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After the Hunt: Cooking with Venison

Sat, Jan 11

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Iowisota Retreat and Education Center

We welcome guest expert Chris Gavin back to Iowisota on Saturday January 11th, 2025, to teach us how to prepare a variety of cuts of venison into tasty dishes, which we will taste-test at the end of the session. This hands-on Saturday program will run 10:00 am -1:30 pm. Cost per person is $50.

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After the Hunt: Cooking with Venison
After the Hunt: Cooking with Venison

Time & Location

Jan 11, 2025, 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Iowisota Retreat and Education Center, 2472 IA-26, Lansing, IA 52151, USA

Guests

About the event

You will learn about the characteristics of different venison cuts, appropriate spices and cooking methods to compliment the meat, recipes, and suggested side dish pairings. This is a hands-on interactive session, in which you will help with the food preparation as Chris shares methods, tips, recipes, and personal experiences.  The session will culminate with a lunch we have prepared at about 1:00 pm. Chris Gavin is renowned for his knowledge of outdoor skills and wild food cuisine; you will learn that there is much more to love about venison than just sausage! A minimum of 6 participants is needed to cover the cost of this event.


Cost: $50/person. Lunch is included. Start registration by clicking the "Register" link; Payment will be made on the day of the event due to the risk of inclement weather and possible cancellation. We will send you the invoice in advance, based on the information you provide in your registration/reservation.


Location: on-site at “Iowisota”, 2472 IA-26, Lansing, Iowa. We will be meeting in the Gathering Room and guest kitchen.


Bonus afternoon option: participants are welcome to stay around Iowisota into the afternoon to crack black walnuts by the fireplace (take nutmeats home with you; we have gallons of extra walnuts we can crack!) or go for a hike in the woods with the hosts. There is no additional charge for the bonus options.


Overnight “B&B” stay:  Additional $100/room per night; Breakfasts are included. Lodging taxes will be added.

  • Stay in one of our 6 guest bedrooms, with all the modern amenities. (See the accommodations tab of the website for information on all the rooms).

  • The setting of Iowisota includes nearly 200 acres of private forest and many trails to hike and explore. The sleeping rooms are a delightful blend of historic, rustic, and modern. The “gathering room” with its stone fireplace, expansive windows, and comfortable seating provides a place to hang out and chat with the hosts and other guests.


About the speaker/guest expert: Chris Gavin was born and raised in Wisconsin and got an early start foraging for wild berries and morels as a kid. He took his interest as a naturalist on the road traveling across the US and abroad before returning to the Upper Midwest to delve deep into the rich natural history of the region. Chris’s interests are as varied as the natural landscape, but he has a particular interest in hunting and gathering, preparing wild foods, bushcraft skills and ecology. He founded Eagle Outdoor Skills to foster connections in the natural world and to help integrate people into their local environments.


About your hosts: Linda and Dennis Haugen both recently retired from careers as forest health specialists with the US Forest Service. Linda grew up on the Iowisota property, moving here with her parents in 1968. Linda and Dennis built the new residence/retreat center and moved back to northeast Iowa in 2023. They have a wealth of knowledge about natural resources in general, and about the Iowisota property specifically.   


How to sign up and pay: Registration is limited to 12 participants. On-site accommodation is limited. Click the link for registration, then fill out the registration form. This will hold your space. A few days before the event, we will email you an invoice that you can pay by cash, check, credit card, or PayPal on the day of the event.

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