Movie Review: The Biggest Little Farm

(630 words. A 4 minute read)

The Biggest Little Farm is beautifully photographed and has a gripping narrative. It has close-ups of raindrops on blades of grass as ladybugs crawl up the edge as well as aerial shots of the farm and wide shots of the stars at night. The baby animals are so darn cute. I attended the film with three friends, one of whom would often say out loud, “Oh for cute,” or “Aww!”

While the photography is stunning, animation is used at times to explain abstract thoughts.

OK, time for true confessions here. I know farming is damn hard. I was prepared for a cute glossed-over hippy-dippy film. After suspending my disbelief in how a couple would purchase a farm and financially maintain themselves, I let go and let myself become mesmerized in the photography and the narrative.

This is a documentary film. The stars of it are Molly Chester, a former chef and blogger who knew how important the sources of the food are, and John Chester, a photographer for National Geographic. The whole film is tied together by a dog named Todd, whom they rescued and promised that their home would be his last home. The newly married couple lived in a  small apartment in Santa Monica and Todd wouldn’t stop barking. Soon they are evicted out of their home and with their promise to a dog decide to purchase a worn, dried out farm one hour north of Los Angeles. “The soil was dead. Every other farmer we talked to thinks we are crazy,” John said.

The couple enlists the help of Alan York, a biodynamic consultant who teaches them that their farm needs animals and a variety of crops.

And they work hard. At one point Johns says, “Every time I cross something off the list 10 more things get added.”

It’s revealed that the farm in the recent past has had 4 different owners, and two of those owners were banks after the farm went bankrupt. The Chesters hire one Spanish-speaking man who has worked on the farm for all four owners. And another man who learn valuable farming skills while growing up in Mexico.  With pleas on Molly’s blog, they also find young adults from all around the world to help with farmwork.

It seems each new animal or crop attracts its own predator or problem. They have over 75 varieties of fruit trees. Birds ruin 70 percent of their fruits. The couple takes their eggs to market and they sell-out in less than one hour. For every victory there is a pest. Of course, soon they have the problem of coyotes attacking their chickens.

At one point John gets his rifle determined to shoot a coyote. (I grew up in North Dakota, where I learned that ranchers had a motto when it came to coyotes: SSS, shoot, shovel, and shut up. But I also knew of another alternative The whole time the Chesters worried about coyotes I wanted to shout, “Get a couple of donkeys! They will teach those coyotes a lesson.” My in-laws raised sheep. The donkeys protected the sheep.)

Soon, snails invade the trees, but ducks will eat snails. Bugs eat the leaves. And on and on it goes.

I won’t give any spoilers. Let’s just say the film is magnificently photographed and edited. The story-telling is captivating.

No rating that I could find. Lots of sex with the birds and the bees LOL ;)

No profanity, or drugs, some violence as predators kill farm animals. Lots of death and birth.

Animation by Jason Carpenter. 91 minutes.

Tends to play at indie theaters. Check mainstream theaters here.

Check Indie theaters here

This film will leave you in awe, some of my seatmates cried.

The film resonated with me and I recalled the Bible verse, “Stop and consider the wondrous works of God.” --Job 37:14.

I give it 5 stars.