This lushly filmed documentary follows the joys and tribulations of a group of farmers in upstate New York—many of whom originally raised dairy cattle—as they form a co-op to raise and sell grass-fed beef. Farms in the state continue to cease operations at an alarming rate—one every three days—and in this corner of the Adirondacks the gently rolling terrain is not amenable to the huge agribusinesses that have overtaken small enterprises in the Midwest and prairie states. Filmmakers Sarah Teale and Lisa F. Jackson spend two years following the nascent Adirondack Grocers Co-op, interspersing bucolic shots of the landscape and herds in all seasons with the drama of survival, as farmers tend their stock and marketers struggle with supply and distribution problems, trying to get upscale restaurants and groceries to order the more expensive meat. At one point, the organization collapses, but the participants forge on. With the signing of a large online grocery retailer, the effort seems finally to be on firm ground—the original 10 member outfits having grown to 36. An encouraging exploration of how small-family farming ventures can make a go of it, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)
Grazers: A Cooperative Story
(2014) 66 min. DVD: $49.99 ($125 w/PPR): public libraries; $295 w/PPR: colleges & universities. DRA. Collective Eye. Volume 30, Issue 5
Grazers: A Cooperative Story
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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