Ladies of the Land 2008
Distributed by Cinema Guild, 115 West 30th Street, Suite 800, New York, NY 10001; 212-685-6242
Produced by The Cinema Guild
Directed by Megan Thompson
DVD, color, 29 min.
College - Adult
Agriculture, Women's Studies
Date Entered: 06/03/2008
Reviewed by Buzz Haughton, Shields Library, University of California at DavisThis film focuses on women farmers in the United States. Even though the number of farmers in the US continues to decline, an ever larger proportion of the remaining number comprises women. More significantly, women farmers encompass an ever larger percentage of US farmers engaged in organic farming. They also are much more closely attached to communities close to where they farm; female farmers are much more likely to make use of local farmers’ markets to sell their produce than are corporate farming concerns.
Ladies of the Land profiles four women who, to their surprise, end up as local farmers in various locales. The film celebrates their victories and looks at some of the problems they have encountered in a traditionally male-centric industry like agriculture.
Recommended for agriculture and women’s studies collections at the college and general levels.