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43-596: Salatin raises livestock on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia , in the Shenandoah Valley . Meat from the farm is sold by direct marketing to consumers and restaurants. Salatin's father worked for a major petroleum company, Texas Oil, using his earnings to purchase a 1,000-acre farm in Venezuela. Salatin describes in his book You Can Farm how his family were involved in “wildcat oil drilling,” and after “clearing some of

86-587: A Lunatic Farmer , that the meat bird operation is currently the least sustainable aspect of the farm. Salatin goes on to say that he looks forward to the day that customers are willing to buy (and he is able to raise) a non-industrial meat bird. Reese's critique also aims at Michael Pollan's view in his book The Omnivore's Dilemma that depicts the farming principles of Polyface as exemplary and sustainable. Salatin confirmed, in an interview with The Observer , that he raises non-heritage breed chickens. He explained that he had raised heritage birds for several years, but

129-409: A blog post responding to a blog post by Chris Newman, another Virginia farmer and owner of Sylvanaqua Farms , in which Newman critiques the small family farm model and describes an alternative, vertically integrated system rooted in collective ownership. Salatin said in his article that Newman, who is black and Native American, was too early in his farming career to know whether he would be successful in

172-516: A circulation of 500,520 as of 2011 . It is published in Topeka , Kansas . Since its founding, Mother Earth News has promoted renewable energy , recycling , family farms, good agricultural practices , better eating habits, medical self-care, more meaningful education and affordable housing . The magazine approaches environmental problems from a down-to-earth, practical, simple living , how-to standpoint. Founders John and Jane Shuttleworth started

215-577: A farm in the Shenandoah Valley in 1961 and began restoring its land. In high school, Salatin began his own business selling rabbits, eggs, butter and chicken from the farm at the Staunton Curb Market. He then attended Bob Jones University where he majored in English and was a student leader, graduating in 1979. Salatin married his childhood sweetheart Teresa in 1980 and became a feature writer at

258-432: A farm located in rural Swoope, Virginia , run by Joel Salatin and his family. The farm is driven using unconventional methods with the goal of "emotionally, economically and environmentally enhancing agriculture". This farm is where Salatin developed and put into practice many of his most significant agricultural methods. These include direct marketing of meats and produce to consumers, pastured-poultry, grass-fed beef and

301-399: A livestock farm], you are smelling mismanagement." So everything possible is done to allow grass to absorb all the fertilizer left behind by the animals. If animals must be kept inside (to brood young chicks for example), Salatin recommends providing deep bedding of wood chips or sawdust to lock in all the nutrients and smell until they can be spread on the field where the compost can be used by

344-473: A result, the magazine thrived throughout the 1970s. There were articles on home building, farming , gardening , and entrepreneurism, all with a DIY approach. The subject matter of the articles ranged widely into such subjects as geodesic domes , hunting , food storage , and even a regular column on amateur radio . Alternative energy was a frequent topic covered in the magazine, with articles on how to switch to solar power and wind power , and how to make

387-445: A still and run your car on ethanol . A series of "Plowboy Interviews" (a jokey nod to " Playboy Interviews ") was also a regular feature, which included interviews of environmental leaders and others. With its left-of-center perspective, The Mother Earth News attracted a wide readership, not only of back to the landers but also others ranging from hippies , to survivalists , to suburban dwellers who dreamed of someday moving to

430-641: Is alleged to include known negligence of water quality standards and the poisoning of 10 out of 11 interns. One of the reviewers, Emma, reports two hospital visits due to a bacterial infection from their housing's water supply including a diagnosis of campylobacteriosis . The interns' allegations also include crude and manipulative behavior on the part of farm ownership and management, along with low pay and little educational value. Polyface Farm repeatedly violated COVID-19 pandemic protocols by holding various gatherings. Salatin regularly expressed in his blog "Musings from The Lunatic Farmer" that he believes that COVID

473-410: Is back to normal." While criticism of Joel Salatin and Polyface for minimizing COVID-19's impact were widespread the farm continued to host large and mostly maskless events well into the fall of 2020. 38°07′23″N 79°13′23″W  /  38.1230°N 79.2230°W  / 38.1230; -79.2230 Mother Earth News Mother Earth News is a bi-monthly American magazine that has

