Hi I'm Chuck - one of the filmmakers and this is my first blog.
I just returned from a trip to the Bay Area and Central Valley, where we had our first public screening of The Last Crop's 10 minute work-in-progress. Our hosts were Slow Food Alameda, Capay Valley Vision with 20 Capay Valley farmers (yikes) and UC Davis' Center for Regional Change and Students for Sustainable Agriculture.
I am happy to write that I was greatly encouraged by how well the film was received at all the venues. Our audiences were small ranging between 12-20 but they really connected to our characters - Annie and Jeff Main. They wanted to know more about them and how they could help. There was lots of positive feedback about the film's content, the power of Annie and Jeff's personal story and their commitment to sustaining Good Humus Produce as a working farm. This was the start of our decision to carry out public screening forums throughout the film's production. Dave and I feel that these events will help us build our audience and gain supporters for the project. In fact, all three venues asked us to come back with a new longer version which will be edited in the next couple of months.
No matter what venue questions arose: regarding further clarification of the Main's farm easement? Should we continue using our working title The Last Crop? (it is provocative) Many wanted to see more hard data about our country's farmers and their shrinking number and of course where does the film goes from here? Members of Slow Food Alameda expressed their pleasure in seeing the people behind their weekly CSA (community supported agriculture) boxes. In response to our decision to focus on one small family farm in CA's big Central Valley one member quoted Margaret Mead "No change has ever been made without it starting with an individual."
I admit I was nervous about screening the film at the Guinda Grange Hall with 20 local farmers but I was heartened by their general support for our story and our commitment to giving a small family farm in the Central Valley a voice. Yes, they had issues with how we will connect the Main's story to the big issues facing them - regulations, the drought & the economy. They wanted us to clarify farm preservation versus farm succession, show where Annie and Jeff's CSAs wind up, develop the threat of urban sprawl to their way of life but I feel that we all gained a certain amount of trust for each other from the screening.
At UC Davis - Zack Main (Annie and Jeff's 24 year old son) joined me for the discussion. As I had hoped, the students connected with Zack and his honesty regarding his life on the family farm; his decision to take another career path as a fireman; and that although difficult he supports his parent's decision that he and his sisters will not inherit their family farm so that Good Humus Produce will continue to be a viable working farm into the future. The students also voiced their want for us to include the Main's organic/sustainable farming practices.Oh and out of that screening - I am delighted to introduce you to Katie Cooper who has volunteered to help us with her own blog regarding Good Humus Produce and The Last Crop. Katie works with Annie on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Davis Farmers Market while she studies International Agricultural Development at UC Davis.
So please check out Katie's blog.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The first thing I want to do is thank Jeff, Annie, Zach, Alison, and Claire. The Mains are an incredible family, and I am so honored to know them and call them my friends.
So, now I better say who I am. First off, my name is Katie. I was born and raised in Chattanooga, TN and by fate have wound up in California working for Jeff and Annie at the Davis Farmers Market. I actually fell in love with Davis the moment I saw the market. I told myself “Davis is where I’m going to school and the market is where I’m going to work.” From the day my parents dropped me off in Davis after driving across the country until now, I have had the privilege of working for the Mains at the farmers market. Without a doubt, my life in Davis would not be the same without them.
But besides working for the Mains two days a week, I am a student at the University of California Davis studying International Agricultural Development. I have a strong interest in creating an agricultural system that encourages new farmers and sustains the current ones, promotes more ecologically sound agricultural practices, and ensures that all people have access to good food. But my true passion lies in the kitchen where my creativity and love for food has no limits. Food is truly amazing. I love everything about it: how it grows, how it tastes, and, most of all, how it connects people. After all, it was food that brought me to Davis, then to the market, and ultimately to the Good Humus stand.
Now what about this movie- The Last Crop? Well, for me it all started about a year ago. It was a cold Saturday morning at the Davis Farmers Market and, as I was standing there doing my thing- weighing produce and giving out change- I realized I was being filmed. That is when I first met Chuck Schultz and David Ranghelli. It was a friendly encounter, but I didn’t think much of it. Then about ten months later I get an email from Chuck saying he’s coming to Davis and wants to show some of the documentary he is doing on Jeff and Annie to some students. Wow, this is the real deal.
Less than a week ago Chuck came to campus and presented the trailer. It was stunning. My appreciation and admiration for the Mains grew even more. The ten minute snippet captured a side of Jeff and Annie that I don’t get to see: at home on the farm. I also don’t get to see the two of them work together. It’s just Annie that comes to market, and on the rare occasion that Jeff does come it’s because Annie can’t. Thus, this movie is testament of their partnership and devotion to each other, their farm, and their community.
