10 Reasons Why you need to remember the name Joel Salatin

Have you ever wondered where all the good farmers have gone? 

Seriously, though. When I look at all the GMO-growin’ going on in my town and hear of all the farmers who are jumping on the government-subsidized seed train, I wonder if farming is moving in the right direction.

The first time I heard the name Joel Salatin, I honestly had no idea who the guy was. Seeing a picture of him, you might think he’s an old-school dude, somebody who you really don’t need to read about. Well, I’m here to tell you that you need to remember the name Joel Salatin, and here are ten good reasons:

1. Everything he wants to do is illegal.

Asked recently where he thought America’s food system was on a continuum of history, Joel Salatin responded: “We’re at Wounded Knee.  For all the foodie fluff and eco-local buzz, in the final analysis the imbedded, heritage, transparent, truthful food system is in danger of annihilation. The Seventh Cavalry wears blue pinstriped suits and sits in posh government office buildings. The Native Americans are farmers trying to heal their land, their neighbors, and their food.” 

2. He is working hard to teach young farmers everywhere how to farm the RIGHT way.

 
Here’s a list of some of Joel’s books on how to farm in our modern world:

Folks, This Ain’t Normal: A Farmer’s Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World
You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise
Fields of Farmers: Interning, Mentoring, Partnering, Germinating
Pastured Poultry Profit$
The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer 
Salad Bar Beef 
Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front 
Family Friendly Farming: A Multi-Generational Home-Based Business Testament

3. The guy comes up with some amazing quotes.

 

4. Joel Salatin is hilarious.

 On this one, you’re just gonna have to trust me. Read below on how you can listen to Joel Salatin speak for FREE!

5. Joel Salatin is a family man.

As a third generation farmer, Joel has lived on, raised his children, and now grandchildren on the same property. He’s a family man, believes in the importance of instilling values and teaching traditional practices to our kids. 

 

6. Joel Salatin has turned his fashion style into a trend.

Joel has a signature style. He rocks the jeans, classic work boots, Polyface farm shirt, and ties it all together with some nice n’ thick suspenders. On his birthday this year, interns at Polyface Farms dedicated that day’s attire to Joel. I could totally see this becoming a new trend. Well, at least in my circle of friends:)

7. Joel Salatin’s changing the world, one “Salad Bar Beef” at a time.

When talking about the environmental impact of the meat industry, a lot of animal activists claim that the Earth just wasn’t meant to handle the load that the meat industry places on it. Joel agrees that the current CAFO meat industry is harmful to the environment, but he has a convincing argument that grass-fed beef (and sustainable farming practices) will save the Earth. 

“Finally, salad bar beef. This is the most exciting, because it is completely immune to grain prices. It requires no tillage, no fertilizer, no feed transportation or drying costs. It runs on real time solar energy, self-harvesting with four-wheel drive self-propelled sauerkraut tanks.”  – Joel Salatin

Joel uses practices like pasture-rotation and multi-species involvement to take care of the by-products of animal raising naturally and ethically. You can read more about Joel’s argument here. 

8. Joel Salatin is an environmentalist that wants less environmental laws.

Although Joel’s for changes, he’s against some of the laws to force those changes. He’s all about empowering the people to make correct choices, and you can check out his debate with Dr. Joe Mercola (and good friend of Joel’s) on the issue of GMO labeling below. He’s got some valid points, for sure!

 

9. He does the dishes for his wife. Enough said.

10. Listening to Joel Salatin speak will change your life!

“I inherited Mom’s verbal skills”, says Joel. Well, his mama must be an amazing speaker, because I could listen to Joel for hours. His charisma and story-telling skills make for one entertaining time, I tell you. It’s no wonder people are flocking to Polyface Farms to take the various tours and get a chance to listen to Joel in person. I would love to visit Polyface Farms and visit Joel in person, but until then, I’m taking any chance I can get to listen to him speak via the internet.