What’s the Future of Locally Grown Food in Arizona? The Good Food Film Series Treks Across the State to Find Out
Are edible landscapes and trees the answer to Arizona’s rising climate crisis? How do we address shrinking farmland? How are farms helping food banks? These are the important questions that propel the Spring Good Food Film Series. Produced by Local First Arizona’s Good Food Finder, the film series features monthly, independent short film releases devoted to telling the most urgent and inspiring stories of Arizona's local food system through February 2022.
We experienced the fragility of our food economy during COVID, and how our farmers kept Arizonans fed. The film series explores how we can help our farmers and food producers and maintain all the good food in our incredible state. These films are being used in course programming for Rio Salado Community College’s Sustainable Food Systems and the Center of Regional Food Studies at U of A. The films bring awareness about our local food system to a general audience and educates food advocates on the issues of today and so they know how to build a stronger tomorrow.
The Spring film series covers topics of urgency and are available for purchase now. Once you purchase tickets, you can view the films on-demand from the time they premier until February 2022. You can buy individual tickets for $7.50 per film or an all-access pass to all 12 films for $65. If you’re looking for a good deal, use code VIEWERSCHOICE for 20% when you purchase 4 or more tickets.
Sara Dolan and David Vose, owners of Blue Sky Organic Farms
March 9th: The State of Arizona Farmland
Featuring Sara Dolan and David Vose, owners of Blue Sky Organic Farms in West Phoenix.
David and Sara have just planted their last season of crops on their leased land. They must be moved out by July 1, 2021, when a new home builder takes ownership. With the amount of work that it takes to set up a new farming operation, David and Sara need to have land that they can purchase or lease by the end of April 2021. Why does this matter? Blue Sky Organic is one of the two main farms that supplies produce for the downtown Phoenix farmers market and stepped up to the plate when regular markets ran out of produce during COVID-19. If we lose Blue Sky, we lose a major producer in the community.
Iskashitaa Refugee Network
April 13th: Are Edible Landscapes and Trees the Answer to Arizona’s Rising Climate Crisis?
Darren Chapman of Tiger Mountain Foundation walks us through their collaboration with Trees Matter that honors the lives lost to Covid, addresses food insecurity through the planting of fruit trees, and improves the shade canopy at Spaces of Opportunity located in South Phoenix.
In Tucson, learn how the Iskashitaa Refugee Network is gleaning residential fruit trees to empower refugees and feed vulnerable communities. Also, meet Herman Harris and Randiesia Fletcher, of Harris-Fletcher Enterprises, who are creating an edible food forest in Tucson to feed their community and provide a shaded reprieve for those relying on public transit.
Duncan Family Farms®
May 11th: The Business of Farm to Food Banks
Gain a first-hand perspective from Duncan Family Farms® on the vital role local farms play in supporting food banks’ increasing food needs.
Hear the story of a partnership between the United Food Bank and Nalwoodi Denzhone Community (NDC) located on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and how they’re creating a movement toward food sovereignty.
Upcoming topics planned for later in the year also include Food As Medicine, Safeguarding Arizona’s Water with Improved Agricultural Farming Practices, and Farming as a Revolutionary Act for Food Sovereignty. Learning about these topics will help us create a stronger food economy and more food security and sovereignty for all.
Why is learning about these issues important? Our farmers and food producers are often unseen heroes; they not only provide healthy, fresh food but also take bold environmental and food sovereignty action to create a more sustainable and just local food system. If we lose Arizona’s farms then we lose the ability to feed ourselves and lose a huge part of our economy.
Proceeds from the films go to support Local First Arizona’s food programming, such as at the Good Food Finder, Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchen, and the Coalition for Farmland Preservation, whose ongoing work supports a vibrant, equitable food economy here in Arizona.
The Good Food Film Series is made possible by community sponsors: Maricopa Community Colleges; United Food Bank; City of Phoenix: Office of Environmental Programs; Town of Gilbert; Pinnacle Prevention; Arizona Food Systems Network; Native American Connections; Arizona Milk Producers; Duncan Family Farms®; One AZ Credit Union; Maricopa County Food Coalition; and Edible Phoenix.