The Story Behind the film

In 2008 I headed to California’s Central Valley to find a story that would raise awareness surrounding the future of our nation’s food system. I came looking to address the inequality in our nation’s Farm Bill or perhaps chronicling the Slow Food Movement’s impact on California’s growers and food consumers.  Instead I was struck by the lives and work of small family farmers Annie and Jeff Main of Good Humus Produce. 

You see, after interviewing the Mains and other aging organic farmers in the Valley, I soon realized this farming generation was responsible for changing our food system for the better. These men and women are true stewards of our land and lovers of the art of farming. The Mains turned a 20- acre plot of grazing land into a diverse organic wonder where they grow stone fruit, citrus and row crops year round. Yet the Mains and many of their peers are now confronted with what will become of their organic farm’s future?  

OVER ONE THIRD OF U.S. FARMERS ARE 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER

What is different about the Main’s succession story is that they began actively working to create an alternative farm succession that will not only pay them a fair price for their land but will ensure that their farm remain productive and affordable for future generations of farmers. They hoped to create a model for small farms to flourish in California and beyond.

As fate would have it, the Mains farm is just 10 miles from my good friends Randy and Susan’s home in the Sacramento Valley. Now empty nesters my friends offered their home as my production office and bed and breakfast for my crew. Another good friend, Jeremiah Birnbaum, the co-founder of the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking, offered in- kind camera equipment. It all began to come together and make sense even though I lived nearly 3,000 miles away.      

The last piece of the puzzle was funding. After numerous unsuccessful film and foundation proposals I found my angel– my childhood friend Dave Holmes, who over the course of seven years become our Executive Producer. Added to the list of supporters are a group of high school classmates who helped with a house party. Our film would never have been completed without a successful Indiegogo campaign which raised some $56,000 from a diverse community of supporters, to whom we are eternally grateful. Finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our dedicated film crew, whose contributions are on the screen for all to see and listen to.

Founding donors

Randy Byrne & Susan Cohen Byrne, Leo & Judith Mason, William & Nancy Calisanti, Patricia & Joseph Spampinato, Joseph &, Patricia Hubert, Mary & Myles Rahill, Chris & Joe Pellegrino, Sheila Lynn Buckley Tow & Dean Tow, Rhett & Angela Zidziunias, Thomas & Karin Schall, Red Wall Productions, Prudential Foundation, Mary Caggiano, Deann Halper, Bengt Ostlund, Peter & Denise Fernandez, Bruce & Laura Presnick, Nancy Giles, San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking, Robert & Mary Ann Richiotti, Catherine Birkman, Linda Powell, Brian Massey, Grace Spampinato, William Ippoilto, Elveno Buono, Paul Cocco, Christine Koerner, Susan Peterson, Cicely Cottingham, Sean Cullen, Keith Smith, Dianne Orkin Footllck, Steven Raddigan, Ronda Priestner, Fog City Pictures, Laurel Richie, Nancy Gibbs, Tess Hartman, Caitlin Hawke, Gerardo & Mary Somoza, Dan Sherman, John Zidziunas, Jeremiah Birnbaum, Joe & Carol Ball, Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation, David A. Holmes, Ball Chiropractic, John Sconzo, Sarah James, Donna Guenther, Carmine Tedesco

indiegogo BACKERS

Healthy Living Systems, Inc, Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation, Janice Gilman, RC Scott, Beehavenmaven, Dah813, Zua103, Bbneus, Cathy Holmes, susandtew, dvmbehavior, Ann Kordahl, Melissa Bain, bmcadams, farmstartup, Tracy Scott Wilson, David Thompson & Ann Evans, Steve.cohen, ogner.robert, scb17560, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op, Hungry Mountain Food Co-op, Berkshire Co-op, Port Townsend Food Co-op, Bloomingfoods Market & Deli, Placerville Natural Foods Cooperative, Los Alamos Cooperative Market, Oryana Food Cooperative, River Market Community Co-op, Ukiah Natural Food Co-op, Laurie Todd, Megan Masur, journeyer1, dauna9, cnmirose, E Gumbiner, cherylepole1, kf5wt, Elizabeth Nicoles, Judah Lev Dickstein, Ben Youngerman, paulcult, jac24, koreyjackson11, lila12, markdfrawley, Litlriki, raysunpro, DonatoDAlbis, Nathaniel Kramers, Mikey21, bradypatilinburg, thisabled, kelzac, catherine95, rldube, Karen Van Epen, beckkelley, bmac5656, hhoven, ccasaday, jryan111, Sierra Orchards, Sburrall, pauliehex, nancyfeast, pmdmail, desertwalr, Ruthelliot, mrkhansson, mbfactor, trshmeg, heartbailey, amandatrager1, Gabriel.weissman, wanabechef, Anndgross, wifeagain, sjfumosa, Bruce MacVittie, jkschapman, suegue01, tomfervoy, crilly, blairat1, SusanRBrown, paul.holmes, Alsonpou, kbhosey, susan.stedman12, Richard Vercoe, kimjgalb, emailsallyrogers, linda141, rsschwartz, senorpi, katia121009, S Cdive, johannatrueblood, eckhartk, drioktk, Theo, Ferguson, Mitch Skop, nicnotes, jjw11, Elianna, Harald Sando, drhorn82, Staci DeGagne, Jacqueline Ochs, Schultz1, Etfrey, lightartz, Steph G. Lindsay, Tom F. Skeele, Chuck Turner, Silver City Food Co-op, Rebecca Thistlethwaite, Josephine McAdam, People’s Food Co-op
Matthew Droppke, Isla Vista Food Co-op, KathleenRose2, Cheryl McKinney, Memountain2003, Janice M. Stensude, kvoyce, poulechalet, James Rebhorn, makis.pagratis, Slow Food San Francisco, Katherine Ozer, Davis Food Co-op, jrgussman, wkadish, pabwrite, Linda Classon, YongAmerican, Christopher Smith, Caz Bailey, westofsask, Sebastian La Cause, Jkalang, zacksplace123, Shrix!, Postscript1, Glen Richards, Thomas Boehnlein, janwebb1, humus, stellagtm, Francis.Despina, Jill Larson, robere1, Charles Webb, Dimitri Saliani, michellmcv, namcamuts27, Maika Horjus, Paul Howson, fitscrets, Claudia Howard, Patrick Monroe, Andrew Yang, gbergman1, Mary Murphy, Cindy, Holland, dmadsen1, sjackson6, Community Food Co-op, Alberta Cooperative Grocery, Sacramento Food Natural Food Co-op, Moscow Food Co-op, Willy Street Co-op East, Briar Patch Community Market, People’s Food Cooperative, Co-Opportunity, 3 Rivers Natural Grocery and Deli, Outpost Natural Foods, La Montanita Co-op, Ashland Food Cooperative, juliahobbs, melanie.urdang, rdmasur, jrkranz, bandk4, Barney Schultz, bdirectorlift, tesshartman, kjhgfdfg, Marin Hinkle, mcumpsty, Rachel Messer, Outreach6, bill.main, dlrains, mikki.rsch, John Huddlestun, marnglea, Stephen Teresi, aimeerowe, leslietatar, leedanix, mundick4, dianelivia, 2lindapowell, wienermm, hallliemuller, glossman.jlg, Kimberly Scott, jcpyost, nolanob, tembacatherine, cmmalanga, tinki.bock, kimberly68, Lloyd Davis, Jr., Rae Chiang, sfreed47, sarinabay, divafoy6, latvianlady.lailla, kcscript, susan.guszynski, ellenpollan1, Monica Cappuccini, l.j.richie,  eknguyen, dasbryant, romano3, Bertila Damas, jolene6, lijo61, patty1qn, Jay Sanders, HM Benjamin ll if Pentortoise, Mary &, Gerardo Somoza, Rodney Hicks, marytestanyc, Alex Durgos, Amber Brandner, botanigal, DonatoDAlbis, gailparker, Esenje Bonga, Fletcherd, dsherman_nyc, Christina Carter, michaelandr, mjenkina5858, Ellen Anderson Holt, nick.mohammed, marshagaither, sjponstein, Barrie Bates, Oliviaoguma, earthgirlpottery, schramm2, John Trigonis, janderson6, annteal2, Morgan Scmidt-Feng, Robert Hunter, Dnicebear, Grane1, charmaine.kurt, verania777, Gabriella Somoza, Anastasia Somoza, Tracey-Labbe-Renault, M S, Emma Terese Brown, Madbroh, VocTransVocLib, Victordawson, kathleen.foster, christinabgorham, Kurtis Lee Hermes, Jadedreprobate, Mikeevallano, Grenegome, george.manatos, sl.buckley.tow, Dennis & Debbie Barbieri, Craig & Rosalyn Williams