DisruptiveSpirit
04-21-2011, 07:05 PM
1. I was wondering about your latest dirt project, filling in an 80 acre swampland near the farm to create a pumpkin field.......how is it that the DEQ allowed the filling in of a wetland? Did you have to jump through any hoops to be able to do that? Or are the laws less strict in Oregon concerning wetlands?
Matt's Answer:
Well first off, our project is not a ‘wetland’. It's just a very soggy flat field. There is a huge difference. A wetland has a very, very specific protected status. What we're working on is simply a very flat farm field. Which means it doesn't drain well. You can only farm it about two months out of the year because it absorbs so much water from the rain and the neighboring properties and all the water just kind of sits there. So by putting in a "belly" you raise the ground up about 4-6 feet in the middle and then you taper it off on the sides and create ditches so that you basically can extend your farming season from maybe 2 months to maybe 5 months out of the year. This also allows you to grow additional variety of crops. So you're actually improving this farm field.
As for jumping through hoops, there were about 8 or 9 agencies involved and every one of them had to approve our project. It was what we call a type II permit application. Agencies such as the county, ODOT, clean water service, conservation, DEQ, Sewer line , Gas line etc etc. They All had to give us their blessing.
Matt
2. How are you enjoying your time away from cameras? Do you think the family will ever be interested in doing another series similar to LPBW?
Matt's Answer:
We are enjoying it immensely. However, it's never a black and white thing. People think you either love the cameras around or you hate them. But the truth is, it's very much a love hate relationship. It’s sometimes very gray. We have good days and bad days like any job, sometimes you like going to work some days you don’t.
Even though we've done a few projects with cameras, such as the little documentary about the dirt project, they've been around on a limited basis which is very different than having them there almost 24/7 for such a long period of time like we have in the past.
The types of projects we’re exploring now will have a much different “invasive” factor if we proceed. Even the LPBW proposals that we’re currently evaluating are being structured in a much different way, more like an 8-5 type of responsibility.
Matt
3. We know you are still finishing up the final editing for the pumpkin movie. When will you release it for public viewing? How do you plan to release it? Youtube? iTunes?
Matt's Answer:
I'm very pleased to announce that the pumpkin movie is officially finished as of about a week ago. The movie score, credits corrections, etc. have all been added and everything is now complete. I'm not overly proud of the movie. It was my first attempt and there's a million things I would do differently. In fact I am already working on other projects and hope to take my experiences and greatly improve the final results, I am a very quick learner.
I will be trying to enter the Pumpkin movie into some film festivals. However, with film festivals they usually like to be the first to show it before you play it to a broad audience so I need to go through that process for the next 6 months to a year and then I will release it probably on like iTunes or maybe Youtube. When this happens we will definitely let our fans know. I’m excited to show you all and I think you’re all going to like it.
Matt
4. Is there anything we don't know about you that you think most people would find surprising or out of character?
Matt's Answer:
Hmmm, I don't know if I've covered this before but I don't like mushrooms and onions. When I was young and in the hospital they used to shove mushrooms down my throat and force me to eat them. So ever since then I've just had a real distaste for them. Mushrooms are offensive to me. I don't even want them in the same room. Of course Amy loves them and loves to cook with them.
Other than that, I think people for the most part have a good sense of me. But there are people who are surprised to know how much experience I have in the software field and how successful I was in software because that wasn't ever really covered on the show. So that's one thing people (who only know us from TV) may be surprised about with me.
Matt
5. Matt do you have any lost episodes hiding anywhere? We'd loved to see them.
Matt's Answer:
Yes, I'm sure that there are. But I don't know whether the timing will work out to show them or if the content is too old now to be good. Last season there was quite a bit of content that was picked over and never used but, there's always a ton of other stuff that doesn't air or doesn't fit in to the storyline and therefor gets cut.
Matt
6. Can you tell us a little about the author of www.roloffworld.blogspot.com? (http://www.roloffworld.blogspot.com?) Why did you agree to let her write it when you could have easily just promoted this forum more?
Matt's Answer:
Dallah is a friend (never been employed by us), who works in Hillsboro who has been encouraging me for several years to try and do a blog. She helped me get up and going with my Facebook and her company works with us on our t-shirt and stuff. She convinced me that there is a difference between what she does on the blog, what you do on the forum and what I do with my facebook. Her blog is more for story telling and the forum is more for this type of conversation. So we’re giving it a whirl.
Matt
7. Matt your favorite poster (Cute) is asking "When" or "IF" your family are ever going to be able to post on your board freely? That includes Sven, woohoo hey Sven. As well as Pop and Honey.
