Prince Edward County will hold an Open House at the Prince Edward Cannery located at 7916 Abilene Road on Tuesday, October 19. The event is scheduled from 3 until 7 p.m. Canning demonstrations will occur at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The event is open to anyone interested in canning, food preservation, or is just curious about this valuable resource.

During 2010, with agribusiness grant funds of $350,000 from the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, the cannery has seen upgrades which have resulted in a facility that is available to food business entrepreneurs for the commercial processing and preserving of acidified foods. Producers can now process acidified food products at the cannery that can then be sold to restaurants, grocers, or distributors.

The cannery continues to provide equipment that can cut the kernels from corncobs, blanch produce quickly, wash leafy vegetables, and make juice or sauce from fruits and vegetables. One recent improvement is the addition of retort equipment that will make it possible to preserve fruits and vegetables in glass jars, although the bi-metal cans are still available.

The Prince Edward Cannery is open to facilitate the development of agribusiness by providing an inspected commercial kitchen and registered food canning establishment for food processing and preservation. However, the cannery still welcomes families that desire to preserve their food for personal enjoyment. Anyone interested in canning, whether personally or commercially, is invited to visit the cannery at an Open House.