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d o c u m e n t i ng t h e gl oba l w wo of - i ng e x p e r i e nc e — t h rough shov e l
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1.
w h at i s w wo of ?
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms connects travelers with farmers in nearly every landscape and climate. Volunteers spend a portion of their day working on their host farm, in exchange for not only food and lodging, but also an unparalleled travel experience. What began in London in 1971 as a program designed to get city dwellers more connected with the land and into the country has now grown to span more than 50 countries and over 10,000 host farms. These farms are not limited to vegetables and livestock, but also include beekeepers, vineyards, coffee crops, and more. Both economical and adventurous, the global WWOOF-ing experience presents a fresh way to document environmental connections and cultural exchange. From the mountains of Argentina to the deserts of Morocco (and everywhere in between), there are open doors and crops to harvest.
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Guarda, portugal
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2.
w h at i s grow i ng rou t e s ?
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The following pamphlet outlines Growing Routes, a web series that will episodically document farms registered with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). With an intention to cover countries within every major region of the world, the series could be built into either a 5–episode or 10– episode arc. Each 10 to 15 minute film features one unique farm. It is a show about food, nature and travel, and how these things can give us insight into the human experience. Through an overall focus on narrative and individuality, the show's episodes are adaptable to a variety of different content needs. For all inquiries please email bee.reeber@gmail.com
concep t & tre atment dev eloped by
Brittany Reeber & Greg Stout. content direction & design by
R aquel Breternitz Riley Engemoen, northern california
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Marie's Organic Sharing Farm, ca, u.s.a.
c h a r ac t e r
Growing Routes is about the people: the farmers, the visitors, the hosts and their families. Our stories will be structured to be character-driven, and each film will document the farms through the ears, eyes and feet of the people who dwell on them. Compelling characters exist everywhere: The petting zoo farm in Divertigranja, Mexico whose host is a local hero, focused on educating children about sustainable living and animal welfare. Or Malika, a WWOOF farmer in the Moroccan countryside who turned a small patch of dry land into a thousand olive trees. Every episode will be unique to their perspectives, personal histories, and insights.
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Casa Girasol, peru
land
The hosts and their stories are bound to the land that they cultivate, and documenting their environments is an integral part of the film. The show presents a visceral and organic depiction of daily life, transporting the viewer to these landscapes. We’ll follow the river as it flows down the mountainside to Malika’s carefully crafted irrigation system, or get up close and personal with the goats nibbling into the soil alongside children’s dirty fingernails in Divertigranja. Woven together, these images will present a rich perspective of the environment and connect the land with its inhabitants—and its explorers.
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m i s sion
Rather than just the traditional talking heads, the show will strive for more organic visual portraits of the farm and its people. We will learn their stories as they move through their spaces and work their land. Each episode will stay true to the place it documents, creating a series of films that are dynamic, nuanced, and ever changing.
SOME METHODS:
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A roaming camera follows the farmer as they travel down rows of vegetables, discussing the history of the land and their personal relationship to the crop. Shots where the lens absorbs the entire space—like a fly on the wall—as the host methodically prepares a dish from today’s harvest. Subjective, intimate angles of various actions on the farm, such as hands grasping at soil or plucking apples off trees. Candid, endearing shots of the camaraderie that occurs both on the farm and during the evenings among the hosts, families, and their visitors.
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Brittany Reeber, carribe an
Creekside Lane Organics, utah
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Marie's Organic Sharing Farm, ca, u.s.a.
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What does this farm mean to the host and their family?
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What is the significance of the crops they grow?
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More generally, what does food mean to them?
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What is the host’s relationship to their surrounding community?
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Where does their harvest go?
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What changes have they seen in their community and the environment because of organic farming and local food production?
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How did the host find out about WWOOF and what compelled them to take strangers into their home and farm?
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How has WWOOF/organic farming improved their life and their family’s lives?
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Ilham, morocco
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What is their favorite home cooked meal? How is it prepared?
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How did volunteers discover WWOOF and what compelled them to volunteer?
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What are volunteer’s impressions of the farm?
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What is the most profound moment the host has experienced with a volunteer?
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What makes this place unique?