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516-406: Is distributed by the chickens directly onto the field. His egg-laying chickens are housed in mobile trailer-style coops (called "eggmobiles") that follow four days after the cattle when flies in the manure are pupating ; the chickens get 15% of their feed from this. While scratching for pupae, the chickens also distribute the cow manure across the field. Salatin feels that "if you smell manure [on

559-525: Is doing industrial birds. Call him up and ask him. So he puts them on pasture. It makes no difference. It's like putting a broken-down Honda on the autobahn and saying it's a Porsche." Salatin maintains that this statement is not entirely true. Polyface uses heritage breeds for its egg production. However, for meat birds Salatin uses the Cornish cross , the same type of bird used in the industrial system. Salatin candidly admits in his book, The Sheer Ecstasy of Being

602-502: Is exactly the model God used in building nature." "The idea is not to slavishly imitate nature, but to model a natural ecosystem in all its diversity and interdependence, one where all the species "fully express their physiological distinctiveness." The farm is covered in the August/September 2008 issue of Mother Earth News . The farm is also featured in the documentary films Food, Inc. and Fresh as well as in episode 3 of

645-536: Is featured prominently in Michael Pollan 's book The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006) and the documentary films, Food, Inc. and Fresh . Pollan became interested in Salatin because of his refusal to send food to locations beyond a four-hour drive of his farm, i.e. outside his local "foodshed". "We want [prospective customers] to find farms in their areas and keep the money in their own community", he said. "We think there

688-404: Is not a danger and that it should not be taken so seriously. He implied that 5G may be the true cause of COVID. In March of 2020, he wrote: "Okay folks, enough is enough. I want coronavirus. I've been watching all the personal stories of the folks who have gotten it and the overwhelming testimony is pretty simple: a day of sniffles, another day of fatigue, then a couple of days of recovery, and life

731-400: Is strength in decentralization and spreading out rather than in being concentrated and centralized." Salatin and his farm have also been featured in radio, television and print media including Smithsonian Magazine , National Geographic , Gourmet , and ABC News. Salatin received the 15th Annual Heinz Award with special focus on the environment. Polyface Farm Polyface Farm is

774-420: Is today. Fortunately, he's here; rare, but here." In August 2020, an AGDAILY writer described Salatin's blog post as appearing racially inappropriate, and the publication referenced the criticism Salatin received in his attempt to discredit Newman. After Salatin's remarks, Mother Earth News asked Newman to write for the publication for diversity in the wake of the murder of George Floyd . Newman declined

817-607: The BBC documentary series Jimmy's Global Harvest . Polyface Farm is a participant in Humane Farm Animal Care 's Certified Humane Raised and Handled program. Salatin and his farm was the main topic of the documentary Polyfaces. Salatin is criticized by poultry farmer Frank Reese in Jonathan Safran Foer 's book Eating Animals for raising industrial birds , not heritage birds. Reese says of Polyface, "Joel Salatin

860-685: The COVID-19 pandemic , on his website, Salatin said he wanted coronavirus. Salatin was widely condemned for his comments by the public and his peers. Salatin has spoken as a farming educator at a wide range of organizations including the University of California at Berkeley , and the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture . In 2020, he spoke at the Libertarian National Convention about limiting regulation. Salatin's farm, Polyface,

903-634: The Staunton, Virginia , newspaper, The News Leader , where he had worked earlier typing obituaries and police reports. Polyface Farm is a 550-acre (220-hectare) farm in Swoope, Virginia. The farmhouse was built in 1750 and added on throughout the years. It was purchased by the Salatins in 1961. Tiring of writing for the newspaper, Salatin decided to try farming full-time. Each year, he revised his organic farming techniques, which have low overhead and equipment costs, and

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946-448: The rotation method which makes his farm more like an ecological system than conventional farming . Polyface Farm operates a farm store on-site where consumers go to pick up their products. Salatin encourages people to buy locally to save small businesses. Salatin believes it is advantageous for consumers to know their farmers and where their food comes from. Salatin says that his Christian faith informs how he raises and slaughters

