Man: Yeah.

[Car door shuts] Woman: [indistinct]... the next little run.

Man: Well, she can ride with me.

Woman 2: They asked if somebody came, and she said no.

Man 2: Yeah, we good.

[Car door shuts] [Woman grunts] Ooh!

[Birds chirp faintly] [Car door opens] [Indistinct chatter] Man: Oh, he worked for the funeral home.

Different man: His name Bill.

Man: Is it?

Woman: His name tag says Leroy.

[Car beeps] [Laughs] Man: That's a choice.

[Keys rattle, car starts] That's Clement and, um-- [Dinging] [Car door shuts, seatbelts click] [Dinging stops] Different man: Ahh!

That's faith!

Who is my driver?

-Ron.

How you doin'?

-What's your last name?

-Walker.

-Walker?

-Yes ma'am.

-From Cairo?

From Cairo.

Woman: Daddy?

Dad: Mm?

Woman: Daddy you asleep?

Different man: Daddy, you asleep or you got a headache?

Dad: Uh-uh.

I'm OK.

Daughter: Did you eat?

Dad: Mm-hmm.

Daughter: When'd you ate?

'Cause I ate all the breakfast you cooked.

Dad: You silly.

[Car warning signal beeps] Woman: What's that makin' that noise?

Dad: Seatbelt -Huh?

Dad: Mom, put your seatbelt on.

Mama.

-Huh?

Put your seatbelt on.

Mom: Oh, OK.

[Beeping continues] Daughter: What church we going to?

Son: Willow Head.

The one we always go to.

-I never been to Willow Head.

-You've been to Willow Head.

Daughter: This is only funeral I really been to.

[Laughs nervously] Oh, man, I'm freaking out.

-That's everybody?

-My nerves bad.

I'm about the same.

[Laughs] Man: Yeah, you right.

You didn't go with me and Tyler.

-No.

I haven't been to-- Man, you've been to Willow Head, man.

Once when you were little.

-Thank you.

-Either way, you been.

-I haven't.

-I haven't.

I'm lying.

Carlie, you've been to Willow Head, too.

[Indistinct chatter] [Ethereal string music] [Distant rhythmic clapping joins] [Train whistles] [Organ melody and train-like whistle join the score] ♪ ♪ [Indistinct chatter] ♪ ♪ Come on and guide me, Lord!

♪ -♪ Come on and guide me, Lord!

♪ -♪ Guide me ♪ ♪ Come on and guide me, Lord ♪ -♪ Come on and guide me, Lord!

♪ -♪ Guide me ♪ ♪ Come on and guide me, Lord!

♪ ♪ Guide me ♪ -♪ Come on and guide me, Lord!

♪ -♪ Guide me ♪ ♪ Come on and guide me ♪ ♪ Guide me ♪ ♪ [Singer vocalizing] ♪ -♪ Rock me ♪ -♪ Guide me ♪ -♪ Come on and rock me ♪ -♪ Guide me ♪ ♪ Come on and rock me ♪ [Music stops abruptly] Pastor: ...commit her body to the ground.

Earth to Earth.

Ashes to ashes.

And dust to dust.

Mourners: Amen.

[Engine idles] Woman: Oh, there's what's her name.

Hmm.

Lotta people, relatives and friends.

Dad: That Dillon Road?

OK.

Before you get to that hill, if you look to the left, you'll see a green sign that says Kentavia Farms.

Young girl: And we get to see Uncle Carlie and Lois?

We won't see them in person anymore ever until we meet them in the heavenly home.

But the cemetery-- -Where's that?

We was always told it's a home in the sky.

After you go to sleep here, and they put you in... like that thing right there and take you to where we're going right now, you stay there until the Lord calls you up to heaven.

Oh!

I'm gonna go to heaven.

Mm-hmm.

Or until He come and get you.

However, it's done.

I don't know.

[Indistinct chatter] Woman: 9 miles or 10 miles.

-I'm hungry.

-Me too.

Not a thing down in there.

Well, I declare.

And I'm hungry, too.

-Ooh!

-[Chuckling] You want one?

Yeah!

Girl: Nope, I'm good, Grandma.

[Indistinct chatter] After supper, after we eat our dinner, we can have another one.

Got one more left.

These taste just like oranges.

That's it?

-That's the cemetery.

Then where's Uncle Carlie?

We had, um... Who was buried out there?

We did have somebody, I don't remember what their name was.

One was Uncle Jake, Uncle Carlie, Bobby Tave.

Your mama talk to you a lot.

That's good.

-Papa Kenny.

-Yeah.

Uncle Kenny.

-Yeah, Uncle Kenny.

-And that's it.

And one more is about to be Aunt Margaret.

Yeah!

Mm-hmm.

You want to take a nap?

-No.

Me neither.

[Laughs] I'll just lay my head up and rest for a minute.

1, 2, 3, when I get to 60 I have to remove it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

[Discordant vocal hum soars] ♪ [Music fades out] [Buzzing and chirping of insects and birds] [Cotton picker vehicle whirs] [Whirring grows louder] [Vehicle powers down] [Machinery rattling, humming, and squeaking] -Hello.

-Hey!

Taking a picture or... Where's Trey at?

Trey, they went to pick cotton.

They went to go pick cotton this evening?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-So he could be pecaning.

-Huh?

-So he could be pecaning.

-Yeah.

Alright then.

Alright.

[Birds chirp faintly, vehicle passes in the distance] [Vehicle hums and rattles] [Indistinct rustling] [Genesis' "That's All" playing on car radio] ♪ [Corn husks rustle] ♪ [Cows lowing] ♪ OK.

Alright, miss.

You know, some farmers may have not tried to salvage it, but I try to salvage all these things and...be able to get the total benefit from it, so... Alright, get back, get back, get back.

[Truck starts] [Truck drives off, engine rattles] [Line ringing] [Faint out-going ringtone] [Background noise on phone] Woman: Hello?

-Hello?

Ms.

Deborah?

-Yes, sir?

-Alani on your bus?

-Uh, yes sir.

-Alright, that's all I wanna know.

