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The Salatin family farm, known as Polyface and located in Viriginia's Shenandoah Valley, has been featured in countless print, radio and video media as one of the nation's premier ecological farms. Exemplifying local food systems and imbedded community-based agriculture, the farm caught the attention of Michael Pollan in his runaway New York Times bestseller Omnivoire's Dilemma when Salatin refused to ship T-bone steaks to New York.

Behind the glitz, however, the farm struggles with a labyrinth of government regulations and cultural preceptions that terrorize the antidote to mad cows, avian influenza, and food fears. The solution is simple: allow freedom for traditional food growing and purchasing choices.

This book brings to life, with humor and verve, the everyday conflict between the entrenched industrial food system and the local artisanal neighbor-friendly farmer-entrepreneur.

Joel Salatin is also the author of: Pastured Poultry Profit$, Salad Bar Beef, You Can Farm, Family Friendly Farming, Holy Cows and Hog Heaven.