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From farmer Joel Salatins point of view life in the st century just aint normal In FOLKS THIS AINT NORMAL he discusses how far removed we are from the simple sustainable joy that comes from living close to the land and the people we love Salatin has many thoughts on what normal is and shares practical and philosophical ideas for changing our lives in small ways that have big impactSalatin hailed by the New York Times as Virginias most multifaceted agrarian since Thomas Jefferson and the high priest of the pasture and profiled in the Academy Award nominated documentary Food Inc and the bestselling book The Omnivores Dilemma understands what food should be Wholesome seasonal raised naturally procured locally prepared lovingly and eaten with a profound reverence for the circle of life And his message doesnt stop there From child-rearing to creating quality family time to respecting the environment Salatin writes with a wicked sense of humor and true storytellers knack for the revealing anecdote Salatins crucial message and distinctive voice--practical provocative scientific and down-home philosophical in equal measure--make FOLKS THIS AINT NORMAL a must-read book.



About the Author

Joel Salatin

About Joel
Joel F. Salatin (born 1957) is an American farmer, lecturer, and author whose books include You Can Farm and Salad Bar Beef.

Salatin raises livestock using holistic methods of animal husbandry, free of potentially harmful chemicals, on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Meat from the farm is sold by direct-marketing to
consumers and restaurants.

In high school, Salatin began his own business selling rabbits, eggs, butter and chicken from his family farm at the Staunton Curb Market. He then attended Bob Jones University where he majored in English and was a student leader. He graduated in 1979. Salatin married his childhood sweetheart in 1980 and became a feature writer at the Staunton,
Virginia newspaper, The News Leader, where he had worked earlier typing obituaries and police reports.

Tired of "having his stories spiked," he decided to try farming full-time after first getting involved in a walnut-buying station run by two high school boys. Salatin's grandfather had been an avid gardener and beekeeper and a follower of J. I. Rodale, the founder of regenerative organic gardening. Salatin's father worked as an accountant and his mother taught high school physical education. Salatin's parents had bought the land that became Polyface after losing a farm in Venezuela to political turmoil. They had raised cattle using organic methods, but could not make a living at farming alone.

Salatin, a self-described "Christian-libertarian-environmentalist-capitalist-lunatic-Farmer" produces high-quality "beyond organic" meats, which are raised using environmentally responsible, ecologically beneficial, sustainable agriculture. Jo Robinson, the author of Pasture Perfect: The Far-Reaching Benefits of Choosing Meat, Eggs and Dairy Products From Grass-Fed Animals (2004) said of Salatin, "He's not going back to 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 considers his farming a ministry, and he condemns the negative impact on his livelihood and lifestyle of what he considers an increasingly regulatory approach taken by the agencies of the United States government toward farming. Salatin now spends a hundred days a year lecturing at colleges and to environmental groups.



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