WEBVTT

00:01.064 --> 00:06.431
America's Heartland
is made possible by....

00:06.431 --> 00:09.631
They make up a small
part of our population,

00:09.631 --> 00:12.598
but have a huge impact
on all of our lives.

00:12.598 --> 00:15.898
They take business risks
that few others would tolerate

00:15.898 --> 00:17.964
all on our behalf.

00:17.964 --> 00:19.831
They're American farmers

00:19.831 --> 00:23.431
who feed, fuel
and clothe the world.

00:23.431 --> 00:25.564
Monsanto would like
to recognize them

00:25.564 --> 00:28.598
for all they do
for the rest of us,

00:28.598 --> 00:32.098
because ultimately our success
and everyone else's

00:32.098 --> 00:34.831
depends on theirs.

00:34.831 --> 00:35.864
....and by
the American Farm Bureau

00:35.864 --> 00:42.198
Federation
- the voice of agriculture.

00:42.198 --> 00:43.464
Hi, I'm Akiba Howard.

00:43.464 --> 00:45.831
We're heading for New Mexico
to meet the man

00:45.831 --> 00:47.664
who sings the theme song
for our show each week.

00:47.664 --> 00:50.364
Michael Martin Murphey
is a well known performer

00:50.364 --> 00:52.464
and also a man
who champions the cause

00:52.464 --> 00:54.798
of American agriculture.

00:54.798 --> 00:55.931
I'm Jason Shoultz.

00:55.931 --> 00:58.398
If you have a garden at home,
you know how critical

00:58.398 --> 01:01.131
water is to the crops
you harvest.

01:01.131 --> 01:03.364
Well, think about
the impact on farmers.

01:03.364 --> 01:05.464
We'll take you to Georgia
where new research

01:05.464 --> 01:08.064
is being done to change the way
that that agriculture

01:08.064 --> 01:11.498
looks at too little H2O.

01:11.498 --> 01:12.698
I'm John Lobertini.

01:12.698 --> 01:15.231
Creating a distinctive wine
for consumers

01:15.231 --> 01:18.531
demands quality farming
and attention to detail.

01:18.531 --> 01:21.464
We'll take you to Missouri
to meet a young couple

01:21.464 --> 01:23.964
who decided that their future
lay in producing

01:23.964 --> 01:26.331
one of the world's oldest crops.

01:26.331 --> 01:31.898
That's coming up next
onAmerica's Heartland.

01:31.898 --> 01:37.998
♪ You can see it in the eyes
of every woman and man ♪

01:37.998 --> 01:44.064
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪

01:44.064 --> 01:47.198
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪

01:47.198 --> 01:50.198
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪

01:50.198 --> 01:56.664
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪

01:56.664 --> 02:07.598
♪ close to the land. ♪

02:07.598 --> 02:09.598
Akiba: Every week we bring you
stories about the families

02:09.598 --> 02:12.531
who work on farms and ranches
across the country.

02:12.531 --> 02:15.264
And part of that story
is told in our theme song

02:15.264 --> 02:17.464
on the show,
words and music of a commitment

02:17.464 --> 02:19.398
to the heartland.

02:19.398 --> 02:25.331
Michael:♪ There's a love for
the country.... ♪

02:25.331 --> 02:27.064
Akiba:
On this late summer afternoon,

02:27.064 --> 02:29.198
singer - songwriter
Michael Martin Murphey

02:29.198 --> 02:30.598
has brought
his award winning music

02:30.598 --> 02:34.298
to this high mountain meadow
in southeast Colorado.

02:34.298 --> 02:36.864
Michael:
♪ ....in America's Heartland

02:36.864 --> 02:41.531
close to the land. ♪

02:41.531 --> 02:43.264
It's a performance
that taps into

02:43.264 --> 02:45.764
his country roots
andhis admiration

02:45.764 --> 02:49.131
for people who make their living
on the land.

02:49.131 --> 02:51.664
Michael: I kind of grew up
more in the piney woods of Texas

02:51.664 --> 02:53.731
and saw people
clear the land

02:53.731 --> 02:54.931
and work really hard.

02:54.931 --> 02:57.331
That piney woods country,
to get a pasture,

02:57.331 --> 03:00.098
you got to really
work hard to clear it.

03:00.098 --> 03:01.831
Akiba: Murphey's rendition
ofAmerica's Heartland

03:01.831 --> 03:04.364
has been the show's theme song
from its beginning.