Matt's Answer:
Well technically we were free for about 6 weeks, based on our contractual obligations. But now, maybe not so much. However as social networking has taken hold. TLC has gotten a lot better over the years with allowing us to speak more freely to and with our fans. Mostly everyone in the family pretty much leaves it up to me to keep our fans informed of what's going on with the family because I have the facebook, the forum and whatnot. Amy keeps her facebook updated as well.
What people don't realize is, it's can be a very slippery slope when we get involved so personally and directly like we do. Someone may ask a question and we answer it. But then someone else asks another, but we miss it for whatever reason, and don't answer it. Then that person may get angry or feel slighted and get their feeling hurt. Or people may interpret your words differently than you intended. Try as we might, we just can't answer everyone's question and what we say is not going to please everyone. But we do appreciate our fans and wish we had more time to devote to everyone.
Matt
8. Have you ever really given us your honest opinion of what you think of those "silly bloggers"? Let's not pull any punches either. Also, have you ever been contacted by or have you tried to contact that blog writer who seems to be so critical of your family?
Matt's Answer:
It seems that most of the blogs or blogging about the show has faded away. As far as the “Silly” bloggers used to go, I only referred to them as that because often anonymous people would conjure up the silliest (stupidest) stuff and they would write it like it was true. Some people make assumptions and then would write about it so much that they start to actually believe it themselves. We learned to laugh at it when it was brought to our attention and take it in stride, but mostly we learned to ignore it. Worrying about what a few people say is far too time consuming.
It takes all kinds to make the world go-around and we tried to appreciate everybody's opinion. TLC certainly told us many times that the “crazier the chatter” the more interesting we are for filming.
I think that Amy and I have always been up to an interview with any news source on the internet or not, we done hundreds of interviews. The only requirement that (and this was recommended by TLC since day 1) we don’t conduct interviews with anonymous sources. The reason for that should go without saying, it’s just common sense.
Matt
9. Do you think that WE are a bunch of whack jobs?! (Thanks to Northern Neighbour for the suggestion.) Seriously though, do we scare you?
Matt's Answer:
No! I don't think that at all. I wish I could get on there more. The few times I did go on I was a little confused as to where I should jump in because there didn't seem to be any one topic people were talking about.
I'm not so much of a chit chatter. I more or less like to contribute to certain subjects. So, if there is ever a subject matter you guys are discussing and you'd like my input, definitely let me know and I will see what I can do about weighing in on it.
Matt
Matt's Answer:
Well first off, our project is not a ‘wetland’. It's just a very soggy flat field. There is a huge difference. A wetland has a very, very specific protected status. What we're working on is simply a very flat farm field. Which means it doesn't drain well. You can only farm it about two months out of the year because it absorbs so much water from the rain and the neighboring properties and all the water just kind of sits there. So by putting in a "belly" you raise the ground up about 4-6 feet in the middle and then you taper it off on the sides and create ditches so that you basically can extend your farming season from maybe 2 months to maybe 5 months out of the year. This also allows you to grow additional variety of crops. So you're actually improving this farm field.
As for jumping through hoops, there were about 8 or 9 agencies involved and every one of them had to approve our project. It was what we call a type II permit application. Agencies such as the county, ODOT, clean water service, conservation, DEQ, Sewer line , Gas line etc etc. They All had to give us their blessing.
Matt
2. How are you enjoying your time away from cameras? Do you think the family will ever be interested in doing another series similar to LPBW?
Matt's Answer:
We are enjoying it immensely. However, it's never a black and white thing. People think you either love the cameras around or you hate them. But the truth is, it's very much a love hate relationship. It’s sometimes very gray. We have good days and bad days like any job, sometimes you like going to work some days you don’t.
Even though we've done a few projects with cameras, such as the little documentary about the dirt project, they've been around on a limited basis which is very different than having them there almost 24/7 for such a long period of time like we have in the past.
The types of projects we’re exploring now will have a much different “invasive” factor if we proceed. Even the LPBW proposals that we’re currently evaluating are being structured in a much different way, more like an 8-5 type of responsibility.
Matt
3. We know you are still finishing up the final editing for the pumpkin movie. When will you release it for public viewing? How do you plan to release it? Youtube? iTunes?
Matt's Answer:
I'm very pleased to announce that the pumpkin movie is officially finished as of about a week ago. The movie score, credits corrections, etc. have all been added and everything is now complete. I'm not overly proud of the movie. It was my first attempt and there's a million things I would do differently. In fact I am already working on other projects and hope to take my experiences and greatly improve the final results, I am a very quick learner.
