Free Screening and Discussion of the Acclaimed Documentary Symphony of the Soil in Camden

“At the very least, you will leave (Symphony of the Soil) with the profound understanding that feeding our soil is the first step in feeding ourselves.”— The New York Times

The Camden Conference and Maine Farmland Trust are pleased to present a special showing of Debra Koons Garcia’s new documentary, Symphony of the Soil on Friday, August 22nd at 7 p.m. at the Camden Opera House. Debra Koons Garcia, the film’s director, writer and producer, will be joined for a live discussion after the film by sustainable agriculture visionary, Fred Kirschenmann, and John Piotti, President and CEO of the Maine Farmland Trust.

Symphony of the Soil explores the complexity and mystery of “the living skin of the earth.” The film is an important work that examines how many of today’s large-scale farming practices, while producing abundant food, are damaging the soil used for growing it. Filmed on four continents and sharing the voices of soil scientists, farmers, and activists, soil is revealed to be a living organism, the foundation of life on earth.

Debra Koons Garcia is best known for her 2004 film, The Future of Food, which addressed the issues of genetically engineered crops and the corporate control of our food supply.

Fred Kirschenmann is making a return visit to the Midcoast after delivering a stirring keynote address at last winter’s Camden Conference. He is a longtime national and international leader in sustainable agriculture and continues to manage his family’s 1,800 acre certified organic farm in North Dakota.

John Piotti was a founder of Maine Farmland Trust in 1999. His work with MFT was recently honored when Maine magazine named him one of “50 people who have made a difference in Maine.”

This event was made possible through a grant from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation as a follow-up event to February’s Camden Conference, “The Global Politics of Food and Water,” and presents an exciting opportunity to further explore the issues raised at that widely praised and sold out event.
The event is free and open to the public.

See the “Symphony of the Soil” trailer at: https://vimeo.com/64662202

“Unfolding with gentle joy and an unexpected beauty, this ode to the miracle of the Earth’s topmost layer gives us a newfound respect for the ground beneath our feet.”— The New York Times

The mission of the Camden Conference is to foster informed discourse on world issues. For more information, visit www.camdenconference.org, email info@camdenconference.org, or call 207-236-1034.