Documentary filmmaker Casey Beck chronicles a full year — four seasons — in the life of an organic farmer in Sonoma, California and the financial insecurity, physical hardship, and rise of corporate agriculture that threaten the sustainability of small-scale, localized organic farming.
The Organic Life aims to move audiences to better understand the rigors involved as well as the delicious gratification, while also reducing our carbon footprint and mitigating individual impacts on the environment. The filmmaker is partnering with two local fresh food mobile apps on the market, “Locavore” from LocalDirt and “Dirty Dozen” from the Environmental Working Group. There are plans to develop a “living classroom” curriculum to go with the movie for local school children and adults.
The Organic Life - "Seeding Possibilities" Grant
Documentary Film: "The Organic Life" - Casey Beck, Filmmaker -
Casey "paused" and further edited the storyline of a documentary film chronicling a year in the life of an organic farmer and the financial insecurity, physical hardship, and rise of corporate agriculture that threaten the sustainability of organic farming.
Now, with her "Seeding Possibilities" grant, she is ready to create and publicize a downloadable educational curriculum both for children and adults to accompany the film. Her approach is two-pronged. She will develop two, 10-page mini books to be distributed via free downloadable PDFs alongside the film: one for adults and one for education of 7th - 9th grade students. The adult screening guide will include post-screening discussion items and questions. The children's guides will be aligned with California state curriculum standards, and will give teachers the tools to incorporate a comprehensive look at local, organic farming into the larger curriculum of many different subjects.
