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 | tractor | plow | interview | farming | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

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 USA:

$12,376, 22 January 2006

Gross USA:

$65,429

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$141,999

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Color:

Color Black and White

User Reviews

On a limited budget

I didn't see it as a literal documentary, obviously certain liberties were taken to tell the story on a limited budget. It was both touching and true to its time. I'm hoping that it will get into distribution and certain that it will create a buzz. The story of the family farm still needs recounting even though it was a media darling twenty years ago. His struggle to succeed and to keep the family business going is universal...The underlying "hippie" mentality was also keeping with the times, having been a student in Wisconsin in the early 70's. When you laugh and cry and root for the underdog, it becomes personal. What else can you ask for from a movie?