Lake Cow Bacon: America’s Hippo-Sized Solution to Hunger | 405

Hysteria 51

Did you know America once eyed hippos as a solution to its problems? This week on Hysteria 51 we dive into the bizarre yet true tale of how early 20th-century Louisiana faced a water hyacinth invasion and a looming food shortage—and how importing hippos, lovingly dubbed “lake cows,” was proposed as the answer. Join us as we explore the strange saga of "Lake Cow Bacon," the politicians and eccentric dreamers behind the plan, and why this idea almost became reality. Grab a plate of hypothetical hippo bacon, and let’s get weird with history!

Special thanks to this week’s research sources:

Videos

Exploring 'Lake Cow Bacon': A Unique American Tale | weird history - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_d2LkczvLY

America's Secret Plan to Replace BEEF with HIPPOS - https://youtu.be/ChqkNAeJygM?si=lu4ZzqkrrltaMETh

Websites

Second Boer War: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Boer_War

The Daily Beast - https://www.thedailybeast.com/lake-bacon-the-story-of-the-man-who-wanted-us-to-eat-mississippi-hippos/

Smithsonian Magazine - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-us-almost-became-a-nation-of-hippo-ranchers-180982244/

On Pasture - https://onpasture.com/2016/04/18/u-s-hippo-ranches-and-lake-cow-bacon/

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