Cows, Carbon and Climate | Joel Salatin | TEDxCharlottesville

Joel Salatin, an organic farmer located in the Shanendoah Valley in Virginia, loves his grass - and so do his cows. In this talk Salatin outlines the role that this often unsung hero of the plant world plays in sustainable farming, and the effects that its efficient utilization can have on the world around us.

Joel Salatin is a third generation beyond organic farmer and author whose family owns and operates Polyface Farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The farm produces salad bar beef, pigaerator pork, pastured poultry, forage-based rabbits and direct markets everything to 5,000 families, 50 restaurants, and 10 retail outlets. A prolific author, Salatin's nine books to date include both how-to and big picture themes. The farm features prominently in Michael Pollan's NYT bestseller Omnivore's Dilemma and the award-winning documentary, Food Inc.

[KenDBerryMD]

A society that doesn't respect the cow-ness of the cow will soon lose respect for the human-ness of you.

[samlair]

When the headlines started beefing about beef, I told my wife, “A bunch of city slickers equating grass fed beef with feed lot beef”. For years, we raised cattle using multiple cross fencing. I’d laid out the pastures of our hundred acres so that they intersected in the middle where the corral and windmill were. Changing pastures was easy. There’s not a prettier sight than cows in belly high grass.

[alwaysthelight]

Joel expresses the most basic concepts of land and animal husbandry in ways that everyone can appreciate.

[steezymiyagi]

it’s amazing how simple something like this could have such a big impact. simply amazing.

[arielamejeiras]

'Concentration Camp Meat' - That's the best way of putting it.

[pilkyish]

Love Joel.
The most passionate man I’ve ever heard speak.

[PeterSedesse]

Salatin only briefly mentioned it, but the secret to all of this is solar powered lightweight mobile electric fencing. It could go down as the most important agricultural invention in a century. The ability to move herds daily makes this all possible.

[hamiltopiafarms]

Joel Salatin is such an impressive human! We met him this Summer at his farm and it was like talking to an old friend. He is definitely our first go to whenever we start thinking about, anything really, with our new farm!

[YVM]

I wish this had a million views instead of one thousand . This is so important . Regenerative agriculture with both vegetables and live stock working in synchronicity just as they do in Nature is the way toward to sustainable food supply and indeed a healthier soil and Mother Nature across the globe

[marcneilladio]

The best concept I have seen so far in sustainable farming. The "cowness of a cow" was sometimes seen as a problem in climate change but could be the solution to sequest carbon by pruning grass. After all, they are one of nature's gardeners. Can't wait to apply this in my farm. Thank you sir.

[mowtivatedmechanic]

Great presentation sir. If we don’t go back to the old ways humanity will pay dearly!!!

[g.anthonis]

I'm impressed! Not a big meat eater but now I want a cow. He is so right. Let the herbivore do its job and build the soil.

[nature.earth.wisdom.]

My man, Joel, pulls through again. Keep up the good work

[Yo_uj]

He talks about nature's choreography and presents solutions which are so simple but exactly exactly exact, only wisdom and experience can make such solutions possible. He not just saw but noticed the most obvious things that are very Easy to be ignored.

[jahentsai]

Joel made a excellent speech! Can you please turn on the community contribution? I would like to submit a subtitle (traditional Chinese) so that more people in my country can better understand this video.

[sking]

Cattle is a marvel of nature. Put grass and water in one end, and fertilizer comes out the other.

Then after a couple of years, you can dress out 300 kg of the world’s favorite meat!

It’s almost a miracle ...

Je découvre Joël Salatin, il est passionné et, de fait, passionnant ! Son approche écologique et économique de l'élevage est une véritable école pour qui s'intéresse à l'autonomie alimentaire.

[rowdyhoo]

Love this guy! Sorry I missed this presentation knowing now that it was just across the mountains from me.

[smeargut]

Grass has become a useful source of nutrition, shade, moisture and tool for helping build my farm.

[theapplesfoodforestfarmacy]

Amazing MAN! Thank you 🙏 Mr. Salatin.