Joel Salatin...a messy discussion

[Buster]

i'm just suggesting that if he can accommodate women in the summer, why would it be so difficult for one of the 2 apprentices that stay on year round be a woman?

Asked and answered by both Grady and me. He has no accommodations to support both sexes during the winter, and no need to rent additional space except during the summer. It is not practical in a business sense, and Polyface is very much a business.

If you truly have no additional agenda beyond that concern, then I think that should be sufficient.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Wonder what Adam would say if he came home to his bags packed and me grinning while I tell him that since I can't go, HE is going to go apprentice at Polyface for me.

Don't think he'd go for it. LOL

 

[Beekissed]

why doesn't he see the value in having year-long female apprentices?

Maybe Joel has discovered that it doesn't take a woman a year to learn things......



Buster, thank you and Grady for clarifying that issue for us. I'm not blindly devoted to anyone or anything, but I sure do have a lot of respect for Joel Salatin and, if you see him, you can give him a pat on the back from me! I think the man is a genius!

 

[Wifezilla]

Maybe Joel has discovered that it doesn't take a woman a year to learn things

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Bee, you are the bestest.

Wolf-Kim, didn't work with my old man. He says I'm way prettier than Joel and won't work him quite as hard.

 

[grady_phelan]

Back again... and surprised how devoted everyone is to this forum... WOW.

Someone asked about a New Book from Joel... guess what? He just finished one. It could be out this year... Maybe. Thats all I have to say.

I tried to write a blog while at Polyface that I think some of you might be interested in reading. Life as a Polyface Apprentice should answer some of your questions.

I also have a current farm Blog. Phelan Ranch Company

Someone said something about Joel's image in an earlier post. Well, here is my attempt to give you the image I have for Joel.

Imagine a person sooo dedicated to farming without government involvement because he thinks they have NO business telling you what is healthy, or nutritious that he MOVES to a developing country (Venezuela), starts his family and farm. Someone that decided to ride his bicycle to work (15 miles one way) instead of paying (and complaining about) the outrageous gas prices. This person you are imagining is not Joel. This man is his father, William. Just a little genetics to help whet your imagination.

Take a Man like that and a Woman willing to trust her husband and help him any way she could (Lucille) and you get Joel.

Joel is much like his father. For the past 30ish years he has spent much of his time exploring farming and how to do it sustainably. He has devoted his time to speak to people about what he is doing, recruit others to do it as well, and help start farmer wannabes, creating full fledged farming families. Somehow people all across the world have found out about this man and his mission. Some even cling to him like they would the dolly lama (even though he would hate that idea). Without anyone telling him he should, or has to, he created a wonderful opportunity for people extremely interested in farming. He and his family devote their lives not only to feeding people the best food possible, but also to training others to do what they do. Forget for a minute what you think Joel should or shouldn't do. Think about what he has done. He is one of those few people you know that you can ALWAYS think he's doing his best, you can ALWAYS trust. I know this because I lived with him. He invited me into his home like a son. I ate dinner at his table, put out new fences with him, laughed, composted, butchered, fed, and learned with him.

Think to yourself... how many people that are experts in their field offer a paid internship without any help from taxpayers, charities, or scholarships? I can't imagine there are many.

I am not entitled to receive anything from anybody... no-one is, but this man and his family give all they have to strangers everyday. All they ask in return is to accept them as human and know that they are trying to help as many people as they can in a logical, comfortable, stress-free manor.

It hurts to see a great name be pulled through the mud by people who may not have even met him. I'm a big fan of Stephen Covey so here is my final word:

Seek first to Understand, then be Understood.

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you, Grady, for that wonderful insight into Joel's mission in life and into his character.

And so very glad he is writing a new book!

I will definitely be checking out your blog sites.

C'mon, folks.....can we at least change the thread name now? Joel doesn't sound so bad after all, does he?

 

[Occamstazer]

Thank you, Grady, for your info and links!
It wasn't my intention to drag anyone through the mud, but as things often do, this thread got out of hand.

 

[freemotion]

Grady, please stay and sit awhile with us. You bring a wisdom and balance and I speak only for myself when I say.....I have so many questions about what you learned that I want to apply to my own property, although I am not and will never be a farmer. I want to keep my own tiny property in a sustainable way and influence others within my sphere of influence to support farmers who farm in a sustainable way by voting with their dollars. Whew. Talk about a run-on sentence.

Now, let's start with my next project, pigs......

 

[big brown horse]