Post #4: Chapter 8

"All Flesh Is Grass" is a chapter with an interesting view on the importance of grass on our food chain and the agricultural system. It is also looks at the complex cycle of polyface farming where animals work together to, almost in a sense, run the farm on their owns. It is grass, and these animal's abilities to keep it fertile and fresh, that keeps these farms so effective and productive. The cows spend their day grazing on the grass, while the chickens come in to do the main job of picking out parasites, applying nitrogen to the soil, and providing a few thousand fresh eggs. Without this natural occuring cycle, farmlands would become infertile and dried up because of agriculture and farming. We are provided with much of our fresh vegetables, fruits, breads, meat, and dairy because of the hard-working animals.
Towards the end of the chapter another very intriguing issue is brought up and discussed. Industrial farm or polyface farm? What is better for the environment and our health? What is "industrial organic" and should it be considered an industrial farm or a polyface farm? All these questions spring up in your mind as you finish up this chapter. A very good quote from Salatin stated "There are a whole lot more variables in making the right decision than does the chicken feed have chemicals or not. Like what sort of habitat is going to allow that chicken to exress its physiological distinctiveness? A ten-thousand bird shed that stinks to high heaven or a new paddock of fresh green grass everyday? Now which chicken shall we call "organic"? I'm afraid you'll have to ask the government, because now they own the word". Just because something says that it's organic, does not mean that the conditions were better, cleaner, or more sustainable. The government has specific guidelines it follows to ensure something is "organic" but some of the most important things that should be checked, like the animal's habitat, it's cleanliness, or the amount of pesticide runoff into streams, are not being taken into consideration. Which to me, is a big deal when it comes to the food I'm eating on a daily basis.