Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/53575
SUSTAINABILITY A documentary entitled "The Perpetual Farm" will focus on what four diverse farming operations are doing right. by Geraldine Warner D ocumentaries about food production tend to focus on problems and so-called health risks, but a film being produced by five classmates from the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation's leadership program will focus on what farmers are doing right. A half-hour documentary entitled The Perpetual Farm, is designed to get growers and consumers thinking about what it means, in practical terms, to grow food sustain- ably and will feature five farming operations of different sizes. The five members of Class 33—Kevin Judkins, Aaron Penvose, Travis Meacham, Tova Tillinghast, and Richard Hilliker—committed to developing, funding, and pro- ducing the broadcast-quality documentary as their pub- lic policy project, which is a required part of the leadership program. Judkins said the film will focus on the economic, environmental, and social equity aspects of sustainability. The film will not feature group members, but will look at four very diverse farms in Washington State that they selected, and explore what sustainability means to the farmers and the challenges they face. Brenton Roy, a fruit grower at Prosser, Washington, one of the featured growers, said he thinks that the concept of agricultural sustainability is often misunderstood by the public, which is hardly surprising considering how few people participate in agriculture in the United States. Even farmers don't always agree on what "sustainable" means. Roy owns Oasis Farms, a 1,500-acre diversified opera- tion with peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples, cherries, wine grapes, juice grapes, blueberries, and hops. He uses drip irrigation systems, cover crops, and on-site Kevin Judkins hopes the film will get the message across that most farmers are responsible stewards of the land who are working to keep it in production in perpetuity. composting, all of which contribute to the sustainability of the farm. One of the greatest public misperceptions is that organic equals sustainable, says Roy, who grows a portion of his fruit organically. "Everything we do is about sustainability," he empha- sized. "We don't make any decisions—organic or conven- tional—that don't factor in the concept of 'Can we do this long term?' The reason we do organic has nothing to do with sustainability. It has everything to do with what we feel we can, or can't, excel at on this farm, at our location, with our crops, and what we think the market wants. It's about marketing and our relative competitiveness in our industry." Surprised Roy was somewhat surprised that the filmmakers wanted to feature his farm in the documentary. "We're not necessarily out in the world trying to make a name for ourselves in the arena of sustainability or organic," he explained. "Our farm is not the quintessential organic or sustainable operation." With every decision, he thinks first about economics and then how that decision affects sustainability. Many good growers have gone out of business because their short-term strategies weren't effective economically, he points out. "If economics aren't at the top of your list, you won't be here to do the rest of the good deeds you want to get done." He hopes that the film will give people in urban populations a better understanding of where their food comes from, and what growers go through to provide safe, nutritious food for the world. The other featured farms are: Prosser Farm, a four-acre fruit and vegetable farm run 16 FEBRUARY 1, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER by Tom Douglas and his wife, Jackie Cross. Douglas is a chef who owns a group of high-end restaurants in Seattle. The couple started the farm in Prosser in 2006 to supply his restaurants with high-quality food. Cross, who oper- ates the farm, has a strong focus on sustainability. Though she follows organic protocols, she has chosen not to be certified. Badger Mountain Vineyard, a 70-acre vineyard with winery at Kennewick, owned by Bill Powers. It was the first organic vineyard in Washington. Powers produces biodiesel from used cooking oil collected from local restaurants. He uses several alternative techniques and products, including a propane-fueled weed burner, www.goodfruit.com Movie focuses on