John Peterson (2) (1949–)

I wasn't impressed by the quality of this work, but by the quantity of film documentation of this man's life. He seems to have used the movie camera as a boon companion during the best and the worst times of his life. This was not so much concerned with CSAs (community supported agriculture), as the poor condition of American agricultural economics.
Too much footage concerning John's personal life and angsts. Although he's a colorful character, it was slightly creepy and sad to be invited to share so much.… (more)

John Peterson doesn't mind the hard work of farm life, but he also likes glitz, glitter and glamour. John is anything but a conventional salt-of-the-earth type. He writes plays, shoots low-budget movies, hosts all-night, hippie-infested parties and occasionally puts on a feather boa or bumblebee outfit to plow his fields. As for the usual hurdles of keeping a small farm alive, John must deal with confused and frightened neighbors, vicious rumors and outright violence. Filmed over three decades and employing gorgeous home movie footage (John's mother documented life on her farm beginning in the '50s), Real Dirt captures it all — John losing his farm, regaining it, combating his neighbors' intolerance and eventually building the best-known organic farm in the region. (JS)… (more)