The Coos County Master Food Preservers will be offering free pressure canner gauge testing in Coos Bay at the Farmers Market starting in May. Gauge testing will be offered the first Wednesday of each month starting in May and ending in September. Pressure canner gauges are delicate instruments that should be checked annually for accuracy. This free service is offered year-round at the OSU Extension Office in Myrtle Point, but here are some opportunities for those in the bay area to have their gauges checked closer to home.

On the first Wednesday of each month, the MFP volunteers will have a booth at the Coos Bay Farmers’ Market. They will be offering free gauge testing, as well as answering your food preservation questions. The booth will be located next to the Coos County Master Gardeners. Hours will be 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

When bringing your gauge in for testing, you can leave it attached to the canner lid. You may also choose to bring the entire canner so a thorough inspection can be made of the equipment. For more information about gauge testing, to ask food preservation questions, or to just learn more about the Master Food Preserver program, contact coordinator Samantha Clayburn at 541-572-5263, ext. 25299