-Hi, I'm Eric Ford.

For -made here, Herb Di Gioia and -!David Hancock were key figures -of the observational cinema -movement in the early 1970s -!they created a series of films -called Vermont People, which -documented life in rural -Vermont, exploring aspects of -working class America.

Peter -and Jane Flint from 1975 -follows a young couple in -Wolcott in their first year -running a small dairy farm.

-!You can watch three films from -the Vermont people series and -other great made here films -streaming on our website and -!through the PBS app.

Enjoy the -film and thanks for watching -you.

-Hello.

-Let's go.

-Come on.

-Lets Go.

-Let's go, -Come on, let's go.

-Lets go.

-come on, let's go.

-Once they hit that -pass, they go in -Let's go to the road.

-Good morning.

-Good.

-Awesome.

-What are you doing?

-Come on.

Come here sweet heart.

-Come on.

-This is the end of the line.

-We're all here.

-Oh, man.

-Okay.

-Yeah.

-She's the one.

-Gets in here first and runs -from station to station.

-and eats all the grain -Are you ready?

-I'm not.

-Okay.

-You sure waste a lot of -hay cant you.

-Let me see.

-Believe it or not, I really -don't mind this at all -shoveling gutters -for somebody to enjoy it.

-I think that's -been my problem.

-Whenever I dont eat -that stuff - drink it, -I just get -really run down.

-So, Pete, you were up -before your neighbor, -!you know, your competitor down -the road.

-He wasnt up this morning, --He wasn't --Benny wasn't?

-!I wonder how many people would -come.

-I never see him walking.

-I know, yeah.

-Yeah, maybe they do.

Like.

-Maybe they have a pipeline -from the car to the pasture.

-Yeah.

Okay.

-Dirty hands never touch snow.

-Yeah.

That's not nice to say.

-Oh, I hope I make me drink -this restaurant.

-Okay.

You're -welcome to be all right.

-Yeah.

-So the, you know, the plan -and the attitude -is that they didn't agitate -Well, switch the pill.

-How did you figure -that?

How did you find out -So it was fun.

-I was on my daughter.

-Are they gonna be all right?

-Smells bird.

-Oh, I'm drinking.

-Hey, Don't drink.

-You use Clorox on your -bolt tank?

-No, you haven't been, -have you?

-Not yet.

-But we're gonna have to -Peter, our bacteria can't -keep getting so high.

-I hate to -bake the milk -sterile.

-It's not killing us by any -means.

-You know why they don't like -it?

-penicillin.

You know, if you -have to treat a cow and -some penicillin gets -!in, they can't make cheese out -of it because the penicillin -turns the bacteria.

So -they fine you a lot of money -for that too.

-!Now Peter, would you repeat that -again?

I didn't quite -!understand what you said.

They -don't like penicillin, no in -the middle, which is -!understandable.

Well, I should -say -But their reason isn't -because of human consumption -so much as it is because they -can eat.

They can't make -cheese out of it.

-Why not?

Because the -penicillin kills the bacteria -that makes the cheese.

So -that's what Gert said.

Well, -then why did he get upset if -you have a high bacteria -count, bacteria is what makes -cheese.

I don't -know.

Kills the protein.

-Give me a report.

-All right.

-I like milking goats -!better than I like milking cows.

-I don't know, sometimes -!I think goats are the greatest -!animals to have.

Then there are -times I think they're not.

-But as far as keeping them -goes, -!you know, they're easy to keep -because they don't they don't -have to have really good -pastures or anything.

-We just need hardhack and -stuff like -that.

They're not fussy.

-There you go.

-they'd rather see it on a -large scale, -just like the FHA office.

-cows, and they were crazy.

So -the government never loses.

-There's only the big farms -that survive.

-Can't make it on 10 cow.

-I say, see -How come?

-You just, just can't do it -today, -!for all the machinery you need -and everything.

-But not true, you -may not make a hell of a -living, but you make -something, you know, you make -enough to get by.

-So, we went in there and we -tried to get some money, and -!they said that we couldn't get -it because -we were too small.

We didn't -have enough land.

-I didn't have enough equity, -that were nuts -not to bother him.

Guy said -he'd lose his job if he took, -!if he took an application from -!us, he said he'd lose his job.

-That made us really that's -when we were first starting -!out.

We really wanted to farm.

-!They discourage young farmers, -small farms, they don't, they -don't encourage them a bit.

-They wanted to get factory -farm because there's more -there's more production and -there's more, you know, maybe -the bolt tank.

Pretty soon, -!they'll probably make you pipe -it in because they don't want -you to touch the milk.

-see the milking parlors and -everything can concentrate it -into a small area so nothing -gets, you know where the -where the milk can never -touches them.

In order that -kind of the sterile milk.

-That's what they want to get.

-They want to get sterile milk -yet, people, -but, well, you know, I mean, -I'm not the only one -that's small, that -that's making it, I mean, -making the -making a living at it.

You -know, there are plenty -of, you know, Small farms -starting out.

-Come on.

-Well I -We tried farming -at the other house.

You -know, it's when we found out -we wanted to farm.

We -we just got, we raised a few -animals down there.

And last, -all last summer, Peter and I -!tried to, that's what we tried -to do.

You know, we lug our -bales down because we didn't -have a road.

It was about a -quarter of a mile in the -woods, and so we had to carry -!all our bales and grain by hand -!down.

And we had a couple work -horses, -and -we had those last spring, and -!they just didn't work out very -well, because we don't know -much about horses.

-So and then this came up like -one day last fall.

We weren't -farm or anything.

A friend -came down.

He was looking for -!land.

Peter ran into this real -estate friend in the grocery -store, and he said, you know, -do you know of any farms are -!for sale?

He said, as a matter -of fact, there's one in North -Wolcott that just went on -the market yesterday.

