LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Officials at the Kentucky State Fair were looking for some extraordinary competition, one that might involve FFA chapters in all 120 counties.

In the end, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), the lieutenant governor’s office and the Kentucky Department of Education came together to create a one-of-a-kind competition, one that would test the food production and culinary skills of chapters across the state.

After much brainstorming, the group came up with the “Best School Garden Salsa Challenge.”

“What’s not to love about salsa,” Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell said. “But more important than the delicious, fresh recipes these students made, are the lessons they learned. This contest provided students with the skills to grow their own food, work together as a team, and produce something delicious from it.”

Students from FFA chapters across the state were required to grow their own ingredients in their school gardens and create their own recipes.

Madisonville North Hopkins High School, of Madison County, came out on top in this inaugural event and was honored at this year’s state fair.

The competition was the kickoff event for this fall’s All in for Ag Education Week (Sept. 15-19).

KDA’s Ag Education and Outreach Division invited schools to grow their own salsa ingredients in their school gardens, develop an original signature recipe, and present it for judging at the fair. Most of the ingredients came from produce the students grew in their school garden this summer with some supplemental products from local producers or produce that don’t grow well in Kentucky. Limes were allowed to be purchased for the salsa.

After judges from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service reviewed recipes based on food safety, prep guidelines, and the basic knowledge students demonstrated about making the salsa, Shell, Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher made the final selections.

The Madisonville North Hopkins team – Lilli Norman, Kelcie Greer, Hadley Webb, Keeley Peyton, Riley Peyton and Alex Garrott – crafted its original recipe, Kernel and Comb – to win.

The winning recipe included jalapenos, Roma tomatoes, sweet corn, bell peppers, honey and cumin. The students produced many of the ingredients used in the recipe, including sweet corn and honey from their school hives. As the winners, Madisonville North Hopkins received a VIP visit during Ag Education Week.

Eight teams competed in this year’s contest. Other schools participating were Bondurant Middle School (Franklin County), Nancy Elementary School (Pulaski County), Highland Middle School (Jefferson County), Jones Middle School (Boone County), Menifee County Middle School, Pride Elementary School (Hopkins County) and Butler County High School. Highland Middle School brought its entire school – about 700 students – to cheer on its team at the fair competition, while Pride Elementary School students wrote a song about salsa to include for their demonstration.

Student teams from the eight schools made their salsa at the fair using a provided kitchen on stage in front of an audience. They talked about their ingredients and processes while showing what they did.

Mackenzie Bush, a student from Menifee County Middle School, said she enjoyed learning how to grow food and solve problems that came up in the process.

“One of the best things about our school garden is how it brings us together as a team,” Bush said. “We have learned responsibility, patience and teamwork. Even when we had rabbits and insects eat our plants or even take up our gardens, we found solutions and didn’t give up.”

Students at Menifee County Middle School grew green peppers, onions, tomatoes and cilantro for their salsa recipe. They tended to 10 raised bed gardens each day since April, adding fertilizer, weeding and fending off pests.

Their recipe (Sweatheart Salsa) incorporated pineapple and lime.

“Our salsa and its name represent our community because the borders of Menifee County are shaped like a heart,” Menifee member Garrett Lane said. “When we were planning our recipe, we wanted something colorful, healthy, and a little bit sweet, just like our community.”

Menifee team member Shelby Cornett said, “I would describe our salsa as similar to pico de gallo. Versatility was important for us in making our recipe as it could be put on a variety of dishes, such as hot dogs, salads and pork chops.”

Cornett said the Salsa Challenge was a fun experience and she hopes to keep learning about agriculture.

“There’s always more to learn in agriculture, I don’t think anybody could ever get bored of it,” she said. “I think it’s a very valuable skill.”

During the salsa demonstration, the students chopped ingredients, added them to a bowl and mixed them. They put the finished product in sample cups with chips for audience members to try.

Bethany Mattingly, division director of Agriculture Education and Outreach at KDA, said the department started this challenge because they wanted to showcase what schools are doing to teach agriculture.

“We want to keep teaching Kentucky’s educational standards, but we want to do it through the lens of agriculture, and we’re doing that because it’s highly engaging,” Mattingly said. “When making their salsa the kids are using a tons of different things that they learned in school, whether that’s measuring, doing math, being able to talk, prepare a written instruction, follow that instruction, all of those things are standards that we’re trying to hit.”

Mattingly said more schools had intentions of getting involved in the salsa challenge, but weather-related issues during this year’s growing season hindered many of those gardens.

The winning recipe: Kernel & Comb Salsa:

· 4 ears fresh sweet corn (or 3 cups frozen, thawed)

· 1 Tbsp. olive oil

· 1 red bell pepper, diced

· ½ small red onion, finely diced

· 1-2 jalapenos, seeded & finely diced

· 2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced

· fresh cilantro, chopped

· 2 Tbsp honey

· 2 Tbsp lime juice

· ½ tsp smoked paprika

· ½ tsp cumin

· 1 ½ tsp salt

· ¼ tsp black pepper

Cut kernels off cob. Roast corn on high heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring until charred. Combine corn, bell pepper, onion, jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro in a bowl. Stir in honey, lime juice, spices, salt and pepper. Mix well. Serve warm or chill for 30 minutes before serving.