Behind the Scenes in Modern America

The producers of Farmland recognized that less and less of the general population have close connections to farmers. This means the general public carries rather outdated and untrue ideas of what farmers and agriculture looks like today. This documentary follows six younger generation farmers through a flowing narrative on a variety of topics including public perception, evolving technology, multi-generation vs. new farmers, and looking to the future. Each of the farmers represent different crops or animals, regions of the United States, small and large operations, organic and traditional products. Yet a common thread runs throughout—a love of Mother Nature, their work, and their families.

For someone unaware or unconnected to farming, Farmland gives a well-rounded glimpse into many elements of that life. As someone decently familiar to elements of agriculture, I was glad to see several difficult topics were treated with respect and not ignored. Meanwhile, the use of personal stories revealed the struggles, joys, and risks of each family. Whether taking over a family farm or starting up a food cooperative, each farmer faces unique challenges in today’s world and inspires us with their hard work, ingenuity, and persistence. In this documentary, impersonal industries acquire human faces and, hopefully, a greater assessment and appreciation of the men and women whose livelihood is to provide food products to hungry Americans.

For most people, our trash is something we want to keep out of sight and out of mind. Yet it is important to recognize what is going on behind the scenes regarding waste management so that we can better dispose of it as well as care for our land. The documentary Secrets of the Mega Landfill dives into the complex and innovative system of a landfill site in Orange County California. As one of the largest in the United States, teams of people make sure the hundreds of trucks can deliver their loads efficiently. The landfill needs to manage thousands of tons of trash in a way that is both cost effective for the business and for the environment.

Following the timeline of a typical day, the narrator and interviewees reveal how they handle unique tasks to race against the constant influx of waste from the nearby cities. In addition of interesting facts, ariel footage is a strong visual aid in showing just how massive this landfill and the effort to manage waste really is. One could make the argument that everyone should tour a landfill to better understand the impact of consumerism, proper disposal, and environmental care. However, this documentary does a superb job of getting down into the nitty gritty without subjecting viewers to the unpleasant smell!

Only this documentary tv series could make the topic of abandoned places in America turn form depressing and frustrating, to hopeful and enjoyable. I couldn’t just pick one episode from this series, hosted by professional skateboarder Rick McCrank. He visits a wide variety of places in the United States and Canada which at one point were beacons of industry, community, and prosperity, but are now forgotten and abandoned.

I appreciated this series for several reasons. First, Rick takes viewers to places few travel shows venture to enter. This results in meeting a host of interesting locals, learning about a variety places and their local histories, and touching on the problematic reasons for decline. Because Rick comes from the perspective of a skateboarder, places that could be viewed as sadly wasted often become painted in potential. As an outsider, Rick approached locals with evident compassion, openness to learn, and appreciation for the forsaken places they still love. Finally, it is simply beautiful to watch. Each episode includes artistic cinematography to showcase the location through drone shots and a skateboarding montage you don’t have to be a skating fan to appreciate.