The Beginning of Forever Farms
‘A 1000 Year Vision’ is the pilot film of the documentary series Forever Farms. It follows one family on a journey across Europe that opens up a larger question about land, food and the future of farming.
The 1000 Year Vision
At the centre is Peter Michel Heilmann, who developed the 1000 Year Vision: an approach to land stewardship that combines long-term thinking with a legal trust model to protect farmland from speculation and secure it for regenerative use. Together with his wife Mieke and their son Ravi, he leaves their life in the Netherlands behind and travels by campervan, following what they call the signs: encounters with farmers and food pioneers searching for ways to make regeneration viable for the long term.
Regeneration Through Community: England
In England, they meet Luke Hasell of The Story Farms. Luke’s work connects soil, food and community through initiatives such as The Community Farm, Valley Fest and the veg-led Root restaurants. Yet despite ecological success and strong local support, he faces ongoing financial pressure, revealing how regenerative impact does not automatically lead to economic resilience.
Regeneration Through Farming and Food: Ireland
In Ireland, they visit Moy Hill Farm, where Fergal Smith focuses on educating the next generation of regenerative farmers through the Moy Hill Farm School. They also meet The Happy Pear, founded by twins Stephen and David Flynn, who have led a global food revolution for over twenty years, inspiring millions to eat in ways that benefit people and planet. While Luke works from the land outward and Fergal from education forward, The Happy Pear operates at the level of consumer culture. Yet all face the same challenge of securing land and mission for the long term.