So we -!And two weeks later, you know, -whoops, we had this farm.

-We sold our other farm -but it was really nice.

-But I still miss the woods, -you know, the birch trees and -stuff.

-but this is a nice place -to do it.

-!yeah, and I prefer if it would -have been a late fresh thing, -one that's just freshened.

-Yeah, -there's a French Alpine we've -!got that weve.

She freshened in -and so she's got another good -couple months anyways, but -!April, May.

We've got two that -are gonna freshen right off, -yeah, but I don't know if we -could.

If we sold them, we'd -have to sell him as a pair.

-Careful, oh Peter -probably, -I don't know, but I got a -!feeling that that same is bred -back, and she should freshen -if she she's milking now, but -she Should freshen within a -month or so, or two months, -I think Hector is brighter, -yeah, but Peter takes five.

-Oh, that's right, yeah, she -wouldn't be due till -about December, -but she's milking now.

But I -wouldn't, I'll tell you she's -not milking.

She gives maybe -two, barely two courts a day, -you know.

-So it's not all that much.

-She's down there.

She's the -white one with the horns, -the big white one.

-there's that French Alpine -that I think we like to do.

-You have any other goats?

No, -!no, I used to own, Oh, you did -one time I was milking 10.

-I had the -I used to have quite a lot of -!them, but I got out of the goats -and I wanted help.

-And then I decided, just a -while ago, I kind of like -another one for milk.

Yeah, -you like goats milk.

-I raise Angus beef cattle, -!I just don't like to milk them.

-!I didn't know that I'd like to -!try, you know, goats milk again -Yeah.

-How is your flavor?

-I was up to a place yesterday -all he had five -he was milking him once a -day, and he gave me a taste.

-It was quite oily.

-!He said he thought its foolish -milking twice today, -Thought that was a -!foolish thing.

So if we milked -her once a day, once a day, -that French Alpine there, she -!shed burst.

Yeah - for a while, -!we had to milk her three times -a day.

She gave so much milk.

-She's a very good milker.

But -if you got any other goats we -couldn't sell her to you, she -has to be where theres -no other goats.

-She's got a pretty mean -disposition.

She's not- she -loves people.

She loves -people, she loves dogs.

She -loves every animal except for -other goats.

Well, she -wouldn't like dogs much.

-if you haven't run the test -!on it, the first thing I'll do -is to I'll run her milk into -into Montpelier -and Ill have it tested.

-If her milk is all -right then I'll have the vet -!come draw blood on her.

Bangs.

-Then I'll have a TB tested, -cattle - never got into the -streets you get into with -these different diseases, you -know, you just don't want to.

-You just don't want to have -them around.

-By having them all tested, I -!was loved by the state without -buying a license.

Sell 10 -quarts a day.

I sold the 10 -just about the 10 quarts a -day, or I kept under it so I -wouldn't have to buy a -!license.

I think a license hit -or something.

I can't -remember.

Then the rest of it -went right in, I was milking -cows - I quit the restaurant ----- -Yeah.

Is that right?

-is that a No?

No.

-There's nothing they can do -about it.

Just as long as you -stay and run the same test on -it you do on the cows.

-She shouldn't have to be -!tested for bangs and TB.

Yeah, -!they came right in inspect the -goats just the same way -I told him I was -!shipping.

They said, Well, you -tested?

I said yes walked -right in with -the sheets and showed them -- -They said what are you gonna -do about it?

-it says nothing in the rules, -you can't ship goats milk.

-Not in the world -You can't find it many you -can't find in any rules under -the sun, as long as you're -tested.

-Yeah, for bangs and TB.

-I guess you need a doctor -for selling a goat.

--I always do that.

--You always do that.

-!I always do some foolish thing.

-I tell people like you also, -there's nothing, nothing in -the world that can give me -more milk, for the amount of -stuff you put in.

Oh, I know -my word what we give them for -hay right now, they just eat -it over the greens.

-!Bale in the field of goldenrod - -and hard hay they love it -yeah, oh, sure.

Well, that's -what they like to grub up on -bushes and stuff like that.

-!Of course you got to watch out.

-You taste the milk.

-But that's the only thing -you know.

--It was nice meeting you.

--Same to you.

-thanks for all the -information -- -I should have kept my -mouth shut.

-no, but I see you like goats, -and there's a lot of goats.

-Yeah, Im surprised how many -goats there are.

-sometimes you can -just take the car and start -running around and find goats -and goats and goats -and goats.

And I got an idea -and then a couple months -ago at the auction - -Peter tell you about the -time that she ran to a barbed -wire fence and split -her tit right open?

-She was the only race cow for -!about two months.

You couldn't -get near her with a machine.

-Its awful.

-Now shes - -it.

So Peter Let me watch the -cows and strip them out and -And then one day he got sick -and couldn't get out of bed.

-!He had four cows.

I had to milk -all those cows by hand, and I -was in here for two hours -milking four cows.

-And that's how it all began -!and that's how I got in the barn -Farmer's wife once told me, -Don't learn how to milk -youll be in here -- -But I'm not.

-We share our work equally.

-I smell a billy goat.

-I smell a billy goat.

-Yeah.

-Hi, Grace.

-Oh, come on, Martha, -not to Marise, no, hello, -Grace.

-Hello Gracie.

-!We better get it on film so we -can see it in our own eyes.

-Oh, sweetie.

-Thats her.

-Well, listen.

-Yeah.

-Does Nina - Is Nina still -milking?

-Yeah.

-Good old Nina huh?

-!I wouldn't feed her much grain, -though, because -she ate it all.

She's out.

-Yeah, I let her loose.

-Poor thing.

Wheres Igor?

-Theres Bill.

-Bill?

-I gotta go - get Penny.

-!She's down in the other pasture.

-Where with Hall?

-Yeah.

