Is it possible to build a farm in complete harmony with nature? What does it take to realize such a crazy idea?
John and Molly's crazy idea came from a commitment to a dog. Like most ordinary people, the couple, originally a wildlife photographer and food blogger, lead an ordinary life. They made a commitment to each other to create a meaningful life together. Molly's dream was to have a farm that was different from the traditional plantation plant: it had gardens, orchards, and animals—just like in the fairy tale books. And because the dog they accidentally adopted has been barking at home, not only have they been complained by their neighbors and evicted by their landlord, their extraordinary life has just begun.
They decided to use Molly's dream to solve the problem, they found investment, they found Alan, an agricultural expert, and came to Apricot Lane Farm an hour north of Los Angeles, wanting to imitate the operation of natural ecosystems. Diversification for self-regulation, where the owner is no longer the farmer, but nature. Allen said: "Diversity is the key to success here." And this diversity comes from living in harmony with nature and making a living on the basis of respecting nature, rather than solely using and exploiting nature.
When John tried his best to treat the sick sow, he also thought, is it necessary to try to save the animals that will become food one day, but people will naturally have feelings, in the relationship with animals and nature People should always have a sense of awe and empathy. Humans are not the top of the food chain, but a link in a huge ecological cycle. Once the ecosystem is destroyed, human beings cannot survive alone.
Dreams alone cannot protect farms. The farm encountered pests and bad fruits, encountered wild wolves stealing chickens, and the sudden death of expert Allen was further worsened. Falling into anger and despair, John pulled the trigger, and as the wolf fell, John realized that what fell was the faith he had always held in his heart. They began to rethink the way of operating in the countryside. When encountering problems, they took a step back and observed, and tried to solve the problem without human intervention but with the power of nature.
In their seventh year running the farm, Molly and John are no longer alone. The wolves control the gophers that eat the roots, and the eagles control the birds that eat the delicious fruit. They have reached the highest level of farm management - "governing by inaction", using nature to help nature, and also restricting nature with nature.
Even the unreachable dream can be accomplished by persistently insisting on small things in every action.
When chasing their dreams, they may deviate from their original intentions, and may encounter the impermanence of fate, but after every setback, they rethink and adjust, and every gain makes them move forward more firmly, simply enjoy nature and feel life. Maybe that's what moved me about this documentary.
To borrow the last sentence of another film review, "May your deep love also find its own paradise, take root, blossom and bear fruit, and every year is as beautiful as a fairy tale."
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