03:04.364 --> 03:06.198
Performing keeps him
on the road,

03:06.198 --> 03:09.131
but he works his schedule
to spend a significant amount

03:09.131 --> 03:10.964
of time
here in the rolling hills

03:10.964 --> 03:13.131
and mountains
of northern New Mexico

03:13.131 --> 03:18.431
and southern Colorado.

03:18.431 --> 03:22.898
♪♪

03:22.898 --> 03:24.998
Michael:
All you want to make sure of

03:24.998 --> 03:28.998
is that your cinch
has got some tightness to it

03:28.998 --> 03:32.164
but not too much tightness,
and you'll be just fine.

03:32.164 --> 03:33.331
Akiba: Sounds good to me.

03:33.331 --> 03:34.664
Can't wait!

03:34.664 --> 03:36.298
Akiba: Off stage,
Murphey can often be found

03:36.298 --> 03:38.464
in the saddle
keeping horses for himself

03:38.464 --> 03:41.998
and his family
at their cabin near Red River.

03:41.998 --> 03:43.731
Akiba:
So how'd you start riding?

03:43.731 --> 03:46.498
Michael: Well my granddaddy
was a cowboy in east Texas.

03:46.498 --> 03:49.331
He was from Kentucky,
and he moved

03:49.331 --> 03:51.564
from the coal mines
of Harlan, Kentucky

03:51.564 --> 03:53.298
to east Texas to be a cowboy.

03:53.298 --> 03:54.531
And that's all
he ever wanted to do

03:54.531 --> 03:55.598
was run cattle.

03:55.598 --> 03:59.864
So he taught me how to ride.

03:59.864 --> 04:11.031
Michael:♪ There's a lost river
that flows....♪

04:11.031 --> 04:12.998
Akiba: The settings here
allow Murphey to perform

04:12.998 --> 04:15.098
in some unique venues.

04:15.098 --> 04:17.098
The outdoor stage
at Bobcat Pass Adventures

04:17.098 --> 04:21.664
is a cowboy campfire
for his music and others.

04:21.664 --> 04:22.998
Michael:
A lot of our cowboy songs

04:22.998 --> 04:24.998
don't come from people
that look like me

04:24.998 --> 04:26.231
or look like Clint Eastwood....

04:26.231 --> 04:26.998
Akiba:....right....

04:26.998 --> 04:27.798
Michael:....or Roy Rogers.

04:27.798 --> 04:28.664
Akiba: Right!

04:28.664 --> 04:29.864
Michael:
They come from the Indians.

04:29.864 --> 04:31.464
They come
from the black slaves,

04:31.464 --> 04:33.631
the ex-slaves from the south.

04:33.631 --> 04:42.131
They come
from the Spanish people.

04:42.131 --> 04:43.964
Akiba: And Murphey
often showcases performers

04:43.964 --> 04:49.398
like Native American artist
Carpio Water Crow.

04:49.398 --> 05:01.098
♪ (flute playing) ♪

05:01.098 --> 05:02.231
Akiba:
But throughout the summer,

05:02.231 --> 05:05.264
many of Murphey's shows
begin with a train ride

05:05.264 --> 05:09.231
on board the San Luis
and Rio Grande Railroad.

05:09.231 --> 05:11.831
Conductor: All aboard!

05:11.831 --> 05:17.398
(train whistle)

05:17.398 --> 05:20.064
Michael:Narrow gauge
came in mainly

05:20.064 --> 05:21.798
during the gold mining era.

05:21.798 --> 05:23.331
Akiba:
The San Luis and Rio Grande

05:23.331 --> 05:26.031
takes audience members
up some 9 thousand feet

05:26.031 --> 05:28.098
to Colorado's La Veta Pass.

05:28.098 --> 05:30.564
The solar and wind power
provide the energy

05:30.564 --> 05:33.698
at the high meadow amphitheater.

05:33.698 --> 05:42.698
Michael:♪ On a pony
she named wildfire.... ♪

05:42.698 --> 05:45.264
Akiba: With sidemen
Gary Roller and Pat Flynn,

05:45.264 --> 05:47.864
concert goers
are entertained with music

05:47.864 --> 05:59.664
and some tongue-in-cheek
country humor.

05:59.664 --> 06:02.398
Michael: For a great farm to run
or a great ranch to survive,

06:02.398 --> 06:04.331
it takes a couple.

06:04.331 --> 06:07.898
Boys when you're dating,
date anybody that you want

06:07.898 --> 06:10.564
and have a good time.

06:10.564 --> 06:12.131
But when you get married,
you make sure

06:12.131 --> 06:14.864
that you marry a woman
who can run a bobcat

06:14.864 --> 06:18.864
and back a trailer.

