The Real Dirt on Farmer John (2005)

The epic tale of a maverick Midwestern farmer. Castigated as a pariah in his community, Farmer John bravely transforms his farm amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and arson. He ... See full summary »

Director:

Taggart Siegel

Stars:

John Peterson, Anna Nielsen, John Edwards

5 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
John Peterson	...	Himself
Anna Nielsen	...	Herself, mother of John Peterson
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Edwards	...	Himself
Lester Peterson	...	Himself, father of John Peterson (archive footage)

Storyline

The epic tale of a maverick Midwestern farmer. Castigated as a pariah in his community, Farmer John bravely transforms his farm amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and arson. He succeeds in creating a bastion of free expression and a revolutionary form of agriculture in rural America.

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Plot Keywords:

farmer | plow | cigar smoking | commune | farm life | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

En sann farmare

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$12,376 (USA) (20 January 2006)

Gross:

$12,376 (USA) (20 January 2006)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Color:

Color Black and White

User Reviews

Great and factual documentary

This film was just shown at the Beloit Film Festival and was lauded for its charm and heartfelt presentation. I have a friend who works on that farm, and I live only 15 minutes from that farm in Beloit, WI. Yes, it may be a collaboration between John and the filmmaker, but I can assure you that everything in that film is entirely factual and real. It is upsetting to see that, after seeing this great film, somebody would slander it like this. Go see the documentary if you have the chance, it is quite spectacular. It has a great story, it is humorous, tragic, and wonderful. Good commentary on urban sprawl, crisis in the farming industry, and Midwestern society.