For too many, self-reliance fantasies crumble under the strain of financial realities. These financial stresses develop from a wide gamut of expectations and practice. Separating necessities from luxuries, wants from needs, delusion from reality: These are the issues surrounding functional decision-making. While profitability may not be the overriding goal of a farmstead, neither should depression or bankruptcy be the outcome. In his typical style, mixing experience, humor, and inspiration, Joel Salatin describes both the money pits and peaks.

Take a virtual tour of Polyface Farm's pastured poultry production and discover the pathway to creating a full-time salary from a small acreage. With 80 percent of Americans saying they dislike their jobs, this presentation offers an opportunity for those who want to jump ship and start a new vocation. While this presentation is certainly applicable to small, backyard operations, it has special application to those who are currently running (or are dreaming of starting) full-time farms.

In his theatrical style, Joel Salatin creates a verbal image of a frog in a beaver pond 500 years ago and builds 12 ecological principles from that perspective. What would that frog know about ecology in that pond? Believing that the most stable ecologies mimic historic normalcy, Salatin takes you on a winsome fantasy journey with the frog and what it knows. Sometimes becoming like a child is the best way to rethink our future.

In a society dominated by technicians and operating manuals, we farmers too often fail to launch projects because we fear making mistakes. Joel Salatin has been making mistakes for more than half a century. With a lifetime of experience born of mistakes, he walks us through startup necessities. Water, fencing, shelter, access, and storage are all different for different species. Come with pen and paper; this workshop is loaded with rules of thumb for long-term, efficient farmstead logistics. Whether you're just starting or are already several years into your endeavor, pick up valuable tips for immediate application.

Elizabeth Rich, executive director of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, joins Joel Salatin and Patricia Foreman (two longtime members and advocates of the organization) to answer common legal questions, give advice, and share anecdotal stories of legal issues that they have encountered. Many farmers don’t have a full understanding of their rights, and the legal defense fund's mission is to correct that and protect local farmers! Hosted and recorded by Charlotte Brunin, this panel discussion will be rebroadcast to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS and FRIENDS podcast channel.