In the documentary To Make a Farm five Canadians share their struggles and excitements as organic farmers. Its shows how difficult it can be to organically harvest livestock and produce, because the heavy regulations of the NOP(National Organics Program) serve to make the lives of these farmers extremely difficult and for farmers who are trying to make a living on small farms this is especially difficult. The movie shows several scenarios for organic farming, and shows many different things that threaten to impede on their lifestyle.
One female woman is shown raising livestock, and organic vegetables all after having a long term career in a totally unrelated field. She shows how woman and environmentalism is growing, and how woman like her are strong, and in the film they are doing things which were stereotypical male roles for farms. The other cast shows the struggles of farming with crop losses and issues with raising livestock, often you can kind of get why they do the whole thing when you see how proud they are when it does finally work out for them.
I could never see myself having the courage like they did to put it all on the line, and pack up everything to become a farmer, especially when you consider how different life is for them and how much they are at risk to loose. There was a lot to be gained from seeing this film and I was able to see how rewarding and tragic organic farming can be but I also learned how difficult organic farming, and sustainable farming can be. The movie as I should mention, because this is for a women’s studies class, has great stories of woman living a lifestyle that was once thought only a man could do, and shows how women are now changing from living in the city to becoming farmers.
