Swine Flu, Barbecue

If you have turned on your TV lately (in the past 10 days), you have probably heard about swine flu. Swine flu is just like the normal flu, except you have the snorts as opposed to the sniffles...well, not really. The Swine Flu is very similar to the "traditional" flu...body aches, vomits, headaches, respiratory troubles, etc. Swine flu has been around for a while...there was an outbreak in 1976, too. A lot of confusion has surrounded the Swine Flu - the biggest problem so far is convincing people that thus far, is that the Swine Flu is affecting only people. Please understand that I am not an epidemioligist, and this post is meant to humor and provide an understanding of what I understand. Also, as of right now, pork meat is not affected, so I can continue my "Porks and Recreation".

While pigs have long been recognized as gross ("slop the hogs", "your room looks like a pig sty", "men are pigs"), they are actually a little better of than we are...Most captive or farmed pigs get two flu shots a year...that's two more a year than I get. Also - If a hog or pig gets loose and escapes into the wild, it becomes ferrel pretty quick...their tusks elongate, they grow hair(visible, dark hair), and begin to sniff out food sources. Ferrel hogs are quite rude to the environment...they can destroy and obliterate a lot of healthy habitat in a day. Pigs are really smart.

Humans have more uses for hogs than we realize...a lot of insulin that diabetics use is derived straight from the hog. It is really similar to the human insulin! If you like turnip greens, mustard greens, or collard greens, you have probably ordered them at your favorite BARBECUE restaurant...rest assured, they are steeped in salt meat from the hog. Barbecue, too, while one of the most debatable foods among its patrons is either pork, beef, or chicken (goat in Argentina).

I know that it would be tough to find someone that is anti-swine in North Carolina - here's why:
About 5,000 jobs are devoted to swine production.
Hog farms account for roughly half of the state's agri-income.
Hogs taste good.

North Carolina has always produced a "bumper crop" of swine...but there are detractors to this thriving and life sustaining industry. If you have ever driven by a hog farm on a hot day, it maintains a distinct smell...Lee says it smells like money. Now I think we all know where the smell actually comes from - it's from the nearly 150 types of bacteria used in decomposition of hog manure...many people argue that this is polluting our soil, water, and air. Did you know that many hog farms have now created "looping" water sytems that revert hog waste into clean drinking water that is, in turn, used for either watering the hogs or washing the hog house down...this water is looped again, and again, and again. Many hog houses are also becoming very energy efficient, too. Hay is being used for insulation, instead of fiberglass insulation.

Hogs and hog farmers are doing all that they can to be as clean, safe, and efficient as possible. In my very own personal opinion, I am still cool with the pork...I will continue to eat it until the Centers for Disease Control tell me not to do so. In fact, North Carolina's booming barbecue restaurants are the cause for this...My favorite barbecue restaurants in the Milky Way are:

10: Smithfields (Anywhere, NC)
09: Nixon's Catering (Chowan County ,NC)
08: Jim n' Nicks (Montgomery, Alabama)
07: Dreamland (Alabama)
06: Lee Scripture's personal recipe (Columbia, NC)*
05: My dad's ribs (Alabama)**
04:Parker's (Wilson, NC)
03: Sho 'nuff (Alabama)
02: Martelle's Feed House, Engelhard NC (BEST NC BARBECUE EVER!!!)
01: Country's Barbecue, Montgomery AL (BEST BARBECUE EVER!!!!)

If you ever go to Alabama, you'll find that Alabamians love their hogs, too. Please go to Martelle's in Engelhard - it is fantastic! They are also a proud supporter of 4-H! It's a long way to Engelhard, but well worth the trip!

*Lee could move up on the list if he went for quality and not quantity, but he can sure cook the best, large amount of livestock.

**My dad's ribs are the best on the planet...he will smoke them over hickory for close to 12 hours...that is really S - L - O - W! It only makes them better.

In the mean time, wash your hands as often as possible, sneeze into your sleeve, and keep surface clean of germs with a lysol wipe. I look forward to seeing NC's hog industry strengthen with the help of NC State and North Carolina Cooperative Extension...there basically at the forefront of this swine production thing...

Enjoy the day...