Prairie Prophecy (2026)
It turns out that this new PBS documentary is just a long commercial for Kernza. I'm not convinced that introducing perennial wheats to the midwest, cross-breeding them repeatedly, then trademarking the new seeds is "regenerative agriculture." It stinks to me like more of the same commercial ag that Jackson has positioned himself against for years. The trademarking of seeds is a disgusting practice.
I've read Jackson's book Native to This Place. I'm generally sympathetic to agricultural (and construction and economic, etc, etc) practices that fit with their environments. But I don't think that Jackson is actually a prophet for our time. I think he's just another guy who has become comfortable compromising with some contemporary practices while wanting to be respected for challenging other areas. His repeated framing of his work in co-opted Christian language also just makes me dismiss him as a cult leader who hasn't heard anyone tell him 'no' in too long.
Not only is he not a prophet. After watching this doc, he strikes me more as a charlatan who has convinced himself that his snake oil really is miraculous for all ailments.
And even then, I'm probably drawing too many conclusions. There's hardly any information in this film at all. There's some nice photography of plains and peoples. There's an extended advertisement for Kernza. There are people saying nice things about Jackson. There's no real depth.
So, a short documentary that's really just a puff piece? On PBS? Never!
Eh, whatever.
I'd watch a sequel documentary that covers the history of Jackson's dental work and all of the reasons for the divorce of his "first wife" that never gets mentioned.
I don't know, maybe I'm crazy, but it'd be okay to see some things that make Jackson seem like a jerk and like a normal person concerned about his appearance.