In the summer of 2011, two young Maritimers, Justin Cantafio and Ryan Oickle, departed on a journey that would take them across Canada and back in just under four months. We left from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and travelled as far as the Discovery Islands Archipelago of British Columbia, before heading back on our return. Along the course of our travels we lived and volunteered on 10 small-scale organic farms using Canada’s World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) network. Our objective was to connect with the individuals on the front line of sustainable food production and distribution, in a country whose agricultural policies are favorable towards the large-scale and unsustainable production of market commodities. During our travels we became working and living members of the farms we visited. In addition, we wrote blog entries for friends and the WWOOF network, collected scientific data for the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, and filmed footage of our experiences.
Our hypothesis going in to the trip was that not only is small-scale organic agriculture a biophysically viable alternative to the dominant yet unsustainable form of industrialized conventional agriculture and food distribution so common today, but that it also serves as the foundation for truly happy and healthy people, communities, and ecosystems. We filmed our experiences with the hopes of creating an educational documentary film while paying homage to the 10 farms and hosts that made our journey possible in the first place. It’s been a year since the conclusion of our journey, and we can both say with absolute confidence that we confirmed our hypothesis, while producing a film that we are proud of. We hope that our film lends itself to be a tool for opening eyes, spreading awareness, and reconnecting individuals and communities through the one thing that binds us all. Food.