Gadsden County Times

Canning Centers As New Project

Commissioners Agree to Purchase 48,000 Tin Cans for Resale: Miss Elise Laffitte to Direct Work.

The Gadsden County Board of Commissioners gave their support, this week to a program of vegetable and fruit canning in all sections of the County and backed their move with a pledge to help in preliminary financing of the program.

The commissioners said the County would be responsible for rent, lights and water at the canning centers in Quincy, Havana, Chattahoochee and Greensboro. Miss Elise Laffitte, County Home Demonstration Agent, in charge of the canning projects, said she was confident the program would be self-supporting once it was put in operation.

Plans tentatively made will allow housewives in or near these centers to prepare their foods for canning and bring them to the centers where the canning will be done under the supervision of persons qualified in the work. The housewives will furnish their own labor and supplies and will pay a nominal fee for the use of canning equipment. Miss Laffitte estimates that the canning program will make it possible to do more canning in Gadsden County than has ever been done before and will help relieve the shortage of foods in this section.

The Commissioners also agreed to purchase about 48 thousand tin cans for use in the centers. The cans will be sold at the prevailing retail price.

A shortage of pressure cookers and other canning equipment will make it necessary that the fullest use be put to all available equipment, Miss Laffitte said. In the rural sections a number of families will use the same cookers, in neighborhood canning projects.

Miss Laffitte said she hoped to have the centers in operation within the next two weeks so that early crops might be canned and at the same time help perfect the organization so canning can be done rapidly and efficiently by the time the heavier seasons come in.