21st Century Farmer

You might know Joel Salatin’s face better than you know his name. The inspired farmer with a jovial, bespectacled visage plays a memorable roll (himself) in recent foodie films Food Inc., and Fresh, as well as in journalist Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Salatin and his family have worked Polyface Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for generations; Salatin’s take on a the people-powered relocalization of food-production and distribution is time-tested. While Americans have been told for years that the family farm is dead, Salatin’s practical advice on growing your own food and making it pay is uniquely empowering.

Here’s a taste from Polyfacefarms.com:

“Why can't you buy raw milk, ice cream with eggs in it, or home-made sausage? America's food system, enslaved by a global corporate bureaucratic fraternity, offers less choice amid the perception of abundance. The only reason the framers of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights did not guarantee citizens freedom of food choice was because they could not have conceived of a day when private treaty neighbor-to-neighbor food commerce would be demonized and criminalized. In this call to grass roots food activism, Salatin seeks a Food Emancipation Proclamation, freeing citizens to opt out of the industrial food fraternity.”

The Front Range Permaculture Institute presents “Change We Can Eat,” a talk by Joel Salatin. Friday, March 19, 6pm, Lincoln Center (Performance Hall) Fort Collins, $15 (suggested donation).*

*Due to the overwhelming response from the public, the event will take place in the Performance Hall at the Lincoln Center, which seats 1180 people. For those who weren't able to reserve a ticket, please arrive early to ensure a seat.