Tim Long, UC Master Food Preserver Volunteer Online Program
My name is Tim Long. I am a University of California Master Food Preserver (MFP), specifically affiliated with the Online Program. To give you an idea of how I got here in the program, I would like to share a bit about my life.
I am 78 years old. I was a late-in-life baby as my parents were born in 1900 & 1905. They lived through some very tough times in our history. World War I, the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl era, then World War II, the Korean War, and worried about me during Vietnam. As youngsters, they shared many, many stories about life during those times and how they learned to grow their own food as well as preserve much of it during many shortages. These stories along with practical experience helped develop my desire to grow food and as they used to say, “put it up” (can, freeze etc.) I also learned about gleaning things like nuts, fruits and vegetables.
This led to me being an Agriculture/college prep major in high school. I also spent 4 years in FFA and earned the State Farmer Degree. I then left home to attend Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo where I ultimately received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Business Management. After graduation and my time in the Army, life was pretty ho hum. I continued to garden and preserve as time permitted in a busy schedule of work and family.
In 2020, I received my certification as a Master Gardener in the second class available in Stanislaus County. I also wanted to train as a Master Food Preserver, but my county does not have the program. I tried for 2 years to get San Joaquin County to allow me in their program since they are the next county north of me. But you need to be a resident of the county with a program to take the training. Last year they notified me about the new Online program which was coming in January of 2024. I immediately applied and HOO RAY was accepted and am now trained.
This program has been such a fantastic opportunity to enhance my food processing skills as well as learn new techniques and finally learn more about the science involved in food processing. All the people I now get to work with are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. And of course, now my family gets to enjoy more of the fruits of my labor no pun intended.
I can’t say enough about the importance of this program, and I am so happy to be able to share what I have learned with others.
I would encourage you to at least consider joining the training program in 2026 or at least attend the orientation, so you have a better understanding of how it works.
Here is the link to more information about the online program. https://mfp.ucanr.edu/Contact/Find_a_Program/Online_Delivery_Program/
Thanks,
Tim Long