The holiday season is fast approaching and the Iowa State Block and Bridle Club may have the answer to everyone’s gift-giving problems.

The club recently began its annual production and sale of summer sausage and cheese, said Craig Beinhart, a senior in animal science and project chairman.

“This project is the largest moneymaker for Block and Bridle, and it supports and affects most of our activities throughout the year,” Beinhart said.

Joe Sebranek, professor of meat science, has been an advisor to the annual summer sausage production for several years. Sebranek said this project is a good opportunity for students to get practical experience with producing, marketing and selling a product.

“This project has been going on for over 20 years and relies a lot on student sales of the product,” Sebranek said.

Beinhart said he expects about 40-50 people to help with production.

Block and Bridle members anticipate producing about 4,000 pounds of summer sausage.

“The product we produce is a traditional Iowa State product which combines pork and beef as they are produced in abundance in Iowa,” Sebranek said. “The club purchases most of the meat from the Iowa State Meat Lab. Spices and starter cultures for the fermentation process are donated by other companies.”

Sebranek said club members have started to make a leaner product to help please the consumer.

“We are confident that this is a very safe product,” he said.

The club is also targeting businesses.

Beinhart said, “This year we are asking about 25 Block and Bridle members who had summer internships to contact their employers for possible purchases. Hopefully this will help guarantee some sales.”

Beinhart said there are several combination packages available. Some of the packages also include a spreadable cheese cup from Cheese Maker of Wisconsin.

The combination boxes, he said, can be ordered and shipped anywhere across the United States.

“Shipping orders must be in by Nov. 6. After Thanksgiving break a booth will be set up in the Kildee Hall foyer and possibly a few other places across campus, and we will probably sell through the end of dead week,” Beinhart said.