Erik: In the shameless carnivore, you spend the weekend in the upstate New York
butchering stir named Ernie, what did you learn about yourself in that experience?
Scott: I learned that I had taken my meat for granted for way too long and it was very
important that I experienced that process. And I initially, that was even in book
proposal. It was just an opportunity that came my way. And I very easily could
have said oh you know that seems like it might be difficult and you know I am
under absolutely no obligation to deliver that sort of thing into my editor at the
end of the day.
Erik: To butcher a 700 pound, stir.
Scott: Exactly, but I saw this opportunity to really experience what life on the farm is
like and to experience meat from the very, very the beginning, from a living kind
of dopy animal whose chewing at my coat, mooing and pooping on the farm to at
the end of a very, very long and difficult but physically and an emotional day. To
going home with steaks and chops and in roasts in a cooler in the car. So it was
important for me to experience that because I’m a fan and entertaining writer. I
use a lot of humor in my writings, kind of the way I am in the way that I like to
write the way that I like to tell story but I really wanted to not come across the
glimb because when you eat meat like you’re experiencing however indirectly the
death of an animal. And it’s very important to take that seriously not just to have
reverence for life but also to appreciate that where meats come from. And when
you do, you might not be as non-challant about your meat consumption and you
might take a little bit more seriously. Which is important not just for the animals
but for you as a person maybe, I certainly eat less meat now believe it than I did
before and being on that farm and going through that process was very
instrumental in that happening.