The Biggest Little Farm Screening

Description

The Biggest Little Farm Screening
Shortlisted for an Oscar as best documentary in 2020, this film is the opposite of “gloom and doom” environmental documentaries, sharing one family’s struggle to rethink their lives. Variety states, “No matter how important the message, it’s kind of a drag to sit through so many alarmist lectures about how the world is going to end and what humans are doing to speed along its destruction. That’s what makes ‘The Biggest Little Farm’ feel like fresh air for the soul … audiences will almost surely breathe a little easier after tuning in to this inspirational story of one couple who made an impact by entirely rethinking their ecological footprint.” The film tells the story of John, a filmmaker, and Molly, a private traditional foods chef, living in Santa Monica, California. As Molly sought the most nutrient-dense food for her clients, she realized that nutritional quality was directly related to the health of the farm and its soil. Knowing this, she struggled to source the quality of her ingredients, particularly eggs. Along with a barking rescue dog named Todd, they embarked on a journey to start their own small 10 acre farm. Their 10 acre farm with the support of like-minded investors, turned into a 234 acre endeavor, and in 2011 Apricot Lane Farms was born. Their new land had been farmed extractively for the last 50 years. The soil was completely devoid of life, or as John says, they “bought a bank that had been robbed.” Led by their farming mentor Alan York, and fueled by Molly’s optimism and tenacity, they began their journey to regeneration; bringing life, nutrients, and biodiversity back to the soil. Can families in the North Country learn from John and Molly? The film shares that farming was not necessarily meant to be a tedious industry with poor effect on the land, water and air, but instead can be a fulfilling opportunity to make a living while making a life, for both people and the environment. A panel of local farmers, including Joel Howie from Canton Apples and Kia Beth Bennett from The Bittersweet-Milkweed Collaborative, will field audience questions and feedback. This event is co-sponsored by GardenShare, Local Living Venture and EDF Renewables. Reservations are encouraged at http://bit.ly/4fmHHiZ.