A Day with Joel Salatin at McIntyre Pastures

This week, we had the privilege of welcoming Joel Salatin to Idaho for two special events with our McIntyre Pastures community: a daytime pasture walk here on the farm and an evening talk at the Nampa Civic Center.

For years, Joel has been one of the clearest and most passionate voices in regenerative agriculture, local food systems, and the belief that the way we raise food matters. His visit gave us the chance to bring together customers, neighbors, farmers, families, and friends around a shared conviction:

Your health begins with our soil.

Walking the Pastures Together

The day began right here at McIntyre Pastures with a pasture walk across the farm. Guests had the chance to see our animals, our land, and our practices up close while hearing directly from Joel about the bigger picture behind regenerative agriculture.

As we moved through the farm, the conversation kept coming back to something simple but important: healthy food does not begin in a package, a grocery aisle, or even on a plate. It begins in the soil.

That belief is at the center of everything we do at McIntyre Pastures. The way we move our cattle, raise our poultry, care for our pigs, build fertility, grow cover crops, and manage our pastures all connects back to the same goal: better soil, better animals, and better food for the families we serve.

Joel helped put words to what we see every day on the farm. Food is not just a commodity. It is a relationship between land, animals, farmers, and community.

An Evening with Joel Salatin

Later that evening, we gathered again at the Nampa Civic Center for Joel’s talk, “Dancing with Dinner.”

It was a fitting title for a message that challenged all of us to think differently about food. Joel spoke about the importance of knowing where our food comes from, rebuilding local food systems, and taking responsibility for the choices we make as eaters.

The evening was not just about farming. It was about culture, health, community, and the future we want to build. Joel reminded us that food is deeply personal. It shapes our bodies, our families, our local economy, and the land around us.

For us, it was encouraging to see so many people come together around these ideas. Whether someone was already familiar with regenerative agriculture or just beginning to ask questions about their food, the room was full of curiosity and energy.

Why We Brought Joel to Idaho

We invited Joel because his message connects deeply with what we are working to build.

We believe families deserve to know who is raising their food. We believe animals should be raised with care and purpose. We believe healthy soil produces healthier food. And we believe local farms have an important role to play in rebuilding trust between people and the food they eat.

Bringing Joel here was never just about hosting an event. It was about creating a moment for our community to see, hear, and experience a different vision for food.

A vision where farms are not disconnected from families.

Where animals are not treated like factory units.

Where soil health is not an afterthought.

Where local food is not a luxury, but a meaningful part of a healthier life.

Thank You

To everyone who came to the pasture walk, joined us for the evening event, helped spread the word, asked questions, bought tickets, brought friends, or supported the farm: thank you.

Events like this remind us why we do what we do.

We are grateful to Joel for spending the day with us, sharing his wisdom, and challenging all of us to think more deeply about the future of food. And we are grateful for a community that cares enough to show up, learn, and support something different.

At McIntyre Pastures, our promise remains the same:

Your health begins with our soil.

And we are more committed than ever to raising food in a way that honors the land, the animals, and the families we serve.