Where did Wild Joe come from? No one seems to know for sure, but the theories are almost as wild as the man himself.
Legend has it that he was born on a mountain top
at midnight...with a full moon shining through the cracks in a raging
thunderhead. They say that, at the exact moment he was born, lightning struck
that mountain top and a comet could be seen crossing in front of the moon. Now,
no one can say for sure what mountain it was...and there are those who insist
that it wasn't a comet, but a UFO that was seen through the clouds that stormy
night (giving rise to the idea that Wild Joe's Beef Jerky is "out of this
world").
Joe spent his early years in the Wild and it was there that he acquired his love of nature and all things natural. In fact, it is rumored that Joe learned from Mother Nature herself. As a result, Joe was nearly an adult before he even heard the words 'artificial' or 'preservative'. And by then, of course, he had learned that such things weren't necessary.
And, of course, he applied this natural approach to his Beef Jerky. In the beginning, it simply was a means of sustenance for himself and his wilderness family. But after Joe emerged from the Wild, he discovered he could use Jerky to barter and trade for the 'necessities' of the civilized world. In fact, people were so eager to experience this natural treat, Joe found that he could travel the world over, never having to carry so much as a dollar in actual currency.
Indeed, that has become Joe's goal to experience all civilization has to offer, paving the road before him with the fruits (or meats, as the case may be) of his labor, then return to the natural life he's lived and loved for so long.
No one knows for sure how long Joe's been traveling this world. No one knows for sure, how much longer or further Joe will go before he decides he's seen enough. And no one knows if, when he returns to the Wilderness, he'll take his Beef Jerky recipe with him.
Is it all a tall tale? Maybe. But one thing's for sure...he's not your average Joe.