In California and other regions affected by drought, agriculture is suffering from a lack of water and farms are being abandoned at an alarming rate. But some people have developed solutions to capture the rains that DO fall. In this state and in many other dry regions around the world, land restoration helps water penetrate healthy soils and in turn increase crop yields.

Even in dry areas, water which typically might run off, can be harvested and stored in tanks, ponds and swales. By using gabions, biodiversity, mulching, pioneer trees, wild and domestic animals, swale systems, check dams, fruit forests, keyline plows, compost teas and many other methods, it is possible to restore the soil and design new productive landscapes.
This film explores the work of Erik Ohlsen, Geoff Lawton and other growers, permaculture designers and educators, showing how intentional design can benefit both humans and nature.

LOCATIONS: northern and southern California, Arizona and Jordan.

Directed and Edited by Jocelyn Demers
Produced by Monde Films
November 2015

52 minutes