Farmers' Daughters

First there was Farm Aid and then there was Farm Aid II. Now here's the best-kept secret in the back 40

We come and go, but the land is always there. And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it--for a little while." The words are those of a farmer's daughter, Willa Cather, in the days before price supports, agri-business and a national farm debt of 212.5 billion dollars. The 1986 Cather update should read, "The land belongs to the people who hold the bank notes." That's why such populist performers as John Cougar Mellencamp and Willie Nelson helped organize Farm Aid and Farm Aid II. Mellencamp even devoted his most recent album to the farmers' Plight, calling it Scarecrow. If only the assaults against the family farm could be resisted with the right metaphor. Well, we wanted to help, too. Naturally, we saw our role a little differently. We wanted to look on the bright side. We decided to help the farmer celebrate his blessings. That's why we've assembled this intimate look at country living, hosted by some stunning Farm Belters. Which reminds us of an ad we saw: "Middle-aged farmer would like to meet girl with tractor with view to marriage. Please send photo--of tractor." He can keep the tractor. For a further look at farm women, try the Playboy's Farmers' Daughters video, $19.95 at video retail stores.