Comments
from Howard:
"The First Sixty Hours of Filming"
NOTE: the following are some quick notes Howard
jotted down about the first 11 days of filming the documentary.
Some links to some of the people and organizations he visited
have been added to provide background information of note.
DAY
01: the documentary started in
Montana with our five person team. Two from Florida, Pat Fitzgerald
and Aaron Jordan, Travis Johnson from Arizona, and Michael
Tobias from California.
First top was to visit Harry Mitchell, an old dairy farmer friend,
and then Mike McDonald, a relative of my wife. Next visit was
to Dr. George Carlson (Director) from the McLaughlin Research
Institute working on prions.
DAY
02: we went to the ranch and interviewed Alan Ekblad,
who worked for me and bought my house. Next was a visit to a factory
hog, chicken, and dairy operation. We spent a good amount of time
in the family cemetery and filming where I grew up and lived.
DAY
03: went to Sun River, Montana, to visit a cattle rancher
friend Dick Gannon. His wife made us breakfast and an old dairy
farmer neighbor joined us for a great discussion of the state
of Agriculture. Then back to the airport to fly to Madison, Wisconsin.
DAY 04: started with a meeting with the top staff
at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, who are trying
to deal with removing 25,000 deer in 300 square miles infected
with CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease). Then to the University of
Wisconsin to interview Judd Aiken (Associate Professor) in the
lab researching TSE. John Stauber (founding editor of PR Watch)
was next who has worked with me for many years on the Mad Cow
issue. The afternoon was visiting deer farms and interviewing
John Kinsman, an organic dairy farmer activist. Attended a public
meeting on CWD animals being deposited in pubic landfill.
DAY
05: back to the airport and fly to Washington, DC. Rented
two vans and then off to interview Jim McPherson (chief executive
officer of America's Blood Centers (ABC)). We hailed two cabs
to Capitol Hill to meet with Cong. Dennis Kucinich. Great meeting
with a vegan member of Congress. Finished the afternoon shooting
B roll of the Capitol area. Returned to my home for supper and
an interview with Jerry Cook.
DAY
06: started with interviewing David Senter, and Larry
Mitchell, fellow farmer lobbyists, whom I worked with during my
time as a lobbyist. Next it was Evie Dubrow, the oldest lobbyist
at 91, and the longest serving at over 50 years in Washington.
Great friend. The rest of the afternoon was interviewing Andy
Kimbrell and Joe Mendelson, who I worked with in the Beyond Beef
Campaign. Back to my home for supper and then the interview with
my wife.
DAY
07: started with interviewing Neil Barnard at PRCM,
and then Alex Hershaft at Farm. WorldWatch was next and they are
planning to do a significant program on meat. Great interview.
Back into the vans, and off to Philadelphia for dinner with Bill
Owen, who was my campaign manager back in 1982.
DAY
08: started with the Bill Owen interview and shooting
B roll in PA and then driving to Yonkers, NY.
DAY
09: was an early interview with Michael Hansen from
Consumers Union and then a long drive to Ithaca, NY for an interview
with T. Colin Campbell at Cornell University. Then to Farm Sanctuary
to interview Dr. Lester Freelander a former USDA vet. We spent
the night at George Eisman motel and then interviewed him. George
is a Registered Dietician and started the first veg study program
in the nation.
DAY
10: started with an interview with Gene and Lorri Bauston
(Farm Sanctuary) and then a drive to Constableville to interview
Bruce Krug a dairy farmer and county elected official. I have
worked with Bruce for many years. We next drove to Syracuse, NY.
DAY
11: we all flew home. We have over sixty hours of film
in the can and we are about half done shooting.
The
book, MAD COWBOY by Howard Lyman and Glen Merzer, is in its 6th
edition (as of 07/29/02) from Scribner publishing.
