THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN

"Back then, I thought the whole world was a farm." John Peterson eventually learned that most people do not have the connection to land and soil that he does, and the realization shaped the path of his own farming--but first there were some even harder lessons.

Presumably no other farmer in northern Illinois (or anywhere else in the Midwest) enjoys working while dressed in a big red boa, or dresses in a bee costume to make a movie about pesticides. But Farmer John's eccentricity cannot justify his ostracism by his neighbors, or the rumors of drug-dealing and animal- and even child-killing that eventually lead someone to burn his home to the ground.

When Farmer John was one of the first in his area to lose his farm in the early 80s wave of foreclosures, many thought it was God's judgment, until debt began ruining many of his neighbors as well. Farmer John eventually combined his artistic interests, love of farming and desire to connect others to the land by turning his farm organic and taking on shareholders who help with the work in return for some of the produce.

Filmmaker Taggart Siegel has been recording Farmer John's struggle to make a living by farming for 20 years, and in addition has had access to early home videos shot by Farmer John's mother and college-era art films made by John and the group of hippies who found the farm a haven.

Thomas Berger

Taggart Siegel has been producing and directing award-winning documentaries and dramatic films for 20 years. His documentaries include THE SPLIT HORN: A HMONG SHAMAN IN AMERICA and HEART BROKEN IN HALF. Siegel has produced and directed a theatrical feature film, SHADOW OF THE PEPPER TREE, and has directed short dramatic films, including BODY MEMORIES. In addition, Siegel has produced many films, including DESTROYING ANGEL and THE BELOVED. He is the Executive Director of the Collective Eye, Inc. a non-profit media organization based in San Francisco.

Print Source:
Lev Anderson, Collective Eye
442 Shotwell Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: 415-647-2049
Email: lev@collectiveeye.org

PRECEDED BY...LAWN
Monteith McCollum
USA, 2004, 12 minutes

LAWN explores our relationship with nature and our desire to control it through beautiful imagery, creative sound and a John Deere.

Print Source:
Monteith McCollum, Latent Films
677 Halsey Valley Rd
Barton, NY 13734
Tel: 6076890376
Email: hybridfilms@clarityconnect.com

Saturday 6/18 at 3:00 p.m.

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