06:18.864 --> 06:20.498
Akiba: There's a theme
that runs through the music

06:20.498 --> 06:23.364
Murphey's written
andthe songs he performs,

06:23.364 --> 06:25.431
a celebration
of those who provide the food,

06:25.431 --> 06:28.898
fuel and fiber
we enjoy as a nation.

06:28.898 --> 06:30.364
Michael:
If you can't figure this out,

06:30.364 --> 06:31.898
you can't figure out anything.

06:31.898 --> 06:33.564
And that is
there is no culture

06:33.564 --> 06:35.298
without agriculture.

06:35.298 --> 06:36.798
Michael: Working hard
is something

06:36.798 --> 06:39.398
that I just really respect.

06:39.398 --> 06:41.531
And you don't find
harder workers

06:41.531 --> 06:43.264
than people who work the land.

06:43.264 --> 06:50.464
Michael:♪ You can see it
in the eyes....♪

06:50.464 --> 06:52.798
Michael: Every single day
that you get to ride

06:52.798 --> 06:54.331
in the saddle
and every single day

06:54.331 --> 06:56.931
that you get to get out there
and work on your tractor

06:56.931 --> 07:02.731
on a good day
is a fantastic experience.

07:02.731 --> 07:11.931
Michael:
♪....close to the land. ♪

07:11.931 --> 07:14.698
Railroads revolutionized
agriculture in America

07:14.698 --> 07:16.798
making it easy
to ship commodities

07:16.798 --> 07:19.131
like corn and wheat
great distances

07:19.131 --> 07:20.598
in a short amount of time.

07:20.598 --> 07:23.064
A steam engine nicknamed
The Best Friend

07:23.064 --> 07:26.531
lays claim to being
the first American built engine.

07:26.531 --> 07:28.731
It rolled into service in 1830.

07:28.731 --> 07:30.598
It had a short career, however.

07:30.598 --> 07:35.798
A boiler explosion
took it off the rails in 1831.

07:35.798 --> 07:37.664
Jason: Having enough moisture
in the ground

07:37.664 --> 07:40.198
to ensure a crop
is important

07:40.198 --> 07:41.731
whether you have
a home garden

07:41.731 --> 07:43.664
or hundreds of acres of cotton.

07:43.664 --> 07:45.564
Here in Georgia,
farmers and researchers

07:45.564 --> 07:48.264
are working together
to make sure

07:48.264 --> 07:51.931
they use
every drop of water efficiently.

07:51.931 --> 07:55.598
Glenn: Without water,
without proper timing of water,

07:55.598 --> 07:57.898
without our ability
to use it,

07:57.898 --> 07:59.331
we couldn't exist.

07:59.331 --> 08:02.331
Jason: For Glenn Cox,
water is life

08:02.331 --> 08:05.298
or at least,
crucial to his livelihood.

08:05.298 --> 08:07.731
This fifth-generation farmer
grows sweet corn,

08:07.731 --> 08:09.798
field corn,
and peanuts

08:09.798 --> 08:12.731
on his one-thousand acres
in southwest Georgia.

08:12.731 --> 08:15.598
And season after season,
Cox is at the mercy

08:15.598 --> 08:18.764
of the weather.

08:18.764 --> 08:19.864
Glenn:
Crops like this sweet corn

08:19.864 --> 08:21.931
are totally dependent
on critical water

08:21.931 --> 08:26.231
at the critical time.

08:26.231 --> 08:28.164
Jason: But getting water
when they need it

08:28.164 --> 08:30.798
is the ongoing challenge
for Georgia farmers.

08:30.798 --> 08:32.431
This region's
been battling drought

08:32.431 --> 08:33.898
for several years.

08:33.898 --> 08:35.798
And the state's
locked in a 20-year old

08:35.798 --> 08:39.264
water war
with Alabama and Florida.

08:39.264 --> 08:41.398
Those two states
covet Georgia water

08:41.398 --> 08:43.198
from places
like the Chattahoochee

08:43.198 --> 08:45.198
Flint River Basin.

08:45.198 --> 08:47.598
That water
forms the Apalachicola River

08:47.598 --> 08:49.531
in Florida
and also flows

08:49.531 --> 08:51.998
into Alabama
to help irrigate crops,

08:51.998 --> 08:54.198
generate power,
and protect freshwater

08:54.198 --> 08:56.698
ecosystems
like Apalachicola Bay

08:56.698 --> 09:01.498
off the coast of Florida.

09:01.498 --> 09:02.864
Calvin: Without water,
there's really

09:02.864 --> 09:04.864
not much agriculture here.

