14Sep 08
A solution: The farm of many faces
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(First read The Conventionalism of Agriculture)
It twas a fortress.
It twas unique
It twas Polyface farm.
Instead of a drawbridge it had a car bridge over a creek.
Instead of walls there were fences.
Instead of soldiers there were farmers.
Instead of chariots and horses there was a hay ride and a tractor.
Though perception makes it out to be more of a farm then a fortress, it is a bulwark in the war of ideas. With mainstream American agriculture plummeting towards highly sophisticated farming, demanding huge cost and debt, Mr. Salatin is advancing with a different approach. One which we as a famil
y were able to experience after a short road trip and during a information packed tour.
At 10:00 am (or close to this time), a hay ride started with Joel Salatin directing it on the tractor. At this time, we embarked with around 50 other individuals on a fantastic tour with Mr. Salatin being the tour guide.
His 650 acre farm is situated with mountains surrounding and forests covering two-thirds with the remaining being pasture land.
Something Mr. Salatin spoke of quite frequently while giving the tour was the need for diversity. One of his goal is to create a very diversified landscape using forest, pasture land, water, and animals. Some of his ways of doing so we were able to experience while others were only mentioned. Many modern farmers live on solitary faced farms. As examples; They have acres and acres of land for only one crop, or they are dairy farmers only. Mr. Salatin doesn’t see this method as effective. That’s why he named his farm Polyface (the farm of many faces). He doesn’t just have cows but also chickens, turkeys, pigs, and rabbits. He has pasture land for animals, forest lands and many ponds dotting the landscape.
This is just the beginning of his diversity plan. For example:
1. His cows move through a field, and then he has the chickens come through afterwards in their mobile sh
elters eating the parasitic bugs and spreading the cow patties.
2. Instead of leaving the woods to only wildlife he is taking dominion of it by fencing off areas with a single strand of electrical wire wrapped around trees and has his pigs eat the nuts on the ground and dig for grubs. Then on a frequent basis he moves this simple fence with the pigs to other parts of the forests. This creates a two fold benefit: Pigs our living the way they were made to and the forests are becoming healthier with the upheaval of the ground.
3. Both turkey and chicken youngsters grow up together in the same building. Conventionalism states this is horrible and counter productive but Mr. Salatin has found that the difference between turkeys and chickens actually worked together smoothly.
Polyface farm is now producing food for hundred’s of restaurants and families. There is an incredible movement in America to obtain food locally. Mr. Salatin is meeting the need and he is encouraging other farmers to do the same.
Mr. Salatin speaks about utilizing the great technology and information available but not to the point where incredible money expenditure and debt is necessary and where God’s creation is totally severed from the natural ecosystems they were made to be a part of.
After seeing his farm, we as a family have become proponents of many of his ideas and hope to implement them in the near future. If you ever have a chance we recommend visiting this Polyface fortress and truly experience an incredible way to farm; using technology and inventions while never compromising the God given ecosystems. It truly is a unique experience!
Go to www.Polyfacefarms.com to learn more about Mr. Salatin’s farm and books he has written.
That is really encouraging Matthew. It’s odd that the things which are natural and orderly are often scorned. As you keep your focus on God’s design and the part He gives you in that, may He wonderously provide for you and use you to provide for many others!
What great ideas he had! It was very encouraging to see how simple it was. I was amazed at how healthy his animals were too. He says that the only time he needs a vet for his cows for instance is if there is a really hard delivery of one of the calves. Other wise they are almost always in perfect healthy because of the environment that they are in. I will second Matthew’s recommendation to take a trip to his farm. It is definitely something we will do again.
WOW!! Mr. Salatin’s stand against the damaging aspects of conventional farming appear rewarding and rejuvenating.
Makes me realize once again how easy it is to follow meaningless and even harmful traditions simply because thats the way everyone does it. May the Lord guide us to continually stand and raise the standard of His Word before a world that is stuck in the rut of sin.
[...] A Southern Virginian farmer, Joel Salatin, truly understands the fearful position of U.S farm life. He clearly sees the problem, but what’s even better is that he has proven solutions. [...]