Earth To Mouth

An hour and a half east of Toronto lies a farm like few others in Canada. The 80 acres at Wing Fong Farm (the name means Forever Bountiful) are planted with crops like gai lan, go lai choy and gau choy - succulent Asian vegetables destined for Chinese markets and restaurants. It is here, near the small town of Newcastle, that Lau King-Fai (known simply as Ma) has come to join her son and spend the rest of her days. It's a long way from her native Hunan Province, but after a tumultuous life in China, she has made this place her home: caring for the young shoots, working side by side with migrant Mexican workers and preparing meals in the farmhouse. Born in 1929, Ma survived the Japanese occupation (during which her father and two siblings died) and the death of her husband during the Cultural Revolution - leaving her alone to support her family. It's little wonder that Ma believes in accepting fate. As she puts it, "Empty thoughts and wishful thinking are useless." Shot over the course of an entire season - from tilling, to planting, to harvest - Earth to Mouth is an exquisitely filmed, meditative look at life on Wing Fong Farm. For Yeung Kwan, Ma's son, the farm represents personal and financial independence. For Ma, it is an oasis of peace. For the half-dozen Mexican workers, it provides jobs that may be tough, but help support their children back home. Each in their own way, they endure the rigours of farming and savour their moments of peace.