Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front

Love all of Joel's books, so much knowledge in his bookes!books!! Priceless!! Thanks Joel

I loved this book from the first page and still love it as I continue to read it now. ( not finished yet, but I only started it this afternoon) I am so moved by it that it made me curious to see what the other readers think and how they have reviewed the book. Once I started reading reviews I simply had to add my own thoughts. The man is brave. He is honest. He is passionate about the things he believes. So sad that people who are afraid to know (or show) such passion have given it a few poor reviews. Whether you agree with every word or not makes no difference. The main premise of the book is that there seems to be a law against almost everything natural, these days. Most of these things were just normal a century ago. It would have been inconceivable to people to imagine that one could not slaughter an animal on one's own land. The regulations about dwellings and construction are silly in the context of the writer's way of life and his personal wishes. We put up with these things and just keep going, but we are wrong to do so. The TSA is a travesty. The FDA is totally corrupt. But only a few people speak up. Why is this? Are they afraid? Are they asleep? Are they stupid? Or are they just sheep? I hear all the time "The Government should do something " about this or that. NO! We should do something about it. NOT the government. When did we become such wimps? We have been brainwashed into believing we cannot change things. But we can. And we must. Joel is taking a lot of flack, but he is essentially correct. We need an organization such as the NRA to protect the right of farmers to grow what they like. It will also protect our right to eat and drink as we please. It is hard for me to believe that (lethal) MacDonalds is legal, but (healthy) raw milk is not. Women go to the hospital to have babies because they believe they will be safe there, when in fact they would be safer at home amoung their own germs, their own things, surrounded by people who actually care for them. Birth is natural and not a medical event at all. However we have become programmed to believe we need professional medical help. Rediculous! The AMA did a great job with propaganda when it comes to birth. The same is true of food. I once read a funny story, but a true one about an outraged 'anti hunting' person who ranted that hunters were barbaric. He said people should go to the supermarket to buy their food because that was the civilized way to get meat. I guess he never read about how commercial beef is raised and finally slaughtered. ( I would rather eat a wild animal that had a fighting chance to get away or get shot). The sad, pathetic, unhealthy animals that make up our commercial meat supply is frightening. Please read this book. It will open your eyes. And please don't think he is exaggerating the stupidity of regulations and of the government inspectors who enforce them. He is not. Yes, some of his passions seem to be a "rant" and that is OK, too. Why should he tamp down his emotions just to please the sleeping public? I wish he would shout them from the roof tops. Even the things I disagree with are simply his beliefs. We are all entitled to our own beliefs. No one has the right to criticize us for voicing them. I bought a couple of extra copies of this book and plan to send it to some people who may be able to help.

I was recommended this book by our babysitter. It was rather interesting to be turned on to something that speaks to exactly what I do and how I'd like to do it by someone completely outside of our way of life. I have a small farm and I'm a second generation farmer. I have a day job as well but certainly don't mind it as it's only 8 minutes from home and it lets me do more than live the lifestyle proffered in this book. There are some reviews here that say this book is just one big rant by Joel Salatin. Um, yeah, I think that's the point. Over a lifetime Mr. Salatin has been exposed to, waded through and fought tooth and nail against bureaucracy, ignorance, stupidity, and the general loss of individual liberty that continues to invade our culture on our government. "If it will save just one life, it's worth it." is the justification I've heard for many laws that our founding fathers would take arms against. 99% of it goes on without the general public even knowing. I've seen laws being made. Generally the single most clueless person involved is the one who has the vote. As it's been well said and is said again in this book, sausage and laws are two things you don't want to see made. So politically, economically, and morally I agree with Mr. Salatin. His rants are based on dealing with the inequities in the system as it stands today and are good reading for anyone who goes to the polls to vote our leaders into office. However, the problem with being an expert on some areas is you tend to think you may be an expert in other areas. While I agree with Mr. Salatin that his rants are justified, the solutions that he espouses can be a bit simplistic. I'm a libertarian and frankly some of the views are simplistic. Drug problem? Legalize drugs. Can't feed yourself? Church and charity. The reality is that some problems are more complex, or even if the solution is that simple, getting from where we are today to the simple solution is exceedingly complex. Just saying milk is perfectly safe because we drank it for thousands of years isn't going to be good enough in today's environment. Should it be illegal to buy raw milk? Absolutely not. Should we just let it onto the open market, on the shelf beside what has become "normal" milk like Joel would seem to favor? No. It probably needs a label that is a skull and crossbone and you have to sign a waiver. I don't think Joel spent a lot of time on trying to show the efficacy of his solutions, just that there were better solutions out there. I'm sure he could expand on his ideas but one negative to the book in my opinion was that some of his solutions seemed to be just a bit out there and not really practical. For people who believe in individual liberty, his book will read well. For those who can't imagine the government not regulating safety so we are all protected, it will read like a horror story. As for his rants, I run a farm and run a fairly large business, I can tell you that he is spot on concerning the basis for his rants and unless you step out of the consumer role and into a producer role, you never really see it. If you plan on voting in the next election, this should be required reading.

This book is wildly entertaining. Although I’m not a farmer I do work in an industry closely monitored by the USDA and got a kick out of this book. Joel tells his stories in a witty and easy to follow way. Any business owner will delight in reading his stories of finding loopholes in every law promulgated by the know-it-all bureaucrats. Especially in a post-covid world I find this book very interesting as Joel makes many accurate observations such as how bureaucrats with “alphabet soup” behind their name are worshipped by the public even though many of them are complete morons. The moral of the story is that if you are an expert in your craft, no treehugger, bureaucrat, or politician can ever shut you down.

Reminds me of my property management business in he Peoples Republic of University City, MO. Other cities in the country are getting just as bad. I sold most of my property there because I felt like a criminal all the time owning property and trying to take proper care of it there. For example, I needed a license to put a washer in a leaky faucett, which while leaking was a civil offense, subject to warrants and arrest. Joe and I are at one with the folks from the govt. who want to help us. If you think govt. creep in the farming business is Kafkaesque, try looking at property maintenance and building code regulations which are on a never ending growth and expansion trajectory. They are mostly written by a private trade association known as the Building Owners and Code Officials Association. (BOCA). Building inspectors and beauracrats are the members. Every two or three years they meet, massively expand their reach of their rules, and then go home to their towns and cities, and recommend to the local politicians that they adopt the new rules as a new ordinance to replace the previous years version. The local officials nod in agreement and pass it into law as a local ordinance. The average homeowner has no clue what is going on until he tries to sell or fix up his property. For landlords of all sizes they deal with these jerks every time they lease an apartment. Their reach, like Joel Salatin's regulators, is out of control and makes little sense. The inspectors, like Salatins, have no skin in the game but have a religious zeal to save the world by preventing leaky faucets and other insane things, but of course at the ever increasing expense of the property owners or tenants. . They have now expanded the code to save the world from global warming and to be more in line with codes around the world. All of this of course is enormously expensive and requires ever more expensive "qualified and licensed" people do all the work. Then they complain of the lack of affordable housing. I grew up in a small town 40 years ago in a world where people lived for generations and safely and successfully built, lived in and took care of affordable homes and raised families in them with nary an inspector or inspector department in sight or even in anyone's awareness. How was this possible?

Mr. Salatin writes a wonderful narrative on whats inherently wrong with the "system", from local to federal. The thing is if you don't have any insiders experience with some of the subject matter he can come across a bit......... harsh, shall we say. His indictment against illegal immigrants is not against them but more against the giant corporations that exploit them. I know because I worked at an industrial chicken processing center, they are decent hard working people, its not their fault they are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families by working jobs most American won't do. Or that the companies can work the system in their favor or pay the right individuals to make things go their way. His indictment of inspectors federal or local is pretty spot on, again somewhat harsh. We need to remind our selves that these are individuals that are doing their job, right or wrong, to the best of their abilities. Some are great people, some are enamored with the power their positions give them. Either way they are bound by their rules. Anyone whom has ever built anything or had anything built around their house can attest to that. But I digress these are my clarification points on some points he makes in the book. The book as a whole is a wonderful illustration on how a local food system could benefit all concerned and how it has become almost crippling to try to do so. The ideas expressed on food miles, direct sales, community supported agriculture and the obstacles facing them are very insightful. The book as a whole is a delightful and fun read, some things you have to take with a grain of salt but that all a matter of perspective. On the whole a great primer of whats wrong with how food gets from producer to consumer and how to fix it. I have been looking forward to reading this book for some time and am not at all disappointed. I look forward to reading other books Mr. Salatin has written and rereading this book soon. If you are interested in why a pound of local free range beef, pork, chicken or whatever costs so much read this book.

Although this book was written years ago I have enjoyed reading the book as it has given me insight on food wars between Government and Farmers/homesteaders. I am sure the standards are more rigorous today, but I believe its important for people to understand what real farmers and homesteaders are trying to achieve and what Big G is trying to impose. Buy local-know where your food comes from or raise and grow your own.

