10/21 Seattle- "Urban Roots" - city farming in Detroit!

Neat documentry Fri 10/21 7pm in Seattle, at Keystone Church in Wallingford.  Info - http://www.meaningfulmovies.org/

“URBAN ROOTS is an inspiring film about the emergence of urban farming in Detroit; it shows what’s possible after the collapse of the industrial era and how we begin building a sustainable future for all.” - Leonardo DiCaprio.
"URBAN ROOTS is a very uplifting documentary about a much needed 'thinking outside the box' approach to helping save our city of Detroit. It shines a light on a grassroots movement that is helping to solve several major problems in our city––literally, from the ground up” - Kid Rock
“I was blown away by this film!” - Thom Hartmann
This film is produced by TREE MEDIA.  Mission Statement: Stories have the power to change the world: they shape our thinking, drive culture, and create our lives.

I might be there with Jocelyn.

And Keystone Church is not far from Mighty O Doughnuts - note, they apparently close at 6:00 pm

I think this documentary was great!!  especially for us urban/suburban types interested in 'city farming', etc. 

The folks in Detroit seem to have a passion for earth's bounty, and plenty of vacant land to nurture....now I think they may just need to grasp the opportunity that PC provides.

I'm thinking that some guerilla gardening to 'install' polycultures, starter food forests, chicken food plants, etc., etc. all over the broad empty spaces will be right up their alley.  They just need to 'know'   Maybe we should 'send' Paul to Michigan... weather might comparable to Missoula

Hey Nancy, it was an inspiring movie and fun to see you there, too!

It was interesting to me that movie's point of view was that it was okay to occupy and farm on abandoned properties. While I agree that it's much better to put the land to good use--especially growing food!--a more balanced documentary might have shown more from the other side. Learning about why the mayor, other agencies, etc. don't like the urban farming could shed some light on finding ways to mitigate and gain their support.

nancy sutton wrote:
The folks in Detroit seem to have a passion for earth's bounty, and plenty of vacant land to nurture....now I think they may just need to grasp the opportunity that PC provides.

Yes! It would be great to see a follow up both with some permaculture sites (there weren't really any in this movie) AND, IMHO, signs that some of the urban ag folks are finding inroads to cooperation with the powers that be.

I agree, Jocelyn, it would be great to see cooperation between the powers that be and the 'little guys'...but I'm still thinking that an 'end run' (ala Bucky's "new design that makes the old one obsolete") might be the only option in the end.  Although a couple of the 'official' folks (ladies ;) did see a teeny sympathetic.

I vaguely remember people fighting mightily to hang onto a community garden in L.A., to lose to city hall in the end (don't know the details/dates).  I think the politicians will always have a bottom line of raising $$ (for best intentions -  community betterment, etc.), and the large Hanz commercial ag (not to mention a retail or industrial developer) will generate a lot more taxes than many small farmers, I'm guessing.

So while the dickering continues, I hope they ramp up the lawns-not-bombs), guerilla gardening, seed balling, mini-pc/food forest sites, maximum squatting, etc....maybe the effect will get to be large enough to actually enlighten the 'powers'.  After all, "we are many, they are few" (P.B. Shelley) !

And, while devastated economically, Detroit seems to be 'rich' in a few things (people, passion. land, community, etc.)  - maybe the things that will turn out to be priceless in the not-too-distant future ;)  Hope!

PS - it was a delight to meet you !