Dust Up, Crop Dusting Reality TV Show

This reality TV show was made a few years ago about crop dusters in Nipawin, Saskatchewan.  My family had a peripheral involvement in that my father has known Bud Jardine for many decades.

He has recovered various crop dusting aircraft for them over the years as well as assisted with the maintenance and repair.  This really is a labor of love for him.

The series itself is rather silly, but it does have some great aerial photography and a loving appreciation of the Saskatchewan landscape.  Aside from the squabbling of the Jardines the portraits of the farmers that eke out a living are compelling.

Here is a link to the production company, which has several youtube clips of the show.  One of them, Father and Son Bonding - Jardine Style, shows a few glimpses of the family farm and my father carrying a wrecked Pawnee into the shed to be stacked with the others.  A source of parts for emergency repairs, generally to the spraying equipment, in order to keep them working for a few more days.

My father didn't appreciate all the attention, and is only shown in a few clips here and there, usually making a sarcastic comment of some kind.  There were many amusing stories where the camera and production crew (definitely not from around there) were brought up abruptly short by the dry gallows humor that is the norm for home.

Their reaction when my father informed them my uncle was welding a gasoline tank and perhaps they shouldn't stand so close was hilarious.  Like prairie chickens scattering out of a snowbank.