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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Michael Pollan article

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  • From: Allan Balliett <Allan AT freshandlocalcsa.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Michael Pollan article
  • Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 22:50:26 -0400

I do not think that Joel Salatin ever went to D.C. farmers markets. He had
sold at the Staunton Farmers market up to about 5 years ago. He sold to
quite a few restaurants and health food stores.

As far as I know, Joel, himself, was selling at the Dupont Circle Sunday market for a couple of seasons. He left that market because of disagreements with how it was being managed. If not Joel there, definitely Polyface. Polyface was represented at other DC-area markets as well, but without Joel. I think that has come to an end with this season.

Sorry, but I remain disappointed with the reality of a progressive city with a population of 45,000 not being able to buy all the quality animal products produced on one farm by two farmers. Yes, I accept that this is a fact of life, but not one that makes me happy to any extent.

Joel has hurt the clean quality meat sales of our CSA for the past couple of years, just as the vegetables, raw milk and meats trucked in from Lancaster PA by 'amish' have hurt our CSA sales within a certain group of people.

-Allan


Charlottesville, VA is at least 1 1/2 hours from where we live. Joel
doesn't really hinder our sales as we now have a CSA and sell at the
Harrisonburg Farmers Market on Saturdays.
Joel does deserve a lot of credit for popularizing pastured beef, chickens,
and pigs. He has charisma and I do appreciate him. I do not like to hear
harsh criticism of "big" business only because they are big.

That is something, if he published a financial disclosure. My biggest
criticism was that he had not figured his farm expenses accurately.

Christine Burkholder

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Allan
Balliett
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 10:58 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Michael Pollan article

Just seeking some clarification:

It is my understanding that Joel printed an entire financial
disclosure in a recent issue of GRASSMAN. I did not see that
disclosure, but I heard that his income from books and speaking was
much less than one would imagine. (Joel does a lot of pro bono work,
as well. He is committed to the movement that he's become a leader
in. Catch in him DC this Saturday (MAY 6) speaking on LOCAL FOOD at
the PETROCOLLAPSE Conference) It is also my understanding that Art is
not longer associated with Polyface (happened in the past year). And
Polyface has become less of a fixture at DC farmers markets, as well.

I agree with you. Pollan writes about Joel as a hero of local food
because he would not ship a steak from Swoope to Manhattan, but never
mentions that Joel trucks tons of products the 3 hours to DC every
year. I would hope that a city the size of Charlottesville could
support a farm the size of Polyface. Not so, apparently.

-Allan
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