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What are some of the complexities of the environment?
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How does the farm fit into the larger organism of the community and country it lives within?
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What does the land need in order to survive?
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ta k e away
Traveling by way of organic farms is not a simple way to see the world. You transcend the expected observational role and instead establish new roots everywhere you go by way of a literal, physical connection to the land. Growing Routes is a show that will portray complex, well-rounded portraits of unique locations worldwide—through the dual perspectives of foreign visitors and caretakers, illuminating the intersections of environment, food, travel, and human impact.
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Riley Engemoen, northern california
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filmmakers
Br ittany Reeber
c r e at i v e p roduc e r
Since traveling with Nature Conservancy in 2012 to document their global climate initiatives, Brittany has nurtured a passion for environmental documentary as well as adventurous travel. She graduated from the University of Texas with dual degrees in Radio-TV-Film and French Language, directing several award winning short films during her tenure. She has served in a variety of roles across the realms of video and journalism, including work as a principal editor for Rolling Stone Magazine's festival coverage nationwide. Upon graduation, Brittany has been involved with a large range of production work in the Austin film industry. She is currently productioncoordinating a feature film that blends documentary and narrative to explore a controversial Texas trial. Above all else, she wants to dedicate her time to authentic storytelling—an underlying principle for Growing Routes.
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Greg Stout
c i n e m at o gr a p h e r
Currently traveling through East Asia, Greg also has a strong affinity for adventure and experiencing new cultures. He has a multifaceted resume with an emphasis on cinematography. While obtaining a degree in RadioTV-Film, he served as Director of Photography on several award winning short films, creative-produced a weekly live television show, and as worked for the University of Texas as their principal videographer for official freshman orientation content. Within months of graduating, Greg received his union card while working on Robert Rodriguez' new television series From Dusk Till Dawn as a set electrician. His ability to think and create in a distinct visual language, paired with a proficient technical background, makes him an ideal partner for this project.
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Hacienda Ccapacca, peru
r e f e r e nc e s
st or i e s :
The farm in Divertigranja http://bigtriplittletrip.com.au/wwoofing-in-mexico/
The farm in Morocco http://www.wwoof.net/news/post/a-beautiful-friendship/
p ho t o gr a p h e r s :
Brittany Reeber brittanyreeber.com
Greg Stout Riley Engemoen
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Tacomepai Organic Farm, thail and a ddi t ion a l p ho t o gr a p h y gat h e r e d f rom :
Guarda, Portugal Rodrigo Rocha, Photo Of The Month, May, wwoof.net
Marie's Organic Sharing Farm, California Lance Storm | Pescadero, CA 94060 US http://mariesfarm.com/
Creekside Lane Organics, Utah Larry White | Moab, UT 84532 http://www.creeksidelaneorganics.com/
Ilham, Morocco WWOOF Host Member ID: 8230 http://www.wwoofafrica.org/profile.php?profile_id=8230
Hacienda Ccapacca, Peru http://www.wwoof-peru.com/ Tacomepai Organic Farm, Thailand WWOOF-TH-20 http://www.wwoofthailand.com/hosts/home/
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de sign
We chose the imagery of the passiflora—more commonly known as the passion flower—to be the repeated graphic motif amongst the other botanical illustrations very intentionally—on the one hand, the obvious: this project is about passion: passion for helping others, passion for experiencing new points of view, passion for tending our lands and environments that have nurtured our communities for eons. On the other hand, it also symbolizes the unity of the world around us; the passion flower is pantropical and, in some form or another, grows across the globe: from trellises in Austin, TX, to the wild parts of Cambodia, from the Amazonas of Brasil to the expanses of Australia, from Spain to New Guinea to Ohio—and back!
The title "Growing Routes" is a double-entendre about seemingly opposing ideals: setting down roots, and emerging pathways. That seeming contradiction, however, is where the beauty of WWOOF lies: as the organization is growing routes across the globe for the visiters and adventurers that become involved with them, those expanding global connections are helping more and more farmers to empower themselves to strengthen their ties to their communities and their livelihoods.
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t h rough shov e l
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GNIWOR G SETUOR SETUOR
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