tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842136564899097734.post2273163660537762183..comments2023-12-15T02:04:08.213-08:00Comments on meat: Bob Comis, his pigs, and guiltBruce Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995706761794063165noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842136564899097734.post-40951927549715867642017-04-15T10:09:49.353-07:002017-04-15T10:09:49.353-07:00According to a Nov5/15 article from the Huffington...According to a Nov5/15 article from the Huffington Post (eek), Bob is now a "vegan activist."<br />That's a pretty good way for him to carry on with his guilty howlings.<br /><br />LisaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842136564899097734.post-28869644656986748012015-11-09T17:51:33.181-08:002015-11-09T17:51:33.181-08:00Grasspunk; glad you like pigs too. They are my fa...Grasspunk; glad you like pigs too. They are my favorite livestock, hands down. <br /><br />Bill - I never got the sense from what he wrote that he enjoyed farming. It was always a struggle, there was always some sort of drama... but then I realized that he viewed all parts of his life that way. There wasn't anything he enjoyed, in my opinion. Bruce Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10995706761794063165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842136564899097734.post-37219772388327390632015-11-09T07:26:28.076-08:002015-11-09T07:26:28.076-08:00I just read a bit of his writing, including the li...I just read a bit of his writing, including the links you posted. In his final post on his page a year ago, he decided to quit animal farming entirely. It sounds like he never realized the one hard, fast fact of farming... Just like every other job, it's a job. If anything, farming is worse because, unlike most jobs, you need to do it every day instead of just 5 days per week. I've known aspiring writers who constantly lament the fact that they aren't published, successful authors like they thought they would be. Most of them have 1 thing in common. They spend a few hours per day writing for a week, then put it on the back burner, then maybe return, then take a break. Meanwhile, 20 years pass and all they have to show for it is 5 or 6 short stories and one bloated, unedited novel which has been summarily rejected by all publishing houses. Meanwhile, the 1 successful, published author I know wrote 9 fully edited and complete novels in 5 years before getting any interest in what he wrote. He probably spent 30+ hours per week writing. <br /><br />Back to farming, if all you want to do is be outside and be your own boss and have a low-volume farm, you either need to work really, really hard at it or find some specialty niche that will earn you a tidy profit. I remember reading about a micro-green farm in Maine which earned tons of money per year with only a 24'x96' greenhouse. They were supplying greens to most of the Northeast. I've also seen success stories of people sustainably harvesting ginseng and other specialty crops. And I've seen failures where a farm is on the brink of bankruptcy because they sold the conservation easement and invested that money in a goat dairy (mostly cheese) operation and reduced their production of everything else. Things were great for them until they weren't. Their reduced production and laid back attitude when they were cash rich meant that they turned me off from being their regular customer. Then, they started violating the sacred rule of customer service. They loudly, vocally started bad-mouthing their customers on their facebook page. I haven't been back since and have no intention of ever going back. <br /><br />The idea that being a farmer is a relaxed, laid-back way of life is laughable. Sure, you get to be outside and enjoy nature and know where your food comes from and all those other perks. However, if you don't come in from the field sweaty and dirty and exhausted, you're doing it wrong.Bill Gauchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01287284061932329662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842136564899097734.post-14129474051627002082015-11-09T06:15:47.380-08:002015-11-09T06:15:47.380-08:00I always wondered why he farmed. It even crossed m...I always wondered why he farmed. It even crossed my mind he was anti-farming and trying to cause harm with his musings. <br /><br />I've got a cousin that didn't want to take on the family farm because he didn't want to send cows off to the slaughterhouse. Later in life he regretted not taking it on and wished he'd gotten over himself. Who knows how things turn out. <br /><br />Me I love selling people great meats and I love running a healthy farm. I never feel bad sending off a cow or slaughtering a chicken. BTW we have a few pigs now for personal consumption. I see why you like them.grasspunkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13635631369955323133noreply@blogger.com