4-Hers Learn to Grill

This past weekend, five Fayette County 4-Hers participated in the Outdoor Meat Cookery Contest in Jackson, TN.  They had all spent the last few weeks learning how to grill with charcoal and planning out their theme.  The grilling contest, as we like to call it, is maybe the most fun 4-H contest to participate in because all of the training sessions consist of the kids hanging out with other 4-Hers and eating what they cook.  The contest is also very competitive.  There were around 90 4-Hers there on Saturday grilling. 

Where there is smoke, there is fire!

 



We had a high school team as well as a junior high individual who competed.  Teams are made up of four kids who all must grill something different.  One grills pork, one grills chicken, another youth grills beef, and still another grills lamb.  They have to do this start to finish, on separate grills, with no help or coaching from any adult.  They each grill two pieces of meat.  One piece goes to to the judges for taste testing and the other goes on the team platter for theme judging.  Any side dishes they put on their theme table has to be grilled as well.

This year, the Fayette County 4-Hers chose Native American Cooking as their theme.  Here they are with their table and platter.

 

 Left to Right:  Victaven Murrell, Jessica Brewer, Logan Laine, Rachel Wilson, and Marah Williams

Looks delicious!!

 

Logan Laine, our Jr. High individual contestant, won third place for his delicious chicken!  We were all very proud.  If you would like for your child to learn how to safely grill with charcoal, then give me a call at the Extension office.  We teach this skill every summer and would love to have  your family take part. 

Gardening by the Numbers

Get out your calendars and your seed packets, because it’s time to plant your fall garden!  I know, it feels way too hot outside to even think about fall, but pretty soon you will be craving those fresh mustard greens.  So, if you have space in your garden from your played-out summer veggies, consider replanting with broccoli, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, mustard, radish, spinach, or turnips. 

The fall garden isn’t without its challenges.  You will have to deal with heat, water stress, insects, and weeds while you wait for cooler temps to arrive.  To cope with these issues, you should plant your seeds at the latest possible date that you can.  That is where the calendar comes in.  Start with the average first frost date for our area.  In Bolivar, the date is October 8.  In Brownsville, the date is October 11.  Next, look on the seed packet and see how many days from planting to maturity are expected.   Add ten days to that number to account for cooler weather and shorter days in the fall.  Subtract the total number of days required for the plant to grow from the date you want it to begin maturing to find the latest planting date. Keep in mind that kale, collards, and other cool season veggies can withstand some frost, and can mature two weeks after the frost date. 

For example, collards can take 65-75 days to mature.  They can also withstand a frost.  Let’s assume that Somerville’s frost date is October 9.  Two additional weeks allowed for frost-resistant veggies puts us at Oct. 23.  Remember, we need to count backwards 75 -85 days to account for the cool fall weather we eagerly anticipate.  So, that puts our planting date for collards at August 8.  That is really soon!  So, don’t procrastinate just because it’s hot and it feels like fall is never coming.  Get out there and use up that open space!  Come October, you will be glad you did!