Over many years, our methods of growing food have become ever more mechanized and more complex. At the same time, we’ve lost millions of acres of good soil to pollution, erosion, and an ever growing population. There is now an increasing awareness of the need to change our perceptions about how we grow our food and how we treat the land. This program features four individuals on the frontier of this effort. JOHN JEAVONS Founder of Ecology Action and internationally known for his work developing small-scale sustainable food production techniques. WES JACKSON Born and raised on the Great Plains, he holds degrees in both botany and genetics. For than 25 years, his Land Institute has been working on a revolutionary concept known as Natural Systems Agriculture to develop perennial grain varieties. ALICE WATERS World renowned chef, author, and owner of Chez Panisse restaurant. Established an “Edible Schoolyard” program that involves children in planting, gardening, harvesting, cooking, and eating to instill a sense of the vital relationship of food to their lives. MAS MASUMOTO Organic farmer and author of “Epitaph for a Peach” and “Harvest Son,” he grows peaches and grapes on his 80-acre family farm in California’s San Joaquin Valley. 26 minutes ©1999 Less