Category Archives: Folks This Ain’t Normal

That’s the truth isn’t it? Why is that Americans will spend $$$$+ on a car or clothes but only $ on food? In this chapter, Joel says, “Never has a society spent less of its disposable income on food, as a percentage of all expenditures.” Have you noticed that society also spends more on medicines … Read the Rest

Imagine it. Corporations owning life. If we were to have told you that 100 years ago, you’d have laughed and dismissed the idea. But that is exactly what has happened today. Certain seed companies have patented their genetically modified seeds. It’s gotten so bad that phrases such as “pollen drift” reach our ears every time … Read the Rest

We’re continuing on with Joel’s book – Folks, This Ain’t Normal – today. I found this chapter particularly saddening. (Is that a word?) Joel says, “Confining thousands of animals under one roof certainly is not normal.” Well, duh! Even a five year old understands this and yet it’s exactly what the American food system has … Read the Rest

Whew! Say that 3 times fast! Joel can. Can you? Check out our Polyface T-shirt with this written on it! Talk about a great conversation starter! For this chapter, I would like to highlight a few key paragraphs: “Perhaps nothing illustrates modern farming’s departure from normalcy as dramatically as beef feedlots. These sprawling corrals containing … Read the Rest

We’re back on Joel’s book – Folks, This Ain’t Normal – today. So glad you could join in. “If we made a list of resources Americans take for granted, the top spot would go to water.” Here at Polyface, we’re always looking for ways to capture more water. We build ponds on the mountain and … Read the Rest

For as long as I’ve known Dad (Joel), he has talked about underground housing. It’s a dream of his to have a house that is underground with a garden roof top. I suppose this would be much like the house that Laura Ingalls Wilder had. (the name of the book escapes me at the moment, … Read the Rest

Energy Wars are fought today over energy. But are we thinking outside the box? Do we need the “energy” we are fighting for? Could anything be done differently? Joel has a myriad of suggestions in this chapter on how and why things should be different, but it all boils down to one thing: It’s you … Read the Rest

Well, actually this chapter is titled “The Poop, the whole poop and nothing but the poop”! It’s all about nature feeding the soil, right? For those of you who have read this chapter, let’s talk about Joel’s list of 5 things that could be done. 1. A national commitment to quit landfilling any biomass. If … Read the Rest

“Food that won’t rot just ain’t normal.” In this chapter, Joel addresses the idea that real food should go bad. It should compost, digest and rot. Can you think of any healthy foods that don’t? What about honey? Later he goes on to talk about how our landfills are full of millions of tons of … Read the Rest