Stream the acclaimed film “The Biggest Little Farm”

John and Molly Chester traded city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream—harvest in harmony with nature. Through dogged perseverance and an embrace of the opportunity provided by nature's conflicts, the Chesters unlocked and uncovered a biodiverse design for living that exists far beyond their farm, providing lessons for all of us.

As we approach Earth Day 2021, the NC State University Libraries is pleased to host an online screening of “The Biggest Little Farm,” which chronicles the Chesters’ eight-year quest. The film will be available to view online through a Vimeo link from noon on Thursday, April 15 to noon on Saturday, April 17. Members of the public are welcome to register and watch the film. Register here.

This emotional documentary goes past first-level environmental thinking toward a deeper contemplation of sustainability, told through the daily challenges of running a substantial farm. For instance, creatures that farmers traditionally call pests, like the insects that gnaw at your peaches or the snakes that haunt your livestock, are as much a part of nature as anything else, and are merely playing their role in the local biome. How do you respect—and even incorporate—all of them and still have a harvest? The film chronicles the Chesters trying to figure all this out both physically and philosophically by folding their farming into natural patterns, rather than trying to fight it.

For more background, see the Chesters’ appearance on the Rich Roll podcast.