‘Truck Farm’ film at McHenry Community College

Submitted by University of Illinois Extension/McHenry County Unit

From the Peabody-winning co-creators of “King Corn” comes “Truck Farm,” a new documentary telling the story of an old truck, a new kind of farming and the future of food in the American city. The film will screen at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29 at McHenry County College Conference Center, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

“Truck Farm” takes a look at the quirky world of urban agriculture. Using green roof technology and heirloom seeds, filmmaker Ian Cheney plants a garden on the only land he’s got: the back of his granddad’s old pickup truck. Once the truck bed begins to sprout, he and the “Truck Farm” set out to explore the rooftops, barges and windows that represent New York City’s newest edible oases. The film is a whimsical call-to-farms, featuring nutritionist Marion Nestle, chef Dan Barber, and musical narration by Brooklyn’s new sound The Fishermen Three. It premiered in January at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in California, earning a special Honorable Mention from the festival’s jury.

The Truck Farm project advances the notion that growing a bit of one’s food can be fun, easy and rewarding. The Truck Farm itself has become an icon in New York’s urban agriculture community, and has been featured on NPR and in The Washington Post. The national release of “Truck Farm” has brought the story of the mobile garden to even more audiences across the country this spring and summer, sparking discussions on urban agriculture and building momentum for school and community garden programs.

In coordination with the release of the film, a Truck Farm fleet was scaled up to 25 trucks in 25 cities.

Ian Cheney and the original Truck Farm is also touring New York City schools this fall, making truckside presentations to students on growing and eating good food.

The screening is hosted by Lou Marchi Total Recycling Institute at McHenry County College, and sponsored by University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners, McHenry County Farm Bureau, and the Woodstock Farmers Market.

Photos and select episodes from the film are available at http://truck-farm.com.