-What a cow.

-Well, I'll round up Nina.

-Come here Nina, where's Igor?

-Well, we had Sheila, Bill and -Norma, and whitey.

-!No thats even before that Peter -Im talking about even before -that when - excuse me, built -our house in the woods before -you even considered farming.

-!Remember?

- Well, I think that, -yeah, I think - I mean, you -kind of did want, I mean - -remember that winter, like I -!quit waitressing, and you, you -the mill, remember, you were -!going to go to work that Monday, -and it snowed, and I didn't -have a stick of firewood.

-So I flipped out and went -!running around getting firewood, -and lost the job at the mill, -right?

And so then you had -nothing else to do, and Wyman -said there's a Tom Hercheck -!needs somebody at his place to -work, remember?

And that's -where it all started.

I mean, -we didn't even have, I mean, -we didn't have any goal, you -know, to farm.

You have some -far reaching goal when we -first got married, you know, -!oh, we're going to be farmers.

-We just decided to build a -house in the woods and and, -you know, we just wanted to -!get away from it all, I guess.

-And then that's when, you -know, -Tom Hercheck had these calves -that he was gonna, um, -Send to slaughter.

-That was something that was -really important to us, that -we could we thought we were -one of the greatest things, -one of the greatest feelings -of ours was when we were -buying these calves and cows -and things were gonna go for -beef -because we were saving them.

-You know, it's corny, as it -may sound to a -production minded person, it -is corny, yeah, but in the -I appreciate those animals so -!much.

You know, it's just like -we it's not like we saved the -day or anything, but it's -just, it's just a nice -feeling.

It's special to us.

-It was special to us, right?

-And we really like those -animals a whole lot.

And we -started with Holsteins.

And, -!you know, like I said, you know, -I don't know a good Holstein.

-We had Sam, well, we had to -put him to sleep.

You know, -!that was our goat, that we had -to put to sleep because we -didn't know what we're doing.

-We never we didn't do the -!right things, and he got sick, -!and we didn't know, but it was -all part of learning.

And I -just, you know, we were -hysterical.

We couldn't, you -know, at the farm, we had -!they just couldn't understand, -!why?

What are you doing that - -What are you so upset for?

-He's not moving a bit.

-Do you want me to go out and -get some more?

-Shoot.

-What do we do?

-Maybe we should put him under -the light again, -maybe hell wake up.

-Oh, hes going.

youre kidding -!You watch it where?

His legs are -starting to move.

-He is.

Oh, put him back.

-!Should we bring a hive inside?

-!Sweetie, you better be careful.

-!Where are their stingers?

Do you -know?

-Inside of 'em.

-Oh, hes coming -Look at that.

-You better put him -back, Sweetie.

-He wont know where -he is when he wakes up.

-In the - home.

-I just -I wish we -knew more about these bees.

-I know, poor things -Looks like they just stopped -everything they were doing.

-Look at them stuck in the -holes there.

-!Doesn't it look like they just -kind of everything stopped at -once.

I think once the -hive, warms up.

I hope this -cold air doesn't kill her.

-Well I'll be god damned.

-Hey Jane!

-She's had it.

-Little heifer.

-She's had it a while.

Oh, -yeah, she had it last night.

-Oh, she had it last night.

-I think.

Early this morning, -isn't that amazing?

-Oh, sweetie, don't -Oh she is beautiful.

-She's big, -Isn't she big?

-Shes pretty good size.

-Look at that black mark.

-Isnt that pretty?

-Yeah shes got - Wow.

-!Well, Pat, you didn't tell us.

-Hey bud.

-Shes nice.

Oh, she's nice.

-She's got a beautiful -bag on her.

-Hello Pat.

-Hi, Patty.

-Oh, she's really good.

-Man, oh man, oh man.

-Hi Floyd.

-Well, what do you know.

-- another fresh cow.

-!Good thing you came down here.

-What about her?

Well, that -little black it's beautiful.

-Yeah.

She's gonna have it -around her ears too.

-Yeah.

-You're so healthy looking.

-It's a little scrawny though -You think so?

Well they all -are when theyre born.

-She's a little cold.

-Yeah.

Boy, this gets him -Yeah her mom will keep -her warm.

-Good girl.

-Howdy.

-So youre by yourself?

-Yes.

-So any thoughts on -what it is?

-Just one.

-*laughing -*unintelligible conversation -Hes said something to me -about selling off.

-Got it for sale I guess.

-Actually, he hasnt got... -Too much to sell.

-!Hes asking $175,000 for the.. -You're kidding.

-Holy Jesus Christ does he -think people are crazy?

-175000.

I wouldnt give him -2500.

-For the whole thing.

-Yeah, the barns in -pretty bad shape.

-If I had that kind of -money.... -Well see ya!

-Take care.

-We wanted to get married and -we wanted to make a life -together, and we were at that -time, we're vegetarians.

And, -you know, the whole big thing -about really getting back to -!nature, and, you know, feeling -!at one with it again, you know, -we've gotten so far away from -it, so plasticky, you know.

-And okay, so we knew what we -wanted to do is we wanted to -buy some land and build our -own house.

And so what we did -!for a year, Peter was still in -!school, but he would work part -!time, and I waitressed, and so -we got up, you know, just a -couple $1,000 together, -!enough, you know, to feel that -!we could do something with it.

-And, -you know, we bought what, 28 -acres from our friend of ours -up in Elmore, and -built a house on it one -summer.

And we did it as -inexpensively as possible.

-And, you know, went around -!making deals when and where we -could, -and all we wanted to do, -basically, was just kind of -sit and, in a way, isolate -!ourselves, just kind of become -removed from it, and -concentrate on, you know, -taking care of our land.

And, -you know, we had a couple of -dogs, and, I mean, that was -it.

