Wheat harvest documentary will debut in 2014
 DOCUMENTARY—Conrad Weaver (far right) will be putting the finishing touches on his documentary about wheat harvest this summer. Weaver plans to debut the “Great American Wheat Harvest” on National Ag Day in 2014. Pictured with Weaver are (from left to right) Tracy Zeorian, Lee Petersen, Dan Misener, and Jim Deibert. These custom harvesters and their families will be featured in the film. (Journal photo by Doug Rich.) |
By Doug Rich
The Great American Harvest, a documentary film about wheat harvest in North America, will premiere in Washington, D.C., on National Ag Day in 2014. Producer-Director Conrad Weaver said the film would then be shown at theaters across the Wheat Belt.
During a presentation at AgConnect in Kansas City, Mo., on Jan. 29, Weaver said he got the idea for the documentary from the All Aboard Harvest feature in High Plains Journal. Weaver has been working on the documentary for two and half years.
Weaver introduced representatives of his major sponsors for the project and some of the custom harvesters that will be featured in the film. Major sponsors for the project are John Deere, MacDon, U.S. Custom Harvesters, Inc., and the Canadian Customer Harvesters Association.
Barry Nelson said the documentary would focus on three elements that are very important to wheat harvest in North America. First would be the families that are involved in the actual harvest. Second, it would detail the many challenges agriculture faces on daily basis to produce the food and fiber for a growing population. Finally, the documentary will give the public a look at the people who build the combines that the grain by featuring the “Gold Key” program offered to John Deere customers.
Jim Deibert, owner of JKD harvesting in Colby, Kan., will be featured in the documentary. Weaved followed Deibert to the John Deere combine assembly plant where his new combine was being built. Deibert was taking part in the Gold Key program that gives customers a chance to see their combine being built.
“The exposure for the wheat harvest industry will be tremendous for us,” Kent Braathen, newly elected president of USCH, Inc., said. “It will have nothing but great benefit for us.”
Doug Rich can be reached by phone at 785-749-5304 or by email at richhpj@aol.com.
Date: 2/18/2013