The University of Illinois Springfield’s Sangamon Experience features a two-year documentary project by Rich Saal telling the stories of 10 individuals who have spent their lives farming in the Sangamon River Valley.
You can see a trailer of the presentation on YouTube, and more details on the project on the Soil & Soul webpage.
Farmers featured include Harvey Bettie, Mick Bray, David and Lenore Ruppert of Macoupin County; Garry Niemeyer, Marty Marr, Joe Donovan of Sangamon County; Vicki Huelskoetter, John Irwin, Tom Martin of Logan County; and Steve Turner of Cass County.
The film was produced by Noah Sabich, partner and founding member of global private equity firm Cimbria Capital and its consulting subsidiary, Cimbria Consulting, and Rich Saal, former photography editor at The State Journal-Register and a documentary photographer and filmmaker. They worked with Anne Moseley, director and curator of the Sangamon Experience, to produce the exhibit. The exhibit is presented by United Community Bank, with additional funding from the Melvin Wing Charitable Trust and the Dan and Carolyn Dungan Family Fund.
When you’re in Springfield, see the exhibit at the UIS Public Affairs Center, ground floor exhibit area (details on the Sangamon Experience webpage).
Link to full-length film:
