into the first semester.
I wish I could have taken the course and tests in person!
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Filed under FAFO **
** Fk around and find out
(And by the way…I canned preserves with the upside-down jar method when we lived in France because that was actually printed on the box of pectin…its the only batch of jam in my life that grew a thick layer of green mold)
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I always tell my online students that “open book” means there’s no excuse for you not to get a good grade. (I always got perfect scores that way, too) 
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“I am a Master Gardener”-Shrinkrap
I’m dang inclined to agree with you. Every photo you send of your produce is drool-worthy.
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Thank you @DaBadger! I am working on my photography, and use my own pictures when I write for MG, and I appreciate that!
For the record, and in the interest of recruiting new volunteers, more about the Master Gardener Program in the US, and the Master Food Preserver program in California. I wasn’t sure about the Master Food Preserver sources elsewhere.
Sure don’t need to be a master photographer to impart the beauty of those veggies. How dah hell do you grow a zipper in a tomato. Genius.
I was unaware such program existed. I have a ton of kids in agriculture by me. Might be worth passing along to my botany/preservation kids.
Where I am, the program has worked with kids in Juvenile Hall. The last time we tried it, the logistics of pandemic restrictions and the required clearances to work with the kids were daunting, but it might be easier now.
We don’t restrict a whole lot. Stayed home that march, when it first hit the fan, but we made sure the next school year we met in person. To us, the risk of kids falling behind was worth the price to satisfy our county DHS and come in person. Best move we ever made. But, I could see turning kids on to this. Lots of 4H where I am and the kids take pride in the veggies, fruits and meats they raise. Nice resume booster for agronomy kids, too. Sounds like boring stuff, but when I see one of my kids show their beautiful lamb, or pig, I swell with pride with them. fairs often give kids more impetus to keep going as the kids often make good money when they sell their prized (fill in blank.) When I see one of my crew selling at the farmer’s market, I guarantee they’ll make at least one good sale. Our kids, for the most part, have a great feel for plants and animals.
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One wine bar, 1 dead, 12 in hospital, at least 25 sick customers.
Home-canned sardines can be deadly!
Undertrained kitchen staff can be deadly!
Tourist traps can be deadly. Out of the 25 customers who have become ill, 12 have been admitted to hospital. A Californian, an Irishman, 3 Canadians , a German, a Spaniard and some British people have become sick. A Greek person died.
I wonder if the locals knew to stay away from Tchin Tchin.
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