Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Buy New
$4.97
Free Shipping for Prime Members | Fast, FREE Shipping with Amazon Prime
Only 11 left in stock.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and .

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you increase your sales. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon .

The Real Dirt on Farmer J... has been added to your Cart
Other Sellers on Amazon
Add to Cart
$4.99
& FREE Shipping on eligible orders. Details
Sold by: Media Favorites
Add to Cart
$5.39
& FREE Shipping on eligible orders. Details
Sold by: Phase 3, LLC
Add to Cart
$11.80
& FREE Shipping on eligible orders. Details
Sold by: Amazon.com
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

The Real Dirt on Farmer John

John Peterson (Actor), Lesley Littlefield (Actor), Taggart Siegel (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: DVD
3.7 out of 5 stars 55 customer reviews
Additional DVD options Edition Discs
Price
New from Used from
DVD
(Jan 08, 2008)
"Please retry"
—
1
$4.97
$1.49 $0.01
DVD
"Please retry"
—
1
—
$26.99 $26.98
DVD
"Please retry"
— —
—
— $29.95
Watch Instantly with Rent Buy
The Real Dirt on Farmer John $3.99 $9.99
Unlimited Streaming with Amazon Prime
Unlimited Streaming with Amazon Prime Start your 30-day free trial to stream thousands of movies & TV shows included with Prime. Start your free trial
$4.97 Free Shipping for Prime Members | Fast, FREE Shipping with Amazon Prime Only 11 left in stock. Sold by HideAwaysDVD's LLC and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and .

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you increase your sales. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon .

Frequently Bought Together

  • The Real Dirt on Farmer John
  • +
  • Queen Of The Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?
Total price: $19.81
These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Show details
Buy the selected items together

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.
Back
  1. Queen Of The Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?
    Michael Pollan
    4.5 out of 5 stars 110
    DVD
    $14.84 Prime
  2. Farmland
    Brad Bellah
    4.4 out of 5 stars 85
    DVD
    $14.99 Prime
  3. Food, Inc.
    Eric Schlosser
    4.7 out of 5 stars 2,949
    DVD
    $9.49 Prime
  4. Fresh
    Joel Salatin
    4.7 out of 5 stars 405
    DVD
    $19.99 Prime
  5. Dirt! The Movie
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    4.5 out of 5 stars 143
    DVD
    $17.99 Prime
  6. GMO OMG
    Dennis Kucinich
    4.5 out of 5 stars 235
    DVD
    $12.99 Prime
Next

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The award-winning true story of third-generation American farmer John Peterson's hero's journey of success, tribulation, failure and rebirth. Peterson is a true American original. His story parallels that of the family farm in 20th Century America. What makes The Real Dirt on Farmer John so special is the fact that John Peterson is not only a farmer....he's an artist, too.

Includes Farmer John Music Video, Photo Gallery, Recipes from Farmer John's cookbook and information on organic farming, CSA's and more.

ECO-CONCIOUS PACKAGING - 100% RECYCLABLE AND BIODEGRADABLE

Review

"... A loving, moving, inspiring, quirky documentary..." --Roger Ebert

INSPIRING... A FASCINATING DOCUMENTARY about loss and reinvention..." --The New York Times

" *** An ENJOYABLE look at an unconventional Amercian." --Walter Adieggo, The San Francisco Chronicle

Special Features

  • Farmer John music video
  • Photo gallery
  • Recipes from Farmer John's cookbook
  • Information on organic farming, CSAs and more

Product Details

  • Actors: John Peterson, Lesley Littlefield, Teri Lang
  • Directors: Taggart Siegel
  • Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated:
    NR
    Not Rated
  • Studio: Gaiam - Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: January 8, 2008
  • Run Time: 82 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000WTVZ3U
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,648 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsA real American. In the real heartland of this country.
By JOHN GODFREY on February 13, 2008
Format: DVD
The BS factor seems to be relatively low. Very little pretense, from about as far as you can get from either coast. I'm not a farmer, but I lived close to this area & I can relate to the characters in this dying segment of the United States. John Peterson is an original, born & breed on a midwest farm. A farmer was all he ever wanted to be . It was his destiny & inheritance. Success, failure, success, failure, success. That is also an American story. But failure for the American farmer today is inevitable. The farm John grew up on was a success. It fact it was easier to be a farmer post World War II than the mid 1960's & even today. John felt the guilt as his family's farm slipped slowly out of his grasp. He attended Beloit College in Wisconsin, basically because it was the school closest to the farm. People were drawn to him because of his natural goodness, forthrightness & nonconfrmist attitudes. He drew the counter-culture crowd, they used to be called hippies, to his farm in sort of a loose commune-type atmosphere. The economy of the whole country was entering a recession & farmers started losing their land, including John. Because he was a controversial character, he was a easy target to blame for the bad econmomic times. This is one man's life but it also an important documentary on the disappearence in America of the family farm from degradation of the land through chemical pesticides, fertilizers, overuse & urbanization. John, in another trait that is so very American was able to reinvent himself & yet able to stay on the land. It is that oppotunity for second & even third chances that has drawn people fron all over the world for over two hundred years. I did not know about this movie until I saw a blurb on the cover of the dvd in a rental store that indicated the Al Gore has viewed it. Some excellent extras, including two music videos fron John's girlfriend, Lesley Littlefield, that I watched twice. Really, a worthwhile effort.
Comment 27 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsOMG, this is an awesome documentary and story....
By David Marks on January 16, 2008
Format: DVD
I can't imagine anyone watching this documentary, and then NOT wanting to either grow vegetables organically, or buy them only organically...

