Harvesting Hope: The Martin Family

The Martin Family is one of a series of five short films for The Nature Conservancy about the Farm Bill. 

The Martin family has been farming their land in Mt. Olive, N.C. for more than 140 years. Over the decades, they've learned that surviving as a small-scale farmer is no easy task. When they wanted to build a new high tunnel to lengthen their growing season, they turned to the Farm Bill. The legislation provided funding and a water management plan, but they believe it can do even more to support small-scale farmers in the future.

“The Farm Bill needs to be renewed every five years and is responsible for programs ranging from equipment assistance and environmental conservation initiatives to food stamps and equity, especially for small farmers.

The previous bill has been living on borrowed time with temporary extensions. The Nature Conservancy is investing a lot of energy into bolstering these programs and encouraging Congress to create a more robust Farm Bill that strengthens conservation initiatives protecting everything from soil, water, forests and grasslands. Much of the open land across the South is privately owned, and so much lies in the balance of landowners stewarding these ecosystems.

On this project, we created five stories about families each doing their part…more than their part to protect and restore not just their land but the ecosystems so many in their communities rely upon. Each family allowed us into their lives with such candor and openness. They bent over backwards to help us make a beautiful glimpse into their worlds. I’ll be sharing the films and photo stories as well as additional images in coming weeks.” – Morgan Heim, Team Lead