"The Biggest Little Farm"

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Happy Earth Day! What a wonderful way to celebrate my 500th published blog post! 

When I realized back in March that I was approaching my 500th post, I set a goal to meet that milestone on my birthday. However, when Qandi crossed Rainbow Bridge on April 3rd, my spirits were down and I couldn't bring myself to post anything for a period of time after that. So my birthday came and went without reaching that milestone. After that, I had no set date in mind. It was totally by coincidence (if there is such a thing) that this occurred on Earth Day, and I'm happy it did. The following movie review is perfect for Earth Day.

I watched "The Biggest Little Farm" last year on Hulu and I've been meaning to blog about it. Now that Earth Day 2022 is upon us and Disney+ just released a 30 minute follow-up to the 2018 full length documentary, I decided to watch it again this week and finally give it the time in the spotlight that it deserves.

First, let me comment on the 30 minute documentary, which I watched this morning. It's called "The Biggest Little Farm: The Return". I expected this to focus a lot on how far the farm has come since the 2018 documentary and perhaps where it's going. That was part of the documentary, but it had a bit too much of a "review" of the full length documentary. I understand the review was necessary in case we forgot certain details or to fill in people who have never seen it, but hey compressed a two-hour documentary into about 10-15 minutes. It didn't do the longer film justice and it took too much time away from what's happening now. That being said, this is my only criticism of "The Return". It was good to see the Chesters again and find out how things are going for their farm. I even shed some tears within those brief 30 minutes.

Let's now go back to where it all began.

The full length documentary follows a couple, John and Molly Chester, as they begin their married life together living in a tiny California apartment with their beloved dog, Todd. Todd was rescued from an animal hoarder and the Chesters promise to give him the good life he deserves. Not surprisingly, they find that a small apartment is not a suitable home for a fairly large dog like Todd. 

Molly Chester has a love for food and she recognizes that the health of our food depends on how it is farmed. She has had a dream of one day managing a farm and the couple soon discovers following this dream might just be the solution to where they should live with Todd. Of course, managing a farm isn't easy. It takes a firm commitment, a well thought out plan, and a lot of money that they didn't have.

The documentary has been criticized by some for not sharing in detail their successful financial plan. It simply explains that they had a lot of people supporting them and that they found an investor willing to take a chance on them. But this movie is not supposed to be about money, so not knowing their financial path in detail does not bother me. I probably would have been bored silly watching a documentary that focused heavily on finances. Not that it isn't important, because it is, but I believe that could be an entirely different documentary. 

Anyone who focuses too much on the fact that their financial path is not detailed in the documentary loses sight of what this movie is meant to be about. It goes on to show their progress on the farm over the next eight years. They explain the struggles, setbacks, and heartbreak they go through, which are always followed by hope and revitalization. Every animal on the farm has a purpose in keeping the soil healthy, which is critical for growing healthy food. The soil is literally the foundation of healthy food. they recognize. Sometimes it takes some creative thinking to figure out the purpose for each animal, but they do. Even for the coyotes.

I am currently reading a book called, "The Magic of Thinking Big", which is a re-read from many years ago. "The Biggest Little Farm" is the perfect example of what happens when we think big. The Chesters had a dream, made a promise to their dog, detailed a plan, and executed it with conviction. Some people told them it was an impossible dream, but they did it anyway. Throughout the film, they give credit to those who believed in their dream and actively helped them along the way. This includes people who were already familiar with their farming techniques, as well as up and coming young farmers who were just being to learn. 

Is it possible for everyone to manage a farm? Of course not. But it's important that we support those who are able to do it. We can do this in many ways, including how we vote on election days and what we buy at the grocery store and farmers markets. We can be mindful of all of the choices we make. Let's ask ourselves these two questions before making those choices: : "Is this supporting my health?" and "Is this supporting the health of our planet?"

This documentary is a message of hope, while recognizing there will be struggles along the way. My second viewing of it was a timely reminder of this. The key to overcoming those struggles is living in harmony with nature, rather than against it. I believe we can all in some way support this way of life.