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How to Walk a Pig: And Other Lessons in Country Living
A former hippie offers a memoir of his experiences after buying a run-down farm and going "back to the land" with his wife, children, and a varied cast of animal characters including an unlovable pig named Ahog. IP.
226 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 28, 2026
It’s interesting how the timing of books can shape our reading experience. This one was donated to my Little Free Library Shed in October 2025, but I let it sit for a while. Then, at the end of December 2025, “Growing Girls” by Jeanne Marie Laskas appeared, and I chose to read that first. (See review below, if interested.)
In all fairness, I had a reason to read “Growing Girls” first. Laskas’s book is part of a memoir trilogy, and I had already read—and truly loved—"Fifty Acres and a Poodle,” the first in the series. That book set a high bar, so once I finished Growing Girls, it felt only natural to turn to this farm memoir next.
Originally published in 1995, this book reflects on the author and his wife’s decision to embrace farm life as young marrieds raising small children. A few years later, he continued exploring these experiences in “Chicken Justice,” expanding on the themes introduced in “How to Walk a Pig.” He also wrote about farm life in various magazines, while earlier in his career he had published political memoirs. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 80.
The premise is undeniably appealing: the purchase of a rundown farmhouse with barns, outbuildings, and 129 acres for $29,500—an unimaginable price by today’s standards. What follows is the family’s grand adventure: renovations, children underfoot, a parade of animals (dogs, cats, cows, and of course, a pig), and the daily rhythms of rural life.
The book unfolds in episodic chapters, moving easily from one anecdote to the next. At times, there’s humor and a folksy charm that pulls readers in. Early on, I felt engaged and curious, ready to settle into the story.
But as the book progressed, the romantic veneer of farm life wore thin. The realism of raising animals for food—particularly when those animals are portrayed with affection—was difficult to read. For those of us raised in typical residential neighborhoods, the idea of eating an animal that has felt like a “pet” can be deeply unsettling. Even more troubling were the casual, sometimes seemingly arbitrary deaths of other animals, described in ways that felt dismissive and, at times, heartless.
By the halfway point, my initial interest had given way to discomfort. While I appreciate honesty about the realities of farm life, the tone here often felt too casual about loss and death, without enough reflection or reckoning. I found myself ready to move on before the book was finished, even though I did eventually finish it.
This may resonate with readers who admire rugged self-sufficiency and the unvarnished truths of rural living. For me, though, the balance between folksy storytelling and the harsher truths of farm life never quite settled into something I could fully embrace.
Growing Girls: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In all fairness, I had a reason to read “Growing Girls” first. Laskas’s book is part of a memoir trilogy, and I had already read—and truly loved—"Fifty Acres and a Poodle,” the first in the series. That book set a high bar, so once I finished Growing Girls, it felt only natural to turn to this farm memoir next.
Originally published in 1995, this book reflects on the author and his wife’s decision to embrace farm life as young marrieds raising small children. A few years later, he continued exploring these experiences in “Chicken Justice,” expanding on the themes introduced in “How to Walk a Pig.” He also wrote about farm life in various magazines, while earlier in his career he had published political memoirs. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 80.
The premise is undeniably appealing: the purchase of a rundown farmhouse with barns, outbuildings, and 129 acres for $29,500—an unimaginable price by today’s standards. What follows is the family’s grand adventure: renovations, children underfoot, a parade of animals (dogs, cats, cows, and of course, a pig), and the daily rhythms of rural life.
The book unfolds in episodic chapters, moving easily from one anecdote to the next. At times, there’s humor and a folksy charm that pulls readers in. Early on, I felt engaged and curious, ready to settle into the story.
But as the book progressed, the romantic veneer of farm life wore thin. The realism of raising animals for food—particularly when those animals are portrayed with affection—was difficult to read. For those of us raised in typical residential neighborhoods, the idea of eating an animal that has felt like a “pet” can be deeply unsettling. Even more troubling were the casual, sometimes seemingly arbitrary deaths of other animals, described in ways that felt dismissive and, at times, heartless.
By the halfway point, my initial interest had given way to discomfort. While I appreciate honesty about the realities of farm life, the tone here often felt too casual about loss and death, without enough reflection or reckoning. I found myself ready to move on before the book was finished, even though I did eventually finish it.
This may resonate with readers who admire rugged self-sufficiency and the unvarnished truths of rural living. For me, though, the balance between folksy storytelling and the harsher truths of farm life never quite settled into something I could fully embrace.
Growing Girls: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 26, 2020
A collection of essays on country life in the Finger Lakes area of NY. Steven Coffman and his wife Bobbie and 9 month old son moved from Ann Arbor, Michigan to a very rural area in contrast to earlier plans to head for NYC or San Francisco or some other populated College town. They bought a decrepit farm and set out to ressurect it as they learned to be country folk. The essays were written as magazine articles and are short,easy to read separately and sporadically. It was fun to read of familiar places and experiences.
A favorite quote: " Of course, if the gods had only wanted goodness, they would have just created heaven and left it at that. And if all we had cared about had been perfect flowers and veggies, we would have built a greenhouse. But the greater pleasure must come from creating sustenance and beauty out of imperfection--- else what's an Earth for?"
So true in every aspect of life!
A favorite quote: " Of course, if the gods had only wanted goodness, they would have just created heaven and left it at that. And if all we had cared about had been perfect flowers and veggies, we would have built a greenhouse. But the greater pleasure must come from creating sustenance and beauty out of imperfection--- else what's an Earth for?"
So true in every aspect of life!
March 14, 2022
It was a good read. It was true to life.
February 19, 2008
This memoir is a collection of lighthearted and often very amusing anecdotes about a couple from the city who move to a country farm in the 1960s and raise a family. The chapters are very short, and are usually about encounters with various kinds of animals, both pets and wildlife. I thought it would be a good book to read since I recently moved to the country, and I definitely learned a thing or two that may come in handy. For instance, it's easier to wring a chicken's neck than to cut its head off, due to the fact that it doesn't lay still for the ax, and then before plucking it, you dunk it in boiling water, but both the dunking and plucking should be done outside, because it smells really awful. This is the kind of book you read a couple of chapters at a time, and you can stop reading it for awhile and pick up where you left off with no problems. It's kind of like listening to an interesting conversation at the dinner table. It's entertaining and makes you laugh and say, "No way!" ("Yes!") "Okay. Neat."
January 22, 2016
Sorry but I was just disappointed. It started off with potential but it felt like after a while it was just filler. I was hoping it would have more of a flow and tell a story, but it was just lots of little stories. The writing was good, but it seems like a lot of time was wasted on the birds.
December 9, 2014
A sentimental romp by a gifted writer (who lives 10 miles away in the Finger Lakes region of NYS.)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews