Living Lands is a film by Amanda Bontecou that showcases the Living Lands Agrarian Network, a Nevada County network of farmers with a three-fold mission. We learn from farmers and interns how the Network facilitates sustainable agriculture in Nevada County. By training young farmers, educating local youth, and reaching out to the community though farmer’s markets and community events, the Living Lands Agrarian Network has changed the face of sustainable farming in the county.
The videography in Living Lands is breathtaking; it’s as if the film were shot in a contemporary Garden of Eden. I found an excerpt on LLAN’s blog that coincidentally describes some of the footage:
“And a little update from the field because it’s so beautiful right now it makes my heart hurt. Everything is in bloom, the sunflowers nodding their heads over the upright amaranth, the zinnias blooming faster than we can pick them. We planted all the fall/winter kale, cabbage, broccoli, chard, and beets. And diligently weeded and thinned all the direct-seeded beds. The corn is tasseling and should be ready to pick in the next few weeks, and the eggplant and peppers are falling over from the heaviness of their fruit. (August 23, 2010)”
Bontecou captures this heart-hurting beauty with potency and light-heartedness. The result is pure inspiration.
Living Lands screens Sunday morning at the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival in Nevada City. I’m looking forward to seeing Amanda Bontecou in person there.
