When will I learn that finishing a book at a reasonable pace is going to be out of the question at least until crafty baby is of school age (four more years…ugh)? I was able to finish it yesterday but had no time for this post. So, I give to you now my 2 day belated review of Holy Cows and Hog Heaven by Joel Salatin.
(Pardon the blurry picture. I am still learning my camera…)
First, let me tell you a bit about the author, Joel Salatin.
As a traditional and holistic farmer in Swoope, Virginia, Joel Salatin has become an advocate for local and, as he calls it, beyond organic food. He has written many books on the subject of farming and spends a significant amount of time giving lectures about his beliefs and farming techniques. He has been featured in documentaries such as Fresh, Food Inc., and Farmageddon. As an outspoken and unapologetic member of his community he has attracted plenty of praise and criticism. His writing style is easy to follow and peppered with his own unique sense of humor…and if you watch any of the docs I mentioned above you will agree that as serious a message he is trying to convey, he does so with unmatched humor and wit (it helps that he wears the biggest suspenders ever and simply put, looks exactly like you would want a farmer to look).
Holy Cows & Hog Heaven The Food Buyer’s Guide to Farm Friendly Food is just that, a point by point guide for the reader on how to release yourself from the dreadful food industry of today’s America. How to source local and ethically raised meat, poultry and dairy. How to find the tastiest and most nutritious produce by looking beyond the shelves of the big retailers and focusing a little closer to home. You will learn the true cost of cheap food. The personal, social, financial and environmental ramifications of the industrial food system. At one point Salatin lovingingly speaks of one of his cattle, her name is Number 10. I’ll describe it as somewhat of a monologue where he gives insight to just exactly how he feels about his animals.
I wanted to keep this short so I’ll just finish by saying that I didn’t just receive valuable information from this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it as well. It makes me wish I lived close enough to do my own shopping at Polyface Farms. I also can’t wait to read Salatin’s other books! If any of you have read it or plan to please leave a comment and let me know what you think!