polyface farms

The Salatin farm is off the main road for sure, but it's SO worth the drive through the beautiful country to go visit this farm. We were there with no other visitors, and we were allowed to wander the farm at will. It's a working farm, and even where there were many animals together, there was no bad smells. I knew it was supposed to be that way, but I was used to my gma's farm, and so was pleasantly surprised to find it was true. We were even welcome to watch turkey processing, but only watched from the distance. I wish now I had gotten closer after watching the youtube videos. Wear good walking shoes.

Having read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and watched "Food Inc." and seen J.S. in various YouTube interviews, I was excited to visit this farm. I am also a member of a CSA farm in Upstate NY for 15 years, so to me PolyFace is a must-see destination.We went fairly far out of way to visit. We were camping in the Shenandoah Park and heading to a workshop east of Charlottesville. The morning we left the park it was pouring rain at 7:00am and it continued to pour all the way there. I have admired this farm so much that I was expecting to see billboards advertising it from miles away, but in truth, it was not well marked. When we arrived it was still torrential rain and visibility was limited. I would have loved to sit in a cafe and watch a webcam at that point. There were no official tours happening, so we wandered around on our own and admired the pigs, rabbits and roosters. They had just finished butchering chickens outdoors - it looks like it did in Food, Inc. My 19 y/o daughter thought it was "gross" but I really love the transparency factor and everything these people stand for.

A trip to Polyface Farms is an amazing experience.This is a farm that has everything: cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, vegetables.We took a tour with owner Joel Salatin, and while he is extremely opinionated about the big corporate farm culture, he is also extremely knowledgable about running a farm. And the way he runs Polyface is absolutely fantastic. Everything is recycled and all natural and the land is used to its fullest while maintaining the environment. If you are able to get into one of the tours, you absolutely should.

Can't beat the down to earth knowledge when you order products from Polyface. And a Farm visit is a must!

If you want something a little different on your trip try the famous Polyface Farm. The trek to the farm is on country roads with twists and turns. Make sure to have a print out of direction as the phone reception is not the best there. We went via the way of route 252 and the trip was an easy one. I don't know if I would recommend going there when it is a very rainy day as the road does turn to gravel then dirt for the last mile of the trip and small cars may have trouble making the last part of the journey if the road turns to mush. The kids will love seeing the chickens, rabbits, geese, pigs, cats and the big big dog. The dog is very friendly and loves a belly rub from anyone who would like to oblige. There is a small store that sells fresh frozen meats and fresh brown eggs. They have very helpful staff ready to answer all questions. They have T shirts and books the farm is famous for, for the offering. You may leash your dog and take him for a walk around pond and the farm property and check out what projects they may be working on. Ask anyone your questions they are eager to help you learn. All in all it is a pleasant and different adventure for all ages. The meats are very tasty if you care to select some for your grill. Driving there is the best part. Plan on at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours for travel and seeing the animals if your coming from interstate 81.

Most farm tours are a little hay ride to see the cows and chickens. When you go on a tour of PolyFace, Joel Salatin will give you a lesson in history, economics, politics and agriculture all rolled into an interesting and thought-provoking time.If you think farming is dull, you have not been on this tour. Find a place that takes stewardship and animal/land interactivity to a whole new level.You will be inspired.

If you want to see the nitty gritty and how one farm has learned to do what's right for the land - visit Polyface. Great foods - nice people - a real farming experience.

Joel Salatin was our tour guide and he makes cow pies and chicken poop interesting... The trip was inspiring, the tour educational and entertaining, we also met some really nice folks also taking the tour. We come back home and started looking into growing our own broilers. We have an acre of land definitely not what one would call a farm but we have layer chicks, bees and a few gardens. After the tour we are looking at becoming even more self sustaining and growing some broilers to feed our family of three. Thank you Joel!

WE had a truly memorable experience. We are huge fans of Mr. Joe Salatin. We learned of his farming practices and philosophy from reading Omnivore's Dilemma and had always wanted to visit his farm. The trip from California was long but the Lunatic Tour and the general hospitality of the people in this part of the country made it all worthwhile. Joe is passionate and charismatic and is the perfect person to head this movement. The hayride tour was very engaging and informative as Joe explained his farming practices and answered all the questions. The area is beautiful and we were free to roam around his farm to check out all the animals. The meat was delicious and we were especially amazed at the prices. Prices for similar products in California are at least 1/3 higher. What's most baffling was that the prices for conventional meat in the supermarket in the DC area were actually comparable to California prices and not too far below Polyface's.Polyface is the face of hope for the next generation of farmers and to some extent, our environment. I hope more people will catch on so the next generations will be able to share and enjoy a sustainable earth.

Joel Salatin is not only a knowledgeable and well spoken farmer he is a talented and engaging speaker and marketeer. The Polyface Farm and Lunatic hayride tour was a fun, interesting and educational way to spend about 3 hours this past weekend. What a refreshing and wonderful way to farm - honoring the animals, the earth and the environment with a gentle and low tech approach. As others have mentioned, the price of the tour is really minimal when you consider the value of the information shared, the experience of seeing exactly how the farm is run and the beauty of the valley. If you plan to be in the area - check out the schedule for farm tours - they do book up quickly so planning ahead is a must.

Hearing Joel Salatin talk is worth plenty more than the tour costs. His ideas are intriguing and potentially world-changing. Seems as if more and more people are listening, so book early! We're not famers, but my whole family enjoyed this trip.

The farm tour I went on was top-notch, although the owner is quite opinionated. He was open to showing us everything and answering all our questions. And the chicken and pork I bought to bring home was excellent.

We are lucky to live near Polyface. We support their farming and philosophy and getting out to the farm is always a treat. You can walk around anywhere and get an idea of their ethical farming practices.

Polyface has a field day only once every 3 yrs. or so. You can go get a tour at other times.Run by Joel Salatin and his family, Polyface Farms is truly a beacon of hope for small farmers and the Farm to Consumer movement. Joel has written many books on small farming, grass farming, pastured chickens, etc.If you care about what goes into your mouth, visit or read one of Joel's books.