Last month, South Warren High junior Christopher Sweets’ “Freedom Turkey Burger” beat out the six state champs at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference, held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville.

The 4-H competitors, members of the largest youth development organization in the U.S., had two hours to grill two quarter-pound patties using an old-fashioned grill-and-charcoal setup. As temps dipped into the 20s, Sweets put together his well-practiced 13-ingredient recipe. In the second part of the competition, he and his competitors delivered presentations on the turkey industry.

Sweets had practiced extensively at Warren County Extension Office, his home and previous state competitions. He also works with the oven and propane grills.

“The secret to making a winning turkey burger is being able to balance all the flavors and have nothing particularly too strong, like too much of a spicy or sweet flavor — just kind of a balanced turkey burger,” he said. “People who tried it compared it to almost a meatloaf flavor.”

Sweets has been in the Warren County 4-H Poultry Club since he was 5, which was also around when his uncle had brought several chickens into their home; these days, they have 30 to 40— some raised for show, others for eggs they’ll sell to close family and friends. Sweets has also cooked since he was young, pursuing cooking projects within 4-H and partaking in the organization’s national culinary competition.

Cooking and poultry — “I combined those two things,” he summed up about the competition.

The 16-year-old, nicknamed “Freedom,” has become one of numerous accomplished students within Kentucky 4-H. Currently, Sweets is the chair of the Kentucky 4-H State Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Board, with experience using a .22 rifle and .22 pistol, and extensive experience in archery and muzzle-loading.

While Sweets thinks he probably won’t work in the poultry industry, it’ll “definitely” remain an interest, he said.

“He practiced a lot,” said his mother Julie Sweets, who’s also Warren County’s 4-H poultry club leader, about her son’s last month’s win. “Of course, I’m proud to see him succeed, and he worked very hard with this competition.”

Christopher Sweets reflected on the recent competition.

“It’s fulfilling in the fact that it shows yourself you’re able to be self-reliant — you’re able to provide for yourself, cook for yourself … especially if you move out on your own or have other people over,” Sweets said. “I guess in that way, also that kind of shows that you being self reliant can help you take care of others and provide for others if they were to need that, because you’re not yourself relying on them.”