Country Ham Project

“The practice of curing country hams dates back centuries, long before modern storage methods were available. …people kept their food from spoiling by packing it in a mixture of salt and other spices, and stored it for an extended period… Modern technology allows for other ways of preserving food, the way country hams are cured now is very much the same as it was long ago” Kentucky Farm Bureau News March 2018.

During the COVID-19 pandemic people gained a new appreciation of being able to preserve their own food and to be able to preserve their own hams. The Lewis County 4-H Country Ham project provides youth who do not have an animal project the opportunity to participate in livestock education and to learn how to preserve meat.  

 Youth attend six educational hours of programming. Participants receive two hams in January which they put in cure mix and Garrison Meats lets them cure out at their facility.  Participants learn about seasonings used to cure the hams and the process for curing hams.  The hams are hung at Garrison Meats until early May while they are taking the cure and then moved to the Mason County ham house to finish the curing process.  Hams are moved from Garrison meats to the ham house because they need a warmer temperature than the Meat processor can provide.

In 2020 Lewis County had 3 participants complete the country ham project.  They cured the hams, cleaned them and sent them to Shelbyville to compete in the Country Ham contest. Usually a speech is required but because of the pandemic youth had to submit an essay about their country ham project.  Lewis County had one youth that placed first with her essay in her division.  She also placed second overall in her division.  All youth that participated received a blue ribbon for the country ham which indicates that they did a good job curing their country ham.