And concentrate on our -diet, and also do a lot of -reading, you know, on spirit, -you know, spiritual, helping -our spirituality grow.

And -!then again, we were faced with -a problem of, okay, we've got -!to work, you know, to we can't -live off the land, so we've -got to find a job.

So I -started cleaning houses, -although I did take a winter -off, but Peter decided to -!work.

He had to go find a job, -and he ended up at this farm.

-They needed help as a hired -!hand, you know, as a hired hand -at a farm.

So that's how it -!kind of got started, was they, -they'd had problem raising -calves in this farming, and -Peter saw that.

Well, this -guy, -Peter worked for -he had some calves that were -!born, and he was just going to -going to have them sold for -hot dogs.

-!And we just couldn't see that.

-And Peter said, well, listen, -let me try raising, you -!know?

And so he said, Okay, so -he gave him a little section -of the barn, and we had four, -five calves that they were -Holstein calves, that we -started raising that winter, -!and all of a sudden, before we -knew it, we're just doing it, -!you know, we, you know, get up -at six o'clock every morning -!and, you know, go take care of -the calves.

And -so we did that, and we raised -them all that, you know, till -that spring, and we brought -them down to our house.

-!We built a little pen for them, -and -before you knew it, we wanted -to get more, more.

And then, -!you know, through that summer, -it was how many It was the -!summer before last Peter, what -was?

Was it last summer that -we had Beulah, Sheila, Norma -and Whitey all out in Bill's -pasture.

-Was it Peter, -yeah?

Was it last summer that -!we had, we did the hang and we -had Beulah Shiela and Norman -Whitey in?

-Yeah, yeah.

I see now then, -okay?

-We realized we couldn't.

We -couldn't have our four calves -graze on our land.

We didn't -have any grazing land, so we -had to rent pasture from -out neighbors.

-!- I got to tell you something.

-- What?

-We made 311 pounds of milk.

-- When?

-- Today and yesterday?

-- Is that good?

-Yeah, it's really good.

-- Good.

-- I'm very happy - -I've got to go find out what -time it is.

Hector, you -sweetie.

He's okay.

He is, -!yeah, I think he's better off.

-Ill give him a bath tonight.

-Anyway, we realized that we -had to depend on other people -to raise these animals.

We -didn't have our own pasture, -!and then we had the problem of -!lugging everything down to our -!house, its a quarter mile from -the main road, you know, -we spent a -really frustrating summer -trying to do that.

We were -haying, we're haying a -couple of really big fields -with this other guy, and we -!brought all our hay down.

And, -you know, we had on a hay -!wagon.

It always fall off.

And -we had to carry big sacks of -!grain down, you know, by hand.

-!And it was just real drag, and -it was so time consuming, and -It was slowing us down.

Okay, -I gotta cut.

-Oh, Shit, -Whats the matter?

-Shes got - fever bad.

-Shes gonna get bloated.

-What can we do?

-Peter, what can we do to -help?

-Weve got to put her -up on her feet.

-Roll her.

-I dont know where to roll.

-We have to try to roll her.

-All the way over.

-Where were you?

-over - --the parish myself, -been waiting for her to -freshen you all just kind of.

-I'll just hold -What do you want me to do?

-Ill just hold her here.

-!Let me hold her here like this.

-Yeah.

-She got it bad or?

-she just typical.

-Okay, Berkeley, go away now, -Berkeley, scram.

-!a long time up like this, long -as they can belch off that -gas.

Yeah, we got her right -the only thing we can do.

-You know me, -I just go and - them myself -!I cant think of anything else -Here Peter, you pinch that -itll calm your nerves.

-No Sir, no.

-No.

Make my eyes water.

-serious.

But if you get them -laying right, they'll go for -usually several hours before -anything too awful serious.

-See, she's blowing that gas -!That's the main thing.

I mean, -it's bad news.

If they down -!the hole laying down, you won't -find them, you see, but as -long as you get to them and -prop them up, either like -drive a tractor, you know, -on the low side, or, yeah, or -even just stand there -!yourself, or put a bale of hay -or something, or get them out -!of a hole onto a level so that -they have a little better -chance of writing themselves.

-They can get calfs in awful -little hole there, it doesnt -take anything once we get out -!before helpless, yeah, as long -as you can keep an eye on -them.

-I checked her at noon, and I -just been leaving them out -with their fresh and leaving -the calf with its mother for -like 12 hours or so anyway, -you know?

And it just gives -em a real good start.

And -I've had real good luck with -it, but I just, you know how -long they can't get too far -away.

No, I always keep -writing.

-No!

-I panicked!

-I couldnt catch my breath, and -I was all out of words -You get to be an old veteran -at this after awhile.

-God, I thought all my bad -times were over.

-Feel better.

-Will she get up?

Or should -I just hold her here?

-Well let her get her -sleep for now.

-Gee, I just, just before I -came down, I talked to -!Lawrence, and I was talking to -Lawrence, and he said, No, -milk fever.

And I said, No, -no, she's just fit as a -!Shell be a little wobbly, but -she'll come right out of it.

-She will.

I'll get her calf.

-Gotta be pretty -rough laying on down in -that hole in the stone.

Yeah.

-I've been having such good -luck.

I had a little calf and -letting the calves -with a mother right in the -field.

-!I didnt really get a chance to -check her.

-!I was down at the local store, -and -this guy came up to me.

He -said, -!So how many cows you milk?

And -I said, Well, four.

-And, yeah, he just broke up -laughing.

Said, asked me what -the hell I was doing, milking -just four cows, you know, -kind of an odd way, -a way that kind of offended -me and... -I wanted to tell him, but I -just didn't feel that.

-I didn't feel that I -had to, you know, I didn't -feel I had to justify to this -person.

