GROW! - Macon Roots

I attended the showing of the documentary film GROW!, which is about young sustainable farmers in Georgia. This event was put on my Mark Vanderhoek, on behalf of Macon Roots. The mission of Macon Roots is to promote a just, sustainable, and diverse food system for Middle Georgia.

About the Documentary
12 farms in Georgia were filmed for this informative and educational documentary. It brought up many good points. Organic sustainable farming is nothing new. It has been around for decades but people began to drift away from that type of natural agriculture. Modern day agriculture uses chemicals that are supposed to be "safe." How can you pump chemicals into the water going to plants and expect them not to be poisoned?

Anyone can be a sustainable farmer. One guy interviewed received a degree in History and from there wanted to proceed to Law school. Before he did, however, he wanted to walk the Appalachian Trail...and he did. He went from Maine all the way to Georgia. Every time he stopped along the way, he almost always stayed on a farm. This is what sparked his interest in farming. Needless to say, he never made it to Law school.

There is a farm called Oakleaf Mennoite Farm in Atlanta, GA. It started as a half acre plot of land in the middle of the city. This goes to show that one can farm almost anywhere.

One of the challenges of sustainable farming is that there is no clear path to making a living. One must take it step by step, day by day. Common sense and personal motivation are said to be two of the main tools needed to be successful. The film showed how one guy's farm flooded, which proved to be tough to handle, both emotionally and financially. However, he did not quit and was able to get back on the right foot, though the farm was not where it used to be. He simply described it as "a cake that is just not as sweet."

Frustrations such as these help one to expand his own patience. All of the farmers in the documentary shared the same mindset that the challenges are what make farming worthwhile. "If you are doing what you love it doesn't seem like work."

Sustainable farming centers around 3 things: People, Community, and Quality Food. In order for this lifestyle to grow, the public must be educated on its importance. Agriculture matters to EVERYONE, regardless of if you see it that way or not. It does not exist for the individual, but for the community!