‘The Biggest Little Farm’ screening and panel unlock labors of organic farming

MILLERTON — Given the impact that organic farming practices have had on the local region over the years, it came as no surprise that The Moviehouse’s screening of the documentary “The Biggest Little Farm” and its accompanying Q&A panel gathered an immense turnout on Wednesday evening, Sept. 18.

From the farmers that have labored to bring growth into the communities to the residents looking for ways to support their local farms, every row of the upstairs theater was filled by 7 p.m. Presenting a dream eight years in the making, “The Biggest Little Farm” opened with an explanation as to why director John Chester and his wife, Molly, decided to develop their farm, Apricot Lane Farms.

“Everyone told us that this idea was crazy…” John admitted in some of the film’s opening narration, “… but what’s crazier is this all started with a promise we made to a dog.”

Long before “The Biggest Little Farm” was conceived, John and Molly Chester were living in a small apartment in Santa Monica, Calif., where they worked as a cameraman and private chef, respectively. As part of their wedding vows, John said they promised to build a life of purpose together, and in Molly’s eyes, this promise could ideally be fulfilled in starting a farm and harvesting in harmony with nature. Yet it wasn’t until they rescued their dog, Todd, and promised to create a home for him that the couple decided to set their dream into motion.

Initially faced with financial difficulties, the word about the Chesters’ plans for a farm spread with help from their friends, and the couple soon connected with investors that saw a future in farming. All they needed, John said, was a farm. After locating 200 acres of barren land just 40 miles north of Los Angeles, Calif., John, Molly and Todd recruited a team of seasoned farmers and enthusiastic volunteers to help them turn the acres into sustainable farmland.

Over the next hour and a half, the film depicted the couple’s unwavering perseverance in developing a traditional farm and all the milestones and missteps they uncovered along the way. Determined to achieve the highest level of biodiversity possible, the first year in their journey focused on the trials and tribulations they faced in irrigating their pastures, building a worm compost facility and planting trees and crops to bring the soil back to life. By the second year, they set to work in developing a 20-acre orchard known as “the fruit basket” and had a plethora of animals residing on the farm, each with its own purpose.

As the couple strived to balance the needs of the farm with the needs of its surrounding wildlife, the film documented their attempts to find a role for the pests and predators to play in harmony with the farm as well as their struggles as budding farmers, from the loss of animals due to predators and illness to the effects of drought and wind on the farm’s lush ecosystem. Describing coexistence as a “delicate, patience dance with no guarantees,” John explained that each problem persuaded them to take a step back, evaluate the issue and understand how every living being on their farm could help restore balance, such as using the ducks to get rid of the slugs in the orchard and using the cover crops to help keep the soil intact during rainstorms.

 Following the documentary’s authentic portrayal of the breakthroughs, heartbreaks and frustrations involved in developing a sustainable farm, the audience remained to learn more about organic farming practices through the first-hand accounts of five local farmers.

In her introduction of the evening’s panelists, Carol Sadlon, the owner and co-founder of The Moviehouse, announced that the documentary’s screening coincided with the theater’s celebration of Art House Theater Day, an occasion that aspires to celebrate “indie theaters as advocates for culture and community,” according to The Moviehouse website.

“What better way to celebrate… than to introduce five people that have been at the forefront of sustainable agriculture in our region,” Sadlon said.

Speaking as a panelist and as the education manager at McEnroe Organic Farm, Alison Elliott introduced each member of the evening’s panel and spoke of their accomplishments as local farmers. In addition to Elliott, the panel featured Lauren Kaplan from The Poughkeepsie Farm Project, Dan Carr from Q Farms, D. Rooney from Rock Steady Farm and Lynda Prim from Glynwood Farm.

In answering Elliott’s questions to the panel, the farmers illustrated their own experiences with farming in the local communities. In response to the panel’s first question about the environmental benefits of local sustainable practices, Carr recounted the cover crops mentioned in the film while Prim talked about the resiliency associated with small-scale farms. As far as dealing with pest issues, Rooney said, “It’s about the preventative versus the reactive,” before relaying a handful of effective integrative pest treatments. 

Questions from the audience ranged from what Hudson Valley residents could do to learn more about organic farming; how residents can support local farms during the winter months; and key ingredients for starting a farm that they thought might have been left out of the documentary.

Following a engaged discussion between the panelists and their audience, the event concluded around 9:30 p.m. and the panelists were rewarded with a round of applause.