Need to get home grown produce canned? Visit the Argene Claxton Canning Plant this summer 

PERRY — Summer is the perfect time to preserve fresh produce for year-long use. The Argene Claxton Canning Plant in Perry has become an essential part of people’s day in Houston County and beyond.  

The plant has been in the city for decades, open for canning during June and July. The plant is open during the school year for training and young farmer events. Other school districts also tour the facility. 

Students aged middle school and older work at the plant to get hands-on experience in agriculture. Houston County Young Farmer Advisor Ashley Denton considers the plant an extension of the home kitchen. 

“That is what this facility is all about, food preservation and helping people learn how to preserve their food versus going to the grocery store and buying [food],” she said during an interview. 

The facility is in a warehouse building just off of Houston Lake Road. Inside, there are tubs of water for customers to clean their produce, machinery used for cooking and stripping corn and people assembling their jars. There was steam and the smell of corn in the air seeping into the room. 

The canning plant’s creation began with a local agriculture teacher. The facility’s namesake, Argene Claxton, taught at Perry High School for 37 years. He started his teaching career in 1980 and retired in 2017. 

Claxton brought the canning plant in 1989 and it was located behind the school’s football field. 

It moved to its current location in 2020. Since then, volunteers have relied on word of mouth to get their names out in the community. 

Anyone interested can bring their homegrown produce, mason jars or freezer bags and preserve their food at no cost. 

The facility reopened for the season on June 1 and has had just over 100 customers so far, according to Denton. The summer months are considered the canning season because fruits and vegetables are at their peak.

The facility is part of the Houston County Board of Education. According to their website, the Georgia Agricultural Education program has 28 canning plants statewide.

At the plant, there are three paid student workers and multiple students involved with their school’s Future Farmers of America chapter. 

Customers begin the process by signing in and getting a number, which will be their number throughout the season. The facility has a log sheet that they will fill out with their number and what produce they are bringing. 

Once they enter, a student worker or teacher will determine which services they need. Denton explained that the corn process differs from the green bean canning process. 

If they are canning, staff will make sure their jars are washed and sterilized, and that their produce is blanched before putting it into the jars. 

Both seasoned canners and newbies visit the facility. Those who are new to canning will learn the process, while those who are more experienced will receive help from staff. 

Denton said any food can be preserved, whether it’s through canning or freezing. At the plant, they pressure-cook the produce to ensure it reaches the right temperature for the right amount of time to eliminate foodborne bacteria. The food is shelf-stable for about 18 months, as long as the lid does not pop, Denton said. 

Denton said instead of doing the process at home, they can use the facility. She said they have met locals and visitors from surrounding counties. 

Denton explained that whenever people have a garden, they grow enough to sustain themselves throughout the year. 

Most customers visit local farmers’ markets or farms, purchase their produce, visit the facility to process and preserve it, and have their produce all year long. 

Students come with their agriculture teacher to complete their volunteer hours for their work-based learning project. 

Denton said the student aspect of learning more about the agriculture field is beneficial. They are able to learn how to talk to people, become leaders and have personal growth. 

“Being able to have a conversation with an individual about agriculture and about preserving your food is a big deal [and] the art of teaching people the importance of agriculture. At the end of the day, we all have to have it to be able to survive,” she said. 

One of the student employees at the facility is Kate Peacock. She graduated from Perry High School a year ago and is currently at the University of Georgia, majoring in agriculture education. 

Peacock started working at the plant last summer and has since made valuable connections. 

“It’s a good opportunity for me to come and get to know all the ag teachers in the county and get to know the community in Perry,” she said during an interview. 

Peacock’s favorite part of the job is meeting new people. She mentioned talking with the other student workers about their goals and plans for college, which is one of her favorite memories. 

Denton’s job is to bridge the gap between high school and adult agriculture education. She teaches a class at Perry High School, then helps people in the community.

Denton said there has been an increase in customers since the COVID-19 pandemic. She believes people began looking for ways to ensure they had food to eat. She has also noticed a rise in home gardening and people switching to a slower, simpler life. 

She said that many people in her classes are starting their own gardens and have begun bringing their produce to the facility, which is another contributing factor to the plant’s growth. Social media also plays a role. 

Denton said there are people moving to Houston County to learn more about gardening, raising chickens and even cattle. 

“We don’t have many traditional farmers left in our county but the fact that people are interested in wanting to learn about agriculture is the purpose of ag education in general,” she said.

Denton believes the rising generation is far removed from the family farm culture that a lot of older generations grew up with. She said it is vital for children to learn the importance of agriculture. Another part of her job is bringing partners who are true supporters of agriculture education. 

Denton believes people should visit the canning plant to learn more about food preservation and where their food comes from. She said community involvement is also a big part of what they do.

“It is very much a community aspect. We call it our little canning family because there’s a lot of people that we don’t see except for this time of year,” she said. “That’s the only time we see them throughout the summer. The community relations is a huge part of it.”

The Argene Claxton Canning Plant is located at 1701 Houston Lake Road. It is open Monday through Thursday, starting at 7:15 a.m. Although they do not have a closing time, Denton said those interested have to bring their produce by 11 a.m because of the long cooking process. 

To learn more, visit the HCBE website.