989-401: The 1970s. Mother Earth News embraced the revived interest in the back-to-the-land movement at the beginning of the 1970s, and combined this with an interest in the ecology movement and self-sufficiency . Unlike many other magazines with ecological coverage, Mother Earth News concentrated on do-it-yourself and how-to articles, aimed at the growing number of people moving to the country. As

1032-407: The animals on his 500-acre (2.0 km ) farm. He sees it as his responsibility to honour the animals as creatures that reflect God's love and believes his method is to honour that of God. Salatin is quoted in the book The Omnivore's Dilemma as justifying the killing of animals for meat because "people have a soul, animals don't...When they die, they die." Salatin bases his farm's ecosystem on

1075-488: The bigness of the pig is a foundation for societal health." While Salatin does not sell to supermarkets or ship long distances, Polyface products are available at restaurants (including Chipotle and Staunton's Zynodoa) and local food sellers within a half-days drive of the farm. Polyface Farm was featured in the book The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan as exemplary sustainable agriculture , contrasting Polyface Farm favorably to factory farming . An excerpt of

1118-518: The book was published in the May/June 2006 issue of Mother Jones . Pollan's book describes Polyface Farm's method of sustainable agriculture as being built on the efficiencies that come from mimicking relationships found in nature and layering one farm enterprise over another on the same base of land. In effect, Joel is farming in time as well as in space—in four dimensions rather than three. He calls this intricate layering "stacking" and points out that "it

1161-693: The country, to long-time rural dwellers who found the DIY articles useful. In the March–April 1975 issue of the magazine, Issue No. 32, John Shuttleworth said in the second installment of the Plowboy Interview: For at least 20 years now, I've been getting an increasingly uncomfortable suspicion that all the major nations of the world — capitalist and communist — suffer from the narrow delusion that only people, and people alone, have any rights on this planet. Further, that human wants, needs, and desires — seemingly

1204-615: The cow dung to eat protein-rich fly larvae while further fertilizing the field with their droppings. Salatin condemns the negative impact of the United States government on his livelihood because of what he considers an increasingly regulatory approach taken toward farming. He is a self-described "Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer", producing meat he describes as "beyond organic", using environmentally responsible, ecologically beneficial, sustainable agriculture . Jo Robinson said of Salatin, "He's not going back to

1247-483: The farm began to turn a profit. The farm grosses $ 350,000 and is deemed a commercial farm by the United States Department of Agriculture . Salatin's philosophy of farming emphasizes healthy grass on which animals can thrive in a symbiotic cycle of feeding. Cows are moved from one pasture to another rather than being centrally corn fed. Chickens in portable coops are moved in behind them, where they dig through

1290-442: The grass. Salatin's pastures, barn, and farmhouse are located on land below a nearby pond that "feeds the farm" by using 15 miles (24 km) of piping. Salatin also harvests 450 acres (1.8 km ) of woodlands and uses the lumber to construct farm buildings. One of Salatin's principles is that "plants and animals should be provided a habitat that allows them to express their physiological distinctiveness. Respecting and honouring

1333-437: The invitation raising concerns about Salatin's article. After public criticism of the publication's support for Salatin, Mother Earth News ultimately severed its relationship with Salatin. Salatin said that his blog "routinely offends big ag, bureaucrats, big pharma, etc, on purpose. But I never intend to offend people due to their race, religion, culture, gender, or creed and I’m sorry that this post did." In March 2020, during

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1376-444: The jungle” to establish a chicken and dairy farm, "in a totally free market…without government regulations” they quickly “cornered the poultry market.” The family left Venezuela in 1959 following the 1958 election of President Rómulo Betancourt who instituted a program to redistribute land. Influenced by their Biblical understanding of earth stewardship and J. I. Rodale , Salatin's parents, William and Lucille, relocated and purchased

1419-487: The long-term, and that Newman would only "push would-be team players away" by complaining - writing "The problem with disagreeing with Chris is that I'll be called a racist [...] Is it more racist to play the race card to anybody who dares disagree with you than it is to actually be a racist?" and concluding "When I think of William Cody mounting a U.S. Postal Service Pony Express horse at the age of 13 and riding through paths lined with hostile Native Americans, I wonder where he