I was just milking -four cows and shipping their -milk, and even though I was -shipping 200 pounds every -other day, or whatever was -shipping, didn't have the -greatest cows in the world -when I first started.

But I -met this old, this old guy up -and up in -or Craftsbury, up around -Craftsbury, Glover.

-And he milked six cows for -!years, and did fine, you know?

-!And did okay.

I mean, he owned -his he owned his farm for -being clear, and stuff like -that.

-He actually did it.

So I -didn't feel I had to justify -to this Yo Yo,you know, -why I was milking four cows.

-!I really think that, you know, -everybody is just so money -oriented around this country -that then in order to make a -lot, you have to have a lot, -and I don't think that, you -know, maybe, -maybe their standards of -living are higher than ours.

-!Probably they are.

But the the -problem with that is you just -lose all the personal -relationship you have when it -!with any other, anything, with -anything, other people, with -!other with animals, your dogs.

-I mean, they're just out to -make money, money, money.

And -that's all there is.

And just -put on this facade of being -wealthy, or trying to be -wealthy, or stuff like this.

-And just -that's where, where you lose -and be fine.

You lose the -whole you lose the whole -meaning of farming.

-!trying to be big and trying to -make a lot of money, -you just, you don't have any -!relationship with your cows at -all.

They're just a number.

-They're just a number and and -they never used to be that -way.

And they're just, you -know, it's like putting beef -!cattle on feed lots.

You know, -it's just the same, the same -type of thing.

-When we got up here -it was, it was -every day that we worked, -every day, seven days a week.

-You know, doing something -never took any time off -to speak of.

-fixing this, fixing that, but -it never stops.

Just never -You've just got to make -yourself take a day off, you -because you don't wear -!yourself down.

But you know, I -mean, it's a day and night -things, you know, it isn't -even isn't even, you know, -it's, it's, -the pipes freeze.

You have to -haul water, and you have to -haul water late at night, -haul water next morning.

-You know it's, you know, oh, -hay, you hay until 10 o'clock -at night because there's -there's nobody there to help.

-!So she to, Jane and me, or just -!myself and somebody else, hay, -till we just can't do it.

And -that's it's 18 hours a day -And then when you building -fence, you just building -fence.

That's all you're -doing.

-It's all we did all spring, -see, like, let's just chop -down hemlock -string wire.

But it was just, -it was the greatest thing, -because it was just, -everything is for you, and -it's for your farm, it's for -!your cows, and that's just, if -you can it, just, if I just -keep that in my mind, it just -nothing else seems to matter.

-Just nothing else seems to -matter.

It seems like, like -!that's just the way it is, and -that's the way we all.

-!everybody that's involved, and -it wants to be that way.

-You may bust -your back for a while, but -it just doesn't seem like you -just don't get you just don't -get tired of doing it.

You -just want to keep doing it.

-You want to keep doing it a -lot of lot of days, you know, -after a haying late at night, -sometimes you just do don't -want to walk up those cows -that morning, just five -o'clock, 5:30 comes awfully -early.

-We don't milk too -early.

I mean, were not -the early milkers.

-Cmon Floy, lets go.

-I hope we got 12, because I -couldn't count to seven.

-We got 12 in here?

-Oh good for her.

-Get out, get out!

-Cmon Margie.

-Margie, scram.

-Cant milk over here.

-Oh Margie.

-All right now crank on her -shes kicking this morning.

-Nona, listen.

-Alright let down easy.

-What was the matter -with Spots this morning?

-Who were you yelling at?

-Spots kicked me and -Nona kicked me.

-The cows are trying to kick -you off the farm.

-You get that crazy feeling -inside when you -think theyre going -to kick.

-When you think -they're gonna kick -your reflexes, like -if she switches her tail -Last night I landed back near -Caroline, she just -jiggled her tail.

-Get really jumpy.

I still do -when I milk Caroline -cause I still think shes -going to kick.

-Hey, can you see if there's -!still Milk coming out of Tina.

-No theres not.

-Why don't I go get it.

-Pete, I gotta leave you.

-Cant leave me yet.

-Its only 6:30 -Ya but Nathans going to -wake up and then I wont -be able to make -breakfast.

-I have to work double time.

-Yeah, -no, it's not, I don't think -it's too junky.

I think -it's just -sometimes it gets kind -of messy.

Well, it's like how -I feel about this house, I -suppose, how you feel about -the outside this house -just drives me up a while -!because it's so dirty.

Well, I -yeah, and put in a Franklin -fireplace.

-It's not that bad.

-It's not that bad outside -either is it?

-It isnt.

-Pete you gotta do this to me.

-Put you right to sleep.

-Okay, relax.

-Twist it right off.

-It's not cracking.

You must -have a pretty loose neck.

-Wow, you cheated.

- -Pete, you gotta relax.

-I'm trying.

-Okay, don't -think about anything.

-Youre getting me -dizzy though.

-i -That's one thing I learned -more about, is massaging -!That really does help you out.

-!Remember when Corona was here?

-We had this weird girl living -with us for long, -but she really knew how to -massage, and she'd give us -massages, and you feel like a -new person.

Yeah, she worked -at the yogi inn, doing -massages.

She used to come up -here and stay with us.

-!Come right out on the floor and -!walk over my back, really, you -Just feel so much better.

-She'd crack it.

-Well, another day has -arrived.

-You were right, Jane, -he woke right back up.

-Oh yeah, maybe I ought to -get him the big teddy bear, -or something to sleep with.

-Borrow somebody else's baby.

-!Maybe hes just lonely in there.

-I dont know what to do.

-I didnt know it was going -to be like this Peter, -did you?

-Can't really trade him in -on a newer later model.

-Oh, I wouldn't wanna.

-Seems to -be running pretty good.

-Not a bit.

-I see the flicker sometimes.

-In justthe in just the right -light I can see the whole -thing moving there.

