Local hunter takes harvest from field to table

Dove/Venison PoppersLIMA — Clark Spieles’ office is ringed with mounts of the game he has taken — elk, coyote, whitetail deer, muledeer, antelope and more. His trucks’ license plates pay homage to October and November, hunting season. His home features his own private butcher shop.It’s very clear Spieles enjoys hunting wild game, something that he has done since the age of 6. His father and grandfather were hunters, and he was raised in that culture. But to be clear, it’s not just a sport.“Whatever we hunt, we eat,” he said.Spieles butchers and freezes game for his family to enjoy year-round. While his landscaping business, Spieles Nurseries, keeps him very busy during the warm months, Spieles enjoys preparing many of the family’s meals during winter. His wife, Jennifer, takes over the main chunk of cooking duties during summer.Jennifer Spieles is self-described as a more basic cook who prefers baking, while Clark Spieles enjoys the process of opening the refrigerator and getting creative with the ingredients on hand.“My parents liked to cook, and I’ve always cooked,” he said. “I get that from Grandma McCracken. She is the master. She’ll whip stuff out of nothing.”The Spieles children also help in the kitchen, which is well appointed for cooking parties, and are quick to gather around when food is being prepared. Celia Spieles, 9, was eager to help her dad with the poppers prepared for this story.Clark Spieles said he learned the poppers recipe from family friends about two years ago, and it’s been a family favorite since.“With cream cheese and bacon, you can’t mess things up too bad,” he said.Have a suggestion for who should be featured in this spot? Email amcgee@limanews.com.