News & Updates

Abbie who is a high school student in Missouri wrote the following essay about feeding the hungry. Thank you Abbie for caring about those in need and sending us a copy of your essay!

“Feeding the Hungry”

Over 12-million children and 15-million households are currently suffering from food insecurity. Realizing this vast number needed to drop, I interviewed Kendra Graham, a Field Specialist in Livestock at the University of Missouri, and Josh Wilson, the Executive Director of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to get their opinion on how this number could lower.

Kendra Graham’s job with Extension provide a research-based education to producers. A way she is able to assist those in need of food is to provide those with information and knowledge to raise their own livestock. “Other ways University Extension can help is through the food and nutrition program. Specialists in nutrition can visit with people to help them sign up for food assistance. These specialists can also teach healthy eating habits and educate on food types and how to prepare it.” Graham states.

Josh Wilson is in charge of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH), which provides nutritious meat from donated deer, elk and livestock to local food banks and ministries that feed those in need. Hunters and farmers are invited to donate their deer and livestock to participating local butcher shops who process and package the meat at a discounted price for the organization. Financial donations to the organization are used to pay the meat processing bills so that hunters, farmers, and the organizations that receive the meat can participate free of charge.

I asked them both if they had any ideas on how people in a community can help out those struggling with hunger and Graham and Wilson both agreed that to help out those in need people can donate food, money, or their time at local food banks. FFA students may also participate by conducting a local food drive to raise awareness on feeding those that are in need of food.

I asked them how they think agribusinesses can use their managing to help the hungry. The two agreed, if there are supplies that exceeds demand the product could be distributed. Graham mentioned, “There are cases where product supply exceeds demand and the extra product needs to be utilized quickly before spoiling.  In this situation that extra product can be sent to organizations that distribute food to the people that need it.” Wilson also made a great point that, “They could also work to educate farmers who have hunters on their property to help control deer numbers and crop damage about programs like FHFH that can use harvested deer to provide meat to the needy.”

My final question was, what are some ways you think that farmers could benefit the hungry? Both Graham and Wilson agreed that farmers could participate in local food drives and organizations. Wilson also mentioned, “Another idea would be to plant a few extra rows or an extra field and invite a local gleaning program to come and harvest it for use in feeding the needy of the community.”

Whether you are a farmer, an FFA student, or wanting to help someone in need, if we work to waste less food, donate more time, and participate in local food drives we can reduce the percentage of those that are hungry.

​Horseradish Crusted Venison Top Sirloin with Black Current Sauce and Caraway Seed Spaetzle Gratin

By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks

A roasted venison top sirloin (aka “football roast”) is topped with a horseradish panko crust and served with an easy black currant sauce.  The sweetness from the sauce is a great foil for the bite of horseradish.  Add a side of homemade creamy cheesy caraway seed spaetzle and Sunday dinner just reached a whole new level!  

​Ingredients

For the Venison

• 1-two pound aged Venison Top Sirloin (aka “football roast”)
• 1 tbs. Fresh Cracked Pepper
• 1 tbs. Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp. Juniper Berries (crushed)
• 1 tsp. Caraway Seed
• 6 tbs. Prepared Horseradish (you can serve extra horseradish mixed with a little mayonnaise along side the roasted meat, if desired)
• 1/3-1/2 cup Panko (Japenese Breadcrumbs)
• 1/4 cup Grape Seed Oil ( or canola oil, or olive oil) plus a few tablespoons for searing

For the Black Currant Sauce

• 1 cup Venison Stock (or veal stock, I use More Than Gourmet brand)
• 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine
• 1 Shallot, minced
• 3 tbs. Black Currant Preserves
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tbs. Butter

For the Caraway Seed Spaetzle

• 1-1/2 cups AP Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 2 tbs. Caraway Seed

For the Gratin

• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Gruyere Cheese (or Emmantaler, or other Swiss cheese)
• 1 Beaten Egg
• 1/2 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2 tbs. Butter, melted

For the Venison

• 24 hours ahead, trim venison of all silver skin and coat with pepper, salt, crushed juniper berries, and caraway seed and place in a zip lock bag.
• Pour 1/4 cup oil into the bag.
• Refrigerate overnight.

To Cook the Venison

1. Remove the venison from the fridge 1 hour before serving to bring to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Heat a cast iron (or oven safe pan) over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil.
4. Quickly sear the venison on all sides.
5. Turn off the heat, and smear the horseradish over top and sides of the venison.
6. Top the horseradish with panko and place, uncovered, into the oven.
7. Roast the venison to no more than medium-rare, about 10 minutes.
8. Serve with black currant sauce.

**For the Black Currant Sauce

• Heat 2 tbs. oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat.
• Add minced shallot and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the stock and red wine, black pepper and simmer until reduced by 2/3, about 45 minutes.
• *This can be done the day ahead and refrigerated.
• Just before serving, add the black currant preserves to the reduced stock.
• Add 1 tbs. butter to give the sauce some shine.
• Serve with venison.

For the Caraway Seed Spaetzle

• *They can be made the day ahead and assembled and then refrigerated and brought to room temp. before baking.
• Mix flour, eggs, salt and caraway seed and set aside for half hour (this is to create a thick batter).
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 1 tbs. Kosher salt.
• Using a spaetzle maker, add the dough, about 1/2 cup at a time and press down on the plunger over the pot of water to create the noodles.
• Once the spaetzle noodles rise to the top (about 30 seconds), remove them to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Continue adding batter to the pot until all the spaetzle are cooked.

For the Gratin

• Once all the Spaetzle noodles are cooked, butter the inside of 4-6 ounce ramekins.
• Grate the gruyere cheese add the beaten egg and heavy cream into a bowl and mix.
• Add the cooked spaetzle and divide between the 4 ramekins.
• Melt the butter and mix with the panko then top the ramekins with the crumbs.
• Bake in a 300 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Notes

• Spaetzle makers are quite inexpensive and cost from $6 up. A “ricer” makes a great spaetzle maker also. A colander with large holes can be used as a substitute, but you will need a helper to hold colander over the boiling water while you add the batter and scrape across the colander to push the batter through the holes, to create the noodle shapes.
• You can substitute making the homemade spaetzle for a bag of pre-made spaetzle, or extra wide egg noodles, or macaroni and just boil them and then add the caraway seed to the cheese gratin.
• The spaetzle can be boiled and cooled then assembled into the ramekins the day ahead, and refrigerated, then bring to room temp before baking. If refrigerating, bake a bit longer since they’ll be cold to start.
• Sautéed cabbage makes a great side dish (I was out of cabbage at the time, or I would have used it.)
• **The Black Currant Sauce: Can be made the day ahead, and reheated over low heat for serving.

​Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry was awarded a $500 grant by the Gulfport Energy Fund at the ​​Foundation for Appalachian Ohio for its “Meating the Need: Venison for the Food Challenge” program serving Guernsey, Harrison, and Noble counties.   

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio is a regional community foundation serving Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties with the mission to create opportunities for Appalachian Ohio’s citizens and communities by inspiring and supporting philanthropy.​ 

​Thank you Foundation for Appalachian Ohio for your support of our mission to feed the hungry.​

In February, West Central Ohio FHFH and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church made venison chili to serve at a free community meal at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. They served over 300 servings of chili.

Thank you to Mike Armentrout, Chapter Coordinator for OH-40, and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church for feeding those in need.

Southwest Ohio FHFH provided three hundred plus pounds of venison to the Hope House and Breiel Church pantry in Middletown, Ohio. 

A huge thank you to Wayne Topper and the staff at The Chop Shop in Cleves for their great work processing deer for Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and to all of the hunters that donated deer to make this possible!

FHFH welcomes People’s Meat Market in Stevens Point, WI as a new meat processor.
​
CLICK HERE for a list of all participating meat processors.

Elk Sate (Satay) with Peanut Sauce
by Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks

Elk striploin is marinated for 24 hours, then quickly grilled and drizzled with a simple peanut sauce for a play on an Indonesian favorite. I made it a main course with coconut milk rice and steamed edamame with chili flakes and black pepper! Meats on a stick are the perfect food.  
 
It can also be served as a buffet appetizer by placing the skewers on a bed of dry roasted peanuts along with a small bowl of peanut sauce. 

Prep Time:  24 hr 15 min
Cook Time:  6 min
Total Time:  24 hr 21 min

For the Elk

• 1 lb Elk Strip Loin (substitute any other venison)

Marinade

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup scallions, cut into rings, including green parts
• 4 tbs. toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbs. brown sugar
• 3 Tbs. roasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbs anchovy paste (eliminate if allergic, but don’t worry, it won’t taste fishy)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbs. crushed red peppers
• 2 tbs. dried onion flakes
• 1 tbs. onion powder
• 1 tsp. ginger powder

Peanut Sauce

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 large jalapeño, seeded cut into small mince
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 3 tbs. hoisin sauce (black bean paste)
• 2 tbs. low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbs. sesame oil
• 1 tbs. brown sugar
• Juice of one whole lime
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions, divided in half *reserve half for garnish
• ** 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts for garnish, (may be eliminated)

For the Elk

• Cut the elk strip loin into one inch wide pieces three inches long and set aside in a large glass baking dish or in a zip lock bag.

For the Marinade

• ​Mix all the ingredients and pour over the elk strips.
• Marinate for 24 hours.
• Pre-heat the grill to 350º-400ºF.
• Thread the elk strips on on the top end of a skewer.
• Place the skewers on the grill for 1 minute per side.
• DO NOT OVERCOOK.
• Serve the peanut sauce overtop or in a small bowl.

For the Peanut Sauce

• Mix all the ingredients and drizzle over meat after cooking.
• Refrigerate if not using right away and re-warm slightly just to bring to room temperature.
• *Don’t be concerned if the peanut sauce separates a little, this is normal, just re-mix the sauce.

Notes
​*This recipe is great for any venison, antelope, goat, duck, pheasant, domestic beef or pork, or chicken.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ….”    Matthew 25:35   

Having a Heart for the Hungry
 
What do you do when you get hungry? Do you go out to eat? Do you check your refrigerator or cabinet for something to eat? Do you go to the grocery store to get more food if food is getting low?  Unfortunately, not all the people in your community can do that.
 
In 2016 there were 41,204,000 people in America who were not getting enough to eat. Too many people are unable to purchase an adequate amount of food and are having to choose between buying food and paying utilities, transportation, medical care or housing. Some people struggling with hunger stretch their food budget by purchasing less expensive unhealthy food, watering down food or drinks or selling personal property. No one should have to live like that!  And they don’t have to!

Sincerely,

​
​Josh Wilson
Executive Director
Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry

Venison Meatballs with Chili-Cranberry Sauce
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks
 
These meatballs can be frozen in batches and added to a variety of sauces, soups, and stews or serve all of them for a block party!  Baking them in the oven on foil lined sheets makes quick cleanup, and large batches can be cooked at the same time, and the meatballs don’t fall apart.
 
Makes: 2 pounds = approx.45 mini meatballs
 
BASE MEATBALL RECIPE:
 

• 2 lb. Ground Venison (or any wild game), keep the ground venison cold!
• 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed Corn Flakes (adjust based on how the mixture is looking, add if more binder is needed to shape meatballs, otherwise, stick to 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs (or plain + 2 tablespoons dried parsley and 1 tablespoon dried oregano)
• 1 tbs. Garlic Powder
• 1 tbs. Onion Powder
• 1/3 cup finely minced White or Yellow Onion
• 4 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

 
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
 

• Lightly beat the eggs.
• Crush corn flakes to medium ground in a sealed zip lock bag
• Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix. 
• Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out about 48 meatballs, then roll in between palms to shape.
• Line a baking sheets with foil and add meatballs. 
• Place the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake in the oven for 7 minutes then gently roll meatballs over with a fork and bake for an additional 7 minutes. 
• Remove and leave on the baking sheets to cool COMPLETELY. 

 
 *Freeze in batches in zip lock bags with as much air removed as possible or vacuum bags and use directly from the freezer and place in sauces, soups or stews. 
 
 
 SAUCE: CHILI-CRANBERRY SAUCE: 
 
**About 48 Pre-Cooked Frozen Meatballs 
 

• 1 can Whole Cranberry Sauce (14 ounce)
• 1 bottle Chili Sauce
• 1/3 cup Dried Onion Flakes
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Ketchup
• A splash of Worcestershire Sauce

 
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
 
For Oven Baked:

• Add all the sauce ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Pour the sauce into a 9×13 glass baking dish.
• Add the frozen or fresh meatballs.
• Bake, covered for 35 minutes, then remove the covering and bake another 10 minutes.
• Serve with steamed rice.

 
For the Crock-pot:

• Add all the ingredients and stir.
• Add the meatballs.
• Cover and cook on lowest setting for about 90 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and sautéed green beans or as a pot luck for a large cocktail party.
 
**When hubby wants to go hunting, I mix all the ingredients, including the frozen meatballs and pour it into a foil pan, and place raw green beans on top. I seal it with aluminum foil.  When Hubby comes back to camp at the end of the hunting day, he places the pan in the Camp Chef oven at 300º and allows it to bake while he gets himself cleaned up. Forty-five minutes later, he serves them with 3 cups minute rice… his hunting buddies love it and there is little clean-up and cooking for him to do.

We always appreciate thank you notes from the food banks and ministries that receive nutritious meat from our FHFH chapters.  Ann Szasz, Pantry Captain at the Middlefield Food Pantry wrote: “Thanks for your continued support of the Middlefield First United Methodist Church Food Pantry and the families we serve.  Your generous donation of venison was used to provide nutritious meals to area families in need.  We served 1,329 families (3,516 people) in 2018.  Of those 1,004 were children under 18 years old and 572 were senior citizens.  Thanks again for your donation.  We remain committed to fight against hunger in our communities, and we are thankful for compassionate partners like you.”

Thank you First United Methodist of Middlefield, OH for your letter.  Thank you to Jason Traggiai for serving as chapter coordinator for Great Lakes FHFH (OH-35), the hunters who donated deer and all those who support the Great Lakes FHFH chapter.