CALLING ALL ASPIRING FARMERS AND EVERYONE WHO EATS MEAT
Sometimes a film just needs to be seen. It is hard to imagine more important issues that those that involve our food system and amazingly, we have been blessed in this country with all kinds of eye-opening food films and documentaries, from Food Inc. and King Corn to Super Size Me. Now we can add American Meat to the list.
Here in Lanesboro we have a documentary film event on the 3rd Friday of every month during the tourist season (May-October). Since I am smack in the middle of the 10-week process of raising 8-pound pastured Cornish Cross chickens on locally sourced organic feed, when I heard about the new documentary film, American Meat, I immediately thought that the new film might be a timely, hot draw...at least for me.
Raising meat birds myself and having many friends steeped in agriculture, I am immediately drawn to anything regarding sustainable animal husbandry. One such acquaintance, Catherine Friend started out a very reluctant farmer, learned to love her rural lifestyle and wrote about her farming experiences in her best-seller Hit By a Farm. More recently she wrote The Compassionate Carnivore and gave the book an intriguing subtitle: How to keep animals happy, save old MacDonald’s farm, reduce your hoofprint, and still eat meat. I was curious to see how American Meat would fit into the conversation.
American Meat left me quite the endearing feeling towards today’s small, sustainable farmers. The movie showed the many admirable traits of the small farmer: their inventive nature, willingness to work hard, concern for the greater good, sense of humor, respect for past traditions and care for the sustainability of their land.
When I previewed the film last night, I was especially impressed by its tone. It was upbeat, yet realistic, pondering the future supply of beef, chicken and pork. It looks at innovations and attitudes that are changing farm practices and prospects across the country. More importantly for me, it posed a fascinating question: Are you one of the 4 million Americans who’ll heed the call if we all want pasture-raised beef, chicken and pork on our dinner table?
Indeed, for a subject that could be really negative I found American Meat a lift – a documentary that invites anyone and everyone--young people especially--to consider becoming happy, healthy, sustainable small-scale farmers. I loved seeing the profiles of successful farmers (including Chuck Wirtz of West Bend, IA and Joel Salatin of Omnivore’s Dilemma fame) who, against difficult odds, invented practical ways to raise pastured meat and still keep their heads above water. These farmers, like so many in Minnesota, have farmed their whole lives. They love the work that they do and the animals they raise.
The film is certainly one of the hot topics in the food world of cinema and is scheduled widely in our home state. In Lanesboro, we are set for a screening on Friday July 20, 7:30 pm at the St. Mane Theatre in Lanesboro. It’s also showing soon in many more locations in Minnesota, including Rochester, Winona, Northfield, St. Paul, Edina, Wykoff and St. Cloud. In Lanesboro our film event begins with a tasting of locally raised meat at 6:30 pm at Lanesboro Local Marketplace. Then at 7:30, the 82-minute film will be shown across the street at the theatre. Following the film, Paul Wiens of Misty Meadows Farm in Pine Island will draw on his experiences to lead a discussion of small-scale animal farming.
For a sneak peek, watch the 3-minute American Meat trailer: http://www.americanmeatfilm.com
For those of you in the Twin Cities, there is a special treat regarding the Edina Cinema showing this Thursday, the 12th. Lucia of Lucia's restaurant will be serving some great food from local farmers from 5:15-6:15 before the 7:00 screening of the film. Click here for more information.
For more information about the Lanesboro Third Friday Documentary Series leave a comment here or contact the Lanesboro Arts Center at 507-467-2446.
Kitty Baker grew up on a mixed ag farm, then in a small town, near Rochester, MN. She and husband Keith raised two daughters, living in Kansas City and Minneapolis. A professional writer, Kitty enjoys topics of lifestyle and food, especially since 1999, when they bought a farm, Root River Wilds, just north of Lanesboro, MN. The farm’s spectacularly varied acreage -- bluffs and woods, pastures and restored prairies cut with trails and wrapped in the oxbow of the North Branch of the Root River -- is rich with opportunities to discover and share ways to live abundantly. Her last article for SGT was: Straw Bale Gardening.
Comments
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me...thanks
AN EMAIL THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION TODAY REGARDING THE FILM AMERICAN MEAT:
American Meat Comes to a Screen Near You!Dear Organic Consumer,The producers of American Meat, the new documentary that takes a pro-farmer look at chicken, hog and cattle production in America, are hosting a special series of screenings in Minnesota March 13-20.Earlier this year, American Meat kicked off a nationwide screening tour called the Young Farmer Screening Series. This tour takes place at universities, colleges, agricultural high-schools and FFA chapters with 3 core goals in mind: Thank farmers. Support young farmers. Food choices matter. After each screening, director Graham Meriweather will be joined by local panelists for a stimulating dialogue about the meat industry, framing the conventional/organic debate from farmers’ perspectives, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in agriculture and food production.Screening details below (also online at American Meat Screenings).More about the filmBeginning with a history of our current industrial system, the feedlots and confinement operations are revealed, not through hidden cameras, but through the eyes of the farmers who live and work there. From there, the story shifts to Polyface Farms, where the Salatin family has developed an alternative agricultural model based on rotational grazing and local distribution. Nationwide, a local-food movement of farmers, chefs, and everyday people has taken root... But could it ever feed us all?March 13 at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MNFood at 6 pm with burritos provided by Chipotle Mexican GrillFilm at 6:30 pm in Bell Museum of HistoryConversation at 8 pm with John Mesko, Executive Director of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota; Birchwood Cafe owner Tracy Singleton; and American Meat director Graham Meriwether. Moderated by Laura Hedlund, co-host of Food Freedom Radio on AM950, the Progressive Voice of Minnesota.March 14 at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MNConversation at 7:30 pm with Professor of Political Science and Director of the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement, Matt Lindstrom; Professor of Environmental studies at Saint John’s University and College of Saint Benedict, Diane Veale-Jones; and director of American Meat Graham Meriwether.Film at 8 pm in Pellegrine AuditoriumRefreshments at 9:15 pmMarch 15 at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul MinnesotaRefreshments at 3 pmFilm at 3:30 pm in JRC 126Conversation at 5 pm with Ferndale Market owner John Peterson; Professor of Theology, Amy Levad; Biology Professor Dalma Martinovic-Weigelt; and American Meat director Graham Meriwether.March 19 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MNRefreshments at 3 pmFilm at 3:30pm in Atwood Little Theater in the Atwood Memorial CenterConversation at 5 pm with Executive Director of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, John Mesko; co-founder of the Central Minnesota Sustainability Project (CMSP), Rick Miller; Professor of Sociology and founder of the SCSU Community Garden, Tracy Ore; Sociology Professor Ann Finan who works with the Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee; and Graham Meriwether, director of American Meat.March 20 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MNRefreshments at 6:30 pmFilm at 7 pm in St. Olaf TheatreConversation at 8:30 pm with the founder of the Rural Enterprise Center program of Main Street Project, Regi Haslett-Marroquin; Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies, Charles Taliaferro; fourth year undergraduate student studying Sustainability, Applied Business & Social Justice, Eric Sannerud; Randy Clay, Board Manager with Bon Appetit Management Company at St. Olaf College; and film director Graham Meriwether.-- Melinda and the rest of the team at Organic Consumers Association
Post new comment