The country ham has been a tradition in Kentucky and throughout the southeastearn United States for hundreds of years. The Kentucky 4-H Country Ham project continues the tradition of the country ham.
The project began in the late 1990’s with less than 40 4-Hers and currently has over 775 4-Hers from greater than 65 Kentucky counties.
The Country Ham project begins in the cold winter months of January and ends in August at the Kentucky State Fair, where the hams are judged by members of the Kentucky Country Ham Producers and the students present a 3- to 5-minute speech on the project.
Throughout the project the 4-Hers learn about food production and how the country ham fits into Kentucky’s food heritage.
Participants include Elijah Bell, Katelyn Musgrove, Kourtney Musgrove, Savannah Thompson, Caroline Thompson, & Eria Ross.
