"American Farmer" Movie Night/"Greener Pastures"

Running a family farm is hard enough. Adding climate change, a worldwide pandemic, and the increasing economic uncertainty brought on by megafarms, being an independent farmer in America is a profession of survival. Following four Midwest family farms over several years, “Greener Pastures” is a story of perseverance and endurance within the farming industry in the heartland. It provides an intimate window into the lives of these multigenerational Midwestern farming families as they navigate the stressors that have contributed to farming having one of the highest rates of suicide of any U.S. occupation. Throughout, we see how farmers carry on in the face of these challenges and, ultimately, find hope in their successes. It is an underdog story of determination that tackles nothing less than the future of farming in America.

Manitowoc Public Library is thrilled to be screening this multi-award-winning, unrated 2023 documentary film from first-time director Sam Mirpoorian in the Balkansky Community Room at 5:30 PM on Thursday, September 26. Amazingly, one of the four farmers featured in “Greener Pastures”—Jeff Ditzenberger—will be in attendance for a special Q&A period following the film. Jeff is a corn and soybean farmer in Monroe, Wisconsin. Nearly 27 years ago, Jeff attempted to end his life by setting a building he was in on fire. Today, he runs a farmer mental health nonprofit called T.U.G.S. (Talking Understanding, Growing, Supporting), traveling throughout the Midwest and talking to farmers about mental health, suicide prevention, and the stigma associated with depression.