Beaver Dam sophomore excelling in world of canning

High School Hot Shot - Max Luedtke

Basketball and golf are his sports of choice, but his competitive spirit is also exhibited in a different arena. That's what makes Beaver Dam sophomore Max Luedtke this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

BEAVER DAM, Wis. - Basketball and golf are his sports of choice, but his competitive spirit is also exhibited in a different arena.

That's what makes Beaver Dam sophomore Max Luedtke this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

"I have always played basketball ever since I have been at a young age," said Luedtke. "Last year, I was on the freshman team. This year, I am hoping to be on JV or Varsity. And then I also play golf."

Luedtke is also the president of the Beaver Dam FFA chapter, and the president of the Leipsic 4-H Club.

He says both clubs do a lot of giving back to the community.

Luedtke spends a lot of time in his garden.

"We have a big garden, so it makes it easy for the stuff to be harvested and us to can," Luedtke said. "I definitely see the benefit. But I still don't really enjoy working in the garden. I mean, I will still pick if my parents ask. But I enjoy the inside part of turning it into something a lot more than the outside."

In Luedtke's world of canning food, there is a lot on his plate.

"Pickles, dilly beans, pickled asparagus, rhubarb, salsa, canned tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, dehydrated pineapple, raspberry jam, black raspberry jam, strawberry jam, mixed berry jam, mulberry jam," he said. "Everything that we have canned comes out of our garden besides obviously the dehydrated pineapple."

Max and his family do enjoy a lot of what they grow, but much is given to their neighbors and donated to local food pantries.