09:04.864 --> 09:06.864
Certainly,
it may be more important

09:06.864 --> 09:10.831
than even oil
in our part of the world.

09:10.831 --> 09:13.598
Jason: Now it looks like science
may be able to broker

09:13.598 --> 09:15.131
a peace treaty.

09:15.131 --> 09:17.931
Welcome to the Stripling
Irrigation Research Park,

09:17.931 --> 09:20.231
130 acres
packed with a thousand

09:20.231 --> 09:22.731
test plots
from peanuts to pecans,

09:22.731 --> 09:26.264
and soybeans to sweet corn.

09:26.264 --> 09:27.664
Here,
University of Georgia

09:27.664 --> 09:29.364
researchers
are working with experts

09:29.364 --> 09:31.164
from the Department
of Agriculture

09:31.164 --> 09:32.998
and even
the Nature Conservancy.

09:32.998 --> 09:33.964
The goal?

09:33.964 --> 09:35.664
Grow more and use less!

09:35.664 --> 09:36.798
The method?

09:36.798 --> 09:38.264
Modern technology!

09:38.264 --> 09:40.364
Calvin: We call it
variable rate irrigation.

09:40.364 --> 09:42.498
And it was developed
to allow our farmers

09:42.498 --> 09:44.098
to do a better job
of applying

09:44.098 --> 09:46.764
their irrigation water.

09:46.764 --> 09:49.298
In essence,
it makes it much more precise

09:49.298 --> 09:51.598
than earlier.

09:51.598 --> 09:53.031
Jason: Statewide,
Georgia farmers

09:53.031 --> 09:57.498
use about 15-thousand
of these center pivot sprayers,

09:57.498 --> 09:59.964
huge metallic structures
that roll slowly

09:59.964 --> 10:02.931
across entire fields
spraying massive amounts

10:02.931 --> 10:03.964
of water.

10:03.964 --> 10:05.898
A lot was wasted.

10:05.898 --> 10:07.764
But now,
a new computerized system

10:07.764 --> 10:10.298
senses moisture levels
in the soil

10:10.298 --> 10:13.764
to see which areas
need more or less water

10:13.764 --> 10:15.798
and adjusts
the volume accordingly.

10:15.798 --> 10:16.798
Result?

10:16.798 --> 10:20.064
A 17-percent reduction
in water use.

10:20.064 --> 10:21.531
Calvin: In Georgia,
there are approximately

10:21.531 --> 10:23.331
15-thousand center pivots.

10:23.331 --> 10:26.898
So if we equipped
maybe just 2/3rd's of these

10:26.898 --> 10:29.764
with a system like this,
we could save billions

10:29.764 --> 10:32.364
of gallons of water a year.

10:32.364 --> 10:34.364
Jason: And this
is only one of many ways

10:34.364 --> 10:37.898
science is seeking
to save this precious resource:

10:37.898 --> 10:39.831
drip irrigation,
watering crops

10:39.831 --> 10:41.964
beneath the soil,
and developing crops

10:41.964 --> 10:44.631
that need less water
to begin with.

10:44.631 --> 10:46.964
It's a cooperative effort:
scientists

10:46.964 --> 10:50.364
and those who work the soil
making changes for the present

10:50.364 --> 10:52.164
and the future.

10:52.164 --> 10:53.998
Glenn: Water is critical.

10:53.998 --> 10:56.031
Wasting water is foolish.

10:56.031 --> 10:57.764
We have to be stewards
of this land.

10:57.764 --> 10:59.731
And being stewards
means we have

10:59.731 --> 11:04.164
to manage it properly.

11:04.164 --> 11:06.231
Water is a critical
agricultural issue

11:06.231 --> 11:08.898
in many parts of the world
not only for livestock

11:08.898 --> 11:11.298
but growing crops as well.

11:11.298 --> 11:13.564
It takes more
than 110 gallons of water

11:13.564 --> 11:16.431
to grow a pound of corn,
65 gallons

11:16.431 --> 11:19.164
to grow a pound of potatoes,
and hundreds of gallons

11:19.164 --> 11:24.831
to plant and raise
a pound of rice.

11:24.831 --> 11:25.631
I'm Rob Stewart.

11:25.631 --> 11:26.531
Still ahead,

11:26.531 --> 11:29.231
we'll take you to Alabama
where cotton

11:29.231 --> 11:33.231
planted in 1896
continues to have an impact

11:33.231 --> 11:35.031
on farmers today.

11:35.031 --> 11:35.964
I'm John Lobertini.

11:35.964 --> 11:36