Joel Saladin is brilliant, but in light of current events…the libertarian lean (that I somehow didn’t notice the first time???) is kinda meh. I feel like he’s an anti-masker. 😂

More of a political piece than I would have hoped for, Joel Salatin did prepare me for his rant-laced manifesto when he titled his book Everything I Want to do is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front. I had wrongfully assumed that Salatin would offer stories and anecdotes regarding procuring and selling local foods. Instead, I was greeted with a long-winded, bitter outburst that provided few real solutions for what Salatin deems to be the e.coli to his beef: government bureaucrats. The true "meat and potatoes" issue in this book is an issue that I do empathize with: his frustrations dealing with bureaucrats and seemingly ridiculous rules and regulations that most agree are designed for corporations and big agribusiness and are forced to make sense in the world of the local farmer. While wading through the insatiated and incensed rhetoric of Salatin's grievances against the government, readers can recognize the need for a separate, applicable set of rules and regulations for the local farmer, although those are not the desires of Salatin himself as a farmer who longs for the absence of all regulation. I feel this book may only appeal to other readers who suspect and distrust the government as much as Salatin does. Perhaps my disappointment in this book lies more in what I expected from it and how it differs vastly from what I received. Salatin's attacks on government policy and government workers who he identifies as bureaucrats display a rampant mistrust of any authority figure, especially those who threaten the livelihood of his farm. Ironically, Salatin's utter hatred of the bureaucrat is reminiscent of the average consumer who is suspicious of food items that do not hold government-safety-inspected seals. While his points about more rules and regulations being for big agribusiness and not taking the local farmer or food producer into consideration, the points could have been made in a more thoughtful, amicable way than was offered. However, when someone introduces themselves to you as "a third generation-Christian-libertarian-environmentalist-capitalist lunatic" what else would one expect but this reading, in its truest form? I do not empathize with Salatin's argument for the complete absence of regulation, but I do think that a separate, compassionate, and flexible set of rules need to be drafted and tailored directly to the constraints of the local farmer; rules that assure the quality of the food being offered to local consumers. That being said, I do sympathize with Salatin's position on the possibilities of our food vocabulary containing the words "irradiated," "genetically adulterated," and "reconstituted," however, our paths are divergent when reaching the end goal of delicious, fresh, local foods for as many as possible. Salatin believes an overprotective, overinvolved government is the source of all his woes. However, his unsubstantiated assertions offer very little in terms of viable solutions. The book is more a rant against the national, state, and local governments than a real discussion about local food. Through the ranting, Salatin does manage to primordially stamp out an edict for a change in policy to allow local farmers to become self-sustaining entrepreneurs that meet the wants and needs of their local foodsystems.

I really love this family's work. They have a ton of know how that can only be acquired by being the hardworking, God-fearing, non-partisan people they are. I love that the author is really walking the walk by spending so much of his time helping others start up and spreading the word through the books, youtube, site and lectures. I know that they get paid from the books and I am sure from the lectures too but you can let it isn't a money thing. They clearly could be a huge national operation if that was their goal but it's not. They are local and staying local because it is the right way. I have read a few of his books and I will tell you he writes about some of the same things and retells stories but at least they are good stories. If you really want to have a clean and pretty self sustaining farm/homestead this is the guy to learn from. A great bonus is that he goes off on these sidetrack rants in his writing that makes it so endearing to me as I am military and so is my husband so that is how us and our friends talk so it is as if I am having a conversation with him as I read- If you have been in the military a while you know what I talking about.

Love all of Joel's books, so much knowledge in his bookes!books!! Priceless!! Thanks Joel

I loved this book from the first page and still love it as I continue to read it now. ( not finished yet, but I only started it this afternoon) I am so moved by it that it made me curious to see what the other readers think and how they have reviewed the book. Once I started reading reviews I simply had to add my own thoughts. The man is brave. He is honest. He is passionate about the things he believes. So sad that people who are afraid to know (or show) such passion have given it a few poor reviews. Whether you agree with every word or not makes no difference. The main premise of the book is that there seems to be a law against almost everything natural, these days. Most of these things were just normal a century ago. It would have been inconceivable to people to imagine that one could not slaughter an animal on one's own land. The regulations about dwellings and construction are silly in the context of the writer's way of life and his personal wishes. We put up with these things and just keep going, but we are wrong to do so. The TSA is a travesty. The FDA is totally corrupt. But only a few people speak up. Why is this? Are they afraid? Are they asleep? Are they stupid? Or are they just sheep? I hear all the time "The Government should do something " about this or that. NO! We should do something about it. NOT the government. When did we become such wimps? We have been brainwashed into believing we cannot change things. But we can. And we must. Joel is taking a lot of flack, but he is essentially correct. We need an organization such as the NRA to protect the right of farmers to grow what they like. It will also protect our right to eat and drink as we please. It is hard for me to believe that (lethal) MacDonalds is legal, but (healthy) raw milk is not. Women go to the hospital to have babies because they believe they will be safe there, when in fact they would be safer at home amoung their own germs, their own things, surrounded by people who actually care for them. Birth is natural and not a medical event at all. However we have become programmed to believe we need professional medical help. Rediculous! The AMA did a great job with propaganda when it comes to birth. The same is true of food. I once read a funny story, but a true one about an outraged 'anti hunting' person who ranted that hunters were barbaric. He said people should go to the supermarket to buy their food because that was the civilized way to get meat. I guess he never read about how commercial beef is raised and finally slaughtered. ( I would rather eat a wild animal that had a fighting chance to get away or get shot). The sad, pathetic, unhealthy animals that make up our commercial meat supply is frightening. Please read this book. It will open your eyes. And please don't think he is exaggerating the stupidity of regulations and of the government inspectors who enforce them. He is not. Yes, some of his passions seem to be a "rant" and that is OK, too. Why should he tamp down his emotions just to please the sleeping public? I wish he would shout them from the roof tops. Even the things I disagree with are simply his beliefs. We are all entitled to our own beliefs. No one has the right to criticize us for voicing them. I bought a couple of extra copies of this book and plan to send it to some people who may be able to help.

I was recommended this book by our babysitter. It was rather interesting to be turned on to something that speaks to exactly what I do and how I'd like to do it by someone completely outside of our way of life. I have a small farm and I'm a second generation farmer. I have a day job as well but certainly don't mind it as it's only 8 minutes from home and it lets me do more than live the lifestyle proffered in this book. There are some reviews here that say this book is just one big rant by Joel Salatin. Um, yeah, I think that's the point. Over a lifetime Mr. Salatin has been exposed to, waded through and fought tooth and nail against bureaucracy, ignorance, stupidity, and the general loss of individual liberty that continues to invade our culture on our government. "If it will save just one life, it's worth it." is the justification I've heard for many laws that our founding fathers would take arms against. 99% of it goes on without the general public even knowing. I've seen laws being made. Generally the single most clueless person involved is the one who has the vote. As it's been well said and is said again in this book, sausage and laws are two things you don't want to see made. So politically, economically, and morally I agree with Mr. Salatin. His rants are based on dealing with the inequities in the system as it stands today and are good reading for anyone who goes to the polls to vote our leaders into office. However, the problem with being an expert on some areas is you tend to think you may be an expert in other areas. While I agree with Mr. Salatin that his rants are justified, the solutions that he espouses can be a bit simplistic. I'm a libertarian and frankly some of the views are simplistic. Drug problem? Legalize drugs. Can't feed yourself? Church and charity. The reality is that some problems are more complex, or even if the solution is that simple, getting from where we are today to the simple solution is exceedingly complex. Just saying milk is perfectly safe because we drank it for thousands of years isn't going to be good enough in today's environment. Should it be illegal to buy raw milk? Absolutely not. Should we just let it onto the open market, on the shelf beside what has become "normal" milk like Joel would seem to favor? No. It probably needs a label that is a skull and crossbone and you have to sign a waiver. I don't think Joel spent a lot of time on trying to show the efficacy of his solutions, just that there were better solutions out there. I'm sure he could expand on his ideas but one negative to the book in my opinion was that some of his solutions seemed to be just a bit out there and not really practical. For people who believe in individual liberty, his book will read well. For those who can't imagine the government not regulating safety so we are all protected, it will read like a horror story. As for his rants, I run a farm and run a fairly large business, I can tell you that he is spot on concerning the basis for his rants and unless you step out of the consumer role and into a producer role, you never really see it. If you plan on voting in the next election, this should be required reading.

This book is wildly entertaining. Although I’m not a farmer I do work in an industry closely monitored by the USDA and got a kick out of this book. Joel tells his stories in a witty and easy to follow way. Any business owner will delight in reading his stories of finding loopholes in every law promulgated by the know-it-all bureaucrats. Especially in a post-covid world I find this book very interesting as Joel makes many accurate observations such as how bureaucrats with “alphabet soup” behind their name are worshipped by the public even though many of them are complete morons. The moral of the story is that if you are an expert in your craft, no treehugger, bureaucrat, or politician can ever shut you down.

Reminds me of my property management business in he Peoples Republic of University City, MO. Other cities in the country are getting just as bad. I sold most of my property there because I felt like a criminal all the time owning property and trying to take proper care of it there. For example, I needed a license to put a washer in a leaky faucett, which while leaking was a civil offense, subject to warrants and arrest. Joe and I are at one with the folks from the govt. who want to help us. If you think govt. creep in the farming business is Kafkaesque, try looking at property maintenance and building code regulations which are on a never ending growth and expansion trajectory. They are mostly written by a private trade association known as the Building Owners and Code Officials Association. (BOCA). Building inspectors and beauracrats are the members. Every two or three years they meet, massively expand their reach of their rules, and then go home to their towns and cities, and recommend to the local politicians that they adopt the new rules as a new ordinance to replace the previous years version. The local officials nod in agreement and pass it into law as a local ordinance. The average homeowner has no clue what is going on until he tries to sell or fix up his property. For landlords of all sizes they deal with these jerks every time they lease an apartment. Their reach, like Joel Salatin's regulators, is out of control and makes little sense. The inspectors, like Salatins, have no skin in the game but have a religious zeal to save the world by preventing leaky faucets and other insane things, but of course at the ever increasing expense of the property owners or tenants. . They have now expanded the code to save the world from global warming and to be more in line with codes around the world. All of this of course is enormously expensive and requires ever more expensive "qualified and licensed" people do all the work. Then they complain of the lack of affordable housing. I grew up in a small town 40 years ago in a world where people lived for generations and safely and successfully built, lived in and took care of affordable homes and raised families in them with nary an inspector or inspector department in sight or even in anyone's awareness. How was this possible?

Mr. Salatin writes a wonderful narrative on whats inherently wrong with the "system", from local to federal. The thing is if you don't have any insiders experience with some of the subject matter he can come across a bit......... harsh, shall we say. His indictment against illegal immigrants is not against them but more against the giant corporations that exploit them. I know because I worked at an industrial chicken processing center, they are decent hard working people, its not their fault they are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families by working jobs most American won't do. Or that the companies can work the system in their favor or pay the right individuals to make things go their way. His indictment of inspectors federal or local is pretty spot on, again somewhat harsh. We need to remind our selves that these are individuals that are doing their job, right or wrong, to the best of their abilities. Some are great people, some are enamored with the power their positions give them. Either way they are bound by their rules. Anyone whom has ever built anything or had anything built around their house can attest to that. But I digress these are my clarification points on some points he makes in the book. The book as a whole is a wonderful illustration on how a local food system could benefit all concerned and how it has become almost crippling to try to do so. The ideas expressed on food miles, direct sales, community supported agriculture and the obstacles facing them are very insightful. The book as a whole is a delightful and fun read, some things you have to take with a grain of salt but that all a matter of perspective. On the whole a great primer of whats wrong with how food gets from producer to consumer and how to fix it. I have been looking forward to reading this book for some time and am not at all disappointed. I look forward to reading other books Mr. Salatin has written and rereading this book soon. If you are interested in why a pound of local free range beef, pork, chicken or whatever costs so much read this book.

Although this book was written years ago I have enjoyed reading the book as it has given me insight on food wars between Government and Farmers/homesteaders. I am sure the standards are more rigorous today, but I believe its important for people to understand what real farmers and homesteaders are trying to achieve and what Big G is trying to impose. Buy local-know where your food comes from or raise and grow your own.

Joel Saladin is brilliant, but in light of current events…the libertarian lean (that I somehow didn’t notice the first time???) is kinda meh. I feel like he’s an anti-masker. 😂

More of a political piece than I would have hoped for, Joel Salatin did prepare me for his rant-laced manifesto when he titled his book Everything I Want to do is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front. I had wrongfully assumed that Salatin would offer stories and anecdotes regarding procuring and selling local foods. Instead, I was greeted with a long-winded, bitter outburst that provided few real solutions for what Salatin deems to be the e.coli to his beef: government bureaucrats. The true "meat and potatoes" issue in this book is an issue that I do empathize with: his frustrations dealing with bureaucrats and seemingly ridiculous rules and regulations that most agree are designed for corporations and big agribusiness and are forced to make sense in the world of the local farmer. While wading through the insatiated and incensed rhetoric of Salatin's grievances against the government, readers can recognize the need for a separate, applicable set of rules and regulations for the local farmer, although those are not the desires of Salatin himself as a farmer who longs for the absence of all regulation. I feel this book may only appeal to other readers who suspect and distrust the government as much as Salatin does. Perhaps my disappointment in this book lies more in what I expected from it and how it differs vastly from what I received. Salatin's attacks on government policy and government workers who he identifies as bureaucrats display a rampant mistrust of any authority figure, especially those who threaten the livelihood of his farm. Ironically, Salatin's utter hatred of the bureaucrat is reminiscent of the average consumer who is suspicious of food items that do not hold government-safety-inspected seals. While his points about more rules and regulations being for big agribusiness and not taking the local farmer or food producer into consideration, the points could have been made in a more thoughtful, amicable way than was offered. However, when someone introduces themselves to you as "a third generation-Christian-libertarian-environmentalist-capitalist lunatic" what else would one expect but this reading, in its truest form? I do not empathize with Salatin's argument for the complete absence of regulation, but I do think that a separate, compassionate, and flexible set of rules need to be drafted and tailored directly to the constraints of the local farmer; rules that assure the quality of the food being offered to local consumers. That being said, I do sympathize with Salatin's position on the possibilities of our food vocabulary containing the words "irradiated," "genetically adulterated," and "reconstituted," however, our paths are divergent when reaching the end goal of delicious, fresh, local foods for as many as possible. Salatin believes an overprotective, overinvolved government is the source of all his woes. However, his unsubstantiated assertions offer very little in terms of viable solutions. The book is more a rant against the national, state, and local governments than a real discussion about local food. Through the ranting, Salatin does manage to primordially stamp out an edict for a change in policy to allow local farmers to become self-sustaining entrepreneurs that meet the wants and needs of their local foodsystems.

I really love this family's work. They have a ton of know how that can only be acquired by being the hardworking, God-fearing, non-partisan people they are. I love that the author is really walking the walk by spending so much of his time helping others start up and spreading the word through the books, youtube, site and lectures. I know that they get paid from the books and I am sure from the lectures too but you can let it isn't a money thing. They clearly could be a huge national operation if that was their goal but it's not. They are local and staying local because it is the right way. I have read a few of his books and I will tell you he writes about some of the same things and retells stories but at least they are good stories. If you really want to have a clean and pretty self sustaining farm/homestead this is the guy to learn from. A great bonus is that he goes off on these sidetrack rants in his writing that makes it so endearing to me as I am military and so is my husband so that is how us and our friends talk so it is as if I am having a conversation with him as I read- If you have been in the military a while you know what I talking about.

This was a very informative look at government abuse and how our government serves Big Business as major bar for entry of new competition. If you wonder how and why local farms are being destroyed, here is your answer. The practices of the USDA toward small farms is replicated across all the regulatory agencies who it appears that they work for the Big Corporations and not the American Public

I found this book very enlightening and I think everyone should read this book at least once. I would compare his anecdotes to those of Upton Sinclair when he wrote the The Jungle. This is why you see so much criticism among these reviews, because the things he writes about are rather shocking to those of us outside the farming community. None of us liked to read about the things that went on in the meatpacking industry and I doubt most people would pick Sinclair's book a second time for that reason, it's impressions were that strong the first time around. Well the same can be said for this book and that's why some here have criticized him so voraciously. You won't step away from this book without seeing things differently, it's really that insightful. Beyond the subject matter, the writing is engaging for the most part and I think most everyone will find it as such. I didn't like the page formatting, since he double spaces between paragraphs, but this is relatively minor. I might add that on a couple of occasions he presses too hard on a few points. It's as if he wants to convince people of his message before telling the whole story. His story is enough to convince people, so this preaching and double spacing does feel like he's trying to add bulk to the book. His story really needs to be told, so I hope everyone reading this review will take the time to read this book. I can even envision that one day schoolchildren will be reading this and Sinclair side by side. They'll then wonder if people and government really were like that prior to their generation. If you stopped eating hotdogs after reading The Jungle, you'll probably start eating locally after this one, it's really that compelling.

A really wonderful read about how some people have to think out of the box to get around unjustified laws

I grew up and live in the suburbs of a major city. As it turns out I knew very little about farming before reading this book and have learned that what I knew was incorrect or very naive. This book isn’t about the details of how to farm but provides great detail about the obstacles set in the way of a farmer by the bureaucracy which is allegedly helping them. This same bureaucracy is tasked with ensuring we have a clean food supply but doesn’t seem to know much beyond what the powerful industrial food concerns tells them. “Surprisingly” the regulations favor those concerns over actual healthy practices. This is a must read book - it’s very likely the meat you’ve eaten recently was fed chicken droppings - with the blessing of the USDA. I know I don’t have the temperament to be a farmer but this book makes me wish I did.

I learned a lot from this book- and I thought I knew a fair piece before reading it. This is an entertaining, informative, "must read" for all- everyone should know more about where their food comes from and whether they have choices and freedoms. Everyone should also be reading between the lines and realize that limitations to "freedom" do not start and stop with food- it extends to health, health care, and other areas of human enterprise... some of which he certainly alludes to in the book. The author has written a number of other similar books- I wish he would write one that is a compilation of lots of other small farmers AROUND THE COUNTRY: their stories- and also include stories of triumph, because there are small battles being won. Where I live we can get anything we want (even bacon!) from small farm cooperatives by buying into the herd, and that doesn't mean we are limited to one animal. We are glad to pay for it, and people are lining up for it. The author describes some pretty limiting scenarios in his state of Virginia, but things are opening up elsewhere, it seems, and it would be good to get these stories shared, and include the stories of local food advocates helping to make it happen. This is a great cause, and I kind of think it is time for this truly genuine spokesman to move it off his farm and into the rest of the country.

It’s a shame that common sense is so rare these days. Joel Saladin uses personal stories and humor to explain how government policies are conceived and written to suppress local food producers in order to eliminate competition to the industrial food industry.

Joel Salatin is, if nothing else, passionate and it rings through on every page of this book. If you are picking this up, it is probably because you have heard of Salatin through Slow Food or the Omnivores Dilemma, and Salatin is absolutely the pioneer of sustainable farming that you have heard he is, which is what makes this book so disappointing. This book is 25% discussion about farming and the challenges that the government bogs the small farmer down with and 75% libertarian ranting. Regardless of whether or not you agree with Salatins opinion on abortion, vegetarianism, public land or God, if you came here looking for a book that will share the story of the struggling small time farmer, you came to the wrong book. Don't get me wrong, there are stories in here about the absurd regulations that the government imposes, and you will definitely want to see the small farmer freed from the regulations that the big guys are held to, but you will also spend a great deal of time reading what basically boils down to the libertarian party philosophy. Salatin not only wants the government out of small farming, but all business. He wants the government out of public land, protecting species, education, and he wants the government in to enforcing the Ten Commandments as law. For me, it was incredibly distracting and completely irrelevant. I want to learn about War Stories From the Local Food Front. I don't feel that this book delivered on that promise nearly as well as it could have. An author is able to write about whatever it is they desire, but one would hope that they would focus on the topic of their book. Salatin does not. For some people, no big deal. For me, I ended up putting the book away after having read 2/3rds of it because I simply couldn't take any more ranting. If you want to learn about sustainable farming, pick up Salatin's "You Can Farm." I would not recommend this one to the average reader unless they are prepared for what lies ahead - a lot of rant and a little information.

Book was actually as stated. Shipping was quick. Overall was a great experience.

For a prospective farmer, this is a downright horrific book. I’m not joking. Scarier than any horror book I’ve read, because it’s real and can happen to you. As a farmer, you could get your operation shut down for just using the bathroom incorrectly. But a very valuable book for farmers and their consumers to be informed on how unjust the laws surrounding food have become due to the filth, contamination and corruption of industrial agriculture.

Finding a more ecological way to farm...smaller and local....closer to the rhythms of nature...free of the rules and regulations concocted for big agriculture, is not only a dream, but a worthy and noble dream. We live within an industrialized food system, where the "masses" are fed not only bland and sometimes unhealthy food, but are also fed...for corporate advantage and profit...an awful lot of propaganda and half-truth, about one of the most universal human activities...eating. I appreciate that Salatin puts his local agricultural vision of his specific operations in the context of entreprneurship. It's exactly the medicine that's needed, if the movement is to succeed. This alone, makes the book worth reading, and for me, supersedes some areas of strong disagreement. The vision for a new appreciation of the traditional wisdom of agriculture...as in many other areas of accumulated human wisdom, has been largely discarded by the modern world...and the unsustainable modern food juggernaut, in particular. Salatin posits that a wall now divides Americans from a healthier, more sustainable, and more enjoyable food culture. This is his message, and it is a necessary and good one.

It exposed the many ways our government's laws restrict our individual rights in favor of the large corporations, while often not protecting the population from from the actual problems the law intended to prevent.

First I must say that I am biased, being a fan of Joe Salatin and an advocate of sustainable and bio-dynamic farming. This was the third book that I have read from him and found it to be the most entertaining thus far. It is not however pure entertainment, there is plenty of useful information presented. Unlike his other books that are packed with content and process laid out step by step, this one presents a topic along with a story and his commentary that follows which gives you something to think about. I found myself laughing out load at some points, and then getting really frustrated at others (at the prevalent incompetency that exists in our food system and regulations). It was an eye opener and I must say that it made me research some of the topics he brought up. I gave it 5 stars because I felt it was well written, funny, the content was good and informative; and bottom line - I really enjoyed it.

I read this book in a small amount of time. As I see it this person feels that he should be above the law . Some of his ideas I agree with but for the most I feel he is a angry man looking for a battle. I have a small farm my self and yes it very hard to fight the system!!! But you also do not put your self under the spot light for every one to see. Is his son any different than other folks in the area NO. So why should he be allowd to build a house different in size? Also from what I read he is big business in farming so why should he be treated like the small guy? On my small farm of 5 acres my wife and I provide enough meat and vegtables for 3 house holds ours,sons,daughters and have extra to sell. I think if you are a true small farmer you will be happy with your self but if you want to be big you will have to play by the big boy rules. I could go on for a long amount of time but it is not needed. GOD BLESS Dwight

This book is older and slightly outdated. Joel also has a tendency to get into rants that detract from his message. Overall though, a good read.

The Local Food or Slow Food "movement" is growing every year. So is the resistance to it. Salatin gives us a 'behind the scenes' look at the answer to 'Why not Local?' Consumers need to show their support, and kick up a fuss at the 'powers that be' in order to expand our access to food grown by local, small scale farmers. While I don't agree with him on every issue, I DO see and respect the points he makes. The 'red-tape' that we need to keep the 'big shots' in line should NOT be required of small providers. There has to be a way for the consumer and the farmer to both win.

Don't let those who give bad reviews based on some of the politics in the book deter you from buying and reading it. I found it hysterical even though the topic is incredibly serious. The title provides everyone an ample opportunity to understand that this isn't a "How to farm" book. Besides, the author pretty much mocks politicians of all stripes, regardless of the silly letter by their elected name. No ideology is left without criticism. In my opinion, this is a modern day "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine, using Agriculture to make very similar points. Wake up America. You stopped being "Land of the Free" many, many sad years ago. And only you can turn it around via the ballot box, and civil disobedience. ~h

All I can say is wow and as a small independent contractor, I can say with experience that a lot of the stories cross over.

This book illustrates countless items that most people don't know or think about but should. I am HACCP certified and worked in a processing facility for over a decade so I know a lot of what he says is true e.g. inspectors mainly worry about paperwork, not the product; that many day workers/temps work in processing facilities. Other things I'll have to take his word for. Lots of people make fun of the airport screening process. If they only knew what a farce the federal food safety program is they'd want their tax dollars back. The author does go off on a tangent or rant at times, still the book is worth reading.

A great book that every potential small farmer, every active farmer, every concerned citizen needs to read concerning just how invasive the government and all it's bloated regulations are and how they stifle small farms.

One of the best books I have read in a very long time. I highly recommend this book to both those who are anti big government and to those mislead folks who are pro big government and wish for more regulations. A real eye opener would be an understatement. As a foodie myself and one who really prefers organic over processed foods, Mr Salatin enlightened me; not only to the idiocracy that is our Federal Government but to the areas where the consumer has been duped by the so-called "FDA Approved" organic labeling of many of our foods. I love this book so much that I refuse to loan it out. Instead I buy copies and give them as gifts to friends.

The "illegal" things referenced in the title were common family farm practices for centuries until the FDA started making rules to favor Big Ag at the expense of arguably much more wholesome small businesses. A multitude of examples of government overreach and injustice in the land of the free will find sympathetic ears along all points of the political spectrum. Kudos to Joel Salatin for fighting the good fight and shedding light on the plight of small farmers who just want to do things in a local and sustainable way despite bureaucratic obstructionism.

A wonderful first read for anyone interested in the role our government plays in bringing food to our table. Joel has a wonderful way of presenting ideas and stating facts without forcing them down your throat. If you have read his other books, there will be a good bit of repeat. This book had us screaming Salatin for President!! He is incredibly smart and realizes there is not one perfect answer for everyone, but that laws are made to protect large corporations and are impossible for a small operations to follow.

Salatin is the owner of Polyface Farms, "the farm of many faces," in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. He was featured in Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and stole the show as the big-hatted farmer in Farmageddon. He is quite a character. He describes himself as a "Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist" and pulls no punches when explaining his views on how farming should be done and people fed. Chapter by chapter, he explains how one-size-fits-all government regulations designed for large-scale, industrial, monoculture agriculture unfairly limit small farmers trying to serve local communities by providing a variety of healthy food, humanely produced. This is a Must Read for small, entrepreneurial farmers and a Great Read for all freedom lovers. Salatin's good-natured ranting is part of the fun.

Anything by joel salatin is guaranteed to make the reader laugh - and cry. he uses his own experiences, his own farm and family in virginia with stories he tells. we use joel salatin's books on our farmette as reference material and textbooks. (a farmette is a property so small it can't be considered a farm, but the owners are 'farming' on it.) also recommended is "this ain't normal" by joel salatin. will give the small farmer, gardener, even city dweller great how-to ideas for sustainable living, crop growing and more.

A frustratingly entertaining book that illustrates the ridiculous rules and regulations that forbid you and me to eat what we feel we should be eating to support the health and long term well being of ourselves and our families. Case in point: The FDA states that it perfectly safe and healthy to feed your child Twinkies, French fries and Mountain Dew, but it is illegal to buy raw milk and homemade apple pie from the farmer and his wife across the street. t

This book is rapidly circulating around our family. It is very funny and very very maddening. I love Mr. Salatin's clear, logical thinking about ways to produce healthy, tasty farm products without messing up our environment with chemicals, manipulatig DNA, no importing off exotic plants and animals, and so on and on. Nobody agrees with everything someone else says, but this is a fascinating, highly ntelligent man whose words are well worth reading and implementing if you are so inclined.

An eye opening into the underbelly of the regular farmer world outside conventional means. How regulations and laws are broken and full of loops and how small time farmers get the short end of the straw. Loved this read. Would read again. The cover says it all :-)

Against all odds, and with the full force of the federal government totally opposing him, this guy has managed to prevail and create a profitable and environmentally-responsible business model that others can only hope to copy. Whether or not food issues are of interest to you, his story is a triumph realized at the bleeding edge of today's most formidable American frontier, which is the bitterly hostile realm of our own collective regulatory stupidity. If you don't currently believe that the federal goverment is a pawn of big business, I bet you'll change your mind after reading this book!

The government is supposed to be here to build roads and bridges, provide basic protection (firemen, police, ambulances, etc.) and leave us alone to create our lives. What the government has been doing however is to protect and create itself larger and LARGER until it fundamentally interferes with most people who want to create a life. This book explains the history of that as it relates to people providing their own food and gives some methods for dealing with the current state of insanity as revealed in often contradictory government regulations.

Great book to open your eyes to corruption and the need to preserve our freedoms

Simply hilarious and very true! Our government is trying to regulate us to death and will if we let them. Joel has some clear insight and encouragement for when the government does come knocking! If you get creative and think outside the box there are ways around stupid laws!!!! Thanks again Joel for a fantastic Read Absolutely Loved it!!!!!! I am trying to figure out how to plan a trip to you're farm or one of your speaking conferences.

Most especially now a days, as to how very much government interferes with our daily lives and endeavors. Are we just going to sit still and let it happen over and over again. We need to keep "protection" and standards, yes, but... as per usual the government goes too far, and much more inefficently, than needs to be done. Keep entering the discussion folks, keep voicing your opinions, it's the best of what we are about in this country.

Love this book! Great insight into Joel Salatin's farm life. Given us great ideas for farms and ranches. Feel bad for the guy trying to pursue his dream for his property and life while the government gives him grief. The government is just afraid of not being able to control him, but grateful to Joel for making a stand against them. He knows what he is doing!

I love Joel Salatin. It is a beautiful thing to have such a respect and understanding of animals and the Earth. I want to eat foods unspoiled by the hands of bureaucracy and unsprayed by the chemical giants. I would love to visit Joel's farm and buy a chicken, to say the least. Very inspiring.

Joel is a revolutionary in farming and political thought. His struggles show the foolishness of bureaucratic thought. It was a fun read.

Great thought provoking book about our food and the issues that small direct sales farmers are facing. Excellent read.

I appreciated how this book points out definite truths in our society today... literally everything I want to do is illegal--or at least it seems that way!

This book is a hilarious and frustrating read. Hilarious because Joel's writing style is just so darn plain-spoken and bluntly obvious he made me laugh time after time. Frustrating because of all the nonsense he has had to deal with - that seems to be getting worse in our country these days. Don't keep your head in the sand. Read this book and support Joel's mission.

This book is very well written and has Joel's humor shining through out it. Every person who cares about their food, and how it is handled and how healthy it is needs to read this book. We need to take back the control over our food. It is no longer about food safety, but often about a little Hitler type person who let their position give them a warped sense of power. These are real live situations that happened.

Highly recommended

I would recommend this book to anyone. Why are we wasting our precious time watching soap operas and foolish movie stars. I cannot fathom anyone who would not be interested. When we are watching, sports, movies, we are so unaware of what is happening in our country. This book is an eye opener. If we really wish to know.

This book has really opened my eyes to the struggles that small "beyond organic" farmers have to go through. More people need to read this book. I will be gifting many copies for Christmas.

Joel Salatin is a clear, concise, knowledgeable entertaining writer, farmer and a true conservationist / environmentalist. He's been an inspiration and go-to source for me in my homesteading / farming adventures. I look forward to reading his other books.

This book is awesome and an easy read too! Many topics that provide information, various viewpoints, 'food' for thought, and laughter too. Wish Joel would run for president.

Must read for anyone thinking about selling your farms produce. It will prepare you for what you may face from the government

If you are interested in starting a mixed use farm you really need to read this book. The more I've begun to deal with regulatory agencies (just following the rules, without any regard to common sense), the more I've joined the libertarian crowd...this coming from a lifetime liberal.

Very readable and interesting to see how hard it can be to get healthier food to people who are trying to eat closer to nature.

Excellent book that would sound like the paranoid delusions of a madman, except it's true. Our all knowing government has created some many rules to guarantee the success of big business farming that some one like the author who has figured out a sustainable, responsible way to farm and distribute is susceptible to harassment at every turn. What a country!

not finished reading it yet but I love anything Salatin writes...he has strong scientific and experiential background for his ideas and beliefs and he presents everything with a coating of good ol' wit. Love his writings!

I stand with Joel in his beliefs and practices. If common sense could be summed up in one person it would be Joel Salatin. Great read - informative, funny, insightful. Too bad we don't have people like him running the country.

This is a must-read for everybody. A blazing, in-your-face common sense rebuttal of some of the STUPIDEST things government and agribusinesses do that screws things up for sensible folks (that's everybody else). I also recommend 'Folks, This Ain't Normal' by the same author.

It is absolutely mind blowing how ridiculously far the government will go to stifle innovation. I loved this book more and more with every quote I read. Every citizen should read it, and I applaud Mr. Salatin for his heroic efforts against tyranny.

I passed this on to family that can no longer legally sell the same milk and produce that they live on. I would strongly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys farmers' markets or has ever considered selling their excess eggs or milk.

It is distressing to read about all the blocks to growing and selling one's own food locally. Too many rules and regulations stand in the way of small farmers wanting to provide fresh, nutritious food to customers in their area.

Joel Salatin is in the top 5 of my favorite authors. This book is one of his best. A must read for anyone who desires to know the truth about the Federal Government and the Mega Food machine.

coulda used a couple more rewrites but he's honest and says things ive never heard before

awesome book.

My son really enjoys Joel Salatin, his books are like the bible of farming in our house. I have purchased several of his books and can't say enough positive about them.

Book arrived in very good condition. A lot of complaining but I expected that in this kind of book

Joel is a great farmer and knows his stuff!

Joel tells it like it is and does it in a way that keeps you reading for hours. His message is very important in these times when our freedoms are being attacked. Excellent Book!

Every personal liberty loving human should read this book!!

Great book.

An excellent book. Preaching to the choir for most libertarians, but a smile never left my face for the first 200 pages.

Yet another educational and entertaining book from Mr. Salatin.

Love it! I find myself saying that "everything I want to do is illegal" all the time!

good read

this was a gift for my son and he requested this and other books related to small scale farming and our food.

Fantastic book on the food supply, regulation, and personal liberty to consume and/or produce the food products you desire.

Joel Salatin tells it like it is. And we should listen.

Joel Salatin tells it like it should be said.

Ol' Joel lets them have it with both barrels,I think everyone should own a copy(and read it)

Great book. Inspiring.

This book is a great read. Well written and I'm a big Joe fan so very pleased with the book.

Packing and content ok. The book is amazing, does a fabolous present

Another great book by our hero Joel Salatin!

one requested by my niece as a birthday gift, she has a hoop house and is brewing beer at home.

Excellent book, very informative.

Great read

That's for the book. It was in great condition.

Love. Still reading...keeps you motivated and hopeful of change.

Love it

Dropping knowledge bombs on future farmers.

Great book for anyone really an advocate free markets.

really good insight into the politics of farming.

Everything was great.

Great book. Everyone should read it

wake up america!

arrived on time and as advertised

Brought this as a gift.

Joel Salatin considers himself a grass farmer. By concentrating on the health of his grass, he is able to produce a prodigious amount of food while raising animals humanely, restoring the land and providing diverse habitat for wildlife. His methods are not conventional, but he is trapped in a conventionally-driven, agricultural model funded by Big AG that seeks to enforce the same rules on all farmers. There is no scalability. Food safety regulations exist to protect the consumer from food contamination. Or so we are led to believe. The irony is that the regulators don't care if your food is clean; they only care if it was produced according to code. If your chickens have half the bacterial load of government-approved CAFO chickens but your slaughtering facility doesn't comply with codes designed for such large-scale models, then your chickens are considered unsafe. Chickens can be crammed into tiny cages never seeing the light of day, and their eggs are considered safe because they're washed with chlorine. But if a farmer chooses not to wash his eggs so the protective, antibacterial bloom remains, a single speck on one of them means they must all be destroyed. Salatin wants to sell his beef directly to his customers. But to do so it must be processed in a USDA-approved facility. But since it has to leave the farm, it can't come back and be sold, because the farm is zoned for agriculture, not commerce. Salatin can sell his own produce, but he can't sell his neighbor's zucchini. His home insurer threatened to cancel his coverage if he continued to sell chickens off his farm. This book is full of examples of such illogical bureaucratic interference. As a visionary and creative entrepreneur working outside the government- and university-sponored system, his efforts are continually hampered and his livelihood threatened. Everything he wants to do to provide clean, safe, humanely raised food to local consumers is illegal. Additionally, his creativity denies him the many benefits those working within the sytem receive, such as subsidies, grants and tax breaks. Salatin's answer to the food safety problem is to allow citizens to opt out of the industrialized food system. So far, so good. But then he wants customers to sign a waiver stating they will never sue their farmer. If someone becomes ill or dies from contaminated raw milk or botulism from improper canning, then it's the consumers fault for not conducting due diligence. With rights come responsibilities. Salatin seems to want all of the freedoms but none of the responsibilities. I consider myself a libertarian, and I agree with most of what Salatin writes. I'm plenty fed up with the government regulating away my freedoms in their efforts to keep me "safe," and I can understand Salatin's outrage. But two-thirds of the way through this book even I grew tired of the angry rhetoric and repetitive diatribes and had to force myself to finish it. Nevertheless, Salatin is a visionary with a unique perspective that can help us all understand why the government must be reined in when it comes to what we choose to put in our bodies. We cannot afford to allow the government-in collusion with Big AG-to continue dictating food policy. If we don't pay heed to the complaints of a farmer such as Salatin, we soon won't even be able to grow food in our own backyard.

This book needs to come with a warning that reads, "WARNING:Will make your blood pressure rise, your eyes see red, and smoke protrude from your ears." Seriously! The war stories shared in the book are beyond ridiculous! But they serve a purpose! They show you that big government is not the way to go. That big government doesn't truly care about you or your health or your freedom. O no!!! They want to enslave you, control you, and they do this by pulling a blind over your eyes and telling you that its for your own good. They basically treat you like a baby. A silly billy unable to decide for themself what is and isn't safe. If that doesn't insult your intellegience than I dont know what will. Speaking of intelligence, most of the bureaucrats have no idea what they are talking about! They know nothing of what makes a healthy chicken or cow but have the nerve to tell you that your small family owned farm must have a changing room with 12 lockers for compliance. Forget the fact that it's an unnecessary expense and would not be used. Perhaps you think calling the bureacrats uneducated on the topic at hand is harsh. I would repent if they weren't in favor of feeding manure to aninals. These are the folks that PETA should be outraged at! Their desire is fatter pockets not healthy animals which means healthy guts for the people This isn't conspiracy but proven facts through more than one source; this book being one of many. Joel, unfortunately, has had the undesirable visits from far too many pin striped suit employees. He's had to battle everything from slaughter house regulations to personal sawmills. Pretty much everything that used to be everyday life is now illegal in his home state of Virginia. One can not sell this or that without jumping through hoops. He points out that all the regulations discourage good folks from starting up a wholesome business not necessarily food related. I can relate. At one time I considered selling homemade lip balm, lotion, diaper cream, and other hygiene products along with simple jellies, breads, and other baked goods but that dream died as soon as it started. The regulations were just too much. I did not have the time to jump through all the hoops, make the stuff, advertise the stuff, and handle my other daily affairs. Oh I could have made the time but the headache from it all wasn't worth it. I tend to agree with him on pretty much everything. Basically the government needs to get out of our personal life. The book is 347 pages long and has 24 chapters divided into 3 sections-The Past, The Present, and The Future. It covers alot of ground. I read of some things I've never heard of before and will have to definitely research furthur. If anything this book helps the small man gain the confidence he needs to rebel against a tyrannical government. A government that controls what kind of milk you can legally buy is indeed tyrannical. While I dislike the fact that Joel had these unfortunate events happen to him I think it best it was him. He seems to have the nerve to handle it. The book is inspiring at times and other times, at no fault to the author, downright maddening. It is well worth the read. Just be forewarned you'll catch a case of Don't Tread On Me fever. He ends the book with some encouraging and inspiring quotes with the last one being Psalm 35:19, 20. Joel did an awesome job with the book. I look forward to reading more of his work, many which are on my wishlist. The cover art idea was by his daughter. It's pretty darn clever.

Wish I got it hard cover

This book describes the wide range of regulatory barriers that restrict the ability of small food producers to gain access to markets. Salatin, a farmer, homesteader, and market grower, has been a leader in sustainable farming practices. In this book, he vents some of his frustrations over government regulations that put a stranglehood on his ability to sell his products legally. The book is comprised of short essays, covering topics ranging from raw milk, government grants, sawmills, insurance, taxes, bird flu, the National Animal Identification System, and animal welfare. In this book, Salatin describes scenarios involving superfluous regulation that are outrageous in the extreme, such as how his son was forced to a build a house that was twice the size that he wanted. Though the stories are varied, the general point that emerges is that government regulations concerning food address the process of production, not the product. Though aimed at ensuring food safety, they regulate types of walls and amenities for resident inspectors, without requiring testing for microbes or other contamination. By requiring specific types of constructions for food processing, they prevent market access to small producers who cannot afford to buy the large buildings required, despite the fact that the small producers' products may be as clean as, or likely cleaner than, the products coming from the large buildings that meet government regulations. If government regulations were to focus entirely on the safety of the product, not the specifics of production, the exact same regulations could be applied to all producers, regardless of size, without restricting market access to small producers and new entrants. However, industrial producers would not want this because their products, coming from overcrowded feedlots and slaughter houses staffed by poorly trained immigrants, would be more likely to fail inspections for product contamination. Since the industrial producers own the politicians who ultimately control the regulations, no end is in sight. Overall, the book is quite interesting, and points out some amazing challenges that face both small food producers and their would-be customers. Salatin does tend to stray off topic though, and he's not always consistent. For instance, he argues for a consumption tax rather than an income tax, but wants to abolish the consumption tax on gasoline, presumably because that hits him personally. He proposes that the government should not fund agricultural research at state universities, overlooking the point that if government research funds were not available, than ALL agricultural research would be beholden to the industrial producers that would provide the sole source of funding. In general, though, the book contains some important ideas that consumers and farmers alike should become aware of.

Wish the author had kept focused on the tyranny of the bureaucracy that blocks neighborhood production and direct market access (selling). That writing is excellent, first-rate, and invaluable. He could have become a great resistance leader in these red tape battles, beginning with zoning. Or, as I like to say -- and he can use this in updated editions: "Why isn't ALL OF AMERICA an 'enterprise zone'?!" I'm a total supporter of his side on the "war stories" and they are fascinating reading as well. Other subjects detract, intrusively, from the main theme: The author is way, way out of his league on the topic of "Indians." (Ever heard of Kennewick Man? None of the oldest skeletons found in North America are Indians. They were NOT here first, which is immaterial to the red tape subject anyway. It is the same with the reference to MLK, which stands out like a sore thumb as not belonging in this book. It would be a great improvement to take out all mentions of human abortions. Many readers will resent that subject being inserted into a good book on individual freedom. It just doesn't belong in a book on local food production and sales. (And what about the topic of human overpopulation, which almost every author is afraid to mention these days?) It is simply unfortunate that the author decided to make part of his living off of killing animals, yet never mentions the "downside" such as cholesterol (which is only found in animal products) and the indisputable link between red meat consumption and heart disease. I don't deny any red meat-eater their freedom to choose what they injest, let's just be honest about it. Opinions aside, there is now empirical evidence on this subject. He is simply wrong about the "cycle of life" making vegetarians into hypocrites. If I raise five hens only for eggs, and one stops laying, there is nothing in the universe that requires me to kill that hen (and I won't). The author loses credibility by trying to build a case against vegetarians, who might otherwise have been his staunchest supporters against the industrial food bureaucracy. All of us can continue to learn about respect for life, and cherish the individual liberty to decide for ourselves.

Here in Brazos County, Texas, we have had access for years to delicious goat's milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream from a local producer, WaterOak Farms. One could buy raw milk if they were willing to either have it delivered or go to the dairy. The ice cream won awards in Austin, a pretty tough market for boutique food products. Now, all this is threatened by newly enacted state legislation that went into effect on July 4, 2010. All the many small dairies in Texas will now be inspected as Grade A, rather than Grade B. The cost of compliance for most if not all existing goat dairies is prohibitive for these small operations that account for over 30% of cheese sales in Texas(heard that number from dairy operator, not sure how accurate). Locally grown and produced food is in greater demand these days, so the state legislators are doing what they can to eliminate it! The idea for the new regulations did not come to the sponsors of the bill out of the blue. Hilmar Cheese had just opened a new facility in Dalhart, TX, one that processes over 5 million pounds of milk each day. I feel quite sure that Hilmar would love to eliminate those producers that account for 30% of the market share. Did they spend money in Austin to insure this would happen? It's certainly legal...and supports the thesis of Mr. Salatin's work. Small, local farming is up against big money, with possibly more regulations([...], the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010) coming from the Federal government. In the name of insuring "consumer safety," anyone wanting to sell produce(think farmer's markets, roadside stands, pick-it-yourself, your neighborhood gardener) will be hounded by perverse requirements for fees, licensing and documentation. Even gardening for your own table may be endangered. If you know a local farmer, give him a hug. They probably need it.

I agree with the author on all of the topics he covers. I guess he was preaching to the choir, but a great read nonetheless. He does repeat himself a bit, but had some great stories amid the serious topics. I wish everyone would read this. BigAg and BigParma are not your friend, and, unfortunately, most government leaders are in their pockets.

This book is definitely not for everyone. But, if you are outraged by our food system and the taxes you pay to agribiz for their crappy "food" that's killing us by slow degrees, and also enjoy a good rant by someone who knows whereof he speaks, you'll love it. For the record, I have been vegetarian for two decades, and that in no way diminishes my respect for Salatin or this book. Must we agree with everyone on everything in order to recognize truth when we see it? I stopped eating meat in 1989 when I learned about our factory farming system and didn't want to be part of it...but I have no problem whatsoever with folks who raise their own animals with love and respect and then eat them, or sell them to local friends. Seems natural enough to me, even if it's not my choice. But not to the government, and that's the point of this book. Its many examples of constant gov't intrusion into every part of the food chain lay clear who runs what and why we're in the sad shape we're in, ecologically and nutritionally. It all rings true, whether I agree with each of Salatin's political views or not. The pettiness of some of the reviews here on Am only shows why those trying to fight the moronic system aren't winning: they're too busy fighting each other! Divide and conquer? Why bother? Let us beat each other down! It's working, apparently. Put it this way: if every adult in America read this book and knew about how our food (specifically meat) system is run, there'd be overnight change. Must we agree with all of Salatin's views on everything to give him due credit for fighting his version of the good fight? We will all never agree on everything, nor need we. But we do need to wake up and start helping out our brothers and sisters in logic and reason, not only by buying their food but by helping them spread their version of the truth. Especially if, as here, that truth is backed up by real world experience, written of with passion and humor. That's good enough for me. This goes on my shelf next to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, John Robbins' Diet For A New America, and a bunch of other disturbing but necessary books on where our food really comes from.

Well written, astonishing info for anyone who is not aware of how the machine works.

I'm a grass-fed livestock farmer living near Joel Salatin and have visited his farm and bought his products many times. This book does accurately reflect who Joel is: funny, blunt, knowledgeable (about some topics), charismatic, certainly a pioneer. However, beware of making assumptions about Joel. The vast majority of his customers and fans are interested in organic foods, have an environmentalist bent, and are politically liberal. They may assume that Joel is like them -- but be assured that he certainly is not. Joel hates all those things. He is a fundamentalist Christian creationist and his politics are somewhere to the right of Dick Cheney. A few examples: He shoots any non-farm animal that comes on his property (including dogs, rare martens, and birds of prey), and does it with an enthusiasm that is disturbing for a so-called "poster boy for humane agriculture." This "ecological farmer" opposes wilderness areas, endangered species protection, and farmland preservation and would like to see all land privatized to be milked for all its worth in the name of "property rights." He compares animal-rights supporters and vegetarians to abortionists. And that's just a few of the chapters. While I agree with a number of his points -- for example, that small-scale farmers should be exempt from regulations designed for corporate agribusinesses like Cargill or Tyson -- his simplistic libertarianism is more appropriate for a college sophomore. Yes, he pioneered pastured poultry and popularized grass-fed farming in general. The number of different profitable enterprises on his farm is remarkable. And anybody who can make a living farming these days should be congratulated. But this book shows him as a generic, naive libertarian wanna-be who has a persecution complex and a far higher opinion of himself than is deserved. I highly recommend his other, more practical, books -- "Salad Bar Beef" etc -- instead of this angry right-wing rant. Let's hope a more moderate farmer steps up as a spokesman for this critical paradigm shift in agriculture.

My girlfriend bought me this book since it looked like it might a fun look at farming. We're both interested in starting up a hobby farm and it looked like this might be a fun read that was tangentially connected. There is too much unrelated garbage in this book to rate it highly. When on topic, the book is pretty good. Its interesting to find out about the limitations on a small farmer with regards to slaughtering animals for sale, bacon production, and everything else. These on topic discussions take up about 50 pages of the 300 page book. If it had been anything above 250 this would have been a five star book. When off topic, this book has little to do with what we were looking for. Do I care if he thinks that abortion is the cause of the social security budgetary shortfall? No and especially not in a book that appears to be about farming. Do I share in his amusement of imagining a video of a slaughterhouse being raided for illegal immigrants with them hiding in dumpsters? No and it doesn't have anything to do with bioterrorism. The book is almost as much about building codes as farming. These things wouldn't be a big deal if they were the minority of the book, but more often than not these are things he talks about. Also, I think he repeats about 90% of an early chapter in the middle of the book. I'm not saying this is the worst book ever. However, its hardly a focused book and certainly not focused on farming for very much of it.

Author Joel Salatin is a "farmer." The word tends to conjure an image of the small farmer of yesteryear ... struggling, hapless, about to be made obsolete by today's industrialized, corporatized agribusiness. Forget that image. Salatin's business model is uniquely American: innovative, quality-driven, free-thinking, and customer-oriented. He has created a loyal local market for his high-quality poultry, beef, and pork, and he accepts no government monies or subsidies. As if that wasn't hard enough, Salatin has had to constantly swim against an overwhelming tide of flawed regulations that discriminate in favor of mega-operations. "Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal" tells all about that struggle, and so much more. Salatin asks (and answers) the questions, why are small farmers and local food artisans leaving their heritage behind to work in town? Why do we, as a society, have a larger segment of our population in prison (2.5 %) than working on farms (1.5%)? Why is food quality at a low? And why are regulatory barriers keeping small producers out of the business of food production? And how did we - the constituency, the consumers, the all-powerful "demand" part of the supply-and-demand equation -- ever buy in to the notion that the institutionalization of our food supply is inexorable and must be suffered with stoic cynicism and resignation? And what is there to do about it? The answers to these questions matter, because the ultimate costs of these trends are huge, in terms of food quality, in terms of resource damage, and at many other levels. But the worst damage of all is the loss of whole communities and ways of life ... ways that have worked for centuries. Entrepreneurship - and the freedom to be entrepreneurial - is a huge part of what made this country great, and in the food business, it's in grave danger. A quiet robbery has been happening right under our noses, and the villains and the victims are NOT who we think they are. I have met Salatin and visited his farm, and he is the genuine item. His book is a must-read for everyone who cherishes freedom.

The critical reviews of this book really aren't wrong. I want very much to have an operation like Joel Salatin has set up for himself, but as a real person he is terribly flawed and this book shows off every facet of that. He always tries to push that he's some victimized small farmer but at the same time mentions that he has been approached to become the Tyson of pastured chickens, does that really sound like he has a small farm? He wants the right to discriminate against people with mobility issues, put whatever he wants in their food on the virtue of his word alone, create whatever conditions might be safe or unsafe based on them suiting him, not pay taxes, remove people's capacity to sue for damages, exploit the youth and enthusiasm of young upstarts, and squeeze every penny out of everything while thinking himself a virtuous "small farmer". I agree that some of it is ridiculous to place on actual small farmers, but I also know that a lot of the things he dislikes are in place, at least originally, because too many unethical people did too much damage with the freedom they had. This book really is just him whining and complaining. I haven't read the last 4 chapters yet but speaking for 80% of the book, anything of value he says can be found in Salad Bar Beef and The Sheer Ecstasy of Being A Lunatic Farmer without the poor me narrative. I want to learn everything I can about farming but this had very little to do with farming at all, made me feel the opposite of most of what he wanted me to come away feeling, and made me a lot less a fan of his on a personal and moral level.

Joel Salatin has a lot of good ideas, and a lot of insight into what's fundamentally wrong with our food production system. Mainly, that regulations at all levels are skewed toward the interests of the giant agri-business operations, and small producers who just want to provide a good product to their local customer base are squeezed out. The book is a series of tales about Salatin's experiences on his own farm, and the experiences of some of his neighbors. It is admittedly anecdotal, but clearly shows the comprehensive bias against small, locally-produced food. These tales are told in an informal, neighborly voice that is entertaining, and the author often tends to rant in a manner reminiscent of what one might hear in casual conversation at your local diner or bar. The style, to me, is entertaining, though the author sometimes comes across as somewhat of a wingnut -- libertarian, isolationist, with strains of Dominion theology. At one point he suggests that if abortion were outlawed, the resulting extra people could replace the illegal aliens currently working in our agriculture industry! He is also surprisingly hostile or dismissive toward what he terms "greenies", "foodies", and "the liberals". One would think that these would be the folks most open to his viewpoints on food regulations, and most likely to be the ones buying his products. Overall, though, the book is an eye-opener, and well worth reading for anyone interested in local food, or just healthy, safe food in general.

Let me start by saying I assune the government regulators at least have a point when a regulation is put up. The problem I see is a lack of acconmodation or alternative to an all-or-nothing approach, or a zero-risk approach (which seems theoretically impossible to achieve in my opinion for this world). I think one solution is to have bureaucrats who love farming and have a knowledge of farming in both small scale and large scale, as a way to balance the interests of both the people and the farmers. Also, policies should be made so that people aren't incentivized to lie because of some loophole, or screw someone else over because of a loophole. We want a win-win situation and not win-lose or lose-lose. I think bureaucrats should be evaluated in two ways. First, to avoid behaviors that are against the public intrrest, and second to avoid behaviors that hurt farmers that are not clearlu in thr public interest or are of too low a value to the public interest given the loss.

When ask at the end of a conference his greatest frustration as a small farmer Joel Salatin struggled to put his anguish into words. He finally blurted out, "Everything I want to do is illegal." After some laughter, he gave an impassioned explanation concerning his frustrations. Out of that confession came this book. I agree wholeheartedly with almost all of what Joel Salatin shares in "Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal." The book is well written, funny, and informative. He and I are both a part of what many would call the lunatic fringe. Joel says, "How a nation treats its lunatic fringe determines its level of freedom or tyranny." I agree! We should have the freedom to choose what we eat, as well as how we school our children, what kind of health care we choose to obtain: mainstream or alternative (chiropractic, osteopathic, etc), what religious persuasion we adhere to, etcetera. While there is every chance that I might do something stupid and even harm myself, that is none of the government's business. The more power hungry, inept government bureaucrats get their grubby mitts involved in agriculture or any other facet of American life the more red tape, paper work, cost to the little guy and inefficiency you find. The framers of the Bill of Rights understood this. With limited government, the ingenuity of the average man made this country the bastion of freedom that it is (was). We have turned into a socialist nation, which is tragic. I Agree with Joel's closing comments. He says, "If I don't have the right to choose what to feed my 3 trillion bacteria in my intestines, then what other rights could possibly be more important?" Choosing the form of healthcare I use is also extremely important. Our nation is bankrupt, morally, and financially. We have rejected God and the moral foundation of the Ten Commandments that this country was founded upon and have bankrupt ourselves in a few decades. I also agree with Joel's definition of humane treatment of animals. Neither the conservationists nor the capitalists have it right. We don't let even supposedly dangerous predictors kill off our livestock. Also, it's the confinement animals, fed unnatural for them (for example, cows were meant to eat grass, not grain), mineral deficient diets, eating their own and other animals fecal material, given growth hormones to fatten them for slaughter most swiftly, antibiotics to keep them alive long enough to get them to market, and housed in inhumanely cramped quarters, not the animals outside in the fresh air, eating their natural diets that transmit food born illnesses. Finally, nature was created to run in cycles and to have a healthy farm and planet we need to understand and cooperate with those cycles, which for the most part we have dismally failed to do.

Joel Salatin provides an honest, albiet frightening, view of what it is like trying to run a small business in America in 2007. As the owner of a small business for 27 years, as well as a sustainable ag farmer for the past 3 years, I can attest to everything Joel discusses in his book. Other reviews criticize his political leanings, his simplistic libertarianism, his religious beliefs, and his so called "rants", but none of these critics challenges the truth of what he reveals. Those in the front always take the first arrows. This book should scare the hell out of anyone who believes that government is the answer to all of our ills. For those of us who want clean food, those of us who want to produce a wholesome product for us, our families, and our neighbors, and most of all, those of us who just want a choice in our lives, this book is a testament to the need for a revolution against the food industry as well as our big bully government. I borrowed this book from my son, but am so appreciative of the information within, that I will send Joel a check today for the cost of the book.

Down is up, east is west, and everything that is right seems to be wrong these days. What in the world is going on when the government becomes so entangled with the food supply that they end up paying industrialized farms not to grow certain crops while honest and hard-working local farmers like Joel Salatin are left playing the bureaucratic games thrown at them left and right? That's exactly what you get to read all about in this book. As the owner of the large non-industrialized Polyface family farm in Virginia, Salatin knows a thing or two about working within the bounds of the law to help his local customers get the delicious and nutritious food they deserve to eat. It doesn't come without a hefty price at times, though, as farmers like him are forced to play this ceremonial song and dance with special interest groups who are all but uninterested in the work his farm is doing. But these farmers do it willingly because they realize the future of the food supply depends on local farms succeeding. Polyface received national attention a few years back when it was featured in science journalist Michael Pollan's sensational The Omnivore's Dilemma book and immediately became the poster child for the local food movement. They actually were chosen to be included and featured in his book because Pollan attempted to order some T-bone steaks to have shipped to him in New York. Salatin refused and Pollan became intrigued. It was at that point that the heart of the mission to keep local food local was too serious to jeopardize. You'll quickly realize when you start reading this book that Salatin is unafraid of sharing his distinctively Christian libertarian viewpoints on a variety of issues related to his farming practices. With a smile on his face and a laugh in his heart, this brave rebel has been threatened to the point of shutting his operations down by inspectors and regulators alike, but these strong arm scare tactics have not worked. Again, the heartbeat of what farmers like Salatin do is grounded in the principled passion that food should be made available to consumers on a local level free from unnecessary government regulations. Regardless of where you stand on food sustainability and the local movement that is alive and well in America today, this is a book well worth reading. It will give you an insider's look at what it takes to put quality food on your dinner table that will keep your family nourished for many more years to come.

This was a fantastic look into the over-regulation of the food industry that plagues your local farmer. I highly recommend it for the chapter on bioterrorism alone. It has the best solution to the problem that I have read so far. This one is worth your time.

When you can not control what you chose to eat, and who you buy it from are you truly free? When others lie with and through government agents who loses? When “science based” rules & regulations deny empirical, measurable evidence, is it really science? Or is the food industry and those who run and regulate it to their own benefit the protector of, or destroyer of our most fundamental freedoms? Who do you trust more, the neighborhood farmer, or Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland, and the government agents and lobbyist and politicians on their payrolls? For my part, I’ll trust my neighbors and farmers like Joel Salatin every time.

If reading this doesn't get you all fired up and wanting to see change then nothing will. It's shocking to see just how bad the regs meant to "protect" us are. There's no good reason a farmer like Salatin should have had to spend so much time and money fighting to provide good food to his customers. Our government is set up to facilitate big ag business and eliminate our ability to choose a healthier way of eating. As a produce grower in another state I was(thankfully) insulated by much of what he encountered as a livestock farmer in Virginia. Still, I sure can empathize with the craziness of it. A must read.

