"It seems odd for people to suggest that we raise taxes on the very foods that we subsidize the production of the most; to put hundreds of millions of dollars into government crop subsidies, turn a blind eye to the environmental degradation caused, and then tax people so they don’t buy the food we’ve put so much effort into lowering the supermarket price of. How does that make sense?"

"I am more of an anarchist, not interested in, and too busy to dabble in, politics." 

By bringing the hogs inside we can take much better care of them. In Minnesota, our weather varies significantly. We have blizzards with temperatures well below zero and at time, wind chills of -70 degrees. In the summer, we have hot, humid weather and many times temperatures nearing a humid 90 degrees, and that doesn’t address sunburn or insect bites. Neither of these weather extremes are good for hogs.

Human beings think in pictures and, in times of uncertainty, we like to cling to myths and metaphors as a way of dealing with that uncertainty. It is the way we humans adapt to change. This is why the term ‘Frankenfood’ is so incredibly powerful and visually provocative and why it is so widely used in memes and in anti-science narratives.

You know, I often tell people that if their farmer can’t explain a common farm practice to them without being derogatory they should find another farmer. It’s a sentiment that sums up my farm philosophy and who I am pretty well -- or, at the very least, who I try to be.