You Can Farm by Joel Salatin

Joel Salatin is by far one of my very favorite writers.  On top of that, he is living my dream: a beautiful farm full of animals that I like. 

Joel Salatin believes that it is still possible to make a living on a farm, and he proves it with his life.  The first page of this book says it’s “the entrepreneur’s guide to start and succeed in a farm enterprise.”  This book is just full of encouraging, how to type advice, written in an entertaining, easy to understand way.  All though it, you will pick up on his firm belief in natural, “green” living.  He says the animals can do a lot of the work on a farm. He pastures his cows, and then runs the chickens after them in “chicken tractors” or an “egg mobile” that are moved each day.  The chickens eat the fly larvae, which keeps the farmer from having to spray the cows with Ivomectrin, which ruins the meat.  They break up the cow paddies and eat the grain and grass seed left behind.

He suggests using turkeys on a grasshopper infested field.

In the winter, when the cows are in the barn, he adds grain to the cow’s bedding.  When spring comes and he turns out the cows, he puts pigs in the barn.  The pigs root in the bedding, seeking the fermented grain.  The end result of this is wonderful compost and fat pigs, ready to be harvested.

This book is just full of ideas like this.  The chapters are:

Envisioning your future

Examining Your Ideas

Embarking on Your Venture

Evolving Your Model

Establishing Your Market

Summary

Mr. Salatin gives ideas for different farming ventures, giving you the ten worst agricultural opportunities, and the ten best agricultural opportunities.

He gives you Ten Commandments for succeeding on the farm.

He gives advice on living with the neighbors and people in your town.

He tells you how to multipurpose everything, and gives advice on complementary enterprises.

He talks about being self employed and dealing with customers.  The advice he give is down to earth, makes sense and invaluable.

He explains how to reduce costs, and talks about accounting and filing systems.

I love this book, and have read it several times.  This is a must have if you dream of having your own farm.  Joel Salatin is a very successful farmer, and reading this book may be just the encouragement you need to finally try out your ideas!