Forgotten Farms film to be screened across New England

A new documentary film, Forgotten Farms, aims to celebrate the New England farmers who have been left out of the local food celebration.

Filmmakers David Simmonds and Sarah Gardener believe dairy farming in New England remains critically important to the agricultural economy and the farming future, and wanted to show it is not a dying industry, nor an irrelevant one.

New England has lost over 10,000 dairy farms in the past 50 years; fewer than 2,000 farms remain. Collectively, they tend 1.2 million acres of farmland and produce almost all of the milk consumed in New England. In the consumer enthusiasm for the new food movement, the farmers at the foundation of the regional agricultural economy are often overlooked.

Forgotten Farms gives a glimpse into the past and a vision for a future regional food system. The documentary shows the cultural divide between the new food movement and traditional farming, highlighting the need to examine differences, develop mutual understanding, and find common ground.

Film screenings are scheduled from mid-May all the way through to September across New England. In the meantime, check out the trailer for the film here.