Common Ground is the highly 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. By fusing journalistic expose’ with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system. The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative “regenerative” models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America’s economy – before it’s too late.

Directed by: Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell

Released: 2023

Runtime: 1h41m

Rating: PG

Will has been an organic vegetable farmer in New England since 2011, founding Hungry Reaper Farm in Morris, CT with his wife Jill in 2020. Hungry Reaper Farm produces vegetables on 8 acres of leased land for a CSA, farmers markets, mutual aid projects, two food hubs, and wholesale accounts. Will’s struggles to find secure and affordable access to farmland led him to work as the CT Field Agent at Land For Good from 2019-2025, assisting farmers with finding land and negotiating leases, navigating farm purchases and succession planning, and assessing potential conservation options.

Will has also been active in both advocacy and public service with positions including the board of the New CT Farmer Alliance, the Land Access Fellowship with National Young Farmer Coalition, the Working Lands Alliance Steering Committee, the Farm Service Agency State Committee, the board of the Morris Land Trust, and as the chair of Connecticut’s Farmland Preservation Advisory Board.

Whitney Paltauf owns and runs Henny Penny Farm, a 115-acre Tier 3 Certified Regenified livestock farm tucked in the Hudson Valley. She Is a lifelong learner and researcher and often says that she has the best laboratory in the world (meaning her farm!). 

She has utilized regenerative farming techniques to successfully revitalize the ecosystem on 3 different parcels of land in Connecticut before finding her own ‘forever-farm’ in the Hudson Valley. Henny Penny Farm produces lamb, pork, turkey and chicken as well as an extensive range of fine woolen products.

She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Biochemistry from Imperial College, London and a PhD from the University of Cambridge Department of Pharmacology. Her scientific training has helped inform all of the research and teaching that happens on the farm, whose mission is committed to protecting the environment by working in harmony with Nature’s rhythms, to raise nurtured, happy animals, to teach your children about food and to feed your families the healthiest, nutrient-dense food possible.

Dr. Franceschi teaches environmental and natural resource economics, international economics and economic development at the Charles F Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University.