My class and I have just finished reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, Young Readers Edition. This film was an excellent way to culminate this unit! We have been traveling to farmer's markets, talking with farmers and scientists, as well as creating our own recipes from scratch (including an awesome hot cocoa recipe made without sugar). I am now planning on inviting a chef to come and speak with the class about being creative and healthy when cooking. Thanks to the girls for this amazing film! The kids were really inspired by you!

We have a farm in this area where I do programs for home schoolers, new york city public and private schools, local schools, adult and children programs, etc. I suggested my local district's 5th grade elementary school teachers consider going on a trip to the farm with their students. (I have been involved with the school food issue of this district for many years with limited success. I have held cooking classes, gotten the teachers to create a small garden, etc, over the years, but making a dent in the actual lunch program has been a long haul. Nevertheless, whenever I see a new opportunity, I try.) Unfortunately, they couldn't arrange a trip, but they asked if I could bring the farm to them. Hmm. So, I created a "growing sustainability" syllabus, and since I was going in "cold", I used What's On Your Plate to give the students a preview of the concepts I was to cover.
It is the first time I used a video in any of my programs. I had the three different 5th grade classes watch the three segments with their respective teachers when they could accommodate it in their schedules a few weeks prior to my scheduled visit. I followed up with an hour visit to each class which included a lecture; a slide show I created of the farm showing and explaining the sustainable energy projects there, as well as the crops and chickens; a "show and tell" with compost; organic and treated soils; and a local, seasonal cooking class featuring the beautiful produce from the farm, as well as other local farms. The objectives were met! The best part of course is really seeing how they got it!!! Hopefully those letters to the school administration will happen, and the children will get their parents to the farm stand or farmers market! Also, I pleasantly learned that those children really enjoyed the video and it certainly served the purpose. I requested the teacher's have the students write down while they were watching the video any questions, what struck them, or what they learned that they had not learned before. Although I did not discuss the video during my own presentation, I did get feedback and had them refer to their notes as we were eating our creations, (which also went over really well - they all love asparagus, who would've thought!).
All in all, having the video was a great precursor to my in house project and got them on board prior to my arrival, while giving them a broader picture of the whole food movement outside of their own county. I'll keep you up to date of any other projects where I make use your materials...

Sadie and Sofie, A remarkable job! Thanks for teaching us whats on our plate, continue to contribute your best to the world. Looking for more from you! Coach Anna McCoy

I showed the first part of the film to my 4th grade students who attend private school in NYC. They have been learning about global warming and how food can contribute to greenhouse gases (via transportation, pesticides, fertilizers and packaging). We are growing a veggie garden on our green roof which we plan to harvest and make into a "green pizza" on the last day of school. The kids were very captivated by the film, particularly as narrated by two NYC school girls. They were also interested in seeing the cafeteria of a public school and hearing other kids interviewed on food habits. They loved the focus on "Funyons"! It's an excellent and timely film that covers A LOT of ground. Thank you.

I watched it with my daughter Mia 14 and son Michael 11 and we all thought it was wonderful! Thank you so much for mentoring your daughter and her friend through the process of making such an important film. I hope it reaches the widest audience possible and know it will have real impact in bringing about change to our food production and consumption habits.

hey sadie and sofia!! my name is chanel and i live in new york. i saw your movie and i totally loved it! i love the fact that you guys are so young making your dreams come true, and its awesome that you can spread the word about healthy foods. I want to start going to green markets to buy healthy foods. Thanks for the info and inspiration. Love you guys, keep up the good work! :D

I love what you guys have been doing! I just went on a trip on Tuesday January 25, 2011, in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)! My school is P.S. /I.S. 208! I would love to see that movie over and over again! I think what you guys are doing is fantastic! 8-)

We just watched your documentary on Netflix Instant Viewing and are really glad that we could see it. We are a homeschooling mother and a 9 year old, and we are reading The Omnivore's Dilemma right now, so the movie was a great way to learn more! Thanks for making this film. We will think of you on our next trip to the farmer's market!

While I quite know most of the factoids, the impact of their complete arrangement leaves me jammed, angry, half ill, stunned that our governing elements have so arranged our food supply. This doesn't reach into the economic and social inequities against which I feel so impotent. What a blithering child I see myself to be . . . if we could just get that superlative man into the White House, our world would change. Actually, were I to distill the primary reason for wanting that direction to be taken, it was that it would mean a change for the United States in the eyes of the world. I had come to such concern for our reputation in the eyes of the world, as we have lost so much. . . . ah, the wreckage is so great, Ah, the wreakage is so deep, so profound, how, indeed, will it be brought into full humanity. I think I want to know that you are working with your heart and skills to affect some few positive shifts, and that the children will be the recipients of the urge to attend to the common good. Sometimes I feel bi-polar, at times high as seven kites because of the quality of the day, the moment, of a memory, of someone, and other times I feel so freighted with the problems of the world, of our sometimes-promising country, and the tasks appear so endless, and often to attend again, when one thought it had been settled. Please keep me appraised of your work, so there is weight on the positive side of the ledger, when I need to know that.

Dear Sadie, Safiyah and Catherine, We got to watch your film this past week. It was terrific!!! It was very informative and still so engaging. We were completely glued to the story and wanted to be making the celebration meal with you!!! Your personal victory of lowering your bad cholesterol and raising your good cholesterol was one of our favorite parts. It is also incredible to see an immigrant family come here , work hard and succeed like the Angel family. It was a beautiful film in so many ways and will certainly have a very positive impact on whomever watches it. We LOVED seeing all of you in the film. Hope to see the real YOUS soon. LOT'S love and admiration to you ALL.