Success StoryCook Wild Program Sees Success for First Time



Cook Wild Program Sees Success for First Time

Author: Dayna Fentress

Planning Unit: Hardin County CES

Major Program: Cook Wild Kentucky

Plan of Work: Utilizing Local Food Systems

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The problem

In Central Kentucky there are numerous types of wild game that can be harvested. However many families struggle to know how to prepare that wild game. Game meats are naturally low in fat and cholesterol but traditional cooking methods such as frying are often resorted to due to a lack of knowledge about alternative ways to cook and use the meat. University of Kentucky SNAP education identified this issue and created a series of Cook Wild Kentucky recipe cards. With these recipe cards, the Hardin County FCS program created a series called Sportsman's Suppers. 

The educational program response

Sportsman's Suppers allowed for individuals to claim any number of the Cook Wild KY recipes to be mailed to their house. Every recipe available was listed in the survey online, and participants simply clicked the box beside the ones they wanted. This allowed us to make sure they were getting recipes for game they harvested or had interest in, and we didn't waste by sending every person every recipe. We had more than 100 responses to the online survey, and recipes were collected per person and mailed out, along with the Cook Wild KY Calendars and the Cook Wild KY magnets. 

This group and the public were also invited to a partnership with Hardin County FCS, Hardin County Agriculture, LaRue County FCS, LaRue County Agriculture, and several other counties via Zoom, to a workshop hosted at the Hardin County Extension Office on harvesting wild turkey. More than 30 participants attended in person, with many others on Zoom, to ask their questions about safely harvesting wild turkey, and then two Cook Wild turkey recipes were sampled.

The participants/target audience

The target audience was any clientele who had an interest in learning about harvesting, hunting, or simply cooking wild turkey. The audience for Sportsman's Suppers was any clientele (we also had many from out of county and two other states register for recipes as well) who wanted the Cook Wild recipes on wild game.

Other partners (if applicable)

Hardin County Agriculture, LaRue County Agriculture, LaRue County FCS, Department of Fish and Wildlife

Program impact or participant response.

100% of participants said they learned something new

100% of participants who currently harvest wild turkey planned to change at least one safety feature of how they harvested wild turkey

82% of participants saw ways to improve their hunting or field dressing experience

100% enjoyed the samples

85% said they planned to use a Cook Wild recipe at home to try a new preparation method for their wild game

97% of Sportsman's Suppers respondents planned to use a Cook Wild recipe after their next harvest

46% had already prepared one of the recipes that had been mailed to them






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