Gaining Ground

GAINING GROUND, a feature-length documentary film by Elaine Velazquez and Barbara Bernstein, tells the stories of farmers making extraordinary changes in their farming practices so they can feed their local communities sustainably grown produce and grains. From farms in Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley to underserved communities of color in Richmond, California, GAINING GROUND reveals the tenacity and courage of these diverse urban and rural farmers, committed to serving and empowering their communities. The documentary interweaves experiences of urban farmer-activists in inner city Richmond, California; a small family farm in rural Oregon converting from a commodity dairy to a sustainably grown produce farm; and a large farm in the Willamette Valley transitioning from grass seed to organic grains. GAINING GROUND instills in its viewers the potential to create change on a personal, local and global scale. Our goal is to inspire people to make choices in their own lives that support local and sustainable food and the farmers who are working to take back our food system.