Greg Gubser’s crew works to prepare for a hog roast. The team is partnering with BECAH for their annual summer fundraiser on Saturday, July 18, in Brownville, Nebraska.
by Morgan Handley
When you walk into Greg Gubser’s shop in Rock Port, Missouri, you may find him holding court in the “king’s chair” – a recliner upcycled onto wheels surrounded by his childhood friend Tomi Thompson, son Braidyn, and nephew Blayne. A sign on the wall reads, “In my defense, I was left unsupervised.” Anyone who has experienced what this crew can accomplish in the “kitchen” when left alone knows they hardly need a defense.
Hog roasts run in Greg’s blood. He grew up helping his father prepare roasts for family gatherings and community events. About 20 years ago, he took the torch for a large family reunion. With Tomi at his side, the two built a large smoker from salvaged farm parts, including but not limited to an auger, propane tank, Kinze planter and fertilizer components, and dumbbells. Outfitted with a rotisserie and lower grates, the creation can feed a crowd and then some.
Their commitment to re-purposing doesn’t stop there. Around the shop you’ll find oversized skillets, woks and pans crafted from plate steel, disk blades and retired tools. Outside, old tractors have been brought back to life through careful rebuilding. For this group, “reduce, reuse, recycle” isn’t just a saying, it’s a way of life.
They’re now taking the operation on the road, building a trailer enclosure with a stainless-steel kitchen to make setup easier and bring their unique cooking style to even more places.
A full hog roast takes about 12 hours, plus many more for preparation, a craft they’ve refined over years of feeding communities. During the overnight roast, the crew camps out beside the smoker, tending to the process and sharing stories until the job is done. And that’s exactly what they love most. “We love meeting and talking to people throughout the process,” Tomi shared.
Another key member of the crew, Josh Sierks, owns several two-cylinder antique tractors and an old-fashioned ice cream churn. When operating, the PTO shaft from one of the tractors powers the churn, producing about five gallons of ice cream in each batch – a sight the young and old can both appreciate.
This summer, the team is once again partnering with Brownville Education Center for Arts and Humanities (BECAH), for their annual summer fundraiser on Saturday, July 18, bringing a one-of-a-kind rural food experience to the streets of Brownville, Nebraska. They will be set up outside city hall on Main Street, and their culinary creations can be enjoyed between 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. A free will donation will be accepted.
BECAH was founded in 2021 to bring workshops in the arts and humanities to the people and communities of southeast Nebraska, southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri. The nonprofit organization is located in the former Brownville school, now called the Antiquarium.
Come hungry, bring friends, and see what can happen when a group of resourceful neighbors are left unsupervised, all for the benefit of the community!
