On Sunday, January 18, Cherokee FFA hosted a good crowd for the Call of the Wild Cookoff and Farm to Table Bakeoff at the fairgrounds. This was the event’s second year for Call of the Wild. Cherokee FFA Alumni were invited to compete as well as FFA members from Alfalfa, Major and Woods counties. Participants were challenged to prepare a dish using wild game as the primary ingredient. Entries were critiqued by a panel of judges. Chris Porter, Jake Hamilton and Melissa Robbell served as judges. Points were assigned for appearance, taste, creativeness as well as a short interview about their dish. Small game, large game, birds/waterfowl and fish/aquatic were the divisions. In the FFA category, Cooper Cantellay of the Cherokee FFA was the overall winner with sesame beaver on rice. The reserve overall winner went to Zackery Cunningham of the Cherokee FFA with duck fajitas. They each received a belt buckle and banner. Division Champions included both Cantellay for small game, Cunningham for birds/waterfowl, Cash Cantellay, Cherokee FFA,for fish/aquatic and Colton Fisher, Cherokee FFA, for big game. Division Champions received banners. The overall alumni winner was Waylon Utterback, class of 2023, with fried catfish.
The inaugural Farm to Table Bakeoff was judged similar to Call of the Wild. At least three ingredients of the baked good must have had direct farm ties. Divisions included Sweet Breads, Quick Breads/Muffins, Pies/Cobblers, and Cakes. Judges were Gwen Schmidt, Rachel Hager and Alan Jennings. The contestants were interviewed similar to the Call of the Wild. They also had to have a written recipe for their entry. The overall FFA champion was Talyn Allison, Cherokee FFA, with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Poke Cake. The reserve overall winner was Caedyn Campbell, Timberlake FFA, with a chocolate silk pie. Each received a personalized cake pan and a gift card. Division winners included Allison in the cake division, Campbell in the Pie/Cobbler division, Christina Salinas, Cherokee FFA, quick breads/muffins and Tessa Littlefield, Cherokee FFA, sweet bread. Aileen Ordonez was reserve division champion cake. Division winners won a banner. Alumni overall winner was Chris Parker with her Apricot cobbler. Reserve overall was Gayla Failes with her layered chocolate cake. Division winners included Parker, pie/cobbler division, Failes, cake division, and Angie Buck, quick bread/muffin division. Jamie Beisel was reserve division champion in the pie/cobbler division. The crowd of spectators were able to taste the dishes after the competition concluded.
