It's summer time and the local eating is easy. Nearly every day one can find an event featuring great Ohio foods. Here are my top picks for the next few weeks: 1) Next Wednesday, July 25, Jeni Britton Bauer will be the featured author at Thurber House's Summer Literary Picnic where she will share from her cookbook, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Tickets are $30 for a boxed dinner and the reading, and $15 for the reading only. Call 614-464-1032, or visit: www.thurberhouse.org.

2) The Ohio State Fair runs July 25 - August 5th. Our family attends every year to see the wide variety of domesticated animals at the agriculture barns. We also enjoy the ODNR park to explore Ohio's wildlife.

3) Local Matters Local Foods Week is August 11 - 19. Start by taking the Eat Local Challenge to make small changes with big impact in your eating and then plan to attend an event during local foods week. There is something for every interest and budget.

4) Despite all the fun stuff to do outside the house, I will spend lots of time canning in the coming weeks. I hope to pick peaches at Branstool soon. Bird's Haven already has canning tomatoes available for $0.50/pound to pick up at their farm, Granville or New Albany Farmer's Markets. Email farmfresh@birdshavenfarms.com or call 740-404-1475 to reserve yours.

5) I would be remiss if I didn't mention my upcoming classes. I'm teaching Dehydrating 101 at City Folk's Farm Shop on August 5 from 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Meatless Monday at Franklin Park Conservatory on August 6 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, and Yes You Can: Preserve Tomatoes at Franklin Park Conservatory on August 12 from 3:30 - 5:30 pm. And of course I love to chat gardening, cooking, and preserving at the Swainway Urban Farm booth at the New Albany Farmers' Market on Thursdays from 4 - 7 pm and the Clintonville Farmers' Market on Saturdays from 9 am -12 pm.