Greetings again from the darkness. Caught this documentary thanks to the “Chipotle Film Series” in Dallas. The series is focused on our food supply, and GROW! introduces us to the next generation of farmers … twenty and thirty-somethings tackling organic and sustainable gardening on an ever-growing scale.
The people we meet are mostly college-educated who were raised with a goal of a professional career in medicine, science, finance, etc. Instead, they each (in their own way) have devoted themselves to growing safer and higher quality fresh food. The theme throughout the various discussions is … know where your food is coming from (and what it is). As one of the new-generation farmers mentions, she was raised on “lunchables” and other pre-packaged food, but fresh and safe farming will lead to better health. Filmmakers Christine Anthony and Owen Masterson have two other “food” related documentaries to their credit, and it’s obviously a passion for them.
The near 60 average age for today’s farmers is mentioned a couple of times, so it is vital to this and future generations that these new world farmers are successful and continue with their mission. Land, equipment and money are all mentioned as obstacles, but having a valued mentor is also crucial to their success. This point was also made during the interesting post-film Q&A held by local organic farmers. This movement needs more participants and is a community made up of caring people who are willing to help.
To learn more, here is the film’s website which includes the trailer and information on how to watch the full movie:
Movie Reviews from the Dark 