"[2] Salatin bases his farm's ecosystem on the principle of observing animals' activities in nature and emulating those conditions as closely as possible.

[4] Polyface raises cattle, pastured meat chickens, egg layers, pigs, turkeys, and rabbits.

[5] The meat chickens are housed in portable field shelters that are moved daily to a fresh "salad bar" of new grass and away from yesterday's droppings.

If animals must be kept inside (to brood young chicks for example), Salatin recommends providing deep bedding of wood chips or sawdust to lock in all the nutrients and smell until they can be spread on the field where the compost can be used by the grass.

[6] Salatin's pastures, barn, and farmhouse are located on land below a nearby pond that "feeds the farm" by using 15 miles (24 km) of piping.

"[8] While Salatin does not sell to supermarkets or ship long distances,[9] Polyface products are available at restaurants (including Chipotle[10] and Staunton's Zynodoa) and local food sellers within a half-days drive of the farm.

Salatin candidly admits in his book, The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer, that the meat bird operation is currently the least sustainable aspect of the farm.

Reese's critique also aims at Michael Pollan's view in his book The Omnivore's Dilemma that depicts the farming principles of Polyface as exemplary and sustainable.

[16] The New York Times in their article "Let Them Eat Acorns" quotes unspecified, uncited and unknown individuals: "Some say he is cheating the notion of sustainability by feeding his pigs grain that he does not grow himself.

Others contend that confinement operations are the only practical way to feed the world, and that pastured animals do more damage to the environment than is acknowledged in this farm-to-table era.

One of the reviewers, Emma, reports two hospital visits due to a bacterial infection from their housing's water supply including a diagnosis of campylobacteriosis.

The interns' allegations also include crude and manipulative behavior on the part of farm ownership and management, along with low pay and little educational value.

"[20] While criticism of Joel Salatin and Polyface for minimizing COVID-19's impact were widespread[21] the farm continued to host large and mostly maskless events well into the fall of 2020.