More and more people today have little or no personal connection to farming, and therefore not much connection to what it takes to raise food. As a backyard gardener myself, I know I would be hungry if I only relied on the food I raise. In North Carolina, we are especially fortunate to have access to a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products. In fact, North Carolina is the fourth most agriculturally diverse state in the country, which means there is not much that our farmers don’t produce.
The documentary movie “Farmland,” by Oscar-winning director James Moll, seeks to shine a light on the business of farming by showcasing six young farmers across the country and their determination to make a living on the farm. While none of the featured farmers are from North Carolina, their stories are universal to challenges farmers everywhere face. What the movie does show is the advances and new technology that are involved in agricultural production today, and the day-to-day pressures to not just raise a crop, but to also market that crop. As one of the young farmers says, “It’s high risk, high reward.”
With limited release across the country, “Farmland” will show Thursday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Carolina Theatre in Durham. Tickets are $5.
Following the showing, there will be a panel discussion with North Carolina farmers and people who have grown up on farms. Today less than 1 percent of the U.S. population farms, and the average age of farmers in North Carolina is 58. One of the farmers in the movie points out that it is important that young people get into farming, because otherwise, “who’s going to grow our food?”
Here is a clip from the movie: