Episode 516 – Polyface Farm

Joel Salatin is one of the most celebrated pioneers in sustainable agriculture and his family business, Polyface Farms in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, is the model by which many farmers aspire. Joel and his family use careful farming practices, leaving the soil better each year – not depleted of its nutrients – which is the way it should be.

In 1961 Joel’s parents, William and Lucille Salatin moved to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley with their family. They purchased a used, worn-out, and eroded farm. Using nature as their guide, the Salatin family began to heal the land. Creating new technologies and working with the land around them, Polyface Farms now supports three generations of family.

Joe and the team take a tour of Polyface Farms with Joel. The Salatin’s raise grass-fed beef, forage based rabbits, and pastured chickens and turkeys, eggs, and forest floor pigs. Polyface has become one of the top farms servicing over 3,000 families, 10 retail outlets and 50 restaurants through on-farm sales and buying clubs. And Joel has been featured in many movies and books on sustainability.

Additional Links:

• Polyface Farms
• How Polyface is Healing Land One Acre At A Time on Living Homegrown
• Behind the Scenes of filming at Polyface Farms by Theresa Loe
• Grassfed Beef Steaks with Fresh Chimichurri Sauce with Chef Nathan Lyon
• Food, Inc. the film

Books:

• The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Mealsby Michael Pollan*
• Food Rules: An Eater’s Manualby Michael Pollan and Maira Kalman*
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver*

*Links related to books and merchandise are affiliate links