I purchased a copy of “Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal” out of curiosity. I’ve read a handful of Salatin’s other more practical works. His farming philosophy and land management style have inspired many of my own projects. I’ll admit, this was a tricky book to get through. I’ll admit to frequent bouts of secondhand aggravation reading through the absurdities that arise when common sense comes up against bureaucratic authoritarianism in the food and farming industry.
Mr. Salatin addresses the larger theme through recounting a series of anecdotal experiences, most direct and some secondhand. Each chapter focuses on a particular issue, product, or aspect of food production, some controversial and others shockingly absurd. Mr. Salatin’s literary style is simple, straightforward, and conversational. His frustration with the standard top-down reactions to food safety, agricultural ecology, and small business is palpable. This man is passionate about what he does.
Whether you are a farmer, a small-business owner, or even simply a conscious and conscientious consumer, “Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal” is well worth the read. This is an eye-opening look at the cans of worms that open when you attempt to take control of some of the primary facets of life: the ways we earn our livings, fuel our bodies, and manage our environments.
Still waiting on a Salatin/Clarkson’s Farm crossover.
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