-I think I can -Sit down and talk about it.

-Nate, Nate!

-Hes hungry again.

-You wanna -brush your teeth, Nate?

-Oh, it rain boys, -it just might.

-I get up there and It's -gonna rain.

-This is my first year of -actual dairy farming, -!and I I really think that it's -!getting better every day.

It's -not certainly I'm not getting -sick of it.

-Do you get that criticism?

-Oh, yeah, I just get, I just, -!thing.

How are you going to be -able to make it?

How are you -going to be able to survive?

-And with 10 cows or a lot of -people ask me that question.

-You know, a lot of people are -sort of saying it in a funny -kind of way.

But it's just, -it's just lowering your -standards a little bit.

It's -burning wood instead of oil.

-And -it's planting garden instead -of going to the Grand Union.

-I don't know, reading, you -know, reading books rather -than going to the movies, or -!staying home and enjoying your -family drinking tea rather -!than going to a bar, you know, -that type of thing.

It's sort -of, -!if this is the way of life you -want to pick, and then you -obviously know that there are -things that.

-You're going to have to stop -doing if you were doing them -to begin with.

Only I did -them, you know, but I find -that this is a much better -existence for me.

-I, you know, I have gone from -!those college days to the to a -meditative thing to -to to him being a -conscientious objector, -you know can and then being -!abstinent from, from, from all -types of stimulants.

And -to this to the farm, do you -!maybe I am using these cows as -developing my my existence as -being -a mellow type person I don't -know, a person that is is -free of any kind of inner, -inner obstacles, you know, -using, letting, having the -!cows teach me self discipline, -One day I gotta sit home and -sew all your clothes.

Well, -you gotta sew my clothes.

You -always sit home, sweetie -Pete, that's not fair.

Well, -no, you're home.

I'm home, -Yeah, but I always not.

I -always have -other things to do.

-How about those wool -pants that John gave me.

You -can't -!cant wear them.

They're filthy.

-I'm gonna wash -Wear those coveralls.

-Im stretching, -if you don't mind.

-I dont.

-!I get the woodshed all cleaned -out so we can start putting -!wood in it, and I gotta rip in -my pants.

-Peter, -I hope Jennifer comes soon.

-Maybe she knows how to run a -chain saw.

We can clean out -!that wood shed together.

Well, -no, I'm talking about the one -out here, right out here.

Oh -yeah, listen, okay, all that -stuff's got to be bucked up.

-out there so we can start -!putting block wood in that one.

-!And we gotta get the goat shed -all cleaned out and -gotta put, -we've gotta finish cleaning -out the calf pens so we put, -Well I sure wouldnt mind -some help.

-Rip the plastic off.

Take the -plastic off the goat barn.

-!Do we have any tar paper left?

-No.

We don't?

-No for the, I want to put tar -paper on the inside of the -goat pens.

I mean, like -there's cracks this wide with -boards, and you can't have -drafts in that goat house.

-Don't worry, we're -gonna fix it.

-!So I'll get plastic off the goat -house and shovel the gutter.

-Which one's which?

Yeah.

Did -David want red rose?

Yes, -Yes, absolutely.

-What has to be done out in -the woodshed Peter?

-What has to be done in the -woodshed?

-!Get it cleaned out, out in the -back wood shed there, we're -going to rip that wall down, -where the, -just get that cleaned up out -there.

-No, just, just make sure it's -all cleaned out right, and -there's slats put down.

So we -just put the block wood in -there, and then you can start -putting block wood in.

-The dry stuff.

Okay.

-You want me to put the block -wood in today?

Yeah, these -!are just a few things that way -you make lunch and have the -!house cleaned out.

Do a couple -of wash, do a couple rows of -Have chores then, -No, just do what you can.

-Oh, going the wrong way.

-Shoot, -Ah, shoot.

-Next time I'm going to tell -Peter -to park the manure spreader -in the middle.

-There, a triumph.

-What are you laughing -so hard about?

-Private joke.

-I guess I gotta load here -to take up, huh?

-Well Peter I must tell -you something.

-The next -time you bring the manure -spreader around, could you -park it in the middle for me.

-Yes, I will.

-Thank you dear.

-Because I dumped -a whole load on the ground.

-Let me show you.

-Come on, sweetie.

Let me try.

-Let me just do one.

One more!

-Hit it right there.

-This is a different axe.

-Come on, Peter, let me show -!you.

Let me show you.

Just hit -it.

Yeah.

And then over like -that.

See.

Now, wait, we'll -pick out a bigger piece, -because these are the ones -that need splitting.

-Im splitting wood for the -kitchen stove.

-We need a wedgie.

-We need a good splitting -What about that big fat -one over there?

-Do you only need to split -it once there.

-I can't guarantee thats -not going to smoke.

-Peter's whole goal in life is -to really build up this farm -!and to really have a good herd -and to make a go of it, to -make a living at it, so that -we can survive on, on, you -know, this farm.

And yet, at -the same time, I feel, -you know, I think farming, of -course, I'm not interested.

-We're both not interested, -interested in making money or -anything like that.

And, you -know, we're trying to get to -yet, that's not my personal -goal in life to, -you know, build up this farm.

-My personal -goal in life is to really, -you know, I've dedicated -myself to God.

It sounds -really silly, I know, but -that's what I've done.

And to -really, you -know, have, I have complete -and total faith in the Bible -and what you know, God -promises for for us, which is -!basically what this is, except -!without all the hassles, which -is, you know, without money, -without people hating each -other, without, you know.

-Everything in harmony again.

-!It sounds far fetched and wild -and crazy.

But I, you know, -I've spent, I spent a really -long time, you know, looking -into the Bible and finding -out, well, you know, -everything that says true and -!Does it contradict itself.

And -you know, you know, there's -1000s of religions and -hundreds of them, but I just -for myself.

