Wild Foods Cook-off slated for April 2 in Ellerbe

ELLERBE — Residents are invited to take their taste buds for a walk on the wild side.

The annual Richmond County Wild Foods Cook-off, now in its 22nd year, is slated for April 2 at the Sandhills Rod and Gun Club.

The event is sponsored by the gun club, Martha Faye Crafters Club (formerly Extension Homemakers), and Richmond County Cooperative Extension, and features a variety of dishes made from wild plants and animals.

Entries in the culinary contest will be in three categories:

• Wild meat including big game, small game, other small mammals, wild birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians
• Wild vegetation, nuts and fruit
• Desserts with wild ingredients

Wild game doesn’t have to be from North Carolina, but must be harvested or gifted — it can’t be bought.

Entrants must bring two copies of the recipe: one for the display and one for the cookbook.

Entries are judged by all who are participating and those with the most votes in each category will receive a prize. There will also be a Grand Champion winner for the entry with the most overall votes.

Last year’s contest featured 29 entries — including five from youth — with 17 in the meats category, seven in the vegetables or fruit category and five desserts.

The program for this year’s event is “Spring Foraging” with Emmanuel May and Terry Sharpe.

The clubhouse is located at 149 O.G. Reynolds Road, Ellerbe. The event starts at 6 p.m. No dishes will be accepted after 6:30 p.m.

For more information, including other rules and guidelines, call the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Center at 910-997-8255 or email Anthony_Growe@ncsu.edu. Registration is not required.