The Urbana Free Library and Solidarity Gardens CU present Plant This Movie- a film about urban farming, gardening, food security, and community.
Plant This Movie presents a comprehensive look at the evolution and growing impact of the international urban agriculture movement -- from cities across the United States to diverse countries around the world.
Featuring leading urban farming advocates, the film explores the inspiring success story of Cuba, and travels globally to communities of urban farmers in Shanghai, Calcutta, Addis Ababa, London, and Lima.
In the US, the film visits innovative projects in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Philadelphia and Portland – including the largest rooftop garden in the world, blighted areas transformed into urban farms, student-run gardens and CSA, and other projects that show the explosion of creative local efforts.
The film begins by tracing the evolution of the household yard in America from a necessary source for food to the ubiquitous lawn, now the # 1 irrigated urban crop. After the highly productive Victory Gardens of WWII, the country moved rapidly to a more centralized food system, and people became divorced from the source of their food.
As Plant This Movie vividly illustrates, the ingredients for scaling up urban farming and reconnecting people to the food we eat are now all around us. The movement provides hope that people across the nation and the world will once again have access to healthier, locally grown food, using the land near where they live as a primary source.
Narrated by Darryl Hannah.
"Highly Recommended. Visits gardening sites across the world where urban gardeners are successful raising fish, vegetables and fruits. The information presented is valid and accurate as it portrays farming of yesteryear to now. The message is clear -- urban gardens do work to produce fresh food as they did in the past."
— Science Books and Films (AAAS)
Solidarity Gardens was launched in June of 2020 by Cunningham Township in collaboration with Sola Gratia Farm, Channing Murray Foundation, Urbana Park District, The Urbana Free Library and other community partners. By providing seeds, tools, knowledge, and redistribution, we intended to address current and worsening food insecurity by supporting local residents in growing food for themselves as well as our neighbors in need.
This event is open to all ages and will be screened via Zoom. Registration is required and limited to 100 participants.
Conveniently located at the corner of Race and Green in downtown Urbana.
