You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise Paperback – June 1, 1998

Joel Salatin is one of today's leading advocates for a return to natural eating. But saying that you want to eat healthfully is much easier said than done. And, of course, things become enormously complex when you do not simply want to make wise eating choices for yourself but want to provide food for others--and make your living. This is the subject that Salatin addresses. He's an engaging writer, incorporating lots of dry humor into his work. Above all he's very insightful, never afraid to say what he thinks. This is not a book that suggests that farming is simple; those looking for some kind of five step program to success will be disappointed. Salatin bluntly states that there are things that you will need to give up if you want to be thoroughly successful, but he doesn't hesitate to share on farming's joys either.Salatin is both practical and ethical, which is what makes this book so enlightening. Salatin encourages us to create a world where everything is done decently, avoiding chemicals and pollution. He believes the nature was made to work together. "If you smell a farm, you smell mismanagement", he says. By putting cows and chickens on the same pasture but rotating them so that the cows are always a few days ahead of the chickens, the chickens can benefit from eating the bugs that gathered on the cows' manure. This keeps benefits the chickens and cleans up mess, not to mention the benefit the farmer will gain by not needing to buy as much feed. Salatin is not afraid to say things just as they are, routinely referring to factory processed chicken as 10 % fecal soup. He sees the current state of the food business as deeply flawed, a system in which both the farmers and the consumers lose.But Salatin is also very concerned that farmers make what they're worth. Enough of farmers struggling to make their keep, he says. Farmers provide an absolutely essential part of our lives, and they should be treated that way. It will take creativity to succeed in such an endeavor, but Salatin has seemingly unlimited ideas of how to market successfully. Many people are fed up with the current food system, and all it will take is gentle prodding for them to buy products that are healthy and of extraordinary quality. Salatin tells of his experience with gourmet chefs who were blown away by the quality of his eggs, being willing to spend twice as much for his eggs. Throughout the course of the book, Salatin also warns entrepreneurs to be wary of certain agricultural endeavors, particularly specialty animals.All in all, this is a very fine book, one that is a must read for someone interested in sustainable agriculture. Highly recommended.

"You Can Farm" gives you a high-level overview of a family-size pastured beef, poultry, and pork farming operation. There's also a good dose of the "why" as well as the "how-to" included in this book. Joel discusses why a family-friendly farm is superior to a commercial commodity farm for a family with children. He also covers the ethics of properly pricing your products so that you realize a return off the products you provide which will allow you to live comfortably. Joel's viewpoint is that a family who dedicates themselves to farming and being stewards to a piece of land should be able to reap a return on-par with a mid-level attorney.If you want to be a "poor, dumb farmer" don't read Joel's books. But . . . If you want to raise your family in a healthful, wholesome country environment AND make a reasonable living while doing so, this book is a good second step. As a first step, I would highly recommend one of Joel's other books "Family Friendly Farming." That book is all about the "why" behind small family farms. After reading "You Can Farm" and "Family Friendly Farming," I would highly recommend "Pastured Poultry Profit$" and "Salad Bar Beef," as these are the titles that go into the nuts & bolts details of Joel's grass-based small farm production model.Joel also includes an extensive suggested reading list as an appendix in each title discussed above. He is very supportive of new farmers reading as much as possible on any given topic BEFORE they dive into a new enterprise. He doesn't consider his opinion to be the last word on any subject.Joel's writing style is very readable. His advice is valuable and unconventional (i.e., start out on rented land to avoid long-term debt until you are SURE that this is going to work for you, only buy the equipment you need -- when you need it, etc.), it resonates with a high level of caring for those who may take his advice and jump into this "farming thing."Joel Salatin's books come with my highest recommendations

Very enjoyable read that provides a good amount of real world wisdom from someone who is successfully living out the farming life.The book does an excellent job of providing enough real world detail to allow a person to consider what it will take to mentally transition to farming rather than working in an office chair.The book isn't a get rich quick with farming or do it this way only over all others piece. It's a starting point though for folks who really want to know where they are right now in there life, is it possible to shift into this life? Spoiler the answer is yes if you're mentally and physically willing to commit yourself to doing it. Also the book isn't a how to farm book. It's an is farming for you and things to consider before saying yes or no.Over the last year with Covid it's been a real treat to learn more about sustainability, the pigness of a pig, the cowness of the cow, and seeing how God perfectly paired us and the rest of nature to benefit with working together.Thanks Mr. Salatin and to your family and team that has worked to share these experiences with us farming hopefuls.

I am still reading the book .I grew up on a semi-industrial farm but Mr. Salatin's ways of farming are far superior.His no B.S. ,plain english honesty about the work,long days and sheer uphill endurance needed to succeed in farming is a good foundation for your ability to achieve that goal if that is your dream. Thank you Joel Salatin a great honor to read this book and others.Sincerely Ernest Doleman

Si

es una obra de arte y muy inspirador

Very enlightening. A must read if you want to get into farming. Introduce lots of concepts.

Thank you. Book is good