# Have you cooked in a mining camp? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194 "2005-03-18T19:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/1 "2005-03-18T19:48:13Z")
Hi gang. Happy weekend to all, glad you survived St. Pat’s day, again. On to my question; I may have the opportunity to take a job as a camp cook at an mining camp. It would be for 12 people (or so). Anyone have experiance in either a mining (or, I figure oil camps to be very similar) camps? I understand that these jobs are usually a ways from civilization. Tell me more. ``` Thanks ``` ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/2 "2005-03-18T20:03:45Z")
I’ve cooked in similar situations. Except feeding 100-300 people. What specifically did you want to know about it? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/3 "2005-03-18T20:10:10Z")
And I’ve been involved with feeding the unwashed masses at Ren Faire. (usually around 50 people) Perhaps not quite as far from the world as a mining or oil drilling camp, but still an hour away from any food other than gas station Slim Jims. I suspect Rule Number One can be summed up in one word: COFFEE ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/4 "2005-03-18T21:11:17Z")
Yes, make sure the coffee is ready by 6am at the latest. And they don’t like it when you switch it to decaf for your own amusement. ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/5 "2005-03-18T23:06:21Z")
Ok…here’s what I’m curious about. I don’t understand why this company is paying what i consider a rather handsome sum to cook for 12 people in what basically ends up being one meal a day (dinner). Breakfast is usually just cereal and toast (coffee…should I learn how to make this?) Bag lunches…no prob …and dinner. I can cook, for 12, no prob. The person (owner) tells me they have a real problem getting cooks. I have heard this of the oil buisness, too, so…?.. The location is in the GREAT white north …North of 60…North… Job only runs 6 monthes (summer)…I realize it’s a live- in- thing, and you’re gonna get to know everyone REAL well… Room and board is included…There must be a downside… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Hecubis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ec9cab/32.png) [@Hecubis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hecubis)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/6 "2005-03-18T23:39:52Z")
While I haven’t done this I do live north of 60 and I have had friends work in camps. The reason the pay is so good is the isolation, they were usually at camps for weeks at a time. They were also literally in the middle of nowhere and the only way in or out was float plane. Summer for us is usally 3 months so 6 months seems strange. I don’t believe they ever said the actual work was all that hard but the hours, you do work 7 days a week from morning to night. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/7 "2005-03-18T23:50:53Z")
Billy, have you ever been in a Turkish prison? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-cooked-in-a-mining-camp/295194/8 "2005-03-19T00:02:46Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Billy, have you ever been in a Turkish prison? I doubt that it will be anything but superficially similar to a Turkish prison (which I loved BTW). You can bet there will be plenty of opportunity to see grown men naked however.