Documentary Kick Off
This month marks the beginning of a year-long process where director and filmmaker, Garrett Forbes, will be intermittently following the Lewis Family throughout the 2022 growing season to film a documentary covering farming in the semi-arid Southern High Plains (SHP) of Texas. The film will cover issues every producer in the region must face and use local SHP cotton producer, Clay Lewis, as the focal narrative to demonstrate these unique challenges . Producers in the area this year are forced to farm in the midst of a severe drought with a dwindling source of irrigation water. Climate change, labor shortages, policy challenges, and the unrelenting water shortages are all obstacles faced every day in the area by these producers.
“Texas High Plains farmers face many challenges. These videos aim to bring attention to the challenges in order to identify solutions that will enable farmers to achieve economic and environmental sustainability.”
“Growing up in the High Plains, I always assumed the land was reserved for agriculture because it was an optimal environment for growing cotton. The moment you step foot in the sandbox, it’s clear that the nuances and complexities of agriculture are elusive, if not entirely foreign to the average consumer. Each farmer toes a thin margin for error, often praying for rain that never comes. Their perseverance, hospitality, and resilience alone make this story interesting. But it’s the impending and constantly evolving obstacles of our climate, politics, and a polarized public perception of sustainability that make it crucial and worth telling. ”
