During the lockdown of March 2020, award-winning Master Photographer David Trood was stuck at home like most people. On a piece of land, far away from any town and even further from a city, David used his time to realize a dream that he has had since childhood. A garden full of food!
A dream to be able to eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted … just like a gorilla. So he dug and he hammered and moved over 200 wheelbarrows full of topsoil, to create a living paradise he called The Weedy Garden. A paradise of wonderful, colorful, natural, clean organic food. David’s film, Down the Carrot Hole follows the creative and visual journey of understanding the elements of Earth, Wind, Water and Fire, and his synchronistic encounters with people along the way.
It is a gentle, heartfelt film whose importance cannot be understated. It is a documentary for our times. During the two years of Covid-19 lockdowns in Australia, David Trood discovered the wonder and joy of creating, not just a garden, but an entire food forest through Permaculture principles. With his enthusiasm and camera gear to explore, David shared the journey of food self-sufficiency, through his YouTube creation The Weedy Garden to show others how they can do it also.
Reviews from followers:
“The words are beautiful. The photography is stunning. The message is inspirational. Thank you with all my heart.” - Wings Beyond the Garden Gate
“I have loved this beautiful film, with its complete honesty, colourful and educational tales. This film has made me so happy, as you have captured nature in all her glory with some of the best camera/film shots I’ve seen in an age.” - Spritzpistol
“This is amazing cinematography and storytelling, thank you!” - Angie Mead King
The film premiered at the Nimbin Bush Theatre on the 21st of December, 2022 and filled the house.
The film was shared to the public for free for 42 hours during Christmas 2022 . It was viewed almost 42,000 times online.
Director’s Statement, David Trood I grew up in country Australia and then moved to a city when I was 17 to work as a press photographer. At the age of 21, I moved to Europe and from there, travelled around the world visiting over 35 countries making films and photographs. The whole idea of my film is to inspire people to get back to nature. You don’t need to be a farmer to grow your food. You can do it in your back yard. My main dedication for this film is for people to find the connection to country and community. People in cities may not know how to connect with nature. I want to show how much the land needs respect and how it welcomes our touch. I am sharing my story to inspires other people around this wonderful planet to grow their own food in, and with, their community. Wonderful, colourful, natural, clean organic food, straight from the source. It is my love letter to Mother Earth.
About the Filmmaker David Trood is an Australian-born, prize- winning travel and commercial photographer who pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling with his passionate narrative of people and nature. For over thirty years he successfully completed thousands of photographic assignments in over 40 countries. David has been called a Hasselblad Master and is a valued contributor at Getty Images. He was born in Queensland and was based in Denmark (until 2020). Since the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 he has made his home in Northern NSW where he has turned his passion into growing organic food through the land management design of Permaculture. He documented his learning process and garden growing through his regular, online videos, The Weedy Garden, which turned into a YouTube sensation.
This is his first feature film.
You are purchasing the HD streaming version of the movie.
Duration: 1hr40 minutes
Just found this post and watched the YouTube video, awesome descriptions and photography, you've shown how to turn lemons into lemonade turning the effects of Covid into a productive garden, Just great. Love the title too :-)
WARNING permaculture is highly addictive, it may cause life altering changes such as valuing people, community and resources, and promote respect, learning, support and kindness .
I saw the link for this video yesterday in the daily-ish and ordered it on Prime. Watched it last night before I went to bed.
Simply stunning videography. And his voice is so soothing, too! He's a great narrator on top of his photography and videography skills.
I wholeheartedly recommend this. Now, if I'd seen this purchase link here on permies, I would have bought it instead of renting it. You'll most likely watch it more than once.
Oh man! Did you hear what David said about Permies??
"Permie, that's short for permaculturist. They're part of a growing tribe of people all across the world who are taking on the responsibility to better our world and themselves on a personal level by learning to live and grow with the Earth, through permaculture; permanent agriculture."
Am I doing that? Living up to his idea of a permie? I really hope so! It makes me want to do better!! How can I better the world? By continuing the good work in my backyard? I am ready for more!! I want to live more like Weedy.
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