The Biggest Little Farm

Filmmaker John Chester and his wife, Molly, leave their apartment in Los Angeles after their rescue dog, Todd, cannot stay there because of his barking. They buy a large piece of damaged land near Moorpark, California, and try to turn it into a working farm. The couple grows fruit and raises chickens, ducks, sheep, cows, and pigs while they rebuild the soil and water systems. The film follows almost a decade of hard work, animal births and deaths, pests, drought, wildfires, and painful choices about how to protect the farm.

The story presents a farm filled with many kinds of life as the answer to many farm problems, because plants, insects, birds, and animals can support one another. The couple tries to work with nature instead of using heavy chemicals or killing every predator, even when that choice costs them crops and livestock. John’s narration treats the farm as a lesson in patience, care, and human responsibility toward the land. The tone is warm, hopeful, and sometimes very emotional, with beautiful nature images and a strong belief that small changes can help repair damaged natural systems.