Howard Conyers Is Dishing Up More Whole Hog in Louisiana

Howard Conyers has becoming something of a whole hog barbecue ambassador, bringing the Carolina tradition down to Louisiana. Later this month, he's teaming up with Mahaffey Farms outside of Shreveport for a "Feast and Frolic" event. Conyers will be cooking a Red Wattle hog raised at Mahaffey Farms and also present an educational talk about the historical and cultural significance of traditional pit barbecue.

Conyers grew up on a farm near Manning, South Carolina, and pursued a career as a scientist and engineer, earning a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Duke University. He now lives in New Orleans and has a day job testing rocket engines at NASA's Stennis Space Center. On the side, though, he operates CarolinaQNOLA, a traditional South Carolina-style barbecue pop-up, which has appeared at events such as the annual Hogs for the Cause barbecue competition and various seminars and fundraisers in and around New Orleans. In addition to feeding hungry barbecue fans, his mission is to help preserve the traditional burn-barrel style whole hog barbecue he learned on the family farm.

The event will be from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm on January 29th at Mahaffey farms, which is located about 15 miles outside of Shreveport. Admission is $60 and includes a meal of whole pit-cooked Red Wattle hog and seasonal sides along with local beers and specialty cocktails. Tickets can be purchased at the Mahaffey Farms web site