What do people think of Salatin's "Everything I Want to Do is Illegal"?

What do people think of Salatin's "Everything I Want to Do is Illegal"? Here is a link to the book on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0963810952/rs12-20

I don't have the book, but I watched him give a live talk on it's subject.  It's nice for an overview, but if you want more details try one of his other books, or maybe check 'em out at your local library before you buy.

I am halfway through "the omnivores dilemma" on audio book right now, and he talks lots about Joel, and from what I have heard thus far, would be interested to listen to this title.

Does anyone have books they know are in audio format they would recommend? Or perhaps best sellers in print, that would likely be in audio? I find it hard for me to sit and get nothing done, when i know i could be working and listening.

It was too whiny for my taste.  Some of it was interesting and gave good examples of how laws heavily benefit big business and are hard for small landowners.  The rest was a lot of political ranting about peripheral issues.

My favorite part of reading that book was whipping it out while I was waiting on a jury panel.  I didn't get picked.

Henevere wrote:
It was too whiny for my taste.  Some of it was interesting and gave good examples of how laws heavily benefit big business and are hard for small landowners.  The rest was a lot of political ranting about peripheral issues.

My favorite part of reading that book was whipping it out while I was waiting on a jury panel.  I didn't get picked.

that is AWESOME.

He really needs a good editor.  Somewhat repetitive and gets off on some tangents.  Some find him too outspoken.  His religious views bothers some people.

He's right though, the feds, and many of the states, are not the friends of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), or small business in general.

He's passionate and he's right (for the most part), so that's a pretty powerful combination, even if he is outspoken on these other peripheral topics.

HTH,

troy

Just finished this book last night, an interesting overview of the laws that effect the lives of pastured poultry and livestock farmers.

It is hard to describe the book in a way that fully captures my feelings for it, it makes him out to be a martyr, and it scared me half to death. I for sure don't want the chicken police telling me that I could go to jail for selling half a dozen eggs to my neighbors.

Joel doesn't exactly paint an entirely sympathetic picture of himself, which is interesting. It seems like every encounter between him and a public servant ends in conflict. Though his observations about the so called public servants behavior are also quite ghastly.

I felt by about page 230 I was just reading it as fast as I can to get to the end, he is still out there on polyface, so all this lurching from one calamity to the next gets exhausting, well that and how every essay ends as some screed about rugged individualism and libertarian polemics.

Maybe in the end of the analysis this is more of a cautionary tale you can do these things but be prepared for serious distribution line issues in your business model. Though now I need to find a library with his other books since those seem pretty interesting.

I read it a year ago, all the while imagining my 12th grade English comp teacher throwing herself out the window.  The man does need a gentle, competent (and, no doubt, patient) editor.  I think he would be an extraordinary resource for 'our' side with a clearer, more concise and thoughtful presentation.

I sell my pastured eggs from happy chickens on the sly, even here in one of the most rural areas parts of the county.  I only sell to those I know and trust (and who trust me).  My son is a chef in one of the best restaurants in the nearby city and would dearly love to serve my extraordinary eggs there but can't for fear of the Food Police.  Happy hens, strolling in shoulder deep forage, yolks the color of highway safety cones; obviously a clear and present danger to public health.

For a little contrast you should treat yourself to a kinder, gentler (and much older) version of Joel.  Try Out Of The Earth or Malabar Farms by Louis Bromfield.  He was extraordinarily prescience of the Industrial Food Machine that would dominate our lives today.  Good reading. 

I read a part of it that you can read at acres magizine in their archives, lots of good articals there. I do have Joel's pastured poultry book and the salid bar beef book and starting this year we are putting his ideas work here.
kent

As much as I would like to think that people like Joel Salatin and Mike Adams are hysterical and way out in left field, they are not.
Since I am preaching to the choir I will skip the details but my food cannot be used by local nursing homes, homeless programs or the local orphanage – it is illegal – as if there is something wrong with it. 
There is something very wrong with that whole picture.  I’m glad there are people like Joel, Mike, and Michael Pollan who are willing to fight the fight.  I don’t have the energy for it but if someone doesn’t do it – common sense WILL NOT prevail.

Without forums such as this one I tend to feel very alone here.  ‘They’ (everyone I come into contact on a daily basis) are the Borg and I am this wacko person who is strange because I don’t want to eat added growth hormones, soy lecithin (sludge), maltodextrin, monoglycerides, silicon dioxide, etc., etc. 

To be honest, sometimes it does feel like it would be easier to allow myself to be re – assimilated and just ‘go with the flow’.  But then there are people like Joel and Mike and Michael; their rantings and ravings help to make me feel like I am not alone and might be headed in the right direction after all.

