March 15, 2017
Sharing the harvest
Hunters across Missouri donate deer meat to the Share the Harvest program to help feed the hungry
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Healthy Living
By Brett Auten It was a bountiful harvest in more ways than one. Once again, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri joined forces with the state’s deer hunters for the state’s Share the Harvest program that donates deer meat to help feed hungry Missourians all around the state. In all 4,280 hunters donated 198,277 pounds of venison to Share the Harvest program this past deer season. The process was simple. Deer hunters donated their extra venison to more than 100 participating meat processors throughout the state who would grind the deer meat into one-pound packages. The packaged venison was Submitted photo given to food banks and food An employee at Josephville Meat Processing in Wentzville wraps freshly-ground venison for the Share the Harvest Program. Josephville is one of pantries for distribution to the program’s participating processors. Missourians in need of food assistance. Mike Ohlms of Old Monroe volunteers, it was unbelievable,” deer hunting seasons, hunters don’t have a freezer big enough has participated in the program Ohlms said. “One time, due to are limited to two antlered deer or a place to put the second one. for upwards of 16 years. a rush at the processor, I made during the seasons combined. This is an opportunity to put the “As far as hunters giving back a delivery early in the morning An archer’s hunting permit al- meat to good use.” to the community, there is no and there were people waiting lows for two deer of either sex. Donations to food pantries better way to do it,” Ohlms said. in line. They all jumped in and Only one antlered deer may be are oftentimes boxed items so “For hunters to go out there helped unload and it was con- taken before Nov. 12. Only one protein is a lot harder to come and do what they enjoy doing stant ‘thank yous.’” antlered deer may be taken dur- by. Venison has been champiso much then turn around and Ohlms said, over the years, ing the entire firearms season oned for its lean, low-fat source make a donation and knowing some of the recipients have had Dan Zarlenga is the Media of protein. that he or she is feeding quite a to be nudged into trying the Specialist with the Missouri “It is also very versatile,” Zarfew families is absolutely fantas- venison. Department of Conservation. lenga said. “It can be used in a tic.” “A lot of the pantries have Zarlenga said the program was lot of different ways whether it’s Ohlms has had the unique recipes there for them to try,” started to ensure that harvested in a chili, spaghetti sauce or a perspective of not only donat- he said. “As far as a high qual- meat was put to good use. casserole. People are receptive ing but also delivering the pro- ity red meat, (the food pantries) “Hunting is the main tool to to it and the ones who are really cessed venison to the food pan- just don’t get that type of thing. manage the deer herd,” Zar- like it.” tries. Once they try it, they usually lenga said. “A number of hunt“The first time I saw the look want to come back for more.” ers already got their deer and See SHARE page 2 on the faces of the food pantry In both archery and firearm don’t really need a second or
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