Farmer John Movie Opening at a Theater Near You

An exciting new documentary opens today in Sacramento: The Real Dirt on Farmer John.

A review published by The California Aggie, notes that the documentary chronicles the “unbelievably dramatic life story” of John Peterson, a farmer in rural Illinois who nearly lost his farm to unscrupulous lenders after reaching a peak in the 1950s. He resurrected the operation as an organic farm and charging full speed into sustainability and the CSA movement.

Now his farm – Angelic Organics – is supposedly one of the largest CSA farms in the country.

Promotions for the piece, including an “unbelievably special” quote from Al Gore and a Kermit the Frog-throwback promo that “It ain’t easy being green.”

But there’s great period stories about the farm as the center of the hippie movement and the clash that created with the community. Then the farm’s near downfall, huge debts, scourges right out of The Bible, and ultimately, redemption found in the organics movement.

Sounds fascinating.

See the trailer here on YouTube. Show times are here. It’ll be in Chicago at the Siskel theater in August.