There's been a lot of food and politics in the news lately. If you're inclined not to buy into the 'dangers' of Michelle Obama's organic garden, then you may be interested in two new documentary films that feature food, politics and a lot of passionate people who are challenging the industrial food system, one farm at a time.

Both Food, Inc and Fresh feature the now familiar Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, as well as Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm. One of my heroes, Will Allen of Growing Power, an amazing network of closed-loop sustainable urban farms, is featured in Fresh. He should not be missed.

Food and politics are equally very personal and polarizing subjects. These two films definitely fall on the organic/sustainable/local side of the issue. But they're also about a very diverse group of people and communities. Some live in cities, some farm the countryside. They differ in politics, religion, education, age, gender and race. But they all are united in their conviction that we must be responsible stewards of our food systems and the earth that supports us.

"I am a caretaker of creation. And what I'm supposed to do is leave it in better shape for the next generation than I found it. Period." --Joel Salatin

Warning: There's some very grim footage from slaughterhouses and feedlots in the Fresh trailer above.

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