Wild Game Cooking Workshop brings Program Areas Together 

In Kentucky, hunting, fishing, and enjoying the beauty of nature are favorite past times for adults and children alike. About 350,000 Kentuckians go hunting each year in hopes of harvesting wild game meats for economical and nutritious food options for their families. Game meat (venison in particular) is a tasty and easy substitute in recipes, and offers a unique flavor profile. Proper harvesting, preparation, and storage of game meat is essential for keeping meat safe for consumption (NEP-229). Allen County Extension Agents for Agriculture and Natural Resources and Family and Consumer Sciences partnered to deliver a virtual Summer Sausage workshop in February of 2020. The event was advertised locally and on social media, especially in the Mammoth Cave Area, and had 17 participants. Registrations for this free, virtual event were collected in advance with the opportunity for participants to submit questions to be answered during the session. Educational topics included food processing techniques, creating a summer sausage seasoning blend, equipment safety (meat grinder and electric smoker), and food safety considerations for cooking with wild game meats. Of the participants who responded to the evaluation, 94% rated the program as excellent quality and stated they would also attend a similar program if offered again in the future. Of the participants, 100% reported gaining knowledge on food safety practices and food preservation techniques. Of the participants, 89% of participants reported gaining knowledge of equipment use and safety for processing wild game using the electric meat grinder, meat stuffer, and electric smoker. This program combined audiences from all Extension program areas that would typically only attend one program area’s events. This was a success because this program also attracted new audiences to Extension programs, who attended this event as their first experience with the Cooperative Extension Service. With the success of this program, we will continue to provide wild game cooking demonstrations and workshops in the upcoming program year.