Polyface Farm Tour~Salatin~My experience (pics on page 3).

[ORChick]

Not to turn this into a religious debate, because this isn't the time or the place for that, but I'd like to point out that whether this man is a Christian or not has no bearing on his attitude and bearing towards his fellow man. If he has a message to impart (which he does, and it sounds like a good one, for the most part, though I haven't read any of his writings) he should do so in a manner that shows respect for his listeners. He should also run his farm as he writes and lectures is the best way, in his opinion, to run a farm. To "walk the walk", in other words. It sounds to me like he is a rude and arrogant SOB. But, as I said, I haven't read his books, and don't know anything about him but what I have heard from others.
However to say, or imply, that he should have a higher standard just because he is a Christian is offensive to the many, many good, respectfull, knowledgable, kind, attentive, etc., etc. people on this earth who are not Christian. I hope I haven't offended the many here who are Christian, but I don't believe that I, or a good number of my friends are bad people for believing differently.

 

[VickiLynn]

Thank you for your report. I have seen him in Food, Inc., and read one of his books, and had the impression he was very condescending, but thought maybe it was just me, since everyone else I talked to thought he was wonderful. Now I know I can trust my gut.

If you thought him rude when you asked questions, maybe it wasn't because you are a woman so much as because you asked intelligent questions. I remember in "Holy Cows and Hog Heaven" he made fun of the dumb questions he gets from city people. If someone asks an intelligent question, it probably throws him off his high horse.

He's a smart man. He knows tractors can take the rain - but what fun to watch all those city people with their expensive shoes tromp through the mud and manure and pay him for the experience! It sounds like a control thing to me.

 

[Wildsky]

My tractor is now refusing to work until it gets something to protect it from the rain.

Now I'm wondering if I should protect my car from the rain...

 

[Damummis]

My tractor is now refusing to work until it gets something to protect it from the rain.

Now I'm wondering if I should protect my car from the rain...

Maybe it is the MUD we should worry about.

 

[Ldychef2k]

I hate to toss in yet another "me story", but it works here.

I was a charter student at American Christian College, Tulsa, in 1970. Some may know who Billy James Hargis was. It's a sordid story, how he molested six male students and one female. If you are interested in the Time magazine coverage of the first national evangelist sex scandal, here is a link: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,918027,00.html

After college, I was an editor, writer and columnist for a national evangelist. You know, the one who needed umpteen millions or God would call him home? Yeah, that one.

The things I saw (gold plated toilet, desk elevated so you had to look up at him at all times) the things I was asked to do (have all jewelry air brushed out of pictures for publication so he didn't have to remove it; no laughter in the presence of Mrs. Evangelist) and the things I heard (I come to you today from the desert, where the Lord has today given me a vision for the future (poolside meeting at Palm Springs mansion, to approve plans for the "vision", which had been drawn up three years earlier) and found (manuscript for expose found in my desk, hidden by predecessor), taught me a very serious lesson: Put absolutely no faith in nor trust in anyone but God.

It's easy to hold someone in high esteem, to be inspired by their work and have a life-changing experience based on their teachings. But it is also dangerous. These men I have mentioned, and Mr. Salatin will have to stand before God for each act they committed, for each way they sullied the name of Christ. We are allowed to distrust them. In fact, AFAIAC, it is a requirement. People upon whom God truly moves, inspires, and gifts, He will bless as He sees fit. It is seldom about fame, glry and money. It is ALWAYS about service and repesenting the Lord.

If we sense in our spirit that the person to whom we have given our trust is not worthy of it, we ought to listen to that inner voice, hold that person accountable, and if they do not repent, shake the dust off our feet at their doorway.

I imagine this fellow has a lot of knowledge. He has not learned wisdom.

Proverbs 4:7 -- Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

 

[patandchickens]

I come to you today from the desert, where the Lord has today given me a vision for the future (poolside meeting at Palm Springs mansion, to approve plans for the "vision", which had been drawn up three years earlier)

I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind me saying this, I realize it probably wasn't at all funny at the time, but that is just the funniest thing I have heard all week and I'm glad you posted it.

People are a REALLY weird species


Pat

 

[kcsunshine]

Very aptly put Ldychf2k. So true.

 

[curly_kate]

Great ideas can come from total jerks. One of our local politicians has saved our local economy in many many ways yet most people can't stand to be in the same room with the guy for more than 5 minutes.

Good point! I read Everything I Want to Do, and very much appreciated his point of view. I admit, I was disappointed to hear Bee's story, but it's true that he's ultimately just a guy making a living. I need to learn not to put people on pedestals; bottom line is that they're just people and going to do contradictory things as much as I want them to be perfect.

 

[Beekissed]

Dac, that was priceless!!!!

His birds were very crowded in that building, I was standing at the doorway when I took that pic, so the space you see is the space they had.....sort of put me in mind of the broiler houses.

One of the questions I asked was about his cows rumens...they were all squirting liquid feces and I merely asked him how long they had been out on spring grass. He stated they had been there since March. Now, by my thinking, if an animal has been on spring pasture for 2 1/2 months ,their rumen should have adjusted by now if it were going to do so. If not, many of their nutrients are shooting out their backside, along with valuable electrolytes.

I had read in one of his books where he provides winter stored hay in his fields in the spring so that the cows can have roughage and keep their rumens healthy. I did not see any hay, so I asked him how long it would be before their stool would be more firm....his reply was that this was rich graze. That was it....no explanation as to why he was letting his cows squirt their life away as if they were on a high corn diet. Well...duh! I can see that it's rich graze...what the heck are you doing for these cows so they can actually utilize it to it's full potential was the implied question here. He declined to expand on his answer but quickly changed the subject after giving me a dismissive glare. Yep, he glared.

In one of his books he describes what a healthy cow pat should look like, so I was trying to determine why he would describe this if his own cows didn't have them. Just curious, I guess, as it didn't seem to be an efficient use of all that great pasture nutrition.

Second question was about his broiler ration. I asked if he designed his own formula and was this list of ingredients available for viewing. He very sharply retorted that yes, he did design his own from local non-GMO grains and the ingredients were in his book. Obviously, few people on the tour had even read his books, so he was, in effect, telling me to go read a book, I don't wish to answer your question. Again, it was answered in a very abrupt and dismissive tone, no smiling charm wasted there.

I wouldn't call my questions any more intelligent than any one of you would have asked in the same situation...I'm wondering how he treats actual guy farmers who ask pointed or probing questions?

 

[justusnak]

Wow. From the pictures...all I could see was floor to floor chickens in that hoop house...and then rabbits stuffed in cages end to end. :/ I try to understand that not everyone has the same ideas on how animals should be raised. However, I always thought of him as an "informed" man. He is obviously a "production" farm....not a " back to the earth, how it should be" farm like I thought. No one is perfect, mainly because we all have different ideas on how things should go, HOWEVER...bald chickens?? ANYONE who raises chickens knows they should not look like that! Overcrowding...too many roo's...low protiene...whatever the case..he should look into that, as a "human being" I got the impression of a " Free range factory farm" Not really getting to free range, as in outside....but free range as in...not stuffed 3 or 4 to a small cage. I have to say, I am NOT impressed with all of his methods.Thanks for your report Bee. Just goes to show....money talks...and unsuspecting people....walk.