We partnered up with The Rialto theater in Raleigh to bring a screening of Common Ground to Raleigh on Wednesday, March 20th!
Common Ground is the much anticipated sequel to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. Common Ground is the sweeping and uplifting story of the pioneers of the “Regenerative Movement” who are creating a new food system that produces tremendous quantities of nutritionally dense food while balancing the climate, healing our bodies, and bringing our entire ecosystem back to life.
Following the screening, stick around for a panel discussion moderated by our program director with a group of local advocates and farmers who are practicing regenerative techniques on their land. Read about them here:
Taylor Holenbeck |
Grower Services Coordinator | Happy Dirt
Taylor Holenbeck works as the Grower Services Coordinator at Happy Dirt, an organic produce distributor based in Durham, NC. Taylor works directly with farmers throughout the Southeast to connect them with resources, building out annual production plans, on-farm technical assistance, and advocating for regional organic small and medium-sized farms throughout the food system. Taylor grew up on a cattle ranch and farm in Central Kansas, and since moving to North Carolina 10 years ago, has worked on several small farms, helped start Durham Community Fridges, and plays in several rock n roll bands throughout the Triangle.
Martin Crompton |
Vineyard and Project Director |
Union Grove Farm
Martin has over 25 years of experience working as a development leader and consultant in the USA, Europe, and Central America. He has provided strategic leadership and direction on innovative and market disruptive initiatives across over a dozen different industry platforms. Over the past several years, his focus has pivoted to sustainability, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. Martin joined Union Grove four years and ago and connects our operation to some of the leading players and solution providers in the regenerative farming movement in the USA. In addition to his work at Union Grove, he serves on the NC Wine and Grape Council and the NC Muscadine Growers Association board.
Patrick Brown |
Founder|
The Connect Group
Hailing from Henderson, North Carolina, Patrick is the 4th generation heir to his family’s farm, with deep roots in cultivating tobacco, soybean, and wheat. After graduating with a business degree, he served as an Agriculture Advisor for the USDA and government agencies in Afghanistan while managing Brown Family Farms. Passionate about regenerative agriculture, Patrick pioneers holistic practices on his ancestral land in Hecks Grove, Warren County. His mission at Brown Family Farms is to offer carbon-neutral products like industrial hemp, herbs, and organic vegetables, providing medicinal solutions and sustainable alternatives. An influential speaker, Patrick addresses conferences nationwide and founded the Rev. Dr. A. A. Brown Foundation to mentor future farmers. With 16 years of federal service, including Defense Intelligence Agency roles, Patrick is now Nature for Justice’s first Director of Farmer Inclusion, leading the USDA-funded Soil Inventory Project. He is also a Board Director of Kiss the Ground, the non-profit behind Common Ground, which promotes regeneration and healthy soil as a viable solution for our wellness, water, and climate crisis.
Herbie Cottle |
Owner |
Cottle Organics
In 1912, organic farmer Herbie Cottle’s great grandfather planted his first strawberry crop on the land the family still owns in Duplin County, North Carolina. The Cottle family started growing tobacco in the 1940s and transitioned to vegetable production in the late 1990s. Herbie was one of the first farmers in Duplin County to lean into organic farming. Since 2007 when he received his first organic certification for 3 acres of land, Herbie has successfully scaled his organic vegetable production and has become a role model for budding organic farmers in North Carolina. He now has over 400 acres of certified organic land.