The word “environmentalism” tends to conjure up certain images—solar panels, wind turbines, thrifting your way to sustainable living, maybe even a headline or two about the latest push for net-zero emissions. But there’s a lesser-heard approach that flips the script: environmentalism through action, not abandonment. It’s a philosophy shared by Joel Salatin, the renegade farmerContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Environmentalism Through Action, Not Abandonment”
Category Archives: Farm Table Talk
Farm Table Talk: The Self-Appointed Judges of Society
Let’s face it—there are way too many people in this country trying to tell other people what to do. It’s like we’ve entered the age of self-appointed judges, each one convinced that their perception of how others should live is the golden standard. Why does this happen? Probably because we live in luxury, have itContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Self-Appointed Judges of Society”
Farm Table Talk: Tariffs, Penguins, and the Art of Blindfolded Knife-Throwing
Well, folks, it seems we’ve reached a new level of absurdity in the political circus. Last week (on my birthday, no less!!), the Heard Island and McDonald Islands—remote, uninhabited specks of land in the southern Indian Ocean, home to nothing but penguins, seals, and a whole lot of ice—were slapped with a 10% tariff. Yes,Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: Tariffs, Penguins, and the Art of Blindfolded Knife-Throwing”
Farm Table Talk: Why Isn’t Anyone Taking Ag Classes Anymore?
Well, here’s a frustrating reality—my final Agriculture class for my Associate’s Degree got canceled this semester due to lack of enrollment. On the surface, it might just seem like a scheduling hiccup, but really, it’s a symptom of a much bigger issue. Why aren’t more students pursuing Agriculture as a degree? The truth is, it’sContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Why Isn’t Anyone Taking Ag Classes Anymore?”
Farm Table Talk: Sustainable Farming Isn’t Cheap—and That’s OK
Sustainable farming doesn’t come with shortcuts. It’s deliberate, thoughtful, and, yes, more expensive than conventional methods. But here’s the thing: that’s not a bad thing. The choices we make as small farmers—deep bedding, natural laying cycles, keeping older hens, and avoiding government subsidies—are not just about how we farm. They’re about why we farm. AndContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Sustainable Farming Isn’t Cheap—and That’s OK”
Farm Table Talk: 40 Days, 40 Nights, and One Very Muddy Dog
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this week, it’s that Mother Nature has a flair for the dramatic. In the span of seven days, we’ve had snow, rain, tornadoes, flooding, an earthquake (yes, really), and more rain—because apparently, the deluge wasn’t quite thorough enough. At this rate, I half expect a pair of giraffes toContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: 40 Days, 40 Nights, and One Very Muddy Dog”
Farm Table Talk: The Hidden Cost of Perfect Eggs
“I actually prefer store-bought eggs. They’re always the same size, shape, and color.” It’s a comment we’ve all heard before, and on the surface, it seems harmless enough. People are used to seeing rows of perfectly uniform eggs in grocery stores, lined up neatly in their cartons like little soldiers. But behind that pristine imageContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Hidden Cost of Perfect Eggs”
Farm Table Talk: Valuing Quality Over Price
“Why pay $5 for a dozen farm-fresh eggs when I can get them at the store?” Well, funny you should mention it—right now, farm-fresh eggs like ours are actually cheaper than the ones sitting on those grocery store shelves. Yep, you read that right. Even when we’re offering the better product, with all the careContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Valuing Quality Over Price”
Farm Table Talk: No Love for April Fools
Let’s just get this out of the way: I hate April Fools Day. The idea of a day dedicated entirely to pranks and tomfoolery? No thank you. Haven’t we had our fill of nonsense the other 364 days of the year? It’s not clever. It’s not fun. And for some of us, it stirs upContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: No Love for April Fools”
Farm Table Talk: The Labor Debate—’You’re Going to Work Anyway’
Ah, the good old, “You’re going to do the work anyway” argument. It seems to pop up like an unwelcome weed whenever pricing comes into the conversation. Some folks genuinely believe that labor costs shouldn’t factor into the price of farm goods because, apparently, farmers are out here working “for fun.” Let’s pause for aContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Labor Debate—’You’re Going to Work Anyway’”
