Ray County residents eager to preserve their garden bounty gathered for a recent Community Connections class, where University of Missouri Extension Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health Sue Robison led an in-depth presentation on home canning. Hosted at the Ray County Library, the event offered a blend of practical instruction, personal anecdotes and detailed safety guidelines. Robison, a longtime educator with MU Extension, focused on ways to safely can highacid and low-acid foods, with a particular emphasis on using modern methods approved by the USDA. “Canning has changed over the years,” said Robison. “I want to help people understand what’s safe and what’s not.” Robison began by walking attendees through the most important principle of food preservation – acidity. She explained high-acid foods, such as tomatoes and fruits, can be processed in a water bath canner, while low-acid foods, like green beans, must be pressure canned to avoid the risk of botulism. “You can’t…