After viewing the trailer, the participants, many of which were students, had the opportunity to discuss likes, dislikes, concerns, questions, and suggestions. Much of what we talked about concerned the actual Land Preservation Project that Jeff and Annie are working on. We learned that what makes their easement different is that it ensures the land will continued to be farmed with environmentally responsible methods and that it will be valued solely on the basis of its agricultural value. While similar projects have been done in the Northeast, the Mains are the pioneers in California. Present at the event were both Zach Main, eldest child in the family who I work with at the market, and Kendra Johnson, the regional coordinator for California Farmlink. It was great to hear Zach’s perspective- how even though it may be hard to see his family farm be passed on to someone else, he knows it’s what his parents want and, thus, what he wants. He testified that just because he or neither of his sisters may want to farm doesn’t mean the farm has to go. It’s good humus and it’s here to stay!
Now, I am just anxiously waiting to see the rest of the documentary. But no worries, you don’t have to be anxious, just patiently excited. Until the opening day, I’ll be blogging for you all to keep you updated on what’s happening at Good Humus and in the world of agriculture. I look forward to sharing more in the near future.
Cheers to you all,
Katie
So, now I better say who I am. First off, my name is Katie. I was born and raised in Chattanooga, TN and by fate have wound up in California working for Jeff and Annie at the Davis Farmers Market. I actually fell in love with Davis the moment I saw the market. I told myself “Davis is where I’m going to school and the market is where I’m going to work.” From the day my parents dropped me off in Davis after driving across the country until now, I have had the privilege of working for the Mains at the farmers market. Without a doubt, my life in Davis would not be the same without them.
But besides working for the Mains two days a week, I am a student at the University of California Davis studying International Agricultural Development. I have a strong interest in creating an agricultural system that encourages new farmers and sustains the current ones, promotes more ecologically sound agricultural practices, and ensures that all people have access to good food. But my true passion lies in the kitchen where my creativity and love for food has no limits. Food is truly amazing. I love everything about it: how it grows, how it tastes, and, most of all, how it connects people. After all, it was food that brought me to Davis, then to the market, and ultimately to the Good Humus stand.
Now what about this movie- The Last Crop? Well, for me it all started about a year ago. It was a cold Saturday morning at the Davis Farmers Market and, as I was standing there doing my thing- weighing produce and giving out change- I realized I was being filmed. That is when I first met Chuck Schultz and David Ranghelli. It was a friendly encounter, but I didn’t think much of it. Then about ten months later I get an email from Chuck saying he’s coming to Davis and wants to show some of the documentary he is doing on Jeff and Annie to some students. Wow, this is the real deal.
Less than a week ago Chuck came to campus and presented the trailer. It was stunning. My appreciation and admiration for the Mains grew even more. The ten minute snippet captured a side of Jeff and Annie that I don’t get to see: at home on the farm. I also don’t get to see the two of them work together. It’s just Annie that comes to market, and on the rare occasion that Jeff does come it’s because Annie can’t. Thus, this movie is testament of their partnership and devotion to each other, their farm, and their community.
After viewing the trailer, the participants, many of which were students, had the opportunity to discuss likes, dislikes, concerns, questions, and suggestions. Much of what we talked about concerned the actual Land Preservation Project that Jeff and Annie are working on. We learned that what makes their easement different is that it ensures the land will continued to be farmed with environmentally responsible methods and that it will be valued solely on the basis of its agricultural value. While similar projects have been done in the Northeast, the Mains are the pioneers in California. Present at the event were both Zach Main, eldest child in the family who I work with at the market, and Kendra Johnson, the regional coordinator for California Farmlink. It was great to hear Zach’s perspective- how even though it may be hard to see his family farm be passed on to someone else, he knows it’s what his parents want and, thus, what he wants. He testified that just because he or neither of his sisters may want to farm doesn’t mean the farm has to go. It’s good humus and it’s here to stay!
Now, I am just anxiously waiting to see the rest of the documentary. But no worries, you don’t have to be anxious, just patiently excited. Until the opening day, I’ll be blogging for you all to keep you updated on what’s happening at Good Humus and in the world of agriculture. I look forward to sharing more in the near future.
Cheers to you all,
Katie
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Screening: The Last Crop
The Last Crop
March 5, 2009 (6pm)
Guinda Grange Hall
Guinda, California
530-787-3353
For more event details visit the Screenings & Events Page at www.blueprintproductions.biz.
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