You wouldn’t expect problems with a barking dog to result in an entirely new lifestyle. But that’s exactly what happened to Molly and John Chester, who were living in a cramped apartment in Santa Monica, California. Molly was a private chef, and John was a wildlife cameraman. When they were forced out of their apartment because of their dog’s barking issues, they decided to get a little more ambitious with their career goals: they were going to run a farm.

And so the journey to create The Biggest Little Farm began. With the help of some investors and an out-of-the-box farming expert named Alan York, John and Molly purchased and renovated Apricot Lane Farms, a 200-acre property about an hour north of Los Angeles. Their goal was to create a functioning, old-fashioned farm with enough crops and animals to generate what John describes as the “highest level of biodiversity possible.” Molly’s goal was a bit more specific: she wanted to grow all the ingredients she needed to cook her sophisticated meals. Assembled from footage shot over several years and narrated with voiceovers from John and Molly, The Biggest Little Farm follows the couple on their agricultural quest: from the early stages where York helps them transform Apricot Lane Farms from a neglected wasteland to a place where crops might actually grow, to the challenges they faced once operations were up and running. Those challenges highlight an increasing clash between the idealized circle-of-life existence John and Molly envisioned. At every turn, different pests arose to make John and Molly’s lives miserable: snails, birds, gophers and coyotes all take turns destroying crops and livestock, undoing whatever progress John and Molly felt they might have made. The Biggest Little Farm isn't just the story of a married couple striving to run a farm. It extends far beyond its farming context to give viewers a creative, award-winning wildlife documentary; a study in problem-solving, and a thoughtful look at the clash between expectations and reality. The animal footage, brought to life thanks to John’s expertise, is fun to see. We get to know all sorts of tenants on the farm, from chickens and sheepdogs to a 300-pound pig named Emma, and many of the unwelcomed animals that visit the farm at night. “An amazing movie about an amazing couple--and some even more amazing animals. This one is a must see!” says Jackie K. Cooper of jackiecooper.com. 1:31. Rated PG for some frightening images, including animal gore and dead and sick animals.