Tomorrow is the world premiere of the documentary film, "Growing Farmers."
See trailer below.
I am so proud that there a number of Homegrown chefs and their inspired growers in the must-see documentary.
While the message, “No Farms, No Food” may be a somewhat
rather ubiquitous bumper sticker, especially in tony areas where the abundance
of fresh, healthy, local food can be celebrated; the fact is, American farms
are disappearing all too fast.
The venerable Peconic Land Trust, lauded for its success
“Conserving Long Island’s working farms and natural lands” (and waters) also operates
what can be considered the flip side the preservation coin.
The “Farms for the
Future” initiative is a kind of antidote for what ails us when it comes to
creating working farms in an ever-encroaching land-grab chokehold vise grip
that puts affordable farms out of reach to none other than --farmers…
Through its Farms for the Future effort, the Peconic Land
Trust developed it Farm Incubator
Program, offering would-be farmers hands-on help starting or expanding their
commercial agricultural enterprise “with access to productive farmland.”
I had the privilege to interview Hilary Leff, a Peconic Land Trust
Board member for 14 years, now the Vice Chair of the Board. and the Growing
Farmers film’s co-producer by phone earlier today.
While there is no
question The Peconic Land Trust is recognized for its outstanding work preserving
land, Leff said the question “But what do we do with it?” led the Trust, spearheaded by her and the Trust’s project
manager, Steve Searl, among others, to seek a solution that would benefit Long
Island and compliment their preservation efforts.
Leff explained that over the past decade the value of local farmland – even protected farmland – has
climbed waayy beyond what can be considered affordable to most farmers.
“It’s
just too expensive for the farmer to buy land or operate the farm,” she said.
Having learned of the Incubator
program, Leff traveled up and down the east coast, researching various working
programs in order to create a Long Island template that would help insure the
next generation of East End farming.
The Trust writes: “The work that the Land Trust is doing in helping to keep farming on the East End is so important on so many levels; it helps the economy, it creates jobs for people interested in farming, it provides fresh, local food for the community,” said co-producer Leff.
Leff pointed out
some of the Trust’s farm success stories, including Pike Farms in Sagaponick
and Balsam Farms in Amagansett. (Both
farms, along with Trust’s Scott Chaskey and chefs Joe Realmuto, Nick &
Toni’s and Bryan Futerman, Foody’s are featured in my recently-released
book, “The Hamptons & Long Island
Homegrown Cookbook”
“Getting
to know some of the young farmers and hearing their stories was inspiring,”
Leff said.
This Growing Farmer film stories took root.
When
asked why she chose to tell the story in film, Leff explained friends introduced her to the award-winning documentary filmmaker, Michael
Halsband.
Further,
the Trust notes, “Working with the Peconic Land Trust to make the movie has
made me realize more then ever how important it is for everyone to know how
vital and important it is to each and everyone of us to support farming
wherever we are,” said Director and co-producer, Halsband. “It directly impacts
our health and well being, and our support of farmers who really care about the
quality of the food they grow is and has become more important then ever. I
hope this documentary we made will help to spark a greater awareness and interest
in where our food is coming from and an appreciation for the people who put the
love into growing it for us.”
Featured farmers, chefs, farm
enthusiasts, and supporters in the Growing Farmer film include:
Jennifer and Jim Pike,
Pike Farms www.pikefarms.com
 |
| Pike Farms |
Jamerican farmer, Rodderick
Brown
Stephanie Callan, NF
Seed Savers
Katie Baldwin and
Amanda Merrow of Amber Waves Farms http://www.amberwavesfarm.org/
 |
| Balsam Farms Ian Caldor-Piedmonte (L) |
Alex Balsam and Ian
Calder-Piedmonte of Balsam Farms http://www.balsamfarms.com/
Chris Browder of
Browder's Birds http://www.browdersbirds.com/
Trust Project Manager
Stephen Searl
Trust North Fork
Stewardship Manager Dan Heston
Trust President, John
v.H. Halsey
 |
| Chef Joe Realmuto, Nick & Toni's (L) & Scott Chaskey, Peconic Land Trust. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Calais-Smith for The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook |
Quail Hill Farm
Director, Scott Chaskey http://www.peconiclandtrust.org/
Philanthropist John
deCuevas, and more
Leff’s hope is that the
film will continue the dialogue, save land and support the farmers and the
farming family.
“Not a lot of people even
know about this (issue),” she added with what sounded like a touch of
wistfulness stirred with solid determination and East End grit.
Following it’s world
premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival, the film will be seen at
other venues, including Plum TV and The Young Farmers Conference.
Mark your calendar for the two tastes of Growing Farmers at the Hamptons Film
Festival:
Sunday, October
7, 2012, 11 am
Growing
Farmers at the Hamptons Film Festival
UA East
Hampton, Main Street
New short documentary film chronicling the Trust's work
with farmers on Long Island will debut at the Hamptons International Film
Festival. The screening is at 11 am, and will air along with the long-form
documentary Herman's House. For more information, and to purchase tickets,
visit the Hamptons Film Festival website at www.hamptonsfilmfest.org
Hungry for more Long
Island foodie Farms? Enjoy an “amuse
bouche” or second helping, of sorts, at an inspiring panel discussion:
Monday, October 8,
2012, 10 am
Rowdy Talks
Roundtable: From Farm to Table to Film
Rowdy Hall, Main Street, East Hampton.
 |
| Foody's chef & owner, Bryan Futerman |
As part of the
Hamptons International Film Festival, a panel discussion with moderator Laura
Donnelly, pastry chef, Maidstone Inn, food writer,
and restaurant critic for the Star, featuring Growing Farmers director
Michael Halsband, co-producer Hilary Leff, chef Bryan Futerman, Foody’s http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodys/118736102307
and the Trust's Director of Quail Hill Farm, Scott Chaskey, will take place at 10:00 am at
Rowdy Hall. Titled: From Farm to Table to Film, this is part of the festival's
Rowdy Talks series. This is a free event, but limited seating.
Growing Farmers movie Trailer:
“The issue of access to affordable farmland is the
greatest impediment to
young farmers starting out on Long Island. Land
values on Long Island have
continued to rise, driving farmers off the
land and precluding new farmers from
entering the market. Growing
Farmers, a new documentary, looks at the issue and
explores some of
the solutions.
For more information contact the Peconic Land Trust
at
www.peconiclandtrust.org
Directed by Michael Halsband
Co-Produced by Hilary
Leff, Michael Halsband & Peconic Land Trust
Edited by Daniel
Fetherston
Cinematography by Michael Halsband, Robert Leacock, Gabriel
Wilson
Sound Peter Miller, Michael Jones
Line Producer Marc Santos
Music Jose
Gonzalez, Eddie Vedder
Color by Gloss
Featuring in Order of Appearance
Scott
Chaskey, John v.H.Halsey, Fred Lee, Stephanie Gaylor, Stephen Searl, Dan
Heston, Chris Browder, Katie Baldwin, Amanda Merrow, Rodderick Brown, John De
Cuevas, Art Ludlow, Joe Realmuto, Alex Balsam, Ian Calder-Piedmonte and Pete
Ludlow
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