Art and healthy eating come together through innovative charcuterie boards which have become very popular across the state. Harrison County residents indicated interests in exploring their creativity, learning new food display techniques, and understanding foods well suited for a charcuterie board showcase. Additionally, discovering the history of smoking summer sausage while applying traditional techniques with present day technology has piqued interests from community residents. Harrison and Bourbon County, KY Ag & Natural Resource and Family & Consumer Sciences agents have partnered together on multiple occasions to share this exciting, collaborative workshop for hands-on experience which reinforces educational teachings. This 2-part workshop allows participants to gain an understanding of charcuterie board components followed by implementation of creating their own board with food and supplies. Next, participants learn how to smoke sausage and then make summer sausage from scratch, utilizing numerous ingredients. The sausage is smoked a couple days after the workshop and participants are notified to pick up their finished product.  

Ninety-six percent of survey respondents reported that they felt very confident in their ability to put together a charcuterie board after attending the workshop. Seventy-five percent indicated they plan or strongly plan to make summer sausage on their own. With additional sausage stuffing equipment to make this happen, those numbers are remarkable. Comments reported on surveys included, loved the hands-on learning, learned many new skills with displaying food such as making a rose out of pepperonis and decoratively slicing up strawberries. Additional comments include enjoying both (charcuterie and summer sausage) sessions of the program, great presentation by agents, and we want more! Several participants have asked for repeat or advanced sessions to expand their knowledge and indulge their interests in the art of charcuterie boards and excitement with summer sausage making. Future plans are to continue these workshops and expand with new ideas annually.