Reviews are in: ‘Stalk-umentary’ is hit with MFB

Reviews are in: ‘Stalk-umentary’ is hit with MFB

Reviews are in: ‘Stalk-umentary’ is hit with MFB

Reviews are in: ‘Stalk-umentary’ is hit with MFB

Reviews are in: ‘Stalk-umentary’ is hit with MFB

Filmmakers receive Ag Communicator of Year awards

This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.

GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 4, 2008 — A film-making duo with roots in the sandy soil of west-central Michigan can add a Farm Bureau award to the long list of praise heaped on their latest endeavor, a film about one of Michigan’s most distinctive crops.

On Dec. 4, the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) presented Anne de Mare and Oceana County native Kirsten Kelly with Agricultural Communicator of the Year Awards in recognition of “Asparagus! Stalking the American Life,” a documentary examining the culture and issues surrounding the beloved spring vegetable. 

The Agricultural Communicator of the Year Award honors journalists and other media professionals for outstanding work helping to “tell the story of agriculture” by informing and educating the non-farming public about the state’s second-largest industry. Kelly and de Mare were recognized for broadcast media; a second award category recognizes print journalism.

The filmmakers were honored during an awards ceremony at MFB’s 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. They were nominated for the award by the Oceana County Farm Bureau, and selected by an MFB panel from nominations submitted by county Farm Bureaus across the state.

In nominating the pair, the county Farm Bureau complimented the filmmakers on their ability to become entwined in the community and earn the trust of local farmers.

“Anne and Kirsten have become part of the Oceana County Asparagus Festival and part of the county. They worked hard to get a true picture of our community. They shot hundreds of hours of film, understood the issues and told a complex story in an entertaining way,” said Oceana County Farm Bureau President Todd Fox. 

“Local growers allowed Anne and Kirsten total access to their farms and their personal stories – they trusted them,” Fox added. “It is difficult for rural Americans to open up to a camera for fear of being taken out of context, but those depicted in the film demonstrate the trust Anne and Kirsten earned.”

Original inspiration for the film surfaced when Kelly, after moving away from her western Michigan homeland, discovered that tales of her upbringing on an asparagus farm – and as a member of an asparagus-themed dance troupe – would garner anything from raised eyebrows to outright disbelief.

“I was finding out that people didn’t really know or ever think about where their food was coming from – how it was grown, or who grew it, or the politics behind it,” Kelly said.

Returning home with de Mare, an acclaimed playwright, producer and director from New York City, the two began research at the 2002 National Asparagus Festival in Hart.

“We started finding out about the intense political and economic barriers, and the policies that people were fighting for,” said Kelly, “and that this was really a crop that was on the edge.

“I started understanding there was an entertaining, fun film to be made that also had a message. We have this great culture and passion around asparagus, and Anne and I began talking about telling a story to capture that.”

The result was “Asparagus! Stalking the American Life,” an hour-long documentary offering several perspectives on Oceana County’s asparagus industry. Balancing the whimsy of asparagus-themed pageants, dances and collectable ceramics are real-life hardships and an uncertain future for local asparagus growers, whose livelihood is threatened by unfavorable U.S. trade policies and cheap imports from South America.

“The film relates what asparagus farmers have been going through with regard to public policy issues and the growers’ concerns,” said Fox. “It also helped us laugh through some tough times, with a light-hearted look into the community… Our members are proud to be part of the film.”

Since its premier in 2006, the film has earned critical acclaim and dozens of awards at film festivals across the country. It was released on DVD in May, with a portion of sales going directly to support Michigan family farms and asparagus growers.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.

-30-

Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact County Communications Manager Jeremy C. Nagel at (800) 292-2680, ext. 6584.

Filmmakers receive Ag Communicator of Year awards

This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.

GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 4, 2008 — A film-making duo with roots in the sandy soil of west-central Michigan can add a Farm Bureau award to the long list of praise heaped on their latest endeavor, a film about one of Michigan’s most distinctive crops.

On Dec. 4, the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) presented Anne de Mare and Oceana County native Kirsten Kelly with Agricultural Communicator of the Year Awards in recognition of “Asparagus! Stalking the American Life,” a documentary examining the culture and issues surrounding the beloved spring vegetable. 

The Agricultural Communicator of the Year Award honors journalists and other media professionals for outstanding work helping to “tell the story of agriculture” by informing and educating the non-farming public about the state’s second-largest industry. Kelly and de Mare were recognized for broadcast media; a second award category recognizes print journalism.

The filmmakers were honored during an awards ceremony at MFB’s 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. They were nominated for the award by the Oceana County Farm Bureau, and selected by an MFB panel from nominations submitted by county Farm Bureaus across the state.

In nominating the pair, the county Farm Bureau complimented the filmmakers on their ability to become entwined in the community and earn the trust of local farmers.

“Anne and Kirsten have become part of the Oceana County Asparagus Festival and part of the county. They worked hard to get a true picture of our community. They shot hundreds of hours of film, understood the issues and told a complex story in an entertaining way,” said Oceana County Farm Bureau President Todd Fox. 

