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.

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

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

An inspiration for just about everyone

My family and I saw this movie at the Chicago premiere, where Farmer John held a Q&A session afterward. I was afraid my son would be bored (he's an antsy fourth-grader), but because we've been members of a CSA farm for he past three years, I thought he would do well to sit and learn. By the end of the movie, he was asking me whether we could sign up for a share at Angelic Organics! Even if you're not into CSA farming, though, this story is an inspiration... for anyone who's loved and lost, or who's failed at something that meant everything to them, this movie will touch your heart. Bring tissues because unless you're a stone or just not paying attention, you'll be teary-eyed at least once. I thought Taggart also did an excellent job filming this movie and culling years of videos toward the end result: a moving, inspirational film. The only negative I saw about this movie, and it's probably a result of the directors and writers wanting to have a positive, uplifting message, is that I don't think there was much exposition on why the family farmer has become largely extinct. I would have liked to see more about corporate agriculture and the dangers is poses -- thus making CSA farms all the more important.

That being said, many movies that seek to provoke social change have an air of guilt about them; you feel bad that you don't do more, or you get the sense that things are so bad that it's not even worth trying. This movie did the opposite; I left feeling like the world was worth saving after all. I believe seeing this movie made me a better person.