Dear FRONTLINE

WOW - Watching your struggle Parts I & II so far brought back some painful emotions and memories.

Thank you for reminding me what's important in life.

My family went through a similar crisis during the 1991 recession. I have 2 brothers and was 20 at the time. The only difference is that we were wealthy and the adjustment from having everything to having nothing was unbearable at times.

My parents almost divorced, my relationship with my brothers weakened and I lost many friends.

Fortunately my family is happy again. Actually happy for the first time. I must admit, 10 years ago I was an arrogant self centered person. Hardship strengthened our family as I hope it has yours.

I'm now a successful Systems Analyst. In appreciation for the gift of your documentary I'd be honored to offer some of my expertise. I may be able to identify ways to increase your yearly returns in a number of ways. I want to help you. I feel a bond, a kinship, almost like we've fought in the same war and survived.

If you've got too much pride to accept my offer that's fine, do it for me then.

Mark Carbone
Winter Park, FL

Dear FRONTLINE

In a nation with much racial strife and hate, and being black and living on the south side of Chicago, I've become blind to those like you and your beautiful babies simply because all I see is poverty in the black zone. It's easy to become bitter when you're blind and almost don't want to see or hear about someone else's suffering but you own.

It was my intention to see the football game tonight but while turning to the game I saw three little girls with their daddy. "How dear" I said, thinking how sweet it would be to have children of my own. I continue to look and listen. WHAT! a white family, struggling? Later I find myself in tears.

What a wonderful family you are. A hard working Man, a loving supportive and committed wife trying to live and survive in this cruel world with three sweethearts they must care for. And when I heard your baby say 'you love each other" my heart was taken.

I don't know what happened on the football game but I do know what happened to my heart. Now I know that I must rethink and get rid of my foolish thoughts when it comes to who hurts more or less in this country. We all hurt black or white when you have babies and have no money. My dear mother had five of us and she struggled so that we could eat.

You look like a loving couple and I just hope all is well with you and you babies. Life hurts to the heart but if we fight it together we can make it. My wife didn't understand that. She left me to stand alone. I really loved her but what can you do. I know you two love each other it's just to hard to see it when you're suffering like that. I hope that all is very well with you. You have my hopes and love and for sure you have my prayers.

What a wonderful thing to have a sweet, smart and beautiful wife. You are a blessed man as well as the farmer's wife is blessed to have a real man who hasn't taken the easy way out by leaving. Thank you for sharing your life with me. God bless you and your babies. LOVE KELVIN

Kelvin Sandridge
Chicago, Ill

Dear FRONTLINE

I grew up in Nebraska and moved away one month after graduating from UNL in 1985. Watching your show brought back such good memories of the state and the people. Nebraska is a very beautiful place and I do wish now that I had stayed.

Nebraska is also very tough - the weather and the land. It was good to see a show about real life.

Houston, Texas

Dear FRONTLINE

I'm 33 yrs old, married, and have a son, and I watched Part 1 and Part 2 of "The Farmer's Wife", and it blew me away. Sitting there alone in our den, my family asleep upstairs, I sobbed at the stark realism and raw truth of the story. I could not leave the couch. All I know is I feel like I know you guys!! And across the miles I live in N. Carolina, I feel a love in my heart for y'all and your plight.

I'll be praying for y'all for a long time to come. I wish I could just go over your house today and give y'all a big hug!!

What really nailed me was that I can relate to so much in the film, especially the parts when the camera showed Juanita and Darrel sitting there talking with no editing, just letting it flow. Wow!! It seemed like it was Renee and I sitting there Renee is my wife's name - I would like to send y'all a picture of my family. We Renee and I talk the very same way often times. And last night, when Darrel rated his marriage, from beginning to present starting with a 3, then 5 I think, then a 7 presently. I felt like he was reading my thoughts!! I hope many people see from this film that from the perspective of looking at a troubled marriage, there is always 2 sides, meaning what the wife is going through and what the husband is going through, and often neither even has an inkling what the other really struggles with!! I worked on a much smaller family farm as a summer job one year in Ohio, and can relate to the beautiful scenery and the feelings Darrel has about loving and respecting the land. Farming is awesome, and like teachers, they should be the highest paid workers because of what they're doing.

Guy Merritt
Brevard, NC

Dear FRONTLINE

My husband and I were really moved by "The Farmer's Wife". We are not farmers and we aren't having marital problems, but we could still relate to their issues about money and marriage. We are a young couple trying to raise our new little daughter as naturally as we can. In our peer group, we take a lot of flack about the way we live. We are very frugal and we live "the old fashioned way" with mom staying home and a lot of frugal practices. The documentary was inspiring because it showed a couple that kept getting knocked down and getting up again. We're like that too and it's good to see we're not alone.

Mt Clemens, mich

Dear FRONTLINE

I grew up in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and as I was growing up I felt that cities were the only place real people would live and anybody living out in the rural parts of America just didn't have a clue.

Now ten years into adulthood, six of the most recent years living in a small Idaho college town, my views have reversed and I pity those who live in big cities and live lives based around monotony and materialistic gain. Rural life is centered around the important things, family, community, helping others, and personal responsibility.

It's obviously not an easy life nor a life for everybody, but I am ever so grateful that there are people that can do this work and am shocked to find out how poorly paid this work is after all the toil.

It seems like in America, the people that end up doing the real work, the work most other people wouldn't want to do, get paid the least for the tremendous efforts. And it's even worse in farm life because your entire life is tied to a never ending cycle of unpredictable weather, prices, and creditors. And any one of those three things going awry can spell immediate and unpreventable doom for a family farm.

There is a lot of talk in this country about supporting family values, but talk is mostly all it is. Food is the basic fundamental element of life, without food life does not continue. Without food nothing else would matter. Yet we treat the people who create our food poorly, forcing them to live a life where they are always one step away from disaster.

Craig Joyner
Moscow, Idaho

Dear FRONTLINE

Dear Buschkoetter,

This is the second time I have seen your story air on PBS. My husband watched with me the first time, now it is just me. Thank you so much for letting me and all of America learn from you about how VERY important family is. My husband is a Forester and that isn't the easiest career to have in California right now. We don't always get along. When we do disagree Juanita, you are there in my mind. I hope to be as strong as you and finish school too. And, I hope my daughter and son will be as blessed as your three girls, they are very lucky!

Thank you again, I loved watching the first, the second and hopefully many more times to come! I will always remember your family, and I will always have a good prayer for you in my heart.

roseville, ca

Dear FRONTLINE

I am only 19, but in the Air Force right now. I was flipping through the channel and paused on your program. It reminded me of my homelife in my town of West, Texas. My family runs a ranch and a farm with a lot of land to run and maintain.

We had a tough time making ends meet with crop production and cattle prices falling so much in recent years. My two brothers and a sister and i were the main labor of our ranch , and it was tough work. Yet it gave us values and direction i feel has let us become good and honest people in a world were such things are harder to find... your story really touched my heart and those of my friends..we stayed up all night watching it and relating to your story. I just want you to know that i am glad there are people like you in this world who prove you can make your own life and do not have to live it by the rules of others.

Keep true to who you are no matter what.

Thank you for sharing your story with us all.

phillip ranzinger
Travis AFB, CA

Dear FRONTLINE

Thanks for rerunning The Farmer's Wife. It's a stunning example of what good documentaries should be. The funny thing, is that I laughed and cried this time almost as much as the first. Happy to hear that Juanita and Darrell and the kids are doing well...and preserving the sacred and necessary lifestile of the American Farmer.

I descend from South Dakota farmers who lived much the same way for many years. I'm just a city kid, but I pray that that way of life will be forever preserved.

Robin Bentley
Chicago, IL

Dear FRONTLINE

Your story is so true of the challenges farmers face.. I married a farmer 12 years ago and it was an eye opening experience .

We have to work as teachers to provide a suitable lliving for our family. Keeping the tradition alive is hard for today's farmers. Thank You for sharing your story. And may god bless you in the many happy years to come.

Cindy Rector
Henryetta, OK

Dear FRONTLINE

I was watching the program and was really shocked by their story. It shocked me because I didn't know that there are people in this great land of ours still fighting to survive and to achieve the American dream.

I am not a farmer but I give great thanks to the men and women who put in the long days and the hard work. There hard work and determination keeps folks like me eating and living healthy. It is a crime that a country who gives billions and billions of dollars a year to other country's can't even give farmeres like Darly and Juanita a little jump start. It is about time that we stand up for our country and keep our hard earned money right here at home. God bless all the farmers in the U.S. and they will all be in my prayers. This may not mean alot to anyone but I give my thanks to Daryl and Juanita and all the other suffering farmers for being there when we need them. Keep up the good work and let's all tell Congress that we would like our money used where it's needed most, right here at home. God Bless all of you.

Kevin Harer
Mt.Pocono, Pennsylvania

Dear FRONTLINE

My husband and I were rivited to "The Farmers Wife" when it first broadcast in 1998 and we were sorry that we hadn't taped it because we have talked about it ever since it aired. So we were so excited that Frontline was rebroadcasting it.

As a middle income couple with no children our problems seemed so futile compared to those of the Boeschkoetters. We admired both Darryl and Juanita for their constant faith and love in one another to get them through their hard times. Seeing how hard these two people worked everyday just to keep their family afloat just amazed us. I hope all of those that have watched this have realized how important farming is to America and that the Government should do more to help the farm communities and families.

We both hope that the whole Boeschkoetter family is doing fine today and we hope that their farm is thriving. This family deserves all the great things that have been given to them since this documentary first aired.

David and Nancy Sutherland this is the best film my husband and I have ever seen. We can't wait until you put out another documentary similar to this one. All of you did a fantastic job and you should be proud of what you have brought into the living rooms of America.

Linda Hamilton
Los Angeles, CA

Dear FRONTLINE

I watched the rebroadcast of part I last night and, as other viewers before me, was moved tremondously. I have great admiration for the Buschkoetters, particularly Juanita and wonder how I could handle her trials.

I also read the reviews posted on this website and have to say that the essay by Jane Hamilton sounded so bratty, self-centered and annoying--It was if Hamilton was suggesting Juanita desert her commitments to her husband and children to take a womens study class what? and wait for a rich man to "rescue" her. Well, the fact that Juanita does NOT leave a difficult situation is precisely the reason, in my opinion, that so many people have been inspired by her story.

Kathy Silianoff
Woodland Hills, CA

Dear FRONTLINE

Thank you for your story! As a member of a family that was constantly struggling, with illness, poverty, and now the death of my mother, I understand the risks involved in loving someone or something. But, the rewards are many. I was so touched by the devotion you had to each other and your children.

I think this film should be seen in the classrooms of America; no doubt many children will see themselves in this portrait of a family. We need to see more about "real life". Life is not easy, and usually means struggle and sacrifice. The process is just as important as the final product. Thank you again for an unforgettable story!

Rose Foster
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear FRONTLINE

I just want to say I can truly understand what this family went through. My situation is the same I am married to a farmer.

I cried when i watched this movie. it was like watching my life on camera .but it gives me hope to see that someone else has gone through this and has survived.thank you for such a heart warming movie

Renee Buchanan
Gaines, Mi.