Watch Betting the Farm

Betting the Farm is a 2012 documentary film directed by Cecily Pingree and Jason Mann, which revolves around the Maine’s Own Organic Milk Company (MOO Milk Co.), a cooperative of farmers that joins forces to create a new milk company. The film chronicles the struggles of the MOO Milk Co. during its first year, as it endeavors to provide organic, high-quality milk to its customers on a limited budget, with the odds seemingly stacked against them in every way.

The approach utilized by the filmmakers is reminiscent of a reality show, as it mainly follows three farmers throughout their journeys. These three farmers, Vaughn Chase, Aaron Bell, and Richard Lary, all decided to break away from the Oakhurst Dairy and create a new cooperative that would serve the people of Maine with fresh organic milk.

As the film starts, the viewer is introduced to the main characters, each of whom brings a different level of experience to the co-operative. Vaughn Chase, a 14th generation farmer, is the co-founder of the MOO Milk Co. and serves as its president, while Aaron Bell is an experienced farmer who has been with Oakhurst Dairy for almost a decade. Richard Lary is a young farmer who is just starting out and is new to the co-op. The three farmers are the main subjects of the documentary, and their stories are intertwined throughout the film, providing the viewer with different perspectives of the challenges faced by the co-op.

Whether it's finding the funding to get the company off the ground, or sourcing the cows, fittings, and equipment needed for the farms, the challenges and obstacles seem never-ending. However, despite the challenges that seem to crop up at every turn, the team resolves to do whatever it takes to make the MOO Milk Co. work.

Pingree and Mann use a fly-on-the-wall filming style to capture the raw emotions and passion displayed by the farmers as they struggle to make the company a success. The documentary highlights the support and sense of community that is evident among dairy farmers, who are all struggling with the same problems in a market dominated by large conglomerates such as Oakhurst Dairy.

Betting the Farm is not just about the business aspect of dairy farming but covers a host of other issues that dairy farmers face daily. The documentary shines a light on the farmers' dependence on their community and the broader market's unpredictability. It shows how the successful launch of a new cooperative is not just determined by the quality of the product but how much support the farmers can garner from their local community.

The documentary is also quite educational for viewers who may not be familiar with the milk industry. The film provides insights into the daily lives of dairy farmers, their routines, the complexities of animal husbandry, and the politics around fresh milk. Aside from chronicling the difficulties that the farmers face, the movie also provides an overview of the health benefits of organic milk and why it is important to support small-scale co-ops.

Overall, Betting the Farm is an insightful and educational documentary that takes an intimate look at the struggles of small-scale farmers trying to create a niche in a stubborn and volatile industry. It is a story of perseverance, determination, hard work, and the refusal to give up on one's hopes and dreams. The film teaches us that with community support and collaboration, anything is possible and that success can be achieved even in the most challenging of circumstances.

Betting the Farm is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0.