Showing The Garden at Barefoot Coffee Dec 15th

Posted By Amie Frisch, on December 10th, 2009

Join us for a showing of The Garden (movie) at Barefoot Coffee on Dec 15th at 7pm. We are taking part in Barefoot’s Terra Madre Week:

“December 10th marks the 20th anniversary of the Slow Food movement, a group of farmers, food artisans, producers and thinkers that work towards agricultural sustainability and the preservation of traditional foodways and forms. In commemoration and in support, Barefoot is celebrating Terra Madre Month, a collection of workshops, film screenings and fundraising, benefiting the CAFF’s Farm to School Program in Santa Clara”

About the Movie

The fourteen-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda in South Central Los Angeles is the largest of its kind in the United States. Started as a form of healing after the devastating L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers have since created a miracle in one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods. Growing their own food. Feeding their families. Creating a community.

But now, bulldozers are poised to level their 14-acre oasis.

The Garden follows the plight of the farmers, from the tilled soil of this urban farm to the polished marble of City Hall. Mostly immigrants from Latin America, from countries where they feared for their lives if they were to speak out, we watch them organize, fight back, and demand answers:

Why was the land sold to a wealthy developer for millions less than fair-market value? Why was the transaction done in a closed-door session of the LA City Council? Why has it never been made public?

And the powers-that-be have the same response: “The garden is wonderful, but there is nothing more we can do.”

If everyone told you nothing more could be done, would you give up?

Here is the full schedule for Terra Madre Week at Barefoot:

Thursday December 10th, 7pm @ The Cafe: A viewing of the film “Mr Bene Goes to Italy” and an explanation of Slow Foods endevors in the food world. Slow Food South Bay will be in attendance!

Tuesday December 15th, 7 pm @ The Barefoot Cafe: Veggielution co-sponsored viewing of “The Garden”, with Q&A afterwards

Thursday December 17th, 7pm @ The Barefoot Cafe: Viewing of “Food, Inc”, with a Q&A afterwards with Marie Holston or Andy Newbom, regarding Barefoot’s farming, purchasing, and sustainabilty practices, and how they fit in with the Slow Food mission.

Saturday December 19th, 11am @ Full Circle Farm (if sunny!) or the Barefoot Cafe (if rainy!), compost discussion and workshop with Full Circle Farms!

Tuesday December 22nd, 7pm @ The Barefoot Cafe: An explanation about Community Supported Agriculture programs with Full Circle Farms!