Urban Farmers

Gr 9 Up—The action begins with New York City street scenes—large buildings and concrete, nary a green space. New Yorkers are then asked if there are any farms in the city, and they react as if the questioner were naïve. There are, however, three farms within the city limits; one in Queens, another on Staten Island, and one on the East Side. This informative documentary focuses mostly on the 45 acre Queens County Farm Museum, originally a homestead settled by the Dutch in 1697 and family-owned until the 20th century when it became part of the Department of Parks & Recreation. In addition to food that is sold on the property, the farm supplies produce to farmer's markets throughout the city, as do the other farms. There are an astonishing 1,000 acres of farms in the city's boroughs and 9,000 vacant acres. As people become more aware of the advantages of eating local, seasonal, and organic foods, more urban spaces are developing into community gardens and urban farms. Community supported agriculture, or CSAs, in which members buy shares in farms in early spring and receive the farm's produce in return, are featured. The film also explains criteria for organic certification. A variety of passionate experts and footage of students encountering farm life makes the film visually appealing and involving.