Documentary - "The Real Dirt on Farmer John"

[logbuilder]

I just watched a documentary called "The Real Dirt on Farmer John" that I wanted to pass on to others. It is about the trials and tribulations of a farmer trying to figure out how to make it work. He faces challenges from his community as well as mother nature. His journey pulls at your heart strings. In the end, he finds his place.

Here is a better description from IMDB.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439774/

Here is where I watched it. I don't really know much about archive.org since this was my first time to encounter it. If anyone knows of more about it, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

http://archive.org/details/TheRealDirtOnFarmerJohn

[rancher1913]

don't need too watch it, I have to live it every day. have had cows of my own for 25 years now and this may be my last with them due to feed costs. always counted on the cows to pay the bills in my old age and really don't know what the future holds for me now.

[texican]

Archive.org is a great resource... there are tons of music on the site, as well as books and video...

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by rancher1913

don't need too watch it, I have to live it every day. have had cows of my own for 25 years now and this may be my last with them due to feed costs. always counted on the cows to pay the bills in my old age and really don't know what the future holds for me now.

You wouldn't say you lived it if you'd actually watched it.

I doubt there's many male farmers riding around on their tractor in a miniskirt.

I've been to this guy's farm. My old homestead in Illinois was 4 miles away from his. I bought my first goats from them. They have an ... interesting ... business model.

[Brighton]

Originally Posted by Ernie

You wouldn't say you lived it if you'd actually watched it.

I doubt there's many male farmers riding around on their tractor in a miniskirt.

I've been to this guy's farm. My old homestead in Illinois was 4 miles away from his. I bought my first goats from them. They have an ... interesting ... business model.

Why do you care what he wears, or anyone wears when they farm?

It seems to me through confusion and adversity he has made a good go of it!

Here is his current blog, they seem to being doing very well!

http://angelicorganics.wordpress.com/

Anna

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Brighton

Why do you care what he wears, or anyone wears when they farm?

It seems to me through confusion and adversity he has made a good go of it!

Here is his current blog, they seem to being doing very well!

http://angelicorganics.wordpress.com/

Anna

What he wears or how he lives is of no interest to me, but it was amusing to point out to the other fellow that he probably wouldn't be comparing their lives if he had actually watched the video.

It's been probably 3 years since I was over there, but they do pretty well financially (or at least they were then). The majority of that does not seem to be via farming though. They've got the learning center, teams of interns, government grants, and a whole lot of other stuff going on. When I was there, it seemed as if they'd become less farmers and more "farmer advocates" in the community at large. Last I had heard, Farmer John had packed up and moved to Mexico. But that news is years old. I have no idea what they're doing these days.

[painterswife]

Looks like farming to me. He just knows how to get more from the dirt than just vegetables. I have just watched some of it but I will be watching the whole thing. A great example of a farm that feeds more that just the physical body. Farmers like him will do anything they need to so not to go into foreclosure.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by painterswife

Looks like farming to me. He just knows how to get more from the dirt than just vegetables. I have just watched some of it but I will be watching the whole thing. A great example of a farm that feeds more that just the physical body. Farmers like him will do anything they need to so not to go into foreclosure.

Oh, it's actually brilliant.

There's a certain type of person who will pay $0.50 for a tomato, but would pay $1.50 for the same tomato if they knew it was grown by someone in their area and that they were helping to preserve local agriculture.

His business model worked because he figured out a way to find THOSE people and put his tomatoes in front of them.

It helps a lot that he has access to upscale markets in Chicago.

[Brighton]

Originally Posted by Ernie

Oh, it's actually brilliant.

There's a certain type of person who will pay $0.50 for a tomato, but would pay $1.50 for the same tomato if they knew it was grown by someone in their area and that they were helping to preserve local agriculture.

His business model worked because he figured out a way to find THOSE people and put his tomatoes in front of them.

It helps a lot that he has access to upscale markets in Chicago.

If you were his neighbor you had access to the same markets, the same people who would help preserve agriculture, yes?

So, are you telling me that you don't believe in CSAs, or interns to learn and continue farming, it is almost like you don't believe in farming at all??

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Brighton

If you were his neighbor you had access to the same markets, the same people who would help preserve agriculture, yes?

So, are you telling me that you don't believe in CSAs, or interns to learn and continue farming, it is almost like you don't believe in farming at all??

Why in the world would you read that into the brief blurb I've said in this thread?

Sounds like you're carrying around an ax to grind and I'm just handy to grind it on. Nothing you've said makes any sense or in any way relates to me, my life, or the way I feel.

[Brighton]

Originally Posted by Ernie

Why in the world would you read that into the brief blurb I've said in this thread?

Sounds like you're carrying around an ax to grind and I'm just handy to grind it on. Nothing you've said makes any sense or in any way relates to me, my life, or the way I feel.

Sorry, your post sounded like sour grapes to me, but apparently I am not very good at the internet and perceiving the written word yet.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Brighton

Sorry, your post sounded like sour grapes to me, but apparently I am not very good at the internet and perceiving the written word yet.

Well, to be fair to you, I'm not easy to understand at the best of times.

The people that worked at Angelic Organics helped me out when I got started. They gave me some good advice and helped me to more easily understand the situation I was placing myself in. In return, I briefly served on their technical board as an advisor and a couple of times went out to fix their computer systems as a volunteer. As time went on, there was less and less we could do for each other and our relationship ended, but that doesn't mean I don't hold them fondly in my memory.

But yes, they are some odd ducks. As am I. And, if the truth be told, most of us on this forum are probably also to be considered odd ducks. It's only through the miracle of the internet that we've found our odd duck flock here.

[Forerunner]

In all fairness, Ernie is the oddest duck I've come across.

What color was Dude's miniskirt ?

[unregistered5595]

Originally Posted by Forerunner

What color was Dude's miniskirt ?

Ya Mon, I'm kind of jealous, what color was it? The tractor, not the mini-skirt.

[jwal10]

I watched the whole thing. The twists and turns of life. I am now back where I started, not where I thought I would be 45 years ago. But better than I ever imagined.

Last year, I turned 56, 56 was how old my Dad was when I was born. He was starting over again with a young family, I was retired, starting a new chapter in my life. My kids all on their own and Sweetie and I off on a new life together....James

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by jwal10

I watched the whole thing. The twists and turns of life. I am now back where I started, not where I thought I would be 45 years ago. But better than I ever imagined.

Last year, I turned 56, 56 was how old my Dad was when I was born. He was starting over again with a young family, I was retired, starting a new chapter in my life. My kids all on their own and Sweetie and I off on a new life together....James

The acorn would not know the oak just as the oak will not know the beam.

[tkrabec]

Originally Posted by texican

Archive.org is a great resource... there are tons of music on the site, as well as books and video...

Yes they are.