The Local Farmer: Save Your Bacon, Farming Freedom & Giveaway

The Local Farmer

Save Your Bacon: Defending the Right to Farm,  & BaconPalooza Giveaway

 

 

 

 

It is no secret that we wholeheartedly believe in the local farmer.  We want to see the local farmer succeed, to have the resources, knowledge, and support required to create healthy food for our children and for generations to come.  Not every farmer produces such food and the reasons are their own;  and  those are based upon a Bigger-Faster-More cultural standard that can ultimately trickle down to the consumer responsibility.  What will the consumer pay for?  What questions will the consumer ask about the origins, treatment, and processing of that food? 

 

 

 

 We also believe that creating a local agricultural economy– and knowing the farmer’s name—has a major part to play in that accountability.   This is going to be a slow re-building.  The good news is that the awareness is increasing. 

 

There are farmers that, while trying to live quiet and unassuming lives, have been thrust into a battle not of their own choosing.  These are the things great novels are made of—the dark, sinister enemy involved in conspiracy, and the underdog with the odds against him.  These farmers fall into one camp and one camp only—the non-GMO/heirloom breed/small farm-local farm camp.  It is ironic that they are never the contracted operations with Tyson, Hormel, or any other major Big Ag industry.  The underdog is often very similar: multiple-generation farms with long traditions based upon faith and personal ethical convictions about stewardship. 

 

 This Amish farmer recently faced 4 criminal charges, but FTCLDF defended him successfully.  Learn about how their faith fuels their conviction to provide food to their community here. 

 

The “enemy” however, is not always the same.  Sometimes the “enemy” is not dark and sinister at all—just misguided.  Oh, we all know about Monsanto and we demonize the Machine with terms like “Big Ag”, and either I have to redefine “conspiracy” or admit that there indeed is one on many levels.  But sometimes, the “enemy” is as simple as a local city council having a misunderstanding about what backyard chickens might mean for the community and zoning against them.  Sometimes, there is a large problem—like feral swine for instance—and the altruistic attempt to protect citizens and livestock results in misguided policies about what constitutes “feral”.  Is there any underlying conspiracy?  I will leave that to the experts. 

 

 

 

This is the bottom line:  Our farmers are becoming increasingly disenfranchised.  Our farmers must fight more than just drought, storm, pests, weeds, and crop-eating deer.  They must fight more than the rising costs of equipment, insurance, and organic feed for their animals.  They must fight for the very right to use their personal lands as they see fit.  They must fight for the right to offer healthy wholesome food to their community (such as in the case of raw milk), and they must sometimes fight for the very lives of their animals when confiscation occurs. 

 

 

 

 

If I were ever faced with such a dreaded battle (like one faced by a pig farmer in Michigan—permitted to raise the pigs but not to butcher them), there is one comfort in my mind—that we are members of Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF). 

 

Now the fun part—I get to share something exciting with you!   Joel Salatin, forever heralding the plight of the farmer in the modern era of over-regulation & Big Ag, joins in the fight with FTCLDF in an effort to raise both awareness and cash so that they can continue the fight for food freedom.  And they are sharing the opportunity with you.

 

 

 CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

We are extending the invitation to enter for two free tickets to the “Save Your Bacon” Weekend!  Join the best speakers & chefs & food freedom champions on Polyface Farm (Joel Salatin’s place) for BaconPalooza!   You just must check out the full selection of offerings for this awesome weekend!  Stuff your face and support freedom all in one shot!  

 

Oh, and here’s a super-fun fact.  Do you remember the documentary “Farmageddon”? If you’re not familiar with it, we talked to Sally Fallon Morell about it here.  Kristin Canty, the film’s creator, is the one who is donating the prize!

 

The winner  of the Save Your Bacon Weekend giveaway receives two FREE tickets to attend each of the following events:

Celebration! At Polyface – Premium Tour with Joel

BaconPalooza

P3: Paleo, Polyface Porkfest

 

plus two FREE nights (September 6 & 7, 2013) and parking at the historic Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton, Virginia including the Paleo Breakfast Buffet on Sunday morning.