1462-466: The magazine at this time to start BackHome Magazine . New American stopped publishing its magazines, and sold them to Sussex Publishers in 1991. The magazine survived, and grew through the late 1990s and the first half-decade of the 21st century. Notable gardener Ira Wallace was the mid-Atlantic correspondent during the 1990s. Sussex Publishers in New York City owned the magazine until 2001, when it

1505-650: The magazine on a "shoestring" budget of $ 1500, published from home in 1970. The first issue was published in January of that year. (John Shuttleworth died on March 29, 2009, at his home in Evergreen, Colorado , at the age of 71. ) The magazine was originally published in Madison, Ohio , and moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina , later. The headquarters is in Topeka, Kansas. It had a scrappy, no-frills style and appearance throughout

1548-607: The magazine's philosophies on hundreds of stations nationwide and alternative fuel vehicles carrying the Mother Earth News logo criss-crossed the country. The magazine flagged somewhat with the declining popularity of the back to the land movement in the early 1980s. Eventually, it was sold to the New American Company in 1986, who redesigned it with a much slicker image and repositioned it as "The Original Country Magazine." A number of employees of Mother Earth News left

1591-575: The more capricious the better — should be instantly gratified. And further still, that this can always be done in a strictly economic frame of reference. "In short, I think that we live in an unbelievably marvelous Garden of Eden. Surrounded by miraculous life forms almost without number. Kept alive by a mysteriously interwoven, self-replenishing support system that, with all our scientific 'breakthroughs,' we still do not understand. "And yet, as favored as we are by all this real wealth, we somehow perversely prefer to spend almost all waking hours interpreting

1634-632: The old model. There's nothing in county extension or old-fashioned ag science that really informs him. He is just looking totally afresh at how to maximize production in an integrated system on a holistic farm. He's just totally innovative." Salatin has been editor of the monthly agriculture magazine Stockman Grass Farmer promoting pasture-grazed lifestock, and teaches a two-day course on agribusiness marketing in conjunction with this magazine. He has authored twelve books including Folks, This Ain't Normal , You Can Farm , Salad Bar Beef and Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal . In November 2019 Salatin wrote

1677-442: The pastures forces the cattle to "mob stock", or to eat all the grass. Polyface raises cattle, pastured meat chickens, egg layers, pigs, turkeys, and rabbits. The diversity in production better utilizes the grass, breaks pathogen cycles, and creates multiple income streams. The meat chickens are housed in portable field shelters that are moved daily to a fresh "salad bar" of new grass and away from yesterday's droppings. All manure

1720-429: The poultry from these birds had gained little interest from consumers, and was therefore not economically viable for him. The New York Times in their article "Let Them Eat Acorns" quotes unspecified, uncited and unknown individuals: "Some say he is cheating the notion of sustainability by feeding his pigs grain that he does not grow himself. Others contend that confinement operations are the only practical way to feed

1763-461: The principle of observing animals' activities in nature and emulating those conditions as closely as possible. Salatin grazes his cattle outdoors within small pastures enclosed by electrified fencing that is easily moved each evening in an established rotational grazing system. Animal manure fertilizes the pastures and enables Polyface Farm to graze about four times as many cattle as on a conventional farm, thus also saving feed costs. The small size of

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1806-541: The sum total of this reality in terms of the narrow and distorted, strictly human-centered concept of money." In 1979 editor Bruce Woods and two other employees bought the magazine from the Shuttleworths. The Eco-Village , a 600-acre (240 ha) research center, was in full swing with vast experimental gardens, houses, and energy projects. Each summer 20,000 people took Mother Earth News seminars on everything from beekeeping to cordwood construction . A radio show shared

1849-426: The world, and that pastured animals do more damage to the environment than is acknowledged in this farm-to-table era." After Polyface's 2019 growing season, a website went live that claimed to be run by the season's former interns, it is entitled One Experience of Many. The website includes both positive and negative reviews of the farm and the family who run it, the reviewers all discuss substandard housing, which

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