A group of New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service agents has responded to a growing interest in home food preservation by creating a lending library dedicated to the cause.
NMSU’s Bernalillo County Extension Family and Consumer Science Agents Dianne Christensen and Amber Benson, along with Cindy Schlenker-Davies, former Bernalillo County Extension program director, established the first Food Preservation Lending Library in New Mexico.
“This library is a way of sharing our passion for food preservation and providing a low-commitment way for New Mexicans to access the necessary equipment along with guidance on how to use it,” Benson said.
The library includes a dehydrator, food processor, pressure canner, boiling water bath canner, and fermentation equipment available for community members to check out. Additional resources include equipment guides, information on safe practices for preserving and processing food, recipes, and answers to frequently asked questions. Equipment is available for checkout by anyone 18 years or older starting Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the Bernalillo County Extension office in Albuquerque. Loans are available for 14 to 21 days.
Benson has been working with NMSU graduates from the Master Food Preserver certification program over the past year to evaluate the library and has seen positive results.
“Having the ability to check out equipment from the NMSU food preservation program has been so rewarding,” said Jennifer Ball, recent graduate of the 2024 Master Food Preserver cohort. “Not only do I get to learn from the comfort of my own home, I get the added benefit of saving money and knowing how to use the equipment before I invest in it. I’m grateful for the resources and support I receive from Amber and NMSU.”
The library loosely models similar programs such as Oregon State University’s partnership with The Library of Things, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Bayfield County Food Preservation and Equipment Lending Library, and Field to Fork Community Tool Lending Library through Food Connects in Vermont.
For more information about these programs or borrowing food preservation equipment from the new library, visit the Bernalillo County Extension website or email Benson at ambenson@nmsu.edu.
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CUTLINE: Jennifer Ball, recent graduate of the 2024 New Mexico State University Master Food Preserver certification program, prepares meat to be dehydrated into jerky. A Food Preservation Lending Library will open in September at the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service office. (Courtesy Photo)
CUTLINE: Sara Williamson, graduate of the New Mexico State University Master Food Preserver certification program utilizes equipment from the NMSU Food Preservation Lending Library to preserve lactic-acid pickles. (Courtesy Photo)
