The Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. has awarded $1,500 in grant funding to the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Youth Hunter Initiative.

The FHFH Youth Hunter Initiative will encourage young hunters in the 12-24 year age range to provide a service to the less fortunate of the community by participating as deer donors to supply much needed meat to the programs in the Washington County community that assist in poverty (hunger) relief with youth and families.  Providing this opportunity to serve others will help our youth become good citizens who contribute to the well-being of others in their community.

FHFH began twenty years ago in Washington County, Maryland with two local meat processors - Ernst Market in Clear Spring and Holsinger's Meat Market in Maugansville.

Rick Wilson, Founder of FHFH, recounts how these two meat processors began partnering with FHFH 20 years ago to help feed the hungry.
 
"Chance Meeting With Greg Ernst"

The day after I had stopped to help a lady load a road kill deer into the trunk of her car to feed her hungry family, my wife and I stopped for lunch after church.  I encountered my friend Greg Ernst who had butchered many of my family's deer. After telling him what had happened the day before, I asked Greg if he would consider butchering deer donated by hunters in the area if I could raise the processing fees.  He not only said yes enthusiastically, but he also said he would process them for his actual cost.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our online auction and helped us raise $7,000 to feed the hungry!
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A special thanks to our sponsors:  Quality Deer Management Association, Redneck Blinds, Hunter Safety System, Twigg Cycles, Henry Repeating Arms, Buck Knives and G5 Outdoors for donating or discounting merchandise for the auction.   

Central Indiana FHFH Coordinators John and Beth Mollet were recently featured in the "Connected Afield" column by Glenn Kelsey in the March edition of the Gad-a-bout Newspaper. The story is reprinted here...
 
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry
 
A Noblesville family wanted to make a difference.  So when John and Beth Mollet attended a deer and turkey expo in Indianapolis, they saw their prime opportunity.  "There was a booth looking for coordinators for the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry program," Beth said. "They didn't have coordinators in the Marion, Hamilton or Madison counties, so we picked it up and ran with it since." 
 
FHFH has been in Indiana since 2001, and the Mollets have been coordinators for Hamilton, Marion, Hancock, Henry and Madison counties since 2005. The program provides high-protein, low-fat meats -mostly venison - to local food kitchens and organizations to help feed those who are hungry in Hamilton and surrounding counties. 
 
Some of the organizations the Mollets work with include Wheeler Mission, the Salvation Army and Grace Community Church. 
 
"We are the go-between with the hunter and the butchers and the butcher and the food pantry, food bank and soup kitchens," John said. "(As coordinators), we raise the funds and awareness to the media, and we try to approach the hunters. If the hunters and farmers don't know to donate, they don't donate." 
 
Although the organization mainly focuses on venison, they accept livestock from farmers as well. The hunters and farmers are able to donate without a cost to them.  "The hunter and farmer pay nothing. We cover the processing fee," John said. "It usually costs about $70 to
process, package and freeze the meat for about 50 pounds of meat. Every deer serves about 200 high-protein, lowfat servings." 
 
During the Eagle Creek Deer Reduction, FHFH used 200 deer to serve 40,000 meals in central Indiana.  The Mollets use Archer's Meats in Fishers, but there are a variety of butchers that take part in FHFH in Hamilton County.  For hunters looking to donate their meat, they can visit fhfh.org and find Hamilton County to search for a list of places to donate to. 
 
Also, the meat stays in the county it is donated to.
 
"Mildly undernourished children suffer emotional and physical damage and the impact of hungry children can be lifelong," Beth said. "We work with other organizations to do this. We are faith-based and a nonprofit, so we work with Catholic charities and Christian charities and pantries to help stamp out hunger in this county. Hamilton County is one of the wealthiest counties, and people think there are no hungry people here, but there are." 
 
"This (organization) knows no limits," John said. "It's a very rewarding ministry." 
 
Beth and John are both strictly volunteers. John owns Mollet Garage Doors and Beth is a retired nurse. They do their work with FHFH not for a paycheck, but to help the community.
 
"Knowing that we've provided for hungry people is the most rewarding, children in particular. We both have a heart for the child and the elderly, and there are a lot of people out there that don't have food," John said. "Stats say one in five children go to bed hungry, and feeding hungry people is the most rewarding thing." 

Jalapeño Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped BBQ Glazed Smoked Antelope Meatloaf
 
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks



​Ingredients

1. 3 lb Ground Antelope (substitute any ground meat you like)
2. 2 lbs. Bacon
3. 2-3 Jalapeños, de-seeded and minced finely
4. 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
5. 5 Slices Sandwich Bread, torn into small pieces
6. 1 medium onion, small diced
7. 2 Tbs. Onion Powder
8. 2 Tbs. Garlic Powder
9. 1-8 ounce pkg. Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican
10. 1 cup Prepared BBQ Sauce, *divided in 1/2 cup portions
11. Kosher Salt
12. Pepper

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground venison, minced jalapeño, beaten eggs, torn bread pieces, diced onion, onion powder, and garlic powder.
2. Mix until combined.
3. Line a bread pan with saran wrap and divide the meatloaf in half.
4. Place one half of the meatloaf in the bottom of the pan, press down lightly.
5. Pour 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over top.
6. Add the shredded cheese.
7. Add the remaining half of the meatloaf and press down lightly, and set aside.

Make a basket weave out of the bacon

1. From one and a half (about 16 slices) package of bacon, lay the bacon slices, horizontally close together on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.
2. From the other one and a half packages, take one piece of bacon, and weave it vertically, going over one slice and under the next piece of bacon to create a basket weave, stretching the bacon to reach the end of the slices of bacon.
3. Continue until all the bacon creates a whole weave.
4. Remove the meatloaf from the loaf pan by carefully turning it over and removing the saran wrap.
5. Lay the meatloaf, top side down in the center of the bacon weave.
6. Fold the bacon over the meatloaf, using a few toothpicks to secure it together.
7. Carefully turn the whole meatloaf over and fold the foil up around it, but do not cover it (this is just to keep the drippings in the foil.
8. Pre-heat the smoker, and add mesquite wood chips, to get some smoke developing.
9. Place a drip pan under the grate and lay the foil and meatloaf directly on the smoke grate.
10. Smoke for 45 minutes.
11. After 45 minutes, baste the meatloaf with remaining BBQ sauce. and continue to smoke another 15 minutes.
12. Remove and serve.