Quotessence
Home / Authors / Joel Salatin
Joel Salatin

Joel Salatin Quotes

American farmer

Filter quotes by topic

AllIfsThinkingCultureAnimalKnowsWantFarmersFarmsPeopleShouldSoilWayFarmingImportantLandLocalsMeanOrganic FarmingPersonsEnergy

Famous Joel Salatin Quotes

“It's as if the whole notion of growing soil is something only lunatics would think about. But why not grow soil? Does anything make more sense than growing soil? Isn't that more important than tractors, trucks, silos, barns, county fairs and country music? Of course it is. And yet to the lion's share of American farmers, the very notion of growing soil is just plain silly.”

IfsThinkingDoeImportantCountryWholeCoursesGrowsGrowingShareLandFairsNotionSillySoilWhy NotLionsFarmersTruckCountyBarnsTractorsCounty Fair
Author:Joel Salatin
Create image

“Since chemical fertilizer burns out the soil organic matter, other farmers struggle with tilth, water retention, and basic soil nutrients. The soil gets harder and harder every year as the chemicals burn out the organic matter, which gives the soil its sponginess. One pound of organic matter holds four pounds of water. The best drought protection any farmer can acquire is more soil organic matter.”

GivingYearsMatterWaterStruggleFourLandHarderProtectionSoilAcquirePoundsChemicalsFarmersDroughtBurn OutNutrientsFertilizerRetention
Author:Joel Salatin
Create image

“A farm regulated to production of raw commodities is not a farm at all. It is a temporary blip until the land is used up, the water polluted, the neighbors nauseated, and the air unbreathable. The farmhouse, the concrete, the machinery, and outbuildings become relics of a bygone vibrancy when another family farm moves to the city financial centers for relief.”

MovingUsedWaterCitiesAirLandFinancialProductionsNeighborReliefTemporaryFarmsConcreteCommodityMachineryRelicsVibrancyFamily Farms
Author:Joel Salatin
Create image