Joel Salatin–Our Farmer, Everybody’s Hero

Joel Salatin on the Cover of Blue Ridge Outdoors

Virginia Farmer Garners Much Deserved Media Attention

After years of hard work and activism, Joel Salatin, our blog’s Hero of Sustainable Agriculture, is hitting the big time.  He is  featured in  the new documentary, Food, Inc. which my husband is taking me to see on his birthday tomorrow! Joel also is gracing the cover of the July issue of Blue Ridge Outdoors, which is on the stands at our Fitness First Health Club and our local Whole Foods Market. Normally, a magazine that covers outdoor sports, Blue Ridge Outdoors is calling Joel an Outdoor Hero, and has a wonderful interview with Joel about his role as a leader in the locavore movement.

For those of you who haven’t had the privilege of  hearing Joel speak, or touring his farm, or tasting his food, he is the owner of Polyface Farms near Staunton, VA. It is a true family farm, started by his father, and being carried on by his son. Joel’s farm is a model of sustainability and humane treatment of the animal kingdom, and even farm workers. Joel’s productive intern program is birthing a whole new generation of farmers. Some interns are now even being invited to stay on and start their own incubator farms right on the Polyface spread.  The latest, I hear, is starting a small dairy operation which will offer cowshares.

ABC News Presents Happy Pigs Served at Chipoltle

I was delighted to see that Joel was also interviewed by my favorite TV network, ABC, in reference to the fast food chain, Chipolte choosing to buy his pork. I have the link to the ABC news segment here, and it is such a refreshing bit of good news, that you will want to pass the link on to others!

Keith and I believe in this farm and its stated mission, to rebuild the local food systems in America. We sponsor one of the many Polyface Farm drops at our National Realty office here in Reston, VA.  One of his ranchers, Matt Rales came to speak at our office to an overflow crowd of 60, and contributed a blog article to Hartke is Online! last spring, Grass Based Farming is Making a Comeback.

If you are lucky enough to live in our “food shed” as Joel calls it, you can go to Polyfaceyum.com and sign up for his food buyers club.  If you are not in the Virginia food shed, sorry, Joel will not do mail order.  It is counter to everything he believes in about producing and buying local food.  But, please tell your local farmers about Joel.  He travels and gives seminars about his heritage based farming methods that respect the cycles of nature. Your farmer may want to find out how to go to one of Joel’s training sessions or buy one of his many books on farming. You or your local farmer can even sign up for the Polyface newsletter on the Polyfaceyum.com website.

Thanks, Joel, for leading the way!