Dylan Sher admitted he used to be city-ignorant on what it takes to get the ingredients for a meal to the plate.
The Toronto native and University of Guelph agricultural business student said he’s had his eyes opened, thanks in no small part to people such as Chatham-Kent’s Grant and Amanda Craven.
Amanda is an agri-science student at Guelph, while Grant, her father, works the family farm off Centre Side Road, and works for PRIDE Seeds as well.
Sher, with the help of lifelong friend Sagi Kahane-Rapport, is working to educate others about how farms do business today.
They put together the documentary Before the Plate, which tracks the food on a dinner plate at the posh Toronto restaurant Canoe back to its origins. They bring Canoe’s chef, John Horne, with them.
Sher commended the business practices of farmers they spoke with in the documentary, and hopes it clears up some myths about modern farming practices.
“Farmers are doing a good job producing our food. People don’t have a base understanding of agriculture,” he said. “Or when they ask questions, they are given incomplete answers.”
Sher said some agricultural documentaries blow things such as GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or pesticides out of proportion.
“When you see a sprayer unfolding, a skull and crossbones comes to mind,” he said. “We go into the GMO debate, discuss pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.”
Sher said there is some mistrust in the agricultural industry over the flow of information. He said he’s found farmers to be quite friendly, however.
“They are becoming more open in what they are doing. The warmth and hospitality and reception on a farm is crazy,” he said. “We’re just trying to bring more awareness to the industry.”
Grant Craven said he embraces the concept of Before the Plate.
“It’s what I live for, about the work I do on the farm; our profession,” he said. “We (farmers) are one per cent of the population. This is a unique opportunity to tell the journey of a plate of food from the farms.”
Craven understands people who live in large urban areas may know little about how the food gets to them.
“Why would they understand? They go to grocery stores and food is in abundance,” he said.
The tomatoes used in the beef tenderloin dish for the documentary originated at Truly Green Farms on Bloomfield Road in Chatham. Truly Green’s work with Greenfield Global in the sharing of heat and carbon dioxide connected the documentary to the Craven family farm, which grows corn and sells it to Greenfield.
That connection has blossomed further as Sher, Kahane-Rapport and a film crew were in Chatham-Kent recently to film a commercial for PRIDE Seeds. Some of the work took place on the Craven farm.
Meanwhile, Sher said he is no longer ignorant of the ways and efforts of a farmer. Still, he knows he’s no farmer either.
“The difference between me and my friends back home is huge, but the difference between me and a farmer is immeasurable,” he said.
Before the Plate premiered in early August to a sold-out crowd in Toronto. Sher said effort is underway to distribute the film to a wider audience. He said it will be available online, but hopes to have screenings in other communities, including Chatham-Kent.