This film is life-affirming in so many different ways, and such a visual and emotional treat. It speaks to many cultural and ethical issues, including of course to the issue of corporate vesrsus local, organic farming, our flagrant use of pesticides and herbicides, and oil-based nitrogen, etc.

It also speaks to the value of human artistic endeavors, to the unfortunate conservatism and closed-mindedness of many traditional farming communities, to the value of human diversity, and much more.

Let's just say that, if you decide to see this documentary, your own life will be reaffirmed and made more meaningful.
Comment 21 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 stars"Down to Earth"
By Rocky Raccoon VINE VOICE on January 20, 2008
Format: DVD
I didn't know what to expect from `The Real Dirt on Farmer John'. Knowing that America was once known as "the bread basket of the world," I knew this documentary would have some import, but I never realized that it would be this engaging.

You get the idea you've stumbled into a different story when John Peterson, the focal point and protagonist of this little movie, is performing his work on farm machinery looking like Elton John if he had become a farmer. Flamboyantly dressed, we see a man with a colorful personality and an even more colorful past.

Since The Depression John's Scandinavian family obtained a farm in North Central Illinois where corn and hogs kept their existence simple, yet plentiful. After his father died when he was fairly young, John had to take over the farm with his mother's support and his uncle's inspiration. Determined, John like many other of his neighbors, fell upon hard times. Remembering Willie Nelson's initiatives with "Farm Aid" during the eighties, the film reminded me so much of those news reports that showed the farmer's existence being put to the way side. Like many effective documentaries, this film has home movies showing actual auctions as many American farmers lost their livelihood to real estate developers. The shift in America's agriculture is entirely accessible in this fun and informative little DVD.

Education was John's ace in the hole. He went to Beloit Community College during the hippie era and was able to recruit several friends who wanted the communal lifestyle. Artsy met earthy, and John offered a virtual paradise. Yet, differences often create suspicion, and John's neighbors started rumors that devastated him personally and financially.Read more ›
11 Comments 23 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat black dirt and the farmers who appreciate it
By Karen Van Drie on February 10, 2008
Format: DVD
How often do we come across entertaining movies from a Midwestern America point-of-view, and more specifically a farmer's point-of-view? I can't say that I ever have before. This movie engages people on so many levels! Adults can relate to the wonderful family histories of people and property, the way one's occupation can break your heart, the need to pick yourself up and dust yourself off afterwards, and the powerful pain that made-up gossip can inflict. I especially appreciated the film maker's gifts for making the audience see and respect people who can seem invisible in our society. For example, an aging mom or the Mexican-American worker with a gazillion handy skills. My church paired this movie with Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" for a thought-provoking focus on the food we eat and how we obtain it.
Comment 12 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsNot quite what I was expecting

Kind of a bazaar...starts out with Farmer John eating dirt and ends with him in a bee costume. Entertaining non-the-less.

Published 1 month ago by D. Riley
1.0 out of 5 starsNO

WT actual F. No

Published 4 months ago by Jared F Colleps
1.0 out of 5 starsOne Star

Horrible, just horrible.

Published 13 months ago by ashlee
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Yep a journey indeed, thought provoking and very enjoyable

Published 14 months ago by Malcolmlonewolf
4.0 out of 5 starsboth of sorrow and of joy!

This is a very touhing and interesting tale. It has emotional appeal and a learning curve. You'll learn a little about what it takes to be a farmer, and see the hardships that one... Read more

Published 15 months ago by Lenton K. Goforth
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

good

Published 17 months ago by MsLighthouse
4.0 out of 5 starsToo true! Being a farmer is so hard and ...

Too true! Being a farmer is so hard and finding a way too support a family means thinking out of the box. John does that

Published 18 months ago by Cindy Ann
5.0 out of 5 starsMust See

Amazing Story - worth an evening's watching

Published 18 months ago by Barry Morgan
1.0 out of 5 starsDisappointing!

Disappointing. It's more about a man trying to find his artistic self than about farming. I didn't find anything to like about it, except John's mom.

Published 21 months ago by josie
2.0 out of 5 starsDon't be fooled by the trailer... Not a Farming Documentary.

The trailer for this doc is completely misleading. It isn't a story about farming or CSA or the transformation of American agriculture. Read more

Published 24 months ago by Adam M. Blaney

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

The Real Dirt on Farmer John
Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway
This item: The Real Dirt on Farmer John
Set up a giveaway

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.

Look for Similar Items by Category