I just happened -to, you know, choose to be a -Jehovah's Witness, which -means, you know, you really, -and everything you do, you -really put your whole heart -!and soul into it, which is all -!I'm basically trying to do, is -!to be a really good Christian, -which means, -!you know, being a good wife, a -good Mother, and doing what -you can for -other people -because it says, you know, in -!the Bible, the road is narrow, -you know, the path is narrow.

-And there are a few who are -the ones that are gonna, you -know, make it through the -through into paradise.

And -you know, it is hard.

It's -really hard to be, to be all -the time, be a really good -person, because, by nature, -we're just, you know, we're -rotten people it seems, you -!know, it seems a lot of times, -mans tendency is to really -hurt, hurt, hurt and hurt one -!another, or to be selfish.

You -know, I find being self, you -know, being selfish is really -hard for me to overcome, -because man is basically a -selfish person.

He wants -!things for himself rather than -whole world has run on.

It's -!people, selfish people running -the government, you know, -money and power and greed.

-Those are like the those are -the things that seem to run -the world today.

-!So, you know, you don't really -find very many people who are -really honest and, you know, -really unselfish and really, -you know, do something for -somebody else out of pure -!love.

You know, there's always -a motive behind it.

But, um, -!you know, I've just found that -being with Jehovah's -Witnesses, and being one of -Jehovah's Witnesses that, um, -there's, there's just so much -love and really, a lot of -happiness and joy between us -all.

And, you know, and you -!know, whether, I mean, I'm not -!judging people, whether or not -!they do it for a motive is, is -up to God, you know, -the goal is to, you know, try -and really improve yourself.

-Some days -just go so bad, you know, you -!think so many times, you know, -!we thought, oh, let's give up.

-You know, we can't do it -Sell the farm.

Let's go live -!in the wilderness.

Let's go up -into Canada and live in the -wilderness.

But you know, we, -you know, we can't do that.

-There's too much of ourselves -in this, and we got to see it -through.

And you know, we -!really want to see it through.

-But what do you think would -happen if, because of current -economics, that things -!couldn't work out on the farm?

-You think would be like a -permanent blow to -your Peter's sort of -!expectations about the way you -wanted to live?

-I think it -!would be a blow to Peter's.

He -would have a feeling of -failure.

You know?

-Hed feel that he had failed, -even if it was, wasn't his -fault.

But you know, or maybe -he wouldn't, maybe he would -!say, well, he, you know, he'll -try everything, try every -course, to try everything in -his will to keep, -keep on going.

And if it just -!didn't succeed, then you know, -!maybe, you know, he would just -accept it and just say, yeah.

-next?

You know, where do you -go from here?

-!You're always trying to snatch -as much grass as you can.

-Who's left?

-Cmon, Nona.

-Im glad I dont have to work -this hard with all the cows -we milk.

-You got two calves?

-Two heifers.

-How much?

-400 and -too many.

-What?

-I went about 50 dollars -over what I should have -How much?

-So how they doing?

-Mediocre?

Professionally!

Did -you see him?

-They're beautiful.

-Look at this one.

How many, -three?

Two.

-How many?

Theyre big!

-Copme look at her face.

-She is so beautifu, Peter.

-Come look at her.

-So beautiful.

-!He is, look at how fuzzy he is.

-Isn't he precious?

Looks like -a little panda bear, and -And here we have.

-Oh my word!

-Isn't she beautiful?

-Black mouth and a -black nose.

-Pearl is a very good mother -Ill have you know.

-Oh, a little bit more.

You -know, I found her in the -manger, really.

-She just had him.

I did a -double take.

I said, What are -Bonnie's kids doing out here?

-Isnt this one beautiful?

-Any bad news today?

Or is -everything pretty good?

-I can't think of anything -right off.

I didn't get much -accomplished.

Raymond and -Marion came up.

Oh, they did, -yeah, did you give them a -check?

No, we don't have any -money giving check with.

Why?

-I just spent our milk check -writing checks.

No.

How much -to Northfield Savings Bank, -!you didn't pay them all that I -had to.

Oh no, no.

They were -only supposed to get 65.

Why?

-there were two, if we're a -month overdue.

Peter, oh no, -last month for this month?

-Yeah.

Oh no.

Jane, well, what -was I to do if we owe them -money?

That's not what you -pink slip saying you're way -!overdue.

Please pay.

So that's -!what I did.

I thought we'd get -in hot water.

-Marion and Raymond are -really going to love us now.

-Keep coming.

Keep -coming.

-Keep coming.

-This is the part.

This is the -!part we don't know about.

We'd -like to take it.

Come -on.

Getting back -Yeah.

-You had a rough trip back -didnt you?

-You can just -relax today.

-Ill bring you in some -nice hay.

-This one especially, -she's just a beauty.

-I dont know why -nobody bid higher on her.

-She's a nice girl.

-You know, something did -!happen.

We do work on we don't -!make any money at all, really, -to speak of.

We're -Were working slight deficit -right now.

-I know were breaking even.

-You know, we make maybe, -well, I don't know, you know, -in dollars, but maybe -!$15, $20 a week is what we make -to spend, you know, to go out -and do something that you -want to do.

-that's because our debt load -!is a little bit higher than it -will normally be, because -we're just starting out, and -we had to, like, if we needed -!that tractor, we had to go and -and put some more, -take some more money out.

You -!know, we had to go take out of -our personal loans, some more -money, -well, it's -when you get going on these -!kind of things, you just, you, -sort of, -what am I trying to say, when -!you get started, you just, you -just, well, yeah, when you're -getting started, you have a -big investment.

Everything -happens.

You're taking all -this money out all at once.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, to -get this place, you know, we -had to take out a couple of -short term loans to to buy -because we didn't have enough -when we with our other place, -when we sold our other place, -you know, so we, -we had to take out some two -year job-ies and -two years.