I will be trying to enter the Pumpkin movie into some film festivals. However, with film festivals they usually like to be the first to show it before you play it to a broad audience so I need to go through that process for the next 6 months to a year and then I will release it probably on like iTunes or maybe Youtube. When this happens we will definitely let our fans know. I’m excited to show you all and I think you’re all going to like it.
Matt
4. Is there anything we don't know about you that you think most people would find surprising or out of character?
Matt's Answer:
Hmmm, I don't know if I've covered this before but I don't like mushrooms and onions. When I was young and in the hospital they used to shove mushrooms down my throat and force me to eat them. So ever since then I've just had a real distaste for them. Mushrooms are offensive to me. I don't even want them in the same room. Of course Amy loves them and loves to cook with them.
Other than that, I think people for the most part have a good sense of me. But there are people who are surprised to know how much experience I have in the software field and how successful I was in software because that wasn't ever really covered on the show. So that's one thing people (who only know us from TV) may be surprised about with me.
Matt
5. Matt do you have any lost episodes hiding anywhere? We'd loved to see them.
Matt's Answer:
Yes, I'm sure that there are. But I don't know whether the timing will work out to show them or if the content is too old now to be good. Last season there was quite a bit of content that was picked over and never used but, there's always a ton of other stuff that doesn't air or doesn't fit in to the storyline and therefor gets cut.
Matt
6. Can you tell us a little about the author of www.roloffworld.blogspot.com? (http://www.roloffworld.blogspot.com?) Why did you agree to let her write it when you could have easily just promoted this forum more?
Matt's Answer:
Dallah is a friend (never been employed by us), who works in Hillsboro who has been encouraging me for several years to try and do a blog. She helped me get up and going with my Facebook and her company works with us on our t-shirt and stuff. She convinced me that there is a difference between what she does on the blog, what you do on the forum and what I do with my facebook. Her blog is more for story telling and the forum is more for this type of conversation. So we’re giving it a whirl.
Matt
7. Matt your favorite poster (Cute) is asking "When" or "IF" your family are ever going to be able to post on your board freely? That includes Sven, woohoo hey Sven. As well as Pop and Honey.
Matt's Answer:
Well technically we were free for about 6 weeks, based on our contractual obligations. But now, maybe not so much. However as social networking has taken hold. TLC has gotten a lot better over the years with allowing us to speak more freely to and with our fans. Mostly everyone in the family pretty much leaves it up to me to keep our fans informed of what's going on with the family because I have the facebook, the forum and whatnot. Amy keeps her facebook updated as well.
What people don't realize is, it's can be a very slippery slope when we get involved so personally and directly like we do. Someone may ask a question and we answer it. But then someone else asks another, but we miss it for whatever reason, and don't answer it. Then that person may get angry or feel slighted and get their feeling hurt. Or people may interpret your words differently than you intended. Try as we might, we just can't answer everyone's question and what we say is not going to please everyone. But we do appreciate our fans and wish we had more time to devote to everyone.
Matt
8. Have you ever really given us your honest opinion of what you think of those "silly bloggers"? Let's not pull any punches either. Also, have you ever been contacted by or have you tried to contact that blog writer who seems to be so critical of your family?
Matt's Answer:
It seems that most of the blogs or blogging about the show has faded away. As far as the “Silly” bloggers used to go, I only referred to them as that because often anonymous people would conjure up the silliest (stupidest) stuff and they would write it like it was true. Some people make assumptions and then would write about it so much that they start to actually believe it themselves. We learned to laugh at it when it was brought to our attention and take it in stride, but mostly we learned to ignore it. Worrying about what a few people say is far too time consuming.
It takes all kinds to make the world go-around and we tried to appreciate everybody's opinion. TLC certainly told us many times that the “crazier the chatter” the more interesting we are for filming.
I think that Amy and I have always been up to an interview with any news source on the internet or not, we done hundreds of interviews. The only requirement that (and this was recommended by TLC since day 1) we don’t conduct interviews with anonymous sources. The reason for that should go without saying, it’s just common sense.
Matt
9. Do you think that WE are a bunch of whack jobs?! (Thanks to Northern Neighbour for the suggestion.) Seriously though, do we scare you?
Matt's Answer:
No! I don't think that at all. I wish I could get on there more. The few times I did go on I was a little confused as to where I should jump in because there didn't seem to be any one topic people were talking about.
I'm not so much of a chit chatter. I more or less like to contribute to certain subjects. So, if there is ever a subject matter you guys are discussing and you'd like my input, definitely let me know and I will see what I can do about weighing in on it.
Matt