Thank you, Ma'am.

Deborah: OK.

-OK.

Alright.

Deborah: Bye.

Whew!

[Whirring] So when they put this house down, they didn't put no... blocks through the center of it.

When he got here, before he set it down, he wanted more money.

I said "No you told me $5,000," and I had paid him all the money except 500.

So I've given him 500 and told him that's all was due to him.

He brought it here and set it down.

But he put blocks around the perimeter of it.

He didn't put none through the center, he just set it down.

So...I'm having to... you know, reset it and go through the center and put blocks through the center.

'Cause I just wasn't gonna pay him like that.

Wasn't gonna let him use me, hound me like that.

It's just, like most folks when they got the adv--they think they have the advantage of you, they, um... they take it.

[Knocking and clanking] [Drilling] [Heavy sigh] Nah, I don't still don't think that gon' do it.

OK.

Oh, I can do it like that.

I can do it.

I can make it work.

OK.

[Bus engine hums] Folks say, "Well, you too young to have a great-granddaughter."

But, uh, it worked out beautiful 'cause if I live, I have a chance to enjoy her, teach her.

Alani: Papa!

-Hey, girl!

[Laughs] How you doin'?

Come on.

-Papa, can you get my book bag?

-Yeah.

Thursday and Friday-- -Papa... she don't have practice.

Huh?

Huh?

-You been working on the floor?

-Yeah.

I just started.

-Oh.

Gotta get it finished.

Alani: Want some apple juice.

-Right there.

Bring the juice here and let me pour it for you.

Papa?

You got some new needles?

Yeah, I got some new bits.

OK?

Go set your glass down.

Come take it back.

OK, put it back.

Ma.

Come here.

Who she look like?

Look at her.

And the way that happened is-- Don't say I look like Jesse Mae.

Don't say it.

-Heh heh.

Yeah.

She-- Don't say it!

I had a dream before she was born.

And my mother here was expecting in that dream, and she come here looking like her.

My mother name was Jesse Mae Head.

So I always call her Jesse Mae.

She reminds me of my mother every day.

And I took care of my mother.

I took care of her 12 years after my Dad died.

I have 5 sisters and a brother.

Wouldn't none of them, like, really go and see about her.

So I, you know, didn't go anywhere.

I stayed here to see about them, both of them, before they died, my father and my mother.

So, that's why I call her Jesse Mae.

The way I think God sent my mother back to me, and she sticks with me.

I don't know.

I just, this is the love of my life.

I want to see her get grown and hopefully graduate from college and get married one day.

Have a husband, somebody to help her and make a life-- help make a life for her.

That's what I want for her.

[Clattering] Alani: Papa?

Papa: I'm coming.

-Papa.

-Huh?

Alani: My tooth came out today.

-Did it?

-Mm-hmm.

Right here.

Papa: Sure did.

[Chuckles] OK.

Alani: 'Cause it came out at school.

OK.

OK.

[Drill whirring] [Engine chugs] [Rattling] [Engine chugs and knocks] [Rapid knocking against metal] [Pecans and branches pelt tractor] [Humming] [Chuckles softly] [Nut shell cracks] [Cat and kittens mew] Woman: That one's scared.

That dog clipped that one one day.

-Mm?

-Mm-hmm.

He's scared.

-Got a kitten, too.

-Where?

Over at that chair.

Unless it done died.

The dog bit that one one time.

And that one be scared to go up there now.

Put a little more water in this.

We got some crazy little cats.

[Cats mewing] [Kittens mewing nearby] [Car door open indicator dings] Worker: How many bags you got, sir?

-I've got but one.

-You just got one?

Yeah, I got, well there's two.

There's one in the back seat.

Worker: OK.

Oh, you got some old Elliots.

[Pecans clatter in bag] Alright.

They're all Elliots.

Yep.

That's alright.

That's good.

That's good.

They all good and clean, too.

91 pounds.

And we'll do $1.30 on these.

Alright?

-OK.

-Yes, sir.

-What your name is?

-Mr.

Lee.

Lee Brown.

-From where?

-Thomasville, Georgia.

-I try to know you.

OK.

And where you from?

Right there on Pavo Road, right between here and Pavo.

-OK, OK.

And you been doin' farming how many years?

Well, I start the self-farming since I was about 18.

-OK.

Since you were 18?

-Yeah.

A little, maybe-- Well, I was farming before then 'cause that's all I ever did.

Alright!

That's what's up man.

Hey, you blessed to be doing it that many years and still doing it.

-Well... -Yes, sir.

I'll put your bags back in your truck.

-OK.

-Get you situated.

Get to the cash.

Take care -Alright.

-There's your check.

-OK.

Thank you, ma'am.

-Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

-Yes, ma'am.

Same to y'all.

Thanks.

Man: You got it?

Should've eaten before you came.

Woman: Here?

Man: A-R-O.

Woman: Blink your eyes and look at that one again.

Man: A... OK.

A... Made it worse.

[Chuckles] -That's an A -Does it look any better here?

Not too much better.

Doctor: He's got a little Conjunctivochalasis as well.

Let me have you look this way.

[Machine clicks] A little Conjunctivochalasis on both eyes.

But, it is minimally dry.

Maybe rare SPK.

[Machine clicks] I'm gonna move that over that way.

Your eyes look the way the way they should be for somebody who just had cataract surgery like you did.

But there's one thing right on the side on my face up there look like it had a-- like I had lick or something there.

[Two medical workers talk quietly to each other] Doctor: He did improve.

We got you better.

We got you better.

I'm looking at the numbers.

He had some prolapsed orbital fat.

He had that.

That's what he had I'm just looking at all the stuff, and his eyes were a little bit dry too.

I think you're doing well enough.

OK?

We're gonna give you a prescription today so you can go get some glasses.

Alright.

Thank you.

Thank you, Michelle.

[Typing on keyboard] [Mouse clicking] You don't give no kind of pain medicine here do you?

Woman: No, sir.

[Typing] [Quiet chatter, office phones ring faintly] Woman: How are you?

-OK, and you?

We getting some glasses today?

What I want to know about-- what they gonna cost?

About what they're gonna cost.

OK.

Different woman: Let me see, what insurances you have.

You have Medicare.

And do you have a supplement to your Medicare?

What's the name of that thing?

I can't think of name of it.

So that would make a difference.

I ain't feeling the best today, tell you the truth.

Woman: Well, you're looking good.

Thank you.

Well, yeah, here you go.

You have Premium Plus.

OK.

Let me take your insurance and I can tell you exactly what it's gonna be, OK?

-OK.

[Indistinct chatter] [Clears throat] Woman: OK.

Here's your cards.

You have two good plans.

Your first plan will pay $100 towards your frame and lenses, and your second plan will pay $100 towards that.

So you can get--you can put lenses into your frame and it's $184.

Your insurance will pay a hundred.

And you just pay $80 for that.

If you use your own frame.

You can also get a new frame and we can give you a price on what that'll be.

And we'll take $100 off of that, and you just pay the difference.

So you can get your own and you can get a new one if you want.

A new one, a new frame?

It'll be a little higher than regular?

Woman: Just a little high.

Yes, sir.

How much?

You can get a frame that's valued up to $180 and your lenses for just $199.

You don't got nothing no cheaper than that?

So 166.

160.

-I got 160 for you.

-You got 160?

OK.

[Types] 160 it is.

[Receipt printing] Thank you, dear.

[Birds chirp and caw in the distance] [Dog barks in the distance] [Cows lowing in the distance] Man: This farm has been in y'all family over a 100 years?

Man 2: Over 100 years.

Since 1883.

Man: Golly, man!

Oh, that's a blessing!

Man 2: Mm-hmm.

-Not many us... -No.

We've been sold that joke.

[Laughter] -Well, yeah.

And if you did-- -You got to hold on to this.

Matter of fact me and the guy, we talking bout that yesterday.

You know, Black people were big landowners.

-Yeah, they were.

-And the younger generation, when the old people died out, the younger generation "I'm going up north, man.

I ain't want to farm.

I don't do this."

Now, they said things up there done got tough, so they ain't got nothing to come to.

Well, a lot of people moving back now, or were because-- -But they ain't farming.

-Yeah.

No, they ain't farming.

Behave before you hurt yourself.

Mm-hmm.

[Knocking] But, uh... it is unique.

And see, like I was telling you, farming's the backbone of the world.

That's who feed people, the farmers.

That's right.

That's right.

[Cows bellow] [Bird screeches] Papa: I was grinding the whole stalk once, and I meant the whole ear.

-Uh-huh.

You know them there, the weevils got in there.

-This one alright here.

-Yeah.

But it's a bunch of them out here like that.

And I said I'm gonna just-- But you can feed that to the cows.

Yeah.

That's what I'm feeding to them, I'm bringing it there, throwing it over the fence-- -Mm-hmm -to them, you know.

But man, there's some ears out here big as your arm up here.

That new corn wouldn't stay out here like this, though.

Uh-uh.

And that's with no spray or nothing.

And you get one like that.

But see, you got-- you got that and I can't throw that away.

Uh-uh.

That's the reason when my grand-daughter say, "Granddaddy, I'd like to live out here."

"You can live out here!"

"Well, how much an acre of land gonna cost--" "Ain't gonna cost you nothing.

"You just step over there, and we'll mark it off, and I'll sign it over to you, and you can start your house," and that's why you see that house there now.

What I'm gonna do with all of it?

I mean, 72 acres ain't a lot of land compared to some people, but my grandaddy dug stumps.

That lady on the phone was telling me about it.

She said, "I heard about what your grandaddy done, "dug stumps for a dime apiece to make the down payment."

Payment wasn't worth but $300, but that's 3,000 stumps.

You got to dig it-- -That's $30,000 now!

-Yeah.

-Mm!

-You know.

So what we see now in the present, that don't mean the future gonna be that way.

[Fire crackles] [Men talk faintly nearby] Once they get connected pretty good up there, we can move.

The wind changing.

We might want to move out of here.

Grab my food.

[Wood cracking] Well, I guess I go into my savings, put tires on my 4-wheeler and shoot past you.

Yeah, 'cause I ain't moving no time soon.

Still smoke.

It'll be alright.

[Wood creaking] [Goat bleats] Woman: You didn't cook nothing, did you, Belle?

-Uh-uh.

-Cook breakfast?

I came, out here-- oh yeah, I had oatmeal.

I had what?

Grits and bacon and toast and coffee at 10:00 when I ate breakfast.

Because I didn't hurry to get up.

-And so then I-- -Well, I had a good day yesterday.

-You did?

What you do?

Yeah.

We drove over at Thomasville, and I hadn't been over in a long time.

-The day you went with me?

-I went with you yesterday.

That bull, you see how the cows got they ass out this morning?

They came out and got out again?

Who brought them in?

Clarence drove them back.

Clarence was in the trailer.

He stopped and toot the horn, and they went on back.

I looked back a while ago.

I didn't see him come back.

Where is the fence broke at?

Towards the back of barrel house down in that sink.

It's still in the same spot?

Where it got bogged up the other day?

They must've been had fixing it.

That's what I'm thinking.

I ain't saying nothing-- -They say its wet 'cause the tractor was bogged down to the axel.

-Yeah, that's what I heard.

-Mm-hmm.

That cow look like he-- he don't feel good.

Do he?

He look like he feel alright to me.

-He just laying down out there.

-Well, that's what they do.

When they, you know--they may get up and graze a while.

-Mm-hmm.

-Walk around and then they come to sit down... or lay down whatever you want to call it.

He look like he--I see him moving his ears 'cause the flies bother.

-They're keeping the gnats off.

-Oh.

[Cows lowing] [Engine whirs and rattles] [Cows grunt and bellow] Oh.

We saw 3 calves coming out from that trail in the woods.

Alright.

Hang on.

I'm finna open this gate and run them suckers through here because--we got about 6 up at the other part.

And that black bull gots a new girlfriend, so he's showing out.

[Cocks gun] [Cow bellows] [Engine idles] Man: Boogie, back up a little bit!

[Cows bellow and grunt] [Gunshot] [Cows grunt] [Engine revs] [Horn beeps] [Beep] [Engine idles] [Cow grunts] [Switch wooshes] [Bird caws] [Wind blows, leaves rustle] [Engine hums, cowbells rattle] That's how my father and my mother farmed.

That's what they went by.

That's what they would go by.

Let me show you something.

The great big fire in Chicago at that time in 1871.

You want to look at that sign, go back over here to this part.

My mother taught me how to read this.

[Engine idles] See the man's body?

This is what-- see that sign right there, the one we just looked at?

You see that lady holding that flower?

That it goes to... the intestines.

That's bloom day.

That mean anything you plant on this day, it's gonna bloom out.

I don't care what it is.

It may not supposed to bloom, but it's gonna bloom.

So you don't plant on that day, a farmer don't plant on that day.

He don't plant when the sign is in the feet.

See the fish that's in the feet, that's good to plant anything that makes in the ground like peanuts or potatoes, it's good to plant it on that day.

The best day to plant something to make above the ground-- see that corn out there?

I planted it on twin day.

See those two women?

Anything you plant on that day, it's gonna make two of them.

Man: It's cold out here.

[Grunts softly] -These keeping you busy, man?

-Yeah.

-How many got there?

-I got you 6 mustards.

Get that one there.

-The one right here?

Yeah.

Get one of these out from under the blanket here.

Under the blanket.

[Dog barks] -Here, one more -Here's one more.

OK.

-That makes 3.

That's 5, isn't it?

-Yeah.

5.

-[Grunts] You got one more, right?

-Yeah.

Ah!

Whoo!

[Grunts] Ah.

Alright.

-Alright, sir.

-How much do I owe you, buddy?

-25.

-OK.

OK, alright.

Let me get the money right here.

I think I gave you one more dollar.

Count that.

OK.

Cold, ain't it?

Supposed be colder tomorrow.

-It's 25.

-That 25?

-Yeah.

-OK.

Thank you, bud!

Supposed be colder than this tomorrow?

-Yeah That what they say!

-That's why I was trying to get whatever done done today because you know, it's hard to start when it's cold.

-That frost be on it.

-On the ground, yeah.

Appreciate it, call me!

-Y'all have a good one.

Thanks, bud!

-Yeah.

Call me, Kurbo.

-Thank you.

I will!

[Engine sputters] I'm gonna stop and fix this.

[Engine starts and purrs] Just... don't ever get a moment.

[Truck hums, cowbells rattle] I got to stop and give this lady this little bunch.

She done had a stroke.

[Car door slams] Look here, don't worry about that.

Don't worry about that.

Don't worry about it.

You can pay me another time.

-OK.

-OK.

You take care.

[Insect buzzing] We save seed corn.

We have to, Black farmers do.

We have to save our seeds.

Because of us not getting any funding, any money to farm with, we can't go buy seed.

[Bag rustles] This is what we save.

Now this brand you can save.

But the Roundup Ready, you can't save.

You have to buy their seed every year.

It's about $400 a bag, somewhere in there.

And a bag only plants like 2 1/2 acres, 3 acres, maybe if you stretch it.

So we can't afford that as farmers.

And you know our situation, or you've heard of it.

This is what we have to do, but it's not-- It's good because this is the old-fashioned corn.

The health for the body, the healing of the body is breded into this.

So it's a difference in the Roundup Ready and this.

But we have to save our seed.

And I was just looking at my corn supply.

And like this here vegetables.

So you know, you got peas, you plant, you save them and keep them on.

Keep them in the freezer on a chill and the seed'll preserve itself.

So that's how we have to do it out here.

We can't go to the seed market... every day, But I wanted to look at the seed.

I know it's just, the ground has been cold too long.

Alani: Papa!

Papa: Come on Alani: Can I get back here?

You can get back here.

Don't sit on that stuff right there on the floor.

Gotta sit up there.

That's fertilizer it will get in your clothes and won't come out.

Right there.

Let me get my hat.

[Truck starts] Papa: Come on, Ma.

[Truck door squeaks] [Alani grunts] No, like, don't put the potatoes.

JT, where you put them plants from?

JT: Black container.

Trying to take my patient here.

I'm the one who cut it, not you.

This is a thick one.

[Machine whirs] Man: You can get 10 out of this.

Yeah, but I got some of them sold for somebody coming by here after church tomorrow.

[Pea sheller rattles rapidly] See the nice all at the top.

Uh-uh, just get the trash.

No, no.

Leave the peas in there and take the trash out.

Uh-uh put them in that thing there.

And let's take the trash out.

Every piece you see.

The way you doing you'll be here till midnight.

See how it done?

Just pick it out.

Shake it around a little bit and pick it a little more.

[Machine rattles rapidly] [Indistinct chatter] Man: Here.

I need to pay somebody now.

-Yes sir.

-You got it.

-Thank you, y'all.

-Yes, sir.

You're welcome.

Alright, Unc Frank, we'll see you later.

Frank: Monday Morning.

-Alright, Unc.

We boys got to go.

[Chatter on TV] [Sweeping] TV announcer:...talking with everyone who has Medicare about the health plans from Humana that could save you money.

These are all your plans to combine medical and prescription drug coverage.

Always affordable monthly plan premiums, and in some areas, if you have... -...ever cheated on him?

-Honestly, no.

Maury Povich: This is your husband.

You ever cheated on him?

Woman: No.

I have never cheated on him once in my life.

[Argument continues on TV] Woman two: Stop lying!

[Applause] Announcer: Both of Katie's children.

Daaaamn.

Maury: Who's the father of that little girl?

Announcer: Don't go away.

[Yelling on TV] [TV plays in background] Woman: What's the matter, Lois?

[Lois moaning] You want to lay down?

Mr.

Carlie, did she grunt like that all night?

-Uh-uh.

No, some night she do more than she do others, but she's doing a little more this evening than I seen her do in quite some time.

Lois, what's going on, baby?

You want to sit up a little on the little-- Yeah!

[Lois continues groaning] Just keep her from getting all stalled up, huh?

I don't know why.

I used to do it all the time back then.

I reckon maybe I'm just getting old and forgetful.

[Lois groaning] The muscles aren't stretching.

'Cause what it does, it keeps the muscles stretched.

I mean keeping her from drawing up, so... Do this all day, all day and never move her muscle or nothing.

[Lois moans] It ain't good on her health, too good, so... [Carlie sneezes] [Piglets grunt and snort, fly buzzes] [Shuffling in trailer] [Hammering] [Clattering] [Wood splitting] Come on off here.

Don't make me tear it up.

Nah, I can't do it like that.

[Drilling] Papa: Hey, boy!

What you doing?

They gone?

Yeah.

Hmm.

Oh, you decided to keep them?

-I didn't have a choice.

[Clatter] There she is.

Oh, I see what they done.

What are you doing?

What you doing?

I'm taking this cabinet out.

See this cabinet you hang your clothes in?

I'm gonna take it out and take it home and put it up in my room.

I'm gonna take all these like... see all this right here?

I'm gonna take these and put them in the kitchen.

And them doors down there like we got under the sink, See, I'm gonna take these out and put them down there.

See how pretty it is?

It's real wood too.

[Thud] [Scraping] -Grandaddy.

-Huh?

-We're going back home.

-OK.

-Alright.

-Heh heh heh.

See you later, man!

OK.

[Knock] [Tapping] [Radio plays faintly] ♪ [Indistinct] Alani: Pe-can.

It's pe-con.

-How's it going, bud?

-Good.

How you doin?

Smith, Roscoe Smith.

-Ahh!

I knew that was you, man.

Roscoe: I think I seen you at a-- on NewsBreak.

Was you in Atlanta a few months ago?

Yeah, I was in Atlanta a few months ago.

They had something about the Black farmers in this area were protesting 'cause they were giving all the subsidies-- -Yeah.

Yeah.

That's what we-- -to other people.

Yeah, but, you know, that's what we was up there about.

They gave another agriculture company 90 million.

They gave all them other farmers opposite of us, they paid the in 3 days.

They telling us we got to wait 10 months.

[Laughs] And the bill been-- the money's there.

-Mm-hmm.

-The congressmen passed it.

Joe Biden done signed it But the Secretary of Agriculture don't want to pay us.

See that's why-- you know the story.

-Yeah -Yeah, Yeah.

So that's what we were doing up there.

And we got to go back.

You got elderly people done died.

They been trying to get this for 30 years.

Some of them died-- How you doing?

Some of them died and all, and they didn't get nothing.

-Right -And their land been taken... the whole 9 yards, so that's what we was up there doing the other day.

And Secretary Vilsack paid some farmers the day before when they found out we was coming.

-Mm-hmm.

-So Vilsack went on and paid some farmers' debts.

See, but the actual discrimination thing, he don't want to touch that 'cause that mean he got to hand you raw money and they don't want to hand us no--ha ha-- They don't want to hand-- you know how it go.

Now they'll give us a penny or two, but when it come to dollars-- Yeah, big money.

They don't even want to think about that with us, see, but some of them farmers been going through this-- myself been going through it 25 years.

You can't get no loan.

You can't get nothing from the bank.

-What?!

-No!

No!

You can't get a loan.

You can't go to the bank.

The first place gonna turn you down is the bank.

After you get turned down by the bank, you got to go to FSA or FHA.

When you go there, they already done talk with the bank.

That's your last resource is the FSA, but they won't-- they won't loan you nothing.

See, if they don't loan you that money to farm, pay your taxes, and pay your payment, they take your land.

A lot of people don't know what's going on.

They don't know.

They taking our land.

How you doing?

But anytime they see where we come together as a group, they always leave us out.

It's the same way about the land and the farm.

Look back yourself.

Look how many Black farmers you had years ago.

Yeah.

In 1910, it was 16 million acres of land owned by us here in this country, 16 million.

You know how many we got now?

1.5 million acres of land.

Now that's a statistic you can pull up in D.C., Washington, D.C.

Mention that to your people if you can.

'Cause they got to eat too.

You know what I mean?

We ain't thinking about that now, we thinking about other things.

You know, Cadillacs and Mercedes that type of stuff.

But just throw it out there sometime to your congregation.

You know, we don't realize in the morning, the meal you eat, where it come from.

You know, how'd it get there, how it started, where it started from, see what I'm saying?

-We need to talk about it.

-Right there.

Yes, sir.

We have to know where all our help come from.

-That's right.

All of it, Rev.

-Alright.

Y'all take care.

You, too.

[Truck rumbles] [Gate creaks] [Dogs bark and howl] [Chickens cluck] How did your sister enjoy her trip?

I don't know, I haven't been there to see her.

Oh.

Did she take some picture with her camera?

Or you don't know?

-I think so.

Mm-hmm.

I can ask her for you when she come back.

Oh, I was just wondering.

'Cause when I was in school, I used to go on field trips sometime.

I went all the way around the state of Georgia one time.

We went to Savannah, all around to Donalson and-- We went some of everywhere.

Mm-hmm.

So what's Trey and them doing?

They trying to fix the cotton picker right now.

Oh, that's what that man brought that big old thing behind that thing for?

-Mm-hmm.

What's wrong with it?

They say?

Something under it.

Oh.

But they did get finished out there, didn't they?

No, not yet.

They close though.

Oh, they not through picking that out there?

-Uh-uh.

-Oh, my goodness.

[Machine whirs, hand lever rattles] [Spindles whir and rattle] [Cotton picker whirs] [Birds sing nearby] [Machine rattles and creaks] [Loud whirring of vehicles and machinery] [Cotton picker groans and rumbles] [Hydraulics whir and whistle] [Machines grind and whir] [Low tonal music blends with tones of machinery] ♪ ♪ You on break now.

You happy, huh?

They 'bout to kill him over yonder.

-About to kill him.

-I was about to leave you.

Yeah.

You did, but I caught up with you.

Your problem's you can't hold it on the road.

Yep, I can't.

Well, Let's go.

See right here, Mr.

Uptown Egos?

♪ [Indistinct chatter] ♪ [Cotton picker hums faintly] ♪ [Kittens mew] [Dog barks in the distance] TV: Emmet, you're gonna explain yourself?

Anita and me were both worried sick.

Anita Stevens?

She on the loose again?

But, doctor.

[Scene continues on TV] ["Ain't Misbehavin'" plays on TV] ♪ Singer: ♪ No one to talk with ♪ ♪ All by myself ♪ ♪ No one to walk with ♪ ♪ But I'm happy on a shelf ♪ ♪ Ain't misbehavin' ♪ ♪ I'm savin' my love for you ♪ ♪ ♪ Now I know for certain ♪ ♪ Your the one I love ♪ [Song becomes distant] ♪ I'm through with flirtin' ♪ ♪ It's just you I'm dreamin' of ♪ [Song fades out, engine fades in] [Engine hums] [Engine idles] [Vehicle creaks and whirs] The president said that he had our back.

That's what he said.

And I voted for him.

I voted for him.

But nothing has been done.

Let's share the neglect.

I'm a farmer.

I'm actively farming right now.

Don't have anything to farm with.

I farm out of my Social Security check, which is only $900 a month.

This is what I do.

I do own land.

I'm trying to maintain this land and keep it.

The farmer next to me get all the money he wants.

Even though he's white, he get all the funding he needs.

We can't go to FSA anymore.

We can't go to the banks.

We can't produce a crop so we can continue to pay our bills.

Where are we?

What are we supposed to look forward to?

Associate director: I do want to just, like, level set, that on this meeting, it's not gonna provide you with all the answers that you want.

I don't want there to be any misunderstanding that this is all gonna be solved in one phone call because it's not, but we're gonna do everything we can to help you.

Back to that outreach question... Come on.

Come on, Pupa.

Come on.

[Baby babbles] Mm-hmm.

Come on!

You feel that water, man?

[Baby coos] What?

[Baby gurgles and wheezes] You feel that?

That wind blowing?

You tell you don't be outside enough when the wind blow, you have to get your breath.

[Baby babbles] Yeah.

[Baby coos] Yeah?

Want do it some more?

OK.

[Chuckles] [Thunder] Come on.

Papa bring you back.

It's fixin' to rain.

Papa let you ride much as you want.

OK?

It's just fixin' to rain.

You don't need to get wet.

OK?

[Kiss] [Thunder] Hmm?

[Rain pours outside] Don't bother.

See that water?

See that?

We better step away.

I see some lightning.

I'm gonna sit down with you.

[Baby fusses] I'm fixin' to sit down.

[Baby cries] Oh, OK, OK.

Well, you sleepy?

[Baby cries and fusses] OK, OK.

OK, OK.

[Baby coos] You got to go to sleep.

You sleepy.

You got to get some rest.

Just get some rest.

[Rain pours outside] [Thunder] [Papa sings] ♪ Now go to sleepy, papa baby ♪ ♪ Go to sleep right now ♪ ♪ Go to sleepy, papa baby ♪ ♪ And when you wake you'll feel better ♪ -[Baby coos] -Heh heh.

♪ Go to sleepy, papa baby ♪ [Thunder] ♪ Go to sleep right now ♪ ♪ Go to sleepy, papa baby ♪ ♪ And when you wake, you'll have a little cake ♪ ♪ In the icebox now ♪ [Baby coos] You got to get your rest.

[Baby fusses] Lord have mercy.

Just got on up.

[Laughs] You got to get your sleep.

♪ Now go to sleepy, daddy baby ♪ ♪ Go to sleep right now ♪ ♪ Go to sleepy, papa baby ♪ [Voice fades] [Line ringing] Man: Hello?

-Hey.

-Yeah.

Carey been trying to call you on his cell phone.

I think he said he got the peas on the back of his truck.

He up here now.

Woman: You got him on the phone?

Yeah, I guess he home eating.

Martha's here.

I come home, Martha was laying on the floor.

Oh, he said come home, Martha was laying in the floor.

-Oh, God.

-What?

Go down there and see about Martha.

Tell me about it.

Go back there and see if you could help with Martha.

Man: Frankie down here.

Frankie down there?

Down to your house?

Oh, OK then.

She alright now?

She ain't come back yet.

Oh!

She ain't come back!

Go down there, Clara.

Clara: OK, I'll go down there.

She ain't come back.

Martha-- Get in the car.

We'll ride down there.

Hey, Carey.

When he got home just a while ago Martha was out on the floor she ain't got back yet.

-Yeah?

-She's still out.

Y'all call 9-1-1, I guess.

Andre running his health down, don't he?

Mm-hmm.

There's Bryan.

-No, that not Bryan.

-It ain't?

You see right there.

She ain't come out, she must-- It ain't no truck down here with peas on it.

Where you going?

The way she was laying, she couldn't remember where she was coming from.

She says she knows she was cooking, 'cause her head was-- she was laying like this.

I got the pillow off the couch, and I got down on my knees.

I held her head up once she was on the floor.

And I put a pillow up under her head.

-Mm-hmm.

-Off the couch.

Mm-hmm.

Just one of them things.

'Cause Walter was trying to call-- we was trying this morning.

Charles want to know if that lady was still there.

Yeah.

Teresa.

I asked her-- I said, "Your head or anything hurt?"

-She say she alright?

-She told me she was alright.

That's how come I-- Walter should check often.

'Cause he come in, and she was on the floor.

Probably for lunch, but sometime Walter be riding around and be gone all day long.

He said he starting not to come in.

Well, it's scary.

Oh, well.

We all got to go one day, ain't we?

Man: Yep.

Your cotton turning out pretty good?

[Indistinct chatter] Man: Here.

Ava.

Come here, Ava.

Said don't come to me!

Don't come to me!

[Cat meows] [Fireworks whistle, crack loudly] [People cheer] [Band plays country reggae tune] [Singers vocalizing on soundtrack] ♪ [No audible dialogue] ♪ ♪ [Insects and birds chirp and buzz] [Radio plays "All Night Long" by Mary Jane Girls] ♪ [Indistinct chatter] ♪ [Gate creaks] Green.

One thing about a watermelon field, you always can come back and find one more, can't you?

-That's all me, right?

-Uh-huh.

All you.

I don't think so.

Heh heh.

You got it?

Uh-uh.

Alright.

Uh-uh.

Don't give that watermelon to her.

Give it to that boy there.

Here.

Give that.

[Indistinct] Aaah!

[Chuckles] Damn, this some good eating.

-That's good, y'all.

-Oh.

OK, yeah.

Not too bad.

Man: I guess I might as well go on around.

Boy: Don't eat the whole thing now.

I need something refreshing.

This thing got a lot of seeds in them.

Let me show you a magic trick.

[Crow caws] OK.

And I'll put this in here.

[Zips bag] These ain't as scarred up as the rest of them.

Alright, got to go fight the government.

Woman: Everyone just get in like 3 or 4 lines, shoulder to shoulder.

Man: Get in 3 to 4 lines.

Both: Shoulder to shoulder.

Woman: OK?

Man: Alright, we about to-- we about to start snapping some photos.

The banner is our center.

Everybody balance themselves out and line up accordingly.

Organizer: But when they move too fast for-- Josh, let me say, The American Rescue Plan, let me just ask this here-- The Senate wrote the legislation and made it law.

They Handed it down to the Congress.

Congress passed it.

They took it to the president, he signed it.

We the only people in America that the 3 legislative branches of government can endorse something, and we the only ones that cannot receive the benefit of it.

That is a moral disgrace.

And they always got to come up with a process.

They didn't have to come up with a process when Donald Trump paid out that $46 million in 3 days.

And the white farmers that, when you look at those demographics, how is it that he got all of them paid and still we is in the shadows waiting for them to do something for us?

So what's the problem with them suing?

Josh, Josh, Senator Warnock-- But, Josh, you saying Senator Warnock was going up there and he was gonna argue the issue.

Well, he don't need to be arguing the issue, he need to lay down the law.

Now, he didn't argue the issue when he asked us for our vote.

We didn't argue the issue.

We need somebody with a backbone to go up there.

And if he don't want to do it, we'll go.

That's just cut and dry.

We can't wait no 9 months.

We can't do that.

Planting time is there.

It's time to put our seeds in the ground if we gonna be productive this year.

He know what he's doing when he say, "by the end of the year."

Because if we don't get it in the next 30 days, we ain't gonna be able to make it-- and it'll be another year that we've lost profit and another year of discrimination that done cause us economic loss and economic harm.

Your home is not suffering.

You have plenty of food on your table.

Your tractor is not in shambles on the farm.

We can't buy $4.00 a gallon fuel.

-$5.00.

-We can't do that.

With nothing, we can't apply in the banks for money.

We're denied there.

We're denied at FSA.

Our taxes are coming.

Our family need to be fed.

And you saying, wait 9 more months?

Come on now.

Let's grow up.

Let's go get this done so we won't have to come back up here.

You pick the people, we'll go get it done.

We'll find out what Joe Biden is made of.

Ask Joe Biden to sign the executive order.

Pay the farmers.

You can argue about it later in the courts.

He can do that.

He's sending money over there to Ukraine every day.

Woman on phone: Amen.

-And now we got to sit here and beg?

When he came to South Carolina and asked for our vote, asked for our support?

We didn't put him off 9 months.

We didn't put him off.

And we don't want him putting us off.

[Breaks hiss] [Inaudible] [Insects buzz and chirp] [Cows low, crow caws] [Squeaking] [Engine Rumbling] [Papa grunts] [Fly buzzes] [Cranking] [Radio plays in background] [Metal creaks and grinds] [Machine rumbling] [Corn sifts and clatters] [Clattering] [Din of machinery continues] [Insects and frogs chirp] [Man shouts] Belle: Yeah.

How you doing?

What kind of luck you have?

[Indistinct] Belle: Oh, you got a deer in there?

Man: You heard when I shot?

Belle: Yeah, I heard you shooting.

I heard pop, pop, pop.

Man: I ain't shoot but one time.

Belle: Wow.

Man: Yeah, he real heavy now.

Yeah.

We gonna make some good sausage out of him.

Belle: I know that's right.

[Birds, insects, and frogs chirp] [Water trickling] Margaret: Are you looking at it?

Director: Mm-hmm.

Oh!

-Yeah.

They're having that lady's funeral tomorrow.

I haven't went to a funeral since Carlie and Lois buried.

[Sighs] It don't seem like they ever been here now, do it?

Do you miss them?

'Cause Lois used to be sitting up in there, wasn't she?

And you and him be riding around looking?

Wouldn't you?

[Faucet runs] Mm.

I got all the suds out, ain't I?

Hmm?

-Mm-hmm.

OK.

Oh!

[Faucet drips slowly] Ah.

Is it going?

Ain't no washing it.

Now feel my hair.

Just feel it like, just feel it hard, like-- Just take your hand and-- See how soft it is?

Isn't it?

It's just like cotton.

I have to go get some more.

[Leaves rustle] [Cows lowing] I kind of... not dreamed about this day, but somewhere I had the... foreseeability to see it coming.

This very same thing, you know, being able to walk over to my children's house.

Not having to drive miles and miles and miles and they live in other states and stuff.

Which I do have a son in Atlanta, but that's by his choice.

But I could walk over and see my children.

Or they could walk over and see me, so... Or if they need help, I was right next to them.

So I kind of foresaw this day.

You know.

A lot of that has to do with what you want out of life.

And this is one thing I wanted, my children to be close to me, so I could see after them.

You know?

See that corn should have been out.

The little bit that it is.

And that field should have been turned or tilled so we can plant now, but I got to catch up to that.

That's the only part bothers me about this.

I think I hear Lani in there.

There they go.

I didn't know.

We're just sitting here.

Hey, big boy!

-Uh-huh.

-Say, "Papa"?

Huh?

What you doing?

Hey, boy!

What you doing?

Papa hadn't seen you, big boy.

Come here.

-Went to sleep last night.

-Did he?

Yeah!

Boy, Papa missed you last night.

He didn't see you.

He was thinking about you, couldn't go to sleep.

Alani: My cat hat fell off when I did a cartwheel.

Papa: Yeah.

Wanna get on the grass?

Hey!

Papa: Ahh.

-You like it, man?

-Yeah!

[Clapping] Papa: See when we up there fighting for the land, this is what-- this the image be in my mind.

What my children gonna do?

What my grandchildren gonna do?

What will they have?

Will they be locked up in apartment complexes across the country looking out the window all the time when they could be out the door on the land.

Those are the things we farmers think about.

Alani: Hold?

You're holding onto that toy real good.

OK, well let it go.

You gonna pull the grass?

Yeah.

You like it, man?

Huh?

Look at him.

He gets that smile.

[Laughs] Hey.

I want to see him on the bicycle, right?

-Yeah.

-Heh heh.

[Baby vocalizes] Papa: Yeah.

You can't eat it, man.

Can't eat it.

Yeah.

[Laughs] You can't eat it.

[Alani whines, annoyed] Alani: Stop!

-See even if he don't-- if he just want to come out here and play around, he can do it in his lifetime on his great-great-great-great granddaddy and grandmother, ain't that right, man?

Huh?

[Chuckles] You could come.

[Baby laughs] Yeah.

And you could do just like Papa.

[Baby coos] Yeah.

You could do just like Papa, man.

Yeah.

You just ride around and drive your tractor, the whole thing and be free, boy.

Pastor: Page 18 in your hymn book.

[Piano plays] [Drums join] ♪ Choir and congregation: ♪ We praise thee o God ♪ ♪ For the son of thy love ♪ ♪ For Jesus who died ♪ ♪ And is now gone above ♪ ♪ Hallelujah thine the glory ♪ ♪ Hallelujah amen ♪ ♪ Hallelujah thine the glory ♪ ♪ Revive us again ♪ ♪ All glory and praise ♪ ♪ To the Lamb that was slain ♪ ♪ Who have born all our sin ♪ ♪ Who has cleansed every stain ♪ ♪ Hallelujah thine the glory ♪ ♪ Hallelujah amen ♪ ♪ Hallelujah thine the glory ♪ ♪ Revive us again ♪ Pastor: Amen.

Affirmation of faith.

Congregation: I believe in God.

Woman: In the newness of life, in the honor and the glory of thy name.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Congregation: Amen.

Pastor: At this given time, you may take the holy sacrament in remembrance of Jesus Christ For the remission of sins.

[Piano plays] ♪ You may eat now.

♪ Likewise, you may take the juice now representing the blood of Jesus Christ... ♪ to be shed for us for remission of our sins.

You may drink it now.

♪ You may rise, go in the newness of life.

♪ Woman: No, you can't eat that.

♪ Choir and congregation: ♪ Saved my soul ♪ Pastor: You saved my soul.

♪ You saved my soul ♪ Pastor: You saved my soul.

♪ You saved my soul ♪ Pastor: I just want to... ♪ I just want to thank you ♪ [Song fades] ♪ ♪ [Birds chirp] ♪ ♪ ♪ [Leaves rustle and crunch] ♪ [Faint birds chirping] ♪ [Horse clomps] ♪ [Faint rattle and splash] [Seeds sift and clatter] ♪ Get out!

Get!

Scat.

♪ [Music fades] [Music ends] [Cats mew faintly] Carlie: This year, I had a birthday.

I was 89, and so I'm the oldest, one of the 10 living, and, uh, so I'm still around.

Don't know how long 'cause sometime like I feel now like I'm dreaming.

I just don't know, so much I dream about, people and places and things we used to do.

I wonder is it some kind sign behind that?

[Chuckles] Is the Lord telling me something, you know?

You know, sometime I think He shows you things ahead of time, and it's up to the individual or whoever, and if you know the Lord well enough, you can understand the meaning of some of them stuff which you've seen-- be seeing in your dreams or sleep.

And I, uh-- don't want it to be a fret to me, but at the same time I be watching all those [indistinct] open that if it do, it won't be no strange, it won't be nothing shocking to me.

It be something I, sort of had a vision of to start with.

Mm-hmm.

Yep.

And around through the time, you know, we as children growed up and we always liked the day, enjoy one another, going different places.

Like to hunt rabbits and coons and turkeys and things.

Sometimes them turkeys come right up out there and uh, and they come all up here in the yard sometime.

And deers too, all out there.

But not all the--they come up here same time a year.

And we used to have a good little bit of them things around here, but they done about kill them out now.

Yep.

But that's just a part of some of the things used to happen around here and... 'cause right now I ain't... I got problems, you know.

It was about a like a vein like that.

And Margaret was telling me, come to find out it was malignant.

Then they mess around cut that little part out.

But anyhow, it was a little something in that vein right in my chest up there.

And, uh, so far the Lord's been good to me.

And I've been--it happen like, it happen about 5 years ago I think.

I never fell sick or nothing, but I just always try to take care of myself and not do things I ain't have no business doing.

Mm-hmm.

And because used to, I used to like to have vegetables and stuff year round like in the wintertime everybody can come and get vegetables and stuff like that.

And cane and syrup and that kind of stuff.

Well, it weren't the best, but we made a living at it and we our enjoyed life.

And so the Lord blessed us to still be around, enjoy life.

[Coughs softly] [Cats mew plaintively] Margaret: Get out of here.

Skkt skkt skkt!

Get out of here!

Get out!

Skkt skkt!

Come back out of here.

[Cats mew] Come out of there.

Come on out.

Come on out of there.

Get out of there.

Stt!

Get out of here.

Get out of here.

[Door rattles shut] ♪ [Woman vocalizing] ♪ ♪ Announcer: Independent Lens is made possible by the Action Circle for Independent Lens with major funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Acton Family Giving; the Ford Foundation; the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation; and contributions from the following... Additional support for this series has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

♪ ♪