And -!we'll start making some money, -you know, that's and then our -foundation will come up, and -we'll be up to 16, you know, -where we want to be, 16 good -cows, you know.

-And know what it seems like, -what it seems like.

Okay, -You're gonna pop something -on me.

-Alright.

Lotsa farmers, you -!know, you start out when you're -young.

You got lots -of energy and, -you know, you like us, you -!start out and gotta, you know, -invest a lot of money, not a -whole lot, but you know, -!you've got to invest some good -money into a farm and animals -and stuff.

And then the years -go by and you have kids, and -you get older, and the farm -!gets better and better, and by -the time you're about 50, 55, -your energy's run down, and -the farm's doing great.

But -you know you're older, you -know you're getting old, and -you don't like, -it's youth and farming.

-yeah, well, there's a whole -thing, like, I don't know.

I -Look at Kurt, and look -at Lawrence.

-I think of Raymond and Marion -a lot.

And look at their -situation, you know.

I mean, -!you get to the age wisdom, you -know, wisdom goes to have a -good life, sweetie.

They did, -I just, I just think it's -real.

Why not?

I mean, -!you know, I I disagree.

Youve -!got all this wisdom behind you.

-- He's a broken man.

Okay, -I know, but he how many other -jobs did he work out besides -running a farm?

Okay, that's -!what it's fine.

That's what it -is.

It seems like the guy, a -guy you know, is, yeah.

-I totally disagree with you -there.

Well, you -didn't used to.

-What do you - I know you're -!filming a slight argument, but -I just I don't understand, -because -what we're doing right now, -yeah, I mean, we're not -exerting, exerting any more -energy than we would if we -were taking a job, -we worked.

We've worked a lot -harder than this before.

-College, responsibility, that -was incredible, and there are -human.

You're dealing with -animals.

You're not dealing -with a nine to five job, a -very you know.

-It just sounds to -!me like you're kind of, you're -kind of not sure about the -!whole life where the future is -gonna get you.

-!All I'm saying was Peter that - -if 55 years old, what happens -is you?

You -at 55 years old what happens -is -!you're all worn out.

You can't -enjoy the fringe benefits.

-A lot of farmers are.

-!I feel sorry for a lot of guys -!too, sweetie.

I don't, I don't -just there are a lot of -farmers that are sick and -!stuff, but, boy, there's a lot -of there are a lot of farmers -I mean, you know, you're not -going to get rich after 55 -any more money than you're -making now, or anything like -that.

But it's just a way to -do it.

It's not and it's no -social comment that I can -really think of to farm.

It's -just the way you pick to to -live and and you incorporate -!the way you live into making a -!little money to pay your taxes -and stuff, and it's actually -fun.

-anyway, getting back to that, -working on a on on a regular, -you know, like a -kind of on the edge, you know -what I mean, I guess, -!I guess We do, you know, to to -!an extent, but we've had to do -some things before that that -really didn't shake us too -dump that milk those times.

-You know, when the penicillin -got in the milk, and our milk -check wasn't, you know, -there's $60 each time we -dumped it.

-And that's, you know, that's -more than we make, you know, -in that week, that day -and we got by, -we'd get by if some cows got -sick or something.

We could -sell some heifers, if we had -to to, you know, to get some -new cows.

-And, you know, just, we just -try not to think about that.

-We're trying to learn enough -to keep our animals healthy.

-And sometimes it's pretty -hard, and that's, it's pretty -!scary at times.

You know, when -!the calves like now, you know, -when we had them outside, you -know, and then they couple of -them that scours, and it just -goes right through the whole -herd of calves.

And -that gets pretty demoralizing -after a while, you know, if -you keep if you have to fight -that all winter, that's no -that's no fun.

-!What I think I don't know what -I really -He doesnt like my opinion -on things.

-No, sweetie thats not -true.

-Thats not true.

-Now don't leave the room.

-I think that -the thing that -that we can, we -the film is nice to be -!filmed and stuff, I guess.

But -really, when you get down to -it, you start thinking about -some of the things that we've -been doing and some of the -things that we've done -with some of the things that -and we're going to go through -in the future.

It's just that -it's really kind of nice to -listen to ourselves talk, you -know, I mean, -in other words, we've never -really, we've never sat down -and really talked about, I -mean, -!what?

We've talked about it to -a certain extent, but not -really gotten into it really -deeply to find out about the -!practical things, like, Should -!we buy this cow, or, should we -buy this cow?

Or, you know, -how should we do this?

But -like, we never really - -Why are we doing it?

-!Why are we farming?

That's the -thing that I, -you know, that's the thing -that we -it's kind of nice.

That's the -thing I like about, you know, -haven't been not having to -!talk, but wanting to talk, not -even had an occasion to talk -about them.

-It looks kind of neat though, -doesn't it?

The green, -huh?

I don't think it's that -neat.

-Well, you just said you -loved it.

-Look at those calves -and cows.

-I think we ought to -put some bells on Hillary and -and make her a reindeer.

-Nothing else we don't get out -of this snow?

-I don't know.

-Guess we better start our -winters work.

-I guess I'm ready for winter.

-!Youre as ready, as you'll ever -be.

Yeah, I'm ready.

-have to do with what we've -got.

-Just keep tearing down the -back shed there.

-No, we're all set.

-We're all set.

-I don't know.

There's still a -!lot of work to do, Pete.

Yeah, -we'll have to bring the -calves in, these guys in -Well, if anything else, the -bar will be warm, even if -there's not enough space for -all the animals.

-Theres enough space.

-There is?

-Here you werent -using the barn this winter.

-!Well Im gonna continue to load.

-Partnering -with local filmmakers -to bring you -stories made here.

-For more, -visit vermontpublic.org.