Deep Roots II – Full Documentary Online!

“Deep Roots II – Days and Nights on the Farm” the Full Documentary is online! Thank you to those who made it to the premiere screening at The Bainbridge Club on December 1st. The hall was filled with more than fifty people and it was truly a wonderful experience to  see people who participated in the video, people who are dear to me and people who I did not know personally!

“Deep Roots II” focuses on the use of art on farms to spread the message of the importance of local urban farming and being conscious of how to support your community through collaboration…

“Deep Roots II — Days and Nights on the Farm” is a documentary produced by Michelle Saul-Yamasaki of the multi-media art installation by Meei-Ling Ng, that took place on October 6th and 7th, 2012 in collaboration with Weavers Way’s Mort Brooks Memorial Farm and their Farm Festival and in conjunction with the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) and lighting designer Jackson Kay. The aim of this event was to spread the message that urban farms by necessity need to be multi-use spaces not just for growing food. Meei-Ling Ng and her collaborators took a unique approach to raise awareness on the importance of farming by expanding the audience past foodies to art lovers and beyond. Meei-Ling’s multimedia art installation featured sculptures using repurposed and recycled farm materials that focus the viewers’ attention to the many facets of urban farm life. It included a multimedia bee keeper sculpture, a farmer sculpture, light shows (to see life on the farm at night) and functional art that the farmers utilize in their daily tasks such as the decorative chicken tractor.

Collaboration was another key theme of the event and of this documentary also. Meei-Ling collaborated with many, from light designer Jackson Kay to Farmer Rick, farm educators to high school students (Central and Friends Select), Anna the director of POST to photographer Sang Cun and Michelle Saul-Yamasaki, the videographer. This amazing collaboration resulted in a great turn out of people, an amazing art installation that everyone enjoyed and learned from, many became interested about becoming a part of Weavers Way Co-op and those involved met new friends while eating and enjoying music. And with the collaboration of Meei-Ling and Michelle Saul-Yamasaki, they were able to capture this great event and the people that made it happen to then share it with more communities and continue spreading this message to inspire other communities. It would have been impossible if it wasn’t for everyone collaborating in the name of something they believe in…

Please check it out, share it with people, groups and organizations who may find this meaningful and let us know what you think! Feel free to leave a comment below, comment on Ponder Tree’s Facebook Page or through email. (pondertreemedia@gmail.com)

List of Collaborators
Video production – Michelle Saul-Yamasaki www.pondertree.com
Artist/Event Producer – Meei-Ling Ng www.meeiling.com
Farm and Educators – Weavers Way Co-op and Weavers Way Community Program (WWCP) www.weaversway.coop
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) www.philaopenstudios.org
Location – Awbury Arboretum www.awbury.com
Lighting Designer – Jackson Kay www.facebook.com/JKConceptsDesign
Photographer – Sang Cun www.SangCun.blogspot.com
Music – Painted Blue www.myspace.com/PaintedBluegrass
Trailer used on the Bee Keeper Sculpture – “Vanishing of the Bees” www.vanishingbees.com
The Bainbridge Club – www.bainbridgeclub.yolasite.com/