Thanks to all of the amazing, generous supporters, we were completely in awe at the results of our Indiegogo fundraising campaign. We not only met our goal but surpassed it by far; reaching 116% of our total! 

Although our Indiegogo fundraising campaign ended on January 22, you can still make ongoing tax-deductible contributions to Goshen throughout the duration of production. Click on our Donate page to find out how you can make a donation online or by check. Thank you for your support! 

In conclusion of our 22 day barefoot-a-thon we wanted to share with you our thoughts of our overall experience barefoot as well as an update on the production of Goshen. We went into our barefoot-a-thon believing in the benefits of being barefoot. We enjoyed the feeling of not having our feet and range of motion constrained by shoes as we walked, ran, gardened, and hiked. We believe our muscles were strengthened, our balance was increased, our posture was built up, and so many more benefits by allowing our feet to move as they were designed to. We found out that we have toes for a reason - gripping surfaces! 

However, we did feel less comfortable barefoot when we were not in nature. Being barefoot in town, on asphalt, in grocery stores, banks, post offices, and other public places posed some risks that we felt were not beneficial to our health. A viewer brought to our attention that due to the skin being the bodies largest organ, we should consider what our feet are touching. Chemicals used to clean the floors of stores, oil on roads, herbicides on sidewalks, and other unnatural materials are not good for our bodies to be exposed to more than necessary. Therefore, throughout the next week, we are going to find the pros and cons of several minimal, barefoot shoes that are currently being made. Our goal will be to find a pair of shoes to wear when we feel we need protection on our feet. Otherwise, we fully intend to continue being barefoot! Overall, it was an extremely positive experience! Our eyes were opened to an entire new audience of barefoot enthusiasts that we never knew existed! 

However, the focus of our documentary, Goshen, will not be our feet, but rather the lifestyles of indigenous communities. Over the next few months we will be interviewing health and wellness experts, authors, seed saving specialists, and of course, the Tarahumara people. We believe that the information shared in our film will reflect the voices and perspectives of people from diverse arenas of knowledge and experience. We look forward to learning more about the topics we are passionate about during our filming process. Most of we look forward to sharing our film with the world. However, one of the most beautiful things about documentary filmmaking is that it is just like life... We can have an idea about what we are interested in seeking, but what we actually end up finding will most likely take us by surprise!

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Thank you for your support! 

On December 8, 2012 the fundraising campaign for Goshen began on Indiegogo! It has been a long journey - full of barefoot adventures, indigenous recipes, and so much more! 

With ONLY 6 DAYS to go, Goshen is 82% funded! 

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO REACH OUR GOAL!

SHARE Goshen's YouTube fundraising video! 

FOLLOW Goshen on facebook! 

TWEET about Goshen on twitter! 

WATCH our barefoot videos! 

FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm

When we decided to start our “How Long Can We BARE It?” fundraising campaign, we were under the impression that people would want to help us put back on our Vibram Five-Finger shoes. Surprisingly, we were wrong! However, this fundraising campaign has opened many unforeseen doors, reaching new audiences of barefoot enthusiasts from around the world; many of whom are encouraging us to keep our shoes off after we raise the $12,000! And who knows, maybe we will! Watch our barefoot experiences here:http://www.goshenfilm.com/barefoot

With 12 days left, we have raised 63% of our goal!

This past week, Goshen was featured in the Gettysburg Times newspaper. Click here to read the full article, “Filmmakers Go Barefoot for Funds” by Dick Watson.

We also had a phone conversation with pilot, Mark Egolf, who informed us that we will have the opportunity to meet one of the famous Tarahumara runners, Arnulfo Quimare, who was featured in the book Born to Run. Additionally, we were excited to hear we will be in Urique, Mexico for the “Caballo Blanco Ultra Marathon” race on March 3.

Please share this news and our fundraising campaign with your friends!

Fund Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm

by Dick Watson
Gettysburg Times
January 8, 2013

Raising money takes work. Doing so barefoot adds a new dimension to the task. The documentary producers who filmed and made Back to Eden in Gettysburg say their new project is "Goshen." Mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 45), the Land of Goshen was occupied by the Hebrews from the time of Joseph to the Exodus. 

According to filmmakers Dana Richardson and Sarah Zentz, "We view 'Goshen' as the next chapter to 'Back to Eden,' which has streamed online for free more than one million times in 150 countries since August 2011." 

The new film will focus on several communities of the Tarahumara, an indigenous Native American tribe in Northwest Mexico in the remote depths of the Copper Canyon in the Sierra Occidental Region.

"We're focusing on them because they are a step ahead of most developed countries in their resistance to diabetes, cancer and heart disease," said Richardson.

Zentz added that, "Their resistance to these diseases is directly linked to the diet and active lifestyle of the Tarahumara (translated as foot runners and those who walk well...)." 

"We're relating to the Tarahumara in our "How Long Can We BARE It?" campaign to raise $12,000 by going barefoot ourselves everywhere until we reach our goal for the trip," they said.

The filmmakers say they are scheduled to partner with Mexico Missions Aviation in March. The mission will fly them into inaccessible terrains to document various Tarahumara communities into which the mission has been transporting medical personnel for 10 years.

Between now and the end of January, the women are busy in California raising funds to finance the documentary. Their unique fundraising method has already generated 50 percent of the funding they need. It hasn't been easy. 

"Going barefoot has been more challenging than we could have ever imagined," they said. "We have been unable to shop at some stores "no shoes, no service" restrictions. We've been embarrassed by peoples overall disapproval of us being barefoot in public. Even at home, it's uncomfortable cooking barefoot in an outdoor kitchen during freezing temperatures. The soles of our feet are callused and our toes are turning red from the cold weather but we are dedicated and enthusiastic about traveling to Mexico in March to document the Tarahumara way of life." 

Anyone interested in helping the women can contribute on the international fundraising site www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm or by sending a check to: From the Heart, with Goshen Film on the memo line, at 1455 Mandalay Beach Rd., Oxnard, CA 93935. 

Also, the women are posting a new video every day at 8 p.m. (Eastern Time) highlighting their fund raising experiences at www.goshenfilm.com/barefoot.

We are taking off our shoes and putting our bare feet down for what we believe in - our next documentary, Goshen. Don't misunderstand us, we believe in the health benefits of walking barefoot 100% BUT... it is the middle of Winter and our feet are getting cold! We won’t stop walking barefoot until we reach our goal of $12,000! Until we reach our goal, we will be posting a new video each day at 5PM (Pacific Time) highlighting our barefoot experience throughout the day! We’re taking a walk on the wild side so please, don’t drag your feet!  DONATE to Goshen today! http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm
WATCH and SHARE "How Long Can We BARE It?"