Are your tomatoes ripening up a storm? Now is a great time to learn how to preserve your garden produce. Boise Public Library is offering four classes in August about harnessing your harvest.

Learn about food dehydration and preservation from Anjel Griggs of Boise Grange. She'll be presenting the class on Tuesday, August 2 in the Library! at Collister, Sycamore Room; and again on Wednesday, August 10, in the Library! at Hillcrest, Lemhi Room. Both classes run from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Griggs will demonstrate use of a dehydrator, and discuss sun drying, oven drying and other methods of preservation. Samples will be available for participants to taste the difference between home-dried foods and store-bought.

Learn how to safely preserve a variety of food products from the University of Idaho's Master Food Safety Advisor, Tricia Carney. She'll cover basic canning techniques, including supplies, the importance of using a research-based recipe, and where to find more information. Carney will be at the Library! at Cole & Ustick in the Sagebrush Room on Tuesday, August 16; and, at the Main Library Hayes Auditorium on Thursday, August 18. Both programs run from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

For more information about the programs, visit www.boisepubliclibrary.org/calendar. The Library! at Collister is located at 4724 West State Street; the Library! at Hillcrest is at 5246 West Overland Road; the Library! at Cole and Ustick is on 7557 West Ustick Road; and the Main Library is located at 715 South Capitol Boulevard in downtown Boise.