Tom and Sea

This short documentary centers the friendship between Tom and Sea and the project that brought them together. Tom is a third-generation dairy farmer nearing retirement and Sea is a beginning farmer from the Bronx. Tom’s greatest wish is to see his 257 acres stay in farming, as his life’s work has been tending the land. Without family to take over the farm stewardship after him, Tom worked with American Farmland Trust for more than a decade to create a transition plan. Neighboring farmers and organizations joined the conversation, and together began imagining what equitable land access might look like for the next generation of farmers. The West Branch Commons was born out of those conversations, and this new organization will be taking over the farm and offering 99-year affordable leases to historically excluded beginning farmers to start their own operations. Sea is one of the farmers who has been deeply involved in the creation of the West Branch Commons, and will be taking over part of the farm. The collaboration that has emerged is beautiful and complex, and just might offer a land transition model for the older generation of farmers who care deeply about their land and the future of farming. This film does not go too deeply into the complexities of the organizational logistics of the project, but we will be sharing resources for those who are inspired by this work and wish to learn more.

[@michaelhulskotter7623]

I grew up in the area and witnessed the evaporation of the dairy herd farmer. So sad. So much devotion and work. If only they had bound together and created a grass fed butter like the “Goshen” butter of old to compete with the thriving Irish butters….sadly getting north eastern folk to band together is not likely. They love the grain fed white butter Holsteins and getting a bazillion gallons of milk per cow to flood an oceanic market was a race to the bottom. Pasteurized Holstein milk fed grain is not tolerable to people who have become allergic to everything because of our toxic environment. The cows suffer as well. Raw milk products were never pursued and artisan cheese products were not respected. Upstate NY was relatively devoid of culture till recently with the farm to table neo European vibe selling expensive properly raised and grown food to those folks who can afford to not want to look and feel like their SAD diet parents and peers.

[@josemhossain8221]

❤️❤️❤️❤️🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦

[@az55544]

Access to land is difficult regardless of bipocq stuff. The increase in price since covid started is massive. Your identitly has little to do with it. I am 59 white female and am having one heck of a time finding land and finances that will support someone my age.

[@strawberryfuntime]

It makes it harder due to the lack of intergenerational wealth of the majority compared to those who have it - that’s something to note