Save the Farm: A Documentary

My new issue of Urban Farm (March/April) arrived yesterday.  As I quickly flipped through it, I noticed a blurb about the documentary, Save the Farm (Cinema Libre Studio, 2010).  The documentary recounts the 2006 battle over the South Central Farm in Los Angeles County.

We were living in Southern California at the time and I remember news broadcasts with clips of Daryl Hannah, Danny Glover, and other celebrity activists at the farm, but truth be told, that was during a phase of my life when I rarely pulled my head out of the mayonnaise jar.  In other words, I had yet to see the light in regard to healthy living, sustainability, and urban farming.

To offer a brief background of the situation, in 1987, the city of Los Angeles paid developer Ralph Horowitz $4.7 million for his abandoned industrial property at 41st and South Alameda.  Mayor Bradley spearheaded efforts which provided the community access to the land for the purpose of growing food in one of the attempts to revitalize South Los Angeles after the 1992 riots.

The South Central Farm was 14 acres, equal to 12 football fields, and was divided into 350 plots which were assigned to individual families to tend and grow food.  All the methods used on the farm were natural and organic, using no pesticides.  The farm provided the only green space in the heavily industrialized and rail-based Alameda corridor.

In an area known for its lack of healthy food options, these garden plots provided many lower income families their only access to affordable organic produce.  In addition to generating food for the area, the farm provided a community center and park.  South Central Farm was one of the most successful city projects, operating without a budget or funding from the city except for the land use.  These gardens enabled the families to supplement their income in addition to significantly reducing their own food expenses.

 It is estimated there were between 100-150 varieties of plants and 500 mature fruit trees grown on the site, most of which were indigenous to Mesoamerica.  Since many of the residents didn't have health care provided through their employers, they grew medicinal plants and herbs as well.  As one woman in the movie states, it was not just about growing food, it was about passing on culture and tradition. 

Ralph Horowitz sued the city three times to get the land back and in each case, the court ruled against him.  For unknown reasons, however, the city decided to sell the land back to Horowitz in 2003 for $5 million even though the land at the time was estimated to be worth between $13-20 million.  The decision to sell the property back to Mr. Horowitz was not made public.

After all injunctions to save the farm had expired, on March 5, 2006 the community farmers received an official notice to vacate from the sheriff's department.  On May 24, 2006 the farmers received their final eviction notice.  The LAPD was then free to force them off the land they had farmed for upwards of thirteen years.

This documentary recounts the struggle of the farmers, community, and activists to save what was then the largest urban farm in the nation.  It reflects the spirit and commitment of a community and their attempt to protect the plot of land that had become an integral part of the South Central landscape.

I truly regret the fact my interest in urban agriculture and healthy living came too late for me to participate in the effort to save the farm.  As the one young activist says in the film, she had never been arrested and didn't know what to expect., but she was proud despite her mother yelling at her.  If I had been in attendance and confronted with an arrest, I too would have been proud....and yes, my mother probably would have yelled at me too.

The short documentary is well worth watching for anyone concerned with urban farming, sustainability, or environmental issues.  The movie is available for viewing online free of charge at www.savethefarmmovie.com and www.hulu.com.  Additional information regarding the farms can be found at www.southcentralfarmers.com