Lessons Learned

Cooking the Pig

Having people stay up late with the cooks really helped them to stay awake this year, as did a few 5 hour energy drinks.
Pit Cooking was much easier than Spit Cooking. The pig can be left unattended for longer periods of time.
Need to open the Aluminum Foil not over the pit/fire. Can cause a grease fire: Video of the great Pig Grease Fire of 2010
Watch the weather - we soldiered the thunderstorm well, but thank goodness we started planning for it in advance and made sure we'd have a tent to protect the food. Imagine how awkward it would've been if we hadn't caught this.
Need to wear protective hand coverings (latex gloves will do) when pulling the aluminum foil off the cooking frame
Recommended to bring a change of clothing. You will smell very lovely after 12 hours sitting next to a pit.
4 Large bags of Charcoal were enough.
3 Injector Kits for a 103 lb pig were enough.

There's a pig processing place in Hartselle that can get us a pig cheaper with a good heads up
For previous events Rocket City Meats complained that we called too early and needed to call 2 weeks before the event. Then we did that and they dicked us by doubling the price and leaving us with no time to find a competing offer. It was five days after we started calling before Mr. Philips answered the phone. Lesson learned is to call 4 weeks in advance anyway and to find a competing offer.
Reminder email should be sent out a day before the event - some folks forgot to bring pledged items

Remember the name tags - sometimes guests have a hard time finding members to answer questions. Name Tags could identify members easily. Also, suggesting members wear makers local shirts on the day of the event in a reminder email.
Guestbook for prospective members to sign
Find a way to count plates, maybe use stickers instead of marker for the hand. (we can count the number of used stickers)
- Used a clicker, can be found in the office near the bathroom of 414 Stevens.
The Pool was a great idea, and really felt good to the cooks that had been next to the pit all night. The water was nasty after we got in, the cooks should save it as a reward at the end, or add some chlorine.
I was pretty out of it after cooking the pig all night, next year we should delegate the money taking to two not-cooks people.
It really helped having one person dedicated to taking the paypal payments so that the other could focus on taking cash.
If we offer discounted plates to interest groups, we need to have about $20 in $1 bills to make change
Having more than one tent and plenty of folding chairs freed up the congestion on the inside and made it easier for everyone to eat without running out of room.

We need to suggest that children be watched by an adult at all times.
Don't run out of bbg sauce.
- Two LARGE things of Sweeet Baby Rays and one regular sized were used at the event. So have more of that on hand.
- Don't put out the large containers, put out the squeeze bottles and refill them as needed. Or just don't get the large containers.