Source: Union-News (Springfield, MA)
Author: DANIEL MILLER
GOSHEN, MA – Goshen residents yesterday had a squealin’ good time at a “pig-nic” at Tilton Field.
This is the third year that the Goshen police and fire departments have served up freshly-cooked pork as a benefit for Goshen Emergency Services.
The event was a showcase yesterday for Tim Pease, a logger who lives in Goshen.
Pease regularly cooks at barbecues and picnics. He estimates that he’ll cook at 50 in one year.
“It’s a pretty good challenge to cook a pig,” Pease said. “Not anybody can just grab hold of a pig and cook it. You don’t want it to dry out. I take the ribs and the tenderloins off first and wrap them up so they don’t dry out.”
At the first pig-nic, the porker was turned on a spit. This year, two pigs were cut in half and cooked flat on a rack. At 1 p.m. about 100 people were at the feast.
“Cooking on a spit is a lot more work – you have problems with grease fires.” Pease said. “People like to cook on a spit mostly for aesthetic purposes. This way, it comes out just as good.”
Dunkings due Not only were two pigs roasted, but town officials were scheduled to be doused by way of a dunking machine.
Fire Chief Francis Dresser said he would probably let himself be the stooge as he has done before.
“Somebody’s got to,” Dresser said. “We’ll have to get the police chief up there, too. Anybody who will attract a few bucks.”
Dresser said the pig-nic helps the association and maintains a good relationship between the two departments. “It gets us together to work on something,” he said. “In a small town like this, we rely on each other.”
Police Lt. David Fenton said the association bought a used cruiser from the proceeds of the first pig-nic, in 1990.
The people savored ham, hotdogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, tossed salad and watermelon, and tossed horseshoes and played volleyball.
Little children were delighted by a visit from Smokey the Bear, who gave them the high five as well as bear hugs.
Smokey was actually a costumed Robert Shannon, a firefighter for the state Bureau of Forest Fire Control, which is part of the Department of Environmental Management.
It was also the first pig-nic for state Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, who was elected last year.
Rosenberg said he liked the food. Referring to Pease’s cooking, he said, “If that’s his hobby, he’s mastered it.”