Fields of Farmers: Interning, Mentoring, Partnering, Germinating

by Joel Salatin

America’s average farmer is sixty years old. When young people can’t get in, old people can’t get out. Approaching a watershed moment, our culture desperately needs a generational transfer of millions of farm acres facing abandonment, development, or amalgamation into ever-larger holdings. Based on his decades of experience with interns and multigenerational partnerships at Polyface Farm, farmer and author Joel Salatin digs deep into the problems and solutions surrounding this land- and knowledge-transfer crisis. This book empowers aspiring young farmers, midlife farmers, and nonfarming landlords to build regenerative, profitable agricultural enterprises.

Genres: Agriculture, Nonfiction, Business, Food

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2013

About the author

Joel F. Salatin is an American farmer, lecturer, and author.
Salatin raises livestock on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Meat from the farm is sold by direct marketing to consumers and restaurants.

Reviews

[Pamela Hatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who wants the family farm? That is what I wanted to know as exploring an idea for a short story about a farmer with four sons and none of them have any interest in the family heritage farm that has been passed down for four generations. So I stumbled across the works of Joel Salatin and his multigenerational Polyfarm. The man is passionate about farming and teaching farm skills.

Polyfarm -- "We're showcasing and innovating agricultural prototypes that are environmentally, economically, and emotionally enhancing and facilitating their duplication throughout the world. (p133)

The subtitle to this book is Interning, Mentoring, Partnering, Germinating -- so it is a how to book of practical guidelines, helpful hints, and personal stories on how to create a system of learning (both book (formal education) and practical (embedded knowledge)) that would create a new generation of farmers.

The food you're enjoying must be produced somewhere, somehow, by someone. (p5)

Established farmers want and deserve a vetted young person, someone with a track record. This nexus of need an aspiration is what interning is all about. (p13)

It is interesting that those coming into the farmer internships from college agricultural programs have to unlearn what they learned and relearn the farm way of doing things....very interesting when you consider the time and money invested into a college program. -- Mastery takes many, many hours. And when it comes to farming, that mastery can't be taught in a classroom. (p31)

But farmers don't get much respect and it is hard to recruit people into a program that is generally looked upon as the bottom of the barrel. And interestingly enough most of the new farming interests are coming from urban young people who are more aware of the regenerative earth stewardship. And this farmer is no country bumpkin -- He has formal college education and spent many years in journalism which is why is vocabulary and language seems a little lofty at times....for example: he likes the word hubris...which I had to look up....means excessive pride or self confidence.

Although Internship programs seem to be the answer for training new farmers -- Salatin makes sure that both sides of the issue are understood -- interns are very time consuming and costly to the farm that is providing the program. Therefore, the book should be read and study by anyone thinking about starting such a program. So although the book provides lots of general information about farms and humor of farm life -- this one is basically a manual for why and how to start farming internship programs.

"Intern programs don't make struggling farms successful. They accentuate weaknesses. They can hurt farms if the personal relationships are week....Remember, education is expensive. If you can't afford to lose $3000 per season per intern, don't start. (p84)

"By adopting a servant's mindset, then, mentors can keep their sanity through the process. Lost tools, broken fates, cows out, thirsty chickens -- the list of frustrations brought on by interns is endless. But a servant leader goes on, refuses to let this dampen his purpose, and continues to make a path that others can follow. (p67)

If you want a more generic read about the importance and joys of farming -- try Salatin's FOLKS THIS AIN'T NORMAL.

[Helen Lyons]

Somewhere someone said Joel Salatin was a whiner. I think that is the farthest from the truth. A whiner says I want to government to provide me with jobs and birth control. etc. etc. Joel is creating jobs, and I have lived on the farm and it is hard work. Joel in not asking for handouts. Exactly the opposite. This book really makes the point. I have lived that life cutting and stacking wood, raising chickens, canning, milking the cow and it is not for whiners. I could go on and on, I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this book and agreed with him. Maybe it is my age 73, I have lived the life he is talking about.

[Kathely · Rating 5 out of 5]

First reaction: I wanted to cry. I really wish I was interning at Polyface right now.
Second reaction: Since that isn't going to happen, how much I have to learn!!! Life is exciting for a wannabe farmer!

[Sariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

having the interned on a farm it was great seeing another perspective I've on it. He truly nailed what it is like to be an intern! Almost to an embarrassing degree. His words were so inspiring. I know that the perfect opportunity is out there for me because he describes it and says it is doable. and because I have done the work, I believe him.
This is the only book I have read of his, but the style was completely genuine, making you really feel like you understand his thought process. which was very fun.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Joel Salatin is inspiring. This book excited me more about health, farming, and life in general than pretty much anything I've ever read.

He's very clear, he practices what he preaches, and he really conveys his own spirit and vision for the future in his writing. I came away thinking: "I can do this." Even if I never do an internship at Polyface, I feel like I've been pointed in the right direction.

[Emma Holtzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would. From the farming elements and hot takes on continuing the regenerative agriculture movement to memoir-esque storytelling and wit, I was surprised by his ability to write with humor while maintaining an active production farm. I have a lot of respect for him and can’t wait to read more of his work.

[Daniel]

323 pages

[Miki Shiverick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely treatise.

[Ava Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gained some helpful insight while reading this book. I learned a few new things and got exposed to a different perspective. Overall, I'm glad I read it.

[Julie Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept my attention much more than his others! A must read if you are applying for an internship at Polyface.

[Douglas McKenney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Salatin doesn't know how to keep to a topic incredibly well. He can't stick to it without hiding his libertarian bent.

[Tricia Zahner · Rating 5 out of 5]

refreshing look at farming.