My Father's Garden (1995)

My Father's Garden is an engrossing documentary about the use and misuse of technology on the American farm. The main story concerns Fred Kirschenmann, organic farmer and leader in the sustainable agriculture movement. Fred's message is deeply serious. We are rapidly losing the natural resources and human wisdom that are necessary to grow food...but there is a way out of this dilemma. Intertwined with Fred's story is the personal narrative of the filmmaker, told through the use of home movies from the 1950's. Her father was a successful and innovative farmer at the dawn of the chemical era in agriculture. His use of the new miracle sprays enabled him to utterly transform their Florida farm into a man-made paradise. My Father's Garden is at its essence a story of hope. By examining the central philosophies that guide our relationship with nature, the film shows how each of us can bring health and beauty back into the Garden, our planet.