I don't know how many have seen this little piece of news:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20110524/pl_dailycaller/usdafinesmissourifamily90kforsellingafewrabbitswithoutalicense

The USDA has fined a family 90,000 dollars for selling rabbits, but not being licensed and USDA inspected.

The disgusting part... there is no requirement for them to be licensed and inspected to do what they do.

Call your congressperson before you are one being fined for who-knows-what.

Finest regards,


troy

I highly recommend EIWTDII.  Anger and outrage is the proper response to the kind of tyranny that farmers (and pretty much everybody else) have to face everyday in dealing with the government.  If Joel gets a little repetitive and too fired up occasionally, I forgive him.

solarguy2003 wrote:
I don't know how many have seen this little piece of news:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20110524/pl_dailycaller/usdafinesmissourifamily90kforsellingafewrabbitswithoutalicense

The USDA has fined a family 90,000 dollars for selling rabbits, but not being licensed and USDA inspected.

The disgusting part... there is no requirement for them to be licensed and inspected to do what they do.

Call your congressperson before you are one being fined for who-knows-what.

Finest regards,


troy

I was just about to post this link Troy but you beat me to it.  Over $90,000 fine for selling $200 worth of live rabbits to a pet store over a 2 year period.  That's pretty totalitarian if you asked me.

Did you see the update? 
http://dramaga.info/missouri-man-%E2%80%98not-happy%E2%80%99-with-revised-usda-offer.html

I might have to go visit my congressperson in person and ask them why somebody at the USDA hasn't been reprimanded or fired, with a very high level policy review about regulating the backyard operators.

This is ridiculous.

The "counter offer" pretty much says they have to admit guilt, promise never to own another animal that could possible breed and generally lick the boots of the USDA.

troy

Pam wrote:
Did you see the update? 
http://dramaga.info/missouri-man-%E2%80%98not-happy%E2%80%99-with-revised-usda-offer.html

The original story state $200 over a 2 year period so I don't know what is accurate and also that the rabbits were actually his son's.  This is an absurdity and certainly demonstrates how totalitarian our governments have become from local to federal.

I got a response back from my senator's office (Carl Levin).  It was so generic as to be worthless, and could be used as a classroom example of 1984 doublespeak.  I will give it to you chapter and verse:

"  Thank you for contacting me about sale of rabbits.  I am glad you shared your views with me.

    As this session of Congress proceeds, the Senate will confront new legislation addressing many important and timely issues.  Should legislation related to this issue come before the full Senate, I will certainly keep your views in mind.

    The most effective way to track the progress of an issue or a particular piece of legislation is through the use of my website [http://levin.senate.gov] or the Library of Congress legislative information website [http://thomas.loc.gov/].  Many of my constituents have found these sites to be valuable tools to find current information about projects I am working on, as well as about Congress in general. 

Sincerely,
Carl Levin"

It's an obvious form letter that a low echelon aid filled out.  "  Thank you for contacting me about [fill in the blank].  I am glad you shared your views with me. ...blather  ...blahblahblahblah ....yada yada yada, some more blather...

This is not responsive or responsible government.

I guess I will have to go in person...

Finest regards,

troy

I really believe in empowerment, starting with taking food energy and shelter back into the hands of the people (which I feel this site is about and why I am so glad to be here... you get what you are putting out/hold the intention and vision for, eh? *grin*) so the more folk DOING and not just protesting, especially with regards to food (growing it freely absolutely everywhere) then the less power the likes of Monsanto have over our food. The rub is that their GM strains are tending to take over. So I wondered... are there any bio scientists out there who are also permaculturists, anti-Monsanto etc who could start working out how non-hybrid, non-patented varieties could start taking over their GM varieties. Take back the power basically and render their GMs useless. Is this possible?
Diane

There are no GMO varieties of the vast majority of food plants, only a few varieties of GMO are commonly grown. The main advantage open-pollinated plants have over GMO is their diversity and ability to handle differing conditions. Most GMO plants are developed for one purpose, to withstand enormous amounts of specific poisons being dumped on them. By promoting diversity of open-pollinated plants through growing our own and saving seed, we will retain the greatest advantage open-pollinated plants have, their diversity. Diversity is a survival strategy. GMO crops do not have diversity.

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/science/engineered-foods-allowed-on.html

Thanks for that information and the link, Tyler. Very good. Is it true though that there is no longer any organic canola? I heard this recently. Sometimes it is hard to know what is factual.

I don't know, I think you'd need to do a lot of research.