Allison Carroll Duffy, author of Preserving with Pomona's Pectin and her own CanningCraft website, and a Master Food Preserver in Maine, had this to say about the Maine Master Food Preserver program.
What exactly is a Master Food Preserver?
A Master Food Preserver is someone who is trained through a Master Food Preserver Program, offered through certain state extension offices. It is an in depth program, about 40 or so hours of training, over a period of several months. Training includes many aspects of food preservation, such as canning, drying, freezing, fermenting, and root cellaring. After completing the training, first year MFPs are required to give at least 20 hours of volunteer service as an MFP. In subsequent years, MFPs are required to give a minimum of 10 hours of volunteer service per year to remain in good standing as an MFP.
How did you become a Master Food Preserver?
I had been growing and preserving food for almost 10 years prior to my MFP training, but all of my food preservation learning had been through books or learning by doing on my own. I always loved preserving and decided I wanted more in-depth knowledge on the subject, so I decided to take the MFP training course.
How did you find out about the program in Maine?
I found out about the MFP program though a mention on a group listserve I participate in. Someone who is interested can call the Maine MFP program at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Falmouth, Maine or visit the U. of Maine Master Food Preserver web page.
What specifically do you do as an MFP?
I volunteer at various events organized by our local MFP program -- for example, I might staff the MFP booth at a fair or do a preserving demo at a local event.
Who do you recommend to become an MFP?
Anyone with at least a little bit of food preservation experience who is interested in deepening their knowledge of food preservation, and who has an interest in sharing their knowledge with others. The MFP training does not require any previous knowledge, but because it's a very in-depth course and requires an additional volunteer commitment, I think it's a good idea to be sure that you really enjoy food preservation before making the commitment.
Did it lead to a paying job or a volunteer job for you?
I continue to do some volunteer work as an MFP, but my hope in becoming an MFP was always that it would eventually lead to paying work. And fortunately it did. I wrote a book on canning and jam-making in partnership with the folks at Pomona's Pectin, and I teach classes and workshops on food preservation. Prior to taking my MFP course, I already had a background in food, and my MFP training was a great addition to my education, really contributing to getting my food-related work/business off the ground.
