Need help with a plant problem or identifing a plant? The West Pottawattamie Master Gardeners are starting a Help Line to help with these and other problems. We are closed now for the Fall and Winter. Please check back for our opening dates in the Spring.
If you are a 3rd-12th grader showing beef, sheep, swine, poultry, rabbits, dairy and/or goats at fair, make sure to attend the mandatory YQCA training and Livestock Extravaganza on Thursday, June 3rd at Westfair.
Are you ready to can those fresh fruits and vegetables with Grandma's pressure canner but don't know when it was last used? ISU West Pottawattamie County Extension will test your canner gauge at NO CHARGE and advise you if it is functioning properly and if other repairs may be needed to safely preserve your garden bounties. Please be advised: Oven canning is NOT a safe shortcut, Barb Fuller, Nutrition and Health Specialist and a Master Food Safety Advisor for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, says, “Many individuals have shared they have tried, or have heard about, oven canning. Just because a jar is sealed doesn’t mean the food inside is safe to eat. I’ve had people say to me- ‘I haven’t gotten sick from it.’ I tell them they are probably very lucky! Botulism is a big concern.”
