Natural Family News

LAFARGE, Wis., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ — The Heart of Farming, a new monthly
multimedia storytelling feature that connects America’s new generation of
organic farmers to their urban counterparts, has been launched by Organic
Valley Family of Farms, the cooperative that helped pioneer organic
agriculture in the U.S.
Available on the Organic Valley website at
http://www.organicvalley.coop/heart , The Heart of Farming is shot, edited,
and produced by award-winning photo journalist Carrie Branovan, exclusively
for Organic Valley Family of Farms. Branovan has been traveling across the
nation photographing organic farmers for the past five years. While she
walked through pastures, waited for the rain to pass, and sat at the farmhouse
kitchen table sharing pie and coffee, she was treated to some of the best
stories she had ever heard. This year, Organic Valley’s web team asked her to
share those stories with a larger community. The farmers’ voices and
beautiful photographic images are now blended together and embellished with
locally produced music. The result is an entertaining, thoughtful and
inspiring slice of life.
“The Heart of Farming is about the values that are shared by urban and
rural folks who think outside the box, and challenge existing paradigms,” said
Branovan.
Branovan noted that The Heart of Farming is a “creative vehicle that
connects the organic community — values to values — with the folks that
produce their food.” Farmers are able to tell stories in their own voices,
expressing their thoughts about a diverse range of topics.
“Organic farmers represent a renaissance population that thinks beyond
conventional farming methods, challenges popular thought, and often reinvents
what their parents and universities have taught them about chemically
intensive farming. These farmers are unusually intuitive, bright, talented,
and gregarious; they share a strong sense of justice and social
responsibility,” said Branovan.
The first Heart of Farming episode features farmers Laurie and Lee
Arboreal and 4-year-old daughter Iris, first generation market gardeners in
central Michigan. Viewers are treated to a story from Laurie, and invited to
reflect on managing life’s challenges, against a background of vibrant organic
images of food, flowers and family. Branovan pauses to ask, “Is it that
philosophers make great organic farmers, or that living a life close to the
rhythms of the earth creates philosophers? Maybe both!”
“The Heart of Farming is an authentic voice for a brand that has pioneered
the organic movement,” said Theresa Marquez, chief marketing executive of
Organic Valley, an unprecedented cooperative model owned by 730 organic family
farmers across the U.S. “It is an excellent example of Organic Valley’s
commitment to connecting citizen consumers to the farmers who produce their
food, renewing America’s pride in its agrarian roots, and celebrating the
growth of the organic movement.”
Each month’s Heart of Farming episode will be featured in Rootstock,
Organic Valley’s monthly e-magazine. To subscribe, follow the prompts to
become a member of Farm Friends at http://www.organicvalley.coop .