The Greenhorns, a national grassroots nonprofit organization of young farmers, will premiere their much-anticipated documentary film, “The Greenhorns,” all over the Northwest this fall, from small town independent theatres to college campuses. Two Screenings will be held in Spokane at 7 pm November 5 and 6 at the Magic Lantern Theatre, 25 W Main Ave. Each screening will include a Q & A session with the film’s director and young people involved in the regional food system in and around Spokane.

"The Greenhorns" documents the decisive reemergence on our national landscape of a key cultural and economic force, the young American farmer. These new men and women in agriculture operate and thrive despite a longstanding trend of farmer attrition and aging, and the continued rapid loss of farmland to development. The average age of a farmer in America is 57, and USDA subsidies to huge agribusinesses dominate Farm bill spending. But many communities are experiencing a resurgence of activity among young, new and aspiring farmers.

“The Greenhorns” shows how a new generation of young agrarians who farm with their brains as well as their bodies exert a promising and necessary impact against these crises. These greenhorns are working to reverse negative trends in favor of healthy food, local and regional foodsheds, and the revitalization of rural economies, one farm at a time. Official mandates calling for the increase and successful resettlement of young farmers stir hope while farmland remains abundant, if difficult to access for most new entrants.

 

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s recent call for 100,000 new farmers is an encouraging sign. Now we need policies to back up that goal. With over 400 million acres of farmland poised to change hands over the next twenty years, the time for action is NOW. The 2012 Farm Bill package of legislation is already in the pipeline. The Greenhorns film sets this context, shows the issues, and introduces the viewer to a savvy, purposeful posse of young farmers getting into the business of fixing America. Directed by farmer/ activist Severine von Tscharner Fleming, produced in dozens of states over three years, “The Greenhorns” runs a fast 50 minutes.

Tickets are available at the Magic Lantern before showing. Contact Brian Estes at 509.521.0606 or smsgarden@gmail.com with questions.

---

---