Rock Stars

Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear the term "rock stars" applied to farmers.  This is of course silly, but things have changed in the last few decades.  Big time. There are numerous famous farmers, spokespeople, journalists, public people who have all started to lead the conversation about sustainability, and the newest word: "regenerative" agriculture.  In our local region, our farm is part of this too.

While our farm and family started out in relative obscurity 50 years ago, we were still enough of an oddity that my father/mother/the farm were profiled in the Washington Post from time to time, or another local paper would think that they had found an untold story.  We have learned over the years not to take any of this very seriously and we have also learned that the journalists only get it right some of the time, or they tell the story they want to tell and they use some of our words to get to their point.

Last year some environmental filmmakers from American University got in touch with us and asked if we would be part of a film series.  We said sure.  For a couple of days -- one in May, one in August -- they lugged their equipment around both farms and filmed many hours of footage, including extensive interviews with me and Mom and Ellen, mostly separately. We never heard what the others said, except for the parts where we were together mostly talking about whatever we wanted to talk about.

And then last night the film was aired as a part of the Environmental Film Festival, a two week long event at AU and other sites around town.  Mom and Ellen and I were invited to sit on the panel with some of the film makers and some local people who represent a trust fund that underwrites things like this. We didn't have to prepare any remarks so there was no reason to say no.

The small auditorium filled up quickly, standing room only, and some people couldn't even get in. My non-farm girlfriends (Nell and Nancy and Hannah) squeezed into the room and made me feel special by spending their evening this way.  I knew quite a few people in the audience, of course, from being connected through flowers and lambs and markets and mutual interests.

There were four short films, all good and interesting, about different aspects of farming for the future.  One was about a fifth generation landowner who is creating opportunities for future farmers by leasing land (for lifetimes, not for years), one was about the agriculture reserve in Montgomery County, MD, one was about us and one was a fancier film (underwritten by the World Bank) about the multiple benefits of pasture raised beef/rotational grazing. 

After the films there was an hour of questions and answers from the panel.  My mother is the passionate land preservation farmer with a lot to say, sometimes on point but always heartfelt, Ellen is the one who knows how to talk about soil and organic matter (and profits) in a way that is funny and engaging, I tend to talk about the importance of figuring out how to be efficient, changing your model to meet the needs, pragmatic stuff.  The film makers got most of the questions, which was good.  Anyway, it was not at all nerve-wracking, and while some people in the audience wanted to pontificate about vegan/vegetarian/animal stuff, most of the questions were relevant and brought out interesting answers.

It could have  been shorter, in my view, but it is always nice to be amongst people who are working on the issues that matter.  These issues matter greatly.  I am glad we are part of the group that is trying to keep our planet from burning up, to put it bluntly.

It is also good to be part of something that does not expect anyone to dress up, to make speeches, to prepare.  This level of celebrity is quite manageable.  Most farm-related events are just like this, with farmers speaking forthrightly about important stuff. Last night we got to be those farmers.