“Local growers allowed Anne and Kirsten total access to their farms and their personal stories – they trusted them,” Fox added. “It is difficult for rural Americans to open up to a camera for fear of being taken out of context, but those depicted in the film demonstrate the trust Anne and Kirsten earned.”

Original inspiration for the film surfaced when Kelly, after moving away from her western Michigan homeland, discovered that tales of her upbringing on an asparagus farm – and as a member of an asparagus-themed dance troupe – would garner anything from raised eyebrows to outright disbelief.

“I was finding out that people didn’t really know or ever think about where their food was coming from – how it was grown, or who grew it, or the politics behind it,” Kelly said.

Returning home with de Mare, an acclaimed playwright, producer and director from New York City, the two began research at the 2002 National Asparagus Festival in Hart.

“We started finding out about the intense political and economic barriers, and the policies that people were fighting for,” said Kelly, “and that this was really a crop that was on the edge.

“I started understanding there was an entertaining, fun film to be made that also had a message. We have this great culture and passion around asparagus, and Anne and I began talking about telling a story to capture that.”

The result was “Asparagus! Stalking the American Life,” an hour-long documentary offering several perspectives on Oceana County’s asparagus industry. Balancing the whimsy of asparagus-themed pageants, dances and collectable ceramics are real-life hardships and an uncertain future for local asparagus growers, whose livelihood is threatened by unfavorable U.S. trade policies and cheap imports from South America.

“The film relates what asparagus farmers have been going through with regard to public policy issues and the growers’ concerns,” said Fox. “It also helped us laugh through some tough times, with a light-hearted look into the community… Our members are proud to be part of the film.”

Since its premier in 2006, the film has earned critical acclaim and dozens of awards at film festivals across the country. It was released on DVD in May, with a portion of sales going directly to support Michigan family farms and asparagus growers.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.

-30-

Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact County Communications Manager Jeremy C. Nagel at (800) 292-2680, ext. 6584.

Filmmakers receive Ag Communicator of Year awards

This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.

GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 4, 2008 — A film-making duo with roots in the sandy soil of west-central Michigan can add a Farm Bureau award to the long list of praise heaped on their latest endeavor, a film about one of Michigan’s most distinctive crops.

On Dec. 4, the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) presented Anne de Mare and Oceana County native Kirsten Kelly with Agricultural Communicator of the Year Awards in recognition of “Asparagus! Stalking the American Life,” a documentary examining the culture and issues surrounding the beloved spring vegetable. 

The Agricultural Communicator of the Year Award honors journalists and other media professionals for outstanding work helping to “tell the story of agriculture” by informing and educating the non-farming public about the state’s second-largest industry. Kelly and de Mare were recognized for broadcast media; a second award category recognizes print journalism.

The filmmakers were honored during an awards ceremony at MFB’s 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. They were nominated for the award by the Oceana County Farm Bureau, and selected by an MFB panel from nominations submitted by county Farm Bureaus across the state.

In nominating the pair, the county Farm Bureau complimented the filmmakers on their ability to become entwined in the community and earn the trust of local farmers.

“Anne and Kirsten have become part of the Oceana County Asparagus Festival and part of the county. They worked hard to get a true picture of our community. They shot hundreds of hours of film, understood the issues and told a complex story in an entertaining way,” said Oceana County Farm Bureau President Todd Fox. 

“Local growers allowed Anne and Kirsten total access to their farms and their personal stories – they trusted them,” Fox added. “It is difficult for rural Americans to open up to a camera for fear of being taken out of context, but those depicted in the film demonstrate the trust Anne and Kirsten earned.”

Original inspiration for the film surfaced when Kelly, after moving away from her western Michigan homeland, discovered that tales of her upbringing on an asparagus farm – and as a member of an asparagus-themed dance troupe – would garner anything from raised eyebrows to outright disbelief.

“I was finding out that people didn’t really know or ever think about where their food was coming from – how it was grown, or who grew it, or the politics behind it,” Kelly said.

Returning home with de Mare, an acclaimed playwright, producer and director from New York City, the two began research at the 2002 National Asparagus Festival in Hart.

“We started finding out about the intense political and economic barriers, and the policies that people were fighting for,” said Kelly, “and that this was really a crop that was on the edge.

“I started understanding there was an entertaining, fun film to be made that also had a message. We have this great culture and passion around asparagus, and Anne and I began talking about telling a story to capture that.”

The result was “Asparagus! Stalking the American Life,” an hour-long documentary offering several perspectives on Oceana County’s asparagus industry. Balancing the whimsy of asparagus-themed pageants, dances and collectable ceramics are real-life hardships and an uncertain future for local asparagus growers, whose livelihood is threatened by unfavorable U.S. trade policies and cheap imports from South America.

“The film relates what asparagus farmers have been going through with regard to public policy issues and the growers’ concerns,” said Fox. “It also helped us laugh through some tough times, with a light-hearted look into the community… Our members are proud to be part of the film.”

Since its premier in 2006, the film has earned critical acclaim and dozens of awards at film festivals across the country. It was released on DVD in May, with a portion of sales going directly to support Michigan family farms and asparagus growers.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.

-30-

Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact County Communications Manager Jeremy C. Nagel at (800) 292-2680, ext. 6584.