The focus of the first Learning from the Grassroots documentary is Land in Sicht, part of the Kleine Stadtfarm in Lobau, in Vienna’s 22nd district. The Kleine Stadtfarm is a lively network of 20 associations and start-ups that create synergies and close cycles in a coordinating association. The association Kleine Stadtfarm organises workshops at the Welttellerfeld and guided tours for school classes, as well as events at the Kulturverein Salettl. The Verein Feldversuche regularly invites artists from all over the world to the Kleine Stadtfarm as part of an artist-in-residence programme. There is also a café and a city farm shop selling vegetables from Land in Sicht as well as products from Hut & Stil, which, like Land in Sicht, is located in the main building. The cultural diversity of the associations, which meet regularly in plenary sessions to discuss their different needs, is important to the Kleine Stadtfarm.
The whole network began with the idea of growing vegetables together on agricultural land leased from the City of Vienna – initially for their own consumption. Land in Sicht was founded about two and a half years ago in the diverse environment of the Kleine Stadtfarm and aims to go beyond self-sufficiency to supply the neighbourhood with fresh, organic vegetables. In addition, young plants are grown in the spring and meadow flowers for bouquets in the summer. The founder of Land in Sicht, Nikolai Ritter, is also interested in giving young people from all over the world (e.g. through WOOFFing) the opportunity to work together in nature and to familiarize them with the principles of organic gardening.
