Posted by Casey Williams on July 21st, 2009
Last week residents and friends of Bundoran Farm and the Homestead Preserve joined the Baldwin Center for a study tour of agrarian practices in place at Polyface Farm. On his pasture-base, beyond organic, local-market farm, Joel Salatin raises animals with ethically and ecologically-sound methods that mimic natural movement patterns and preserve the landscape.
The self-declared “Christian-Libertarian-Environmentalist-Capitalist-Lunatic” has entered the national spotlight as a main subject in Michael Pollan’s bestseller, The Ominivore’s Dilemma and the upcoming film Food, Inc. The author of six of his own books, Salatin is not shy about his beliefs. He bluntly spoke to our group about the disgraces he sees in the current industrial food system.
Today Polyface arguably represents America’s premier non-industrial food production oasis. Regarding the Creator’s design as the best pattern for the biological world, the Salatins learned to arrange the facets of farm life so they don’t operate as independent operations, but rather a system of intertwined cycles. Disregarding conventional wisdom, the Salatins planted trees, built huge compost piles, dug ponds, move cows daily with portable electric fencing, and utilize portable sheltering systems to produce all their animals on perennial prairie polycultures.
As part of his policy of full transparency in his farming practices, Joel welcomes visitors to Polyface Farm for self-guided tours anytime Monday through Saturday. Guided tours are also available for a fee. For more information, check the Polyface web site: www.polyfacefarm.com
Filed under: Agriculture, Baldwin Center for Preservation, Bundoran Farm Events and Occasions, Education and Inspiration, General