This book is one of the most amazing and informative books i have ever read. The good information in this book is worth its weight in gold. my problems with this book are these; He sometimes qoutes statistics, but never cites any sources. he uses the word beaurocrat on almost every page. he also uses examples of his political beliefs and some analogies that are somewhat offensive and often completely unrelated to the subject at hand. My favorite of these is when he is describing being grilled by USDA about whether his pastured chickens are susceptible to avian flu. this is a direct quote, "It's like walking around with a big star of david emblazoned on my shirt in a jewish ghetto in warsaw in 1942." sounds crazy? it is. but when you read the book you let stupid things like this slide because the rest of the book is so fascinating you can hardly put it down or think about anything else but where your next meal will come from. this book could be twice as successful as the omnivores dilemma if it was edited by someone other than the writer. as it is, i recommend every adult in the country read it as long as you are not easily offended.

There are some critical reviews that can't get past the ranting and the strong opinions of the author. Salatin definitely gets off topic in areas, but he has a plan and he never fails to demonstrate the idiocy of the government regulations and bureaucrats that run rough shod over the farmer. He covers raw milk, the dairy, butchering, processing meat, salmonella, organic certification, government grants, restaurants, predators and endangered species, local regulations, zoning, labor, housing, insurance, taxes, bird flu, bioterrorism, NAIS, mad cow, and more. This is a great resource not only for those that want to become farmers, but for those who want to support local food systems as buyers. Salatin is definitely opinionated, but he knows the problems that farmer's like him face, and that it is the government that is the problem. If you aren't ready to deal with reality, you probably won't get much out of the book. But if you're open to new ideas you'll find this worth reading.

I blew through this book over the weekend and I've found a soul-mate in Joel Salatin. Salatin in an evangelist for the local food movement and we couldn't have a more honest or articulate one. Joel does a heartfelt and beautiful job of explaining how the best intentioned goverment programs to support farming are actually destroying it, and the health and freedom of Americans along with it. It's a manifesto for local food systems. If you are interested in local food and supporting sustainable agriculture, this book should be on your shelf and gifted to those in government and academia who could make a difference but haven't.

This provides a fun and fascinating look at holistic vs commercial farming. I plan to read more of his books in the future.

Such an informative read! This is not the first, nor the last Joel Salatin Book I will read. Add it to your list!

Joel tells it like it is. This is a great book from a great man.

I started this book with some knowledge of governmental interference, yet reading this really opened my eyes to the gross oversight we have given way too many agencies. Every politically centered person needs to share this book with the people to their right and left and just maybe we can right the ship.

Very well written and Joel very clearly expresses some extremely important points that we all should be seriuosly considering in regards to the sorces of our food and the right to choose where weget our food.

Once again, Joel sheds some light on the endeavors of small farmers and farms. This book gives you insight into possible run ins a farmer would have as a small farmer who sells from their land, as well as some creative ways to get through the government’s red tape.

A great look 10 years ago into the state of our food economy and how we got there. Lots of great topics and jumping off points for further reading.

Very interesting and revealing. It's about state rules / bureaucracy infiltrating into every corner of American lives. We're living in times of an empire that is starting to crumble under its complexity.

I recommend this book to everyone. It's great for reaching out to the left-wing local food crowd who are also in favor of big government solutions to environmental problems. It's also nice for reaching out to the anti-organic/sustainable living sort of people who think the government should stay out of regulating everything. And as the book goes on to point out, the government does regulate everything. From the size of your house to how many bathrooms your employees need to where you can kill your cows and chickens. Oh yeah, and these regulations are really only for the little guy. If you are a big producer, you just send your lawyers in to settle it, while you continue pumping out your product despite the regulatory infractions. The small farm doesn't have high powered lawyers, and can be shut down by one inspector having a bad day. This is a must read, and it'll break your heart. But in order to fight this inhumanity, to regain our freedom, we need to be informed about how our government persecutes small businesses. How the lobbyists lobbying for "safety" laws don't have our best interests at heart, they know that having to jump through all the ridiculous hoops will put the little guy out of business, leaving more market share for themselves. BUT the businesses aren't really the problem (except in shady campaign finance contributions, free dinners, vacations, etc). The real problem is the governments (both federal, state, and local) that pass these laws. The real problem is the people that don't know what's going on.

I read all 350 pages of this book in just a few days. It's as fascinating and terrifying as any sci-fi suspense novel. Through this book I learned that the USDA permits farmers to feed cows chicken manure and wants to plant microchips in every animal in the US to "prevent disease". Prepare for your eyes to be opened and never buy conventional meat products again!

My boyfriend had heard of Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms through one of the audio books he was listening to from Michael Pollan. I've always been interested in "direct from the farm" products and produce that were grown sustainably and through natural means, which is very difficult to find in my local area. However, based on our discussion I got very interested in knowing more about Joel Salatin and decided to borrow this book from the library. I had tremendous trouble putting this book down. The author explains in detail how our government is driving out small farmers. He gives account after account of how he has been harassed by the USDA and other government officials being told this is illegal, that is illegal, you have to get a license for this and that, etc., etc. For instance, he has to check the teeth of all his cattle before sending them to the abattoir because if the teeth look older than they should be (indicating the cow is over a certain age), then the cow has to be processed separately and it costs the farmer more. Therefore, the cows he thinks will fall into this category he just has processed locally for the customers who have ordered whole, half or quarter of the animal. There is example upon example of how the government infringes on his operations and farmers like him. In fact this book is so chock full of sensible examples that it's hard to recount them. He can't automatically sell processed meats (hamburger mixed with beef and pork) because it's illegal, he can't hire children that willingly want to be a farm apprentices at a young age because it's illegal, etc., etc. One very important comment he makes is that you cannot legislate integrity; it is either there or not. Just because the government has a facility fill out lots of paperwork to show compliance of one thing or another doesn't mean it is so. The author gives several personal examples of this. Let me digress a bit and give you two examples from my own personal experience that have nothing to do with the local food front but everything to do with government absurdity. 1. I found that my three cousins and I had unclaimed money that we were entitled to inherit through the missingmoney website. It was our grandmother's money and since both her children were dead also, it naturally should have been passed to the grandchildren. I contacted the government representative who had me fill out lots of paperwork and submit all sorts of documentation, including death certificates of all the possible inheritors before us, etc., etc. However, since my grandmother's estate had originally had a court appointed executrix and that executrix refused to get the last piece of paperwork (for $5) that I needed, I would be unable to claim the money unless I paid $175 to go to court to overthrow this executrix and appoint me as executrix. You see the government doesn't want responsibility for distributing this money as they are afraid of being sued. Well who would they be sued by--everyone else in the line of inheritance is dead? I had already spent around $109 getting the death certificates, an extra copy of my birth certificate, information from the funeral homes, a "special" notice from the insurance company that had turned over the money, postage on sending out all this information, and transportation back and forth to the courthouse for the $5 piece of paper they refused me because I wasn't executrix. I wasn't about to spend $175 more to POSSIBLY be made executrix. The amount of money in question was about $664 and my share was $166. Of course, I could have taken the cost off the top before distributing the money to my cousins; but it wasn't worth all the aggravation for what probably would have been less than $100 after expenses. I told them to keep the money. The bureaucrat had the nerve to tell me, "The money will continue to gain interest for whenever you want to claim the money." 2. A friend and I went to Ridgewood, NJ to eat at a new and highly-rated patisserie. I parked across the street in one of those lots where you put money in the meter. Mid-way through our meal I decided to check the meter to see if it needed money. Not only was the meter not expired but I had a ticket on my car that was issued (according to the timestamp) about one minute after I arrived in the parking lot. My friend and I called the police several times until the meter police came over. He said it was illegal for me to back into a parking space and also unsafe. I usually back into parking spaces because it's safer (unless the parking lot has a visible sign prohibiting this--which some do in NJ). I then asked him where the sign was and he said it's somewhere in the parking lot--apparently he didn't know. I then walked around the parking lot looking for a sign. Several rows up there was a sign that said "Please pull forward." This seems more like a suggestion to me than an order. Based on the time of the ticket and verbiage on the sign, it seems Ridgewood NJ waits patiently for unsuspecting violators so they can ticket them. They also discriminate and only ticket some people. The vehicle that was across from me was backed in and he didn't give her a ticket because he said she was a few cars over talking to someone so he just gave her a warning. Of course I wrote the town (and the newspapers and the mayor and everyone else I could think of) and sent them the $24 check for my "violation" of backing into a parking space. I told them if they cashed the check, I would not patronize their town. It has been about one year now and I have kept this promise and will continue to do so. These are my two examples of government absurdities. The author has similar examples of various absurdities with supporting stories on the food front that make this an incredible book. I agree with 98% of what Joel Salatin has documented. I applaude him for writing such a lengthy text that proves, in my opinion, that less government intervention is better. In fact, if this man ran for President he would have my vote! However, that probably would be against his beliefs.

For anyone interested in learning more about the flaws of our current food system, this is book is a truly great resource. The issues discussed are ones which have always interested me, but until I read this book, I had always conceptualized the problem as being that of under-regulation and absurd incentives for corporate farms. What "Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal" demonstrates is another, perhaps more stifling fold to the problem: poor regulations that benefit large-scale producers by shutting out small producers. No matter what state you are from, this book will likely change your view on the federal government's role in producing better, more local food. Go forth, buy this book, and buy local.

Agri- business in bed with big government. Makes you angry.

I could not agree more with the other 2-star reviewers here. After reading Michael Pollan's books, I was SO excited to learn more about this topic! However, the endless ranting about how Joel Salatin despises government regulations really ruins the book for me. It comes across as condescending to the reader and he spends more time espousing anti-government views than actually writing about farming. I made it through the first 2 chapters reading every word, then I spent the next 4 chapters trying to read only the fact-based farming stories...now, 6 chapters in, I don't know if I can even finish the book. If you're looking for a book about sustainable farming and interesting stories/ideas about how to do that, this book is probably NOT for you. I certainly wish I had listened to the other reviewers and purchased a different book instead of this one.

Appreciated gift