I have some great news to share today, dear readers about Polyface Farm.
In a few short weeks, I am finally going to visit, something I’ve dreamed of many, many (did I say many?) years.
Polyface Farm, home of farmer/author Joel Salatin and one of the best known family owned, multi-generational, pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farms in North America, is once again hosting the annual benefactor’s event for the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.
I’m so excited to be attending this year and the best news of all? You can be there too and we can walk the fields, enjoy a hayride and share breakfast and lunch together under a big tent pitched right there on the farm all the while laughing and learning with our host for the day – none other than the famously entertaining Mr. Joel Salatin himself.
If the picture of Joel looks familiar, it should! Joel has been featured in a host of documentaries such as Food Inc., Fresh, Farmageddon and most recently American Meat. His farm was featured in the New York Times bestseller Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Joel has written eight bestselling books himself, including the internationally acclaimed Folks, This Ain’t Normal.
The events at Polyface Farm and the nearby town of Staunton, Virginia are being offered a la carte this year, which means that you can come for a day, the weekend or pick and choose individual events to attend that fit your schedule and budget.
This fundraiser is particularly important this year as the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense fund has taken the case of Mark and Jill Baker, the farm that was ordered to shoot all its pigs by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources simply because they live outside. Mark and Jill have defied this illegal order, but funds to legally challenge the order and set an important precedent in favor of pasture raising of livestock, likely involving a court trial, urgently need to be raised by the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. This event at Polyface will help bring in the necessary funds to successfully defend Mark and Jill in the coming months.
How You Can Attend and Help!
There are two ways to attend the events at Polyface:
Option 1: Learn the BasicsÂ
- 1 Hour Walking Tour with Next Gen Farmer Daniel Salatin
- Farmstead Lunch with the Salatin Family, Staff and Interns
- 4 Hours of Polyface Bliss
- Festivities:
- Winetasting — Virginia and Organic Wines
- Children’s Activities
- Remarks from Special Guests — Sally Fallon Morell and more!
Option 2:Â Premium TourÂ
- Early Morning Farmstead Breakfast
- 2 ½ Hour In-depth Haywagon Tour with Joel Salatin
- $10 Polyface Farm Store Gift Certificate
- Farmstead Lunch with the Salatin Family, Staff and Interns
- 6 Hours of Polyface Bliss!
- Festivities:
- Winetasting — Virginia and Organic Wines
- Children’s Activities
- Remarks from Special Guests — Sally Fallon Morell and more!
Come for More Events in Nearby Staunton, VA and Save!
More events are planned after the fun at Polyface Farm. Â If you are able to attend the entire weekend’s worth of events, you will save up to $80! Â These events may also be attended separately if you so choose.
- BaconPalooza: Â In the nearby town of Staunton, Virginia at the Stonewall Jackson hotel, a bacon cook-off and screening of the documentary American Meat will take place Saturday evening from 6-9pm. Â I can’t wait!Â
- P3: Paleo, Polyface, PorkFest: on Sunday, the Stonewall Jackson hotel in Staunton, Virginia will host:
- Morning Lectures with New York Times Best Selling author, Robb Wolf, RobbWolf.com
- Afternoon Demos with Jenny McGruther, popular NourishedKitchen.com blogger
- Lunch Keynote with Joel Salatin, owner Polyface Farm and ambassador for pasture-based farming.
- Delicious farm fresh lunch featuring Polyface Farm eggs and pork.
- Exhibits — Fabulous vendors to help you bring it home!
- Optional Paleo/Polyface Farm Fresh Breakfast Buffet
Can’t Attend? Â You Can Still Help!
If you are not able to attend any of these events, please still consider donating to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s annual fundraiser.
Funds are urgently needed to cover the anticipated legal expenses of defending not only Michigan farmers Mark and Jill Baker of Green Acres Farm, but also the many other small farms that will require legal counsel in the coming months to defend themselves from overzealous bureaucrats threatening the most sacred and basic right to farm one’s land in a sustainable manner.
Click here to donate – any amount, great or small, will help the Fund reach its goal!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
How fun! Joel Salatin is awesome! I have read a couple of his books and went to one of his talks in Orlando, Great info!
I would LOVE to be able to go to Polyface someday! It would be so inspiring!
Have fun Sarah!
I’ve been a fan for many years myself, Sarah. I had to cancel a visit several years ago, but exchanged the price of the trip with Acres for some books I had been wanting to purchase. I would love to register for the free trip, but I’m physically unable to make the trip and maybe somebody can win that is able to attend. I’ve wanted to join the FTCLDF for quite some time, but money is tight. Even at the consumer level, it’s a good deal. I wanted to use my premises for a milk drop, but after someone broke into my house and stole my personal information and committed some forgeries, I changed my mind. Just too many things to deal with right now. Hope you and all the other like minded people enjoy yourselves and have a great visit. I would love to meet him and his family.
I wish we could come. We live close but $125 is steep for us.
oh yah wish I could go. someday we will be doing that on our farm. hoping and praying that will start this summer. sell house sell so we can move in Jesus name
SQUEAL! You will be in our neck of the woods (valley?)! Polyface is where we get our meat…you will LOVE the down-home, real farm. And the mountains…and Staunton is just plain fun, too. We love living here!
Have a delightful time!
I too get page not found when clicking the link. I have already liked the FTCLD Facebook Page. Could it be something else hanging me up?
I’ve checked the link again and it works for me. Not sure what the problem might be. Here it is if you want to try it from here:
https://www.facebook.com/farmtoconsumerlegaldefensefund/app_228910107186452
Hi there! I would love to enter the giveaway, but seems like link is broken! We missed the opportunity to see mr. Salatin speak at Monticello last year (first trimester queasiness), would love to go and , not only hear him, but meet you!
Hi Debbie, I just tested the link and it works. Try it again .. note that you need to “like” the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund FB page before the giveaway info shows up.
JEALOUS!!!! Our family has wanted to go there for “many,many, many” years as well 🙂
Be sure to sign up for the giveaway! Maybe you can win the free weekend for two 🙂