Preserving Workshop

There was a time when preserving food was simply part of everyday life. You grew what you could, made the most of what was in season, wasted very little and found ways of carrying the abundance of one season into the next.

This relaxed, hands-on workshop will explore different approaches to preserving, alongside the wider wisdom behind them: being more frugal, reducing food waste, eating more seasonally and reconnecting with practices that were once passed naturally between generations.

This isn't about creating the perfect pantry or becoming an expert preserver. It is about remembering some of the simple things people used to know, sharing knowledge, asking questions and learning together.

What we'll explore

During the afternoon we'll look at:

• Traditional pickling and preserving methods
• Simple ways to make seasonal produce last longer
• Being more frugal with food
• Reducing food waste
• Using what is locally grown, available or abundant
• The seasonal traditions behind preserving food
• Ideas you can take home and try for yourself

And, as always with Thriving with the Seasons, expect plenty of wisdom sharing, conversation, laughter and connection along the way.

Why preserving matters

Before supermarkets, refrigeration and year-round access to almost every type of food, preserving was an essential part of seasonal life.

Communities grew, harvested, stored, pickled, fermented and preserved what was available so that food could carry them through the colder months. Much of this knowledge was shared through families and communities rather than written down.

That living knowledge is exactly what Thriving with the Seasons is trying to explore, celebrate and help keep alive.

Our Heritage Fund project is reconnecting people across Darwen and Blackburn with seasonal living, local food, traditional growing and preserving skills, nature and the stories that sit behind them. Heritage isn't only something that exists in museums or old buildings. It lives in recipes, gardens, kitchens, memories and the things people teach one another.

Who is it for?

Everyone is welcome.

You don't need any previous experience of preserving, growing or cooking. Come because you're curious, because you want to waste less, because you're interested in seasonal food, or simply because you'd like to spend a couple of hours learning and connecting with other people.