Joel Salatin and self sufficiency

[me&thegals]

Hi! I'm listening to "The Omnivore's Dilemma," and Salatin's name and story are featured in the chapter I'm listening to now.

Just wonder if any of you know much about him, his farm, his views. I read an essay of his once and thought he sounded wonderfully intelligent and humorous. Sounds like his 100-acre farm is the model of self sufficiency, raising an incredible amount of meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables without external commercial inputs.

 

[Beekissed]

LOVE Joel Salatin and was fortunate to hear a lecture that he gave on raising rabbits once. Very down to Earth, normal looking fella. Have read his book and several of his articles. I have deep respect for his agricultural methods and his no nonsense approach to raising healthy meat on his farm. A beacon of light in the farming world and a good example to people who say that they can no longer make a living on the family farm without using commercial practices. I think that slowly and surely more and more people are starting to wisen up and follow his example.

My sister and her husband thought he was too "preachy" because of his views about horses on the farm, running to town every day, etc. They never could stand to hear the truth!

I would love the chance to employ these practices on some acreage of my own but I know I will never own any land on which to do so. Still, a person can do it on a smaller scale with some measure of success. If I only had a hoop house...

 

[farm_mom]

I second everything beekissed said! Love his work. I may not agree with everything he says, or how he says it, but he is a man to be respected and learned from I believe. Pick up a copy of any of his work and you'll be enthralled. We even bought a copy of his Polyface Farm dvd and I put it in the player every now and again, just to soak up the sustainable farm life!

 

[FarmerChick]

Beekissed wrote:
My sister and her husband thought he was too "preachy" because of his views about horses on the farm, running to town every day, etc. They never could stand to hear the truth!



Nah, the real truth TO THEM is that this is not life. Life comes from a grocery store. You can't argue truly with their way of thinking.

I have 2 brothers....one is "tolerant" of animals and lives in a neighborhood and "never" thinks green" or anything, (making tons of money)

the other is worse ...haha...worse...hates animals and NEVER wants to know where his "survival" food comes from or anything else...he thinks people were put on this earth to supply him food...arrogant? nuts? in his own world? --heck I don't know..LOL

they both think I am nuts, farming..LOL

oh well.......products are available out there, not everyone needs to use them. Not even try to "be us"---we just are..LOL

just rambling

 

[me&thegals]

I heard he has written some books. Have you all read of any them? Any recommendations? The Omnivore's Dilemma talked so much about his farm that I would love to learn more about it!

 

[Beekissed]

Nah, the real truth TO THEM is that this is not life. Life comes from a grocery store. You can't argue truly with their way of thinking.

Actually, they know little to nothing about farming but bought a bunch of high priced Highland cattle, adopted a few horses, added a grand menagery of various animals(their animals now number 146) and thought they were going to live off the farm. They spent a lot of money, went about things all backwards and are still pouring money down a pit. Their animals live in hell, with little to no fencing, shelter, little to no fresh water, no grass, little hay, etc.

They didn't like his writing that a serious farmer doesn't keep horses, as they are hay burners and do not add revenue to the farm. Also the part where he said, if you see a plume of dust coming from the driveway to the farm, where people are making daily trips to town, this is a farm that is not making money. Of course, this is the first thing they do and, of course, they are really bad, bad "farmers" and, so...they thought he was too "preachy"!

 

[reinbeau]

See, that's the problem with being 'preachy'. I can overlook it, because I know authors aren't preaching to the informed, they're trying to reach the unwashed masses that haven't a clue - but they can turn those same people off by preaching. We've discussed this on TEG regarding Barbara Kingsolver, who is preachy in her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. That's why I enjoyed Michael Poulan's books so well, he managed to convey quite a bit without ever standing at the pulpit!

But I do love Joel's philosophies. I with I could do what he does, it's admirable how he manages his 'grass farm'.

 

[coopy]

Does anyone know the titles of his books? Never mind I googled it got it.

 

[reinbeau]

Here's his listing of books, there's a listing at the bottom of the page where you can buy them.

 

[FarmerChick]

Actually, they know little to nothing about farming but bought a bunch of high priced Highland cattle, adopted a few horses, added a grand menagery of various animals(their animals now number 146) and thought they were going to live off the farm. They spent a lot of money, went about things all backwards and are still pouring money down a pit. Their animals live in hell, with little to no fencing, shelter, little to no fresh water, no grass, little hay, etc.

****YOW--that is never good when true non-farmers think they can do this type of lifestyle. My brothers are smart, they want nothing to do with it..HA HA

To me that is just playing at something, ya know, a hobby you KINDA are interested in but not really. And animals suffer then, but hey, again, everyone has their "stuff" in life and it happens. Maybe eventually after throwing money down the pit they will smarten up, who knows--LOL