It is very hard for any family to reach out for help, especially farmers who are so independent. Recall a time when you experienced a period of difficulty. Juanita and Darrel work hard on the farm and at off-farm jobs, but still live in poverty. They maintain their own vehicles and equipment, cut their own hair, dry clothes outdoors, garden and preserve food, shop garage sales, and seek technical help as ways of saving money and maximizing income from off-farm employment. Like many small businesses, virtually every farmer uses short-term credit to purchase seed, fertilizer, feed and the like, and then pays the debt from farm proceeds.
Most farmers also have at least some real estate debt.
In the film, Juanita reads a letter she wrote to Senator Kerrey.