Four-part documentary lets people have their say

A new series produced by Maine Public Television has captured the essence of life in rural Maine.

“Our Stories,” through the words of Mainers from throughout the state, easily reaches its stated goal of examining “culture, community and family in rural Maine.”

Series producer Brad Smith and program producers Catherine Bickford, Robert Libbey and Eileen McDonough have succeeded in portraying many of the conflicting emotions that run through rural Mainers: a strong work ethic, stoicism, a dash of despair, friendship and, most of all, hope.

Those Mainers interviewed tell their stories, with no intrusive, omniscient narrations. They aren’t directly identified, so their lives take on an everyman quality that will allow viewers to relate to them more closely.

Opening the series is “The Cranberry Report,” based in the island community of Islesford, 30 minutes by mail boat off the coast. The hour delves into the dilemma of how the island can survive and retain its sense of family while the number of year-round residents dwindles and the number of part-time residents increases.

“The Cranberry Report,” airing at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 10, provides many residents’ opinions on how things have changed and yet remained the same in the lobstering community, with a full-time population of 89. Most passionate among the speakers is artist/author Ashley Bryan, a transplant from New York City.

The program, which offers the most voices of any of the “Our Stories” presentations, examines what residents give up — and gain — by remaining on Islesford, and is permeated with a resilient sense of hope.

The second of “Our Stories” is “Harvest of Hope,” which documents the travails of two generations to maintain their family potato farm in Fort Kent.

The Bouchard family brings viewers into the world of the St. John Valley potato farmer, detailing how such workers have become an endangered species. Through their words, the Bouchards provide a beguiling blend of fatalism oddly commingled with possibilities for the future of their four-generation family farm.

“Harvest of Hope,” airing at 8 p.m. Monday, May 11, explores how the family has worked to overcome a shrinking market by diversifying, as they produce and sell a buckwheat-based ploye (an Acadian pancake) mix. The program goes beyond the economics and hardships of farming, also probing the decline and slow renaissance of French culture.

The third program in the series, “Healing Woods,” takes place in Indian Township, home to the easternmost tribe of Wabanaki Indians — the Passamaquoddy.

“Healing Woods,” airing at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, shows the relationship between nature and the tribal community which has been hunting, fishing and trapping the land for more than 10,000 years.

The community’s residents tell how their culture, and their treatment by the white majority, has changed through the years, both for better and worse. Through the native speakers, the program takes a poignant look at how the Passamaquoddy have dealt with such lingering problems as alcoholism, domestic abuse and discrimination. Viewers can feel both the pain and the pride of the tribal members.

Closing out “Our Stories” is “At the Center of Things,” airing at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 13. The program focuses on the Hastings family, which has been farming for 200 years in East Bethel. Formerly a potato farm, the Hastings Farm shifted to dairy production under the guidance of Sonny Hastings, the farmer’s current owner.

The extended family’s members take viewers through the long days, from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m., that the dairy farmers work. The struggle with the depression by several family members is examined, with the pain evident among those recalling past incidents.

But at the heart of “At the Center of Things” are the concepts of home and family, as the Hastings prepare for the day in the not-too-distant future when Jay Hastings will take over the day-to-day management of the farm. The Hastings show that, whatever the problems, being together at their home is what’s important.

Throughout the series, producers don’t hesitate to use stunning vistas of the areas being studied, to remind jaded Mainers of the beauty of their state. The result is a look that is as captivating as the stories being told.

“Our Stories” weaves together a series of intriguing vignettes that paint an accurate picture of rural Maine existence. Life here may often be a struggle, but the quality of life can be unmatched. This message comes through loud and clear in this ambitious project.

Air times

“Our Stories” schedule on Maine Public Television:

“The Cranberry Report” (Islesford): 8 p.m. Sunday (repeats at 1 p.m. Monday and at noon on Sunday, May 17)

“Harvest of Hope” (Fort Kent): 8 p.m. Monday (repeats at 1 p.m. Tuesday and 1 p.m. May 17)

“Healing Woods” (Indian Township): 8 p.m. Tuesday (repeats at 1 p.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m. May 17)

“At the Center of Things” (East Bethel): 8 p.m. Wednesday (repeats at 1 p.m. Thursday and 3 p.m. May 17)

“The Big Picture: A Live Town Meeting” (viewers call in): 9 p.m. Wednesday.