Seed Swap

The Ozark Seed Swap examines the second annual event of the same name, which took place in Mountain View, Arkansas, on February 21, 2009. Although the event only lasted just over three hours, hundreds of varieties of heirloom seeds were exchanged.

On the surface, this award-winning* film simply appears to recount gardeners’ annual trek to Mountain View to share, save and swap heirloom seeds. Viewers soon realize, however, that Seed Swap reveals a greater social message. We discover that through the continual process of sharing and growing seeds, people pass on agricultural knowledge; eat healthier, locally grown food; and lead more self-sustaining lives.

Filmmaker and director Zachariah McCannon and producer Dr. Brian Campbell, professor of anthropology at the University of Central Arkansas, led an interactive discussion about the film, the local food movement and the social impact both are making here in Arkansas. This film was in conjunction with the first Mountaintop Harvest: Connecting the Past with the Present weekend.

*The short version of this film received first place in the “Sustainable Alternatives” section of the Little Rock Film Festival. Learn more about Seed Swap.

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