News & Updates

Venison Barley Stew
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks
Serves 6

A hearty stew for hearty appetites and cold weather!  I have everything in this stew but the kitchen sink.  A dollop of horseradish cream and hot homemade bread makes this dish complete.
 
Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds venison shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces (substitute elk, moose, caribou, antelope, or bear)
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, cubed
1 celery stalk, cubed
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. tomato paste
2 tbs. anchovy paste
1 tbs. garlic powder
1 tbs. onion powder
1 tbs. Kosher salt
1 tbs. fresh cracked pepper
5 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
2 bay leaves
1-14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
9 cups venison or beef stock ( I used 5 tbs. More Than gourmet venison Demi-Glace mixed with 9 cups water)
1 cup Pinot Noir red wine (cheap stuff will do)
1/2 cup pearl barley, uncooked
7 honey gold potatoes, skin on cubed, placed in a bowl of cold water until ready to use (keeps them from turning brown)
1/2 cup frozen petit white corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups chopped kale
Canola oil or grape seed oil for sautéing

Instructions:

1.Cut shoulder meat into 1 inch pieces, season with salt and pepper and sit aside while prepping other ingredients

2.Heat a large soup pot with a few tablespoons of oil and heat on medium-high

3.Add the pieces of meat, a few at a time to the pot and brown (don’t over crowd the meat)

4.Remove the browned pieces to a bowl

5.Continue adding the meat, a few at a time until the pieces are browned

6.Add a bit more oil if needed and add the onion, carrot, celery, and leeks, and minced garlic and sauté for 5 minutes

7.Add the meat back to the pot with the vegetables

8.Add the tomato paste, anchovy paste, garlic powder, onion powder, Kosher salt, pepper, thyme leaves, bay leaves, crushed tomatoes (with juice), venison (or beef) stock, and red wine

9.Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down to low heat

10.Partially cover the pot with a lid and keep on a very low simmer for about 2-3 hours

11.Once the meat is becoming tender, add the pearl barley and simmer another 1-2 hours, stirring on occasion so the barley doesn’t lump up or stick to the bottom of the pot

12.Turn the heat to medium-high and add the potatoes, corn, peas, and kale and cook until potatoes are fork tender

13.Mix a few tablespoons prepared horseradish with 3 tbs. cream and top with soup if desired

Notes:

This stew can be canned in a pressure canner for longer shelf life… although it tastes so good, it will be a challenge to keep on a shelf!!
 

Miriam’s Kitchen received 171 pounds of venison from FHFH participating meat processor KS Kuts owner and operator, Kris Stiles.  Miriam’s Kitchen serves two meals per day (breakfast and a late lunch/early dinner) seven days a week totaling 87,000 meals annually!  To give you an idea of the magnitude of the homeless and less fortunate population in the District of Columbia,  the venison donation on September 28 provided a protein source for about five meals at Miriam’s Kitchen.

Lynn Sheldon is the Chapter Coordinator for DC & Montgomery County FHFH.  Lynn has set a goal for his chapter to provide 30,000 meals this season!

Thank you to everyone who made the donation of this venison to feed the hungry in D.C. possible!

Wisconsin FHFH Northern Zone Coordinator Mike Handrick presented a certificate of appreciation to Candace Kraft, University of Wisconsin Green Bay student.  Candace contacted us through our website as she was working on her thesis which is titled “The Wisconsin Deer Donation Program.  A Comprehensive Evaluation of a State-Sponsored, Venison Donation Program.”   We connected her with our Wisconsin Coordinator Mike Handrick who was already working with Wisconsin DNR deer donation program coordinator Brad Koele to develop and complete a survey of processors and butchers who participate in the program.

The Wisconsin deer donation program has seen a dramatic decline in donated deer in recent years after peaking in the 2005 – 2008 timeframe.  The purpose of the survey is to help determine why the deer donations have plummeted over recent years.  “Candace was the perfect person to help me complete these phone surveys.” said Mike.  “She completed the bulk of the phone surveys and when combined with my surveys, I was able to complete an executive summary that was presented to Brad Koele who runs the DNR deer donation program.”

Mike is working with us and the Wisconsin DNR to help develop and implement collaborative efforts to raise awareness of our FHFH mission and how it may fit into the existing Wisconsin program.  This is a neat example of how our local FHFH coordinators can proactively engage existing state sponsored programs to develop impactful programs that yield improved results.

Mike presented Candace with the certificate, a t-shirt and cap at the base of the Vince Lombardi statue outside Lambeau Field in Green Bay before the Packers Lions game, Sunday, September 25.  The Packers defeated the Lions, 34 -27.

CLICK HERE​ to read Candace’s thesis.

Willow, the 7-year-old daughter of one of our Chapter Coordinators in North Carolina, donated her harvest from the recent annual North Carolina Youth Day Hunt to FHFH!  

Willow’s dad says, “Definitely lots of joyful tears shed (by me) in the stand and all day afterwards… especially when she said, “Daddy, can we donate these deer to feed the hungry?” 

Thank you Willow for donating your deer to feed the hungry in North Carolina!

The Ausherman Family Foundation recently awarded Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry a $2,500 grant for Frederick County FHFH.

The Ausherman Family Foundation envisions a vibrant community where committed nonprofit organizations effectively work together in the spirit of cooperation to advance superior charitable outcomes in Frederick County and empowers the passion for change in Frederick County, Maryland.

On behalf of FHFH and those in Frederick County who struggle with hunger, we thank the Ausherman Family Foundation for their generosity and support of our mission to end hunger.

Matt Coblentz, Chapter Coordinator for Lehigh Valley FHFH in Pennsylvania, donated this deer he harvested during archery season in Lehigh Valley to his FHFH Chapter. 
  
Matt said, “The Lord is good and has blessed those in need here in the Allentown area with a fresh meat supply.”

FHFH welcomes Brenda Moots who joins the FHFH team as our newest Chapter Coordinator.  Brenda is the Chapter Coordinator for Logan/Union County FHFH in Ohio.
  
We also welcome several new meat processors:

• Indiana
  • Solsberry Deer Processing & Taxidermy in Solsberry
• Louisiana
  • Hattons Meats in Winnsboro
• Ohio
  • East Dayton Meats in Dayton
  • Greens Meats in Celina
  • Kiko Meats in Minerva

You can find Brenda and the rest of our local Chapter Coordinators by CLICKING HERE. We encourage you to reach out and support them!

If you would like to donate deer or livestock to FHFH, please CLICK HERE to find a participating FHFH meat processor. 

Don Emry, Chapter Coordinator for Hendricks County FHFH, had a booth at the September 7 Hendricks County Get Involved 2016 event hosted by the Hendricks County Community Foundation in Indiana.

The event was an interactive nonprofit showcase and volunteer fair providing the public with opportunities to learn about local nonprofits and charitable organizations seeking volunteers, board members, and partners.  Hendricks County Community Foundation enables a larger impact beyond what one individual nonprofit can accomplish by creating an infrastructure for local people to come together and solve local problems impacting Hendricks County, Indiana.

We welcome Nate Matlack as our newest FHFH Chapter Coordinator!  Nate is Chapter Coordinator for South East Idaho FHFH.

Inspired by a passion for the outdoors and compassion for the needy, Nate joins our other FHFH coordinators who are making a difference to the hungry in their communities.
 
You can Nate find and the rest of our local Chapter Coordinators by CLICKING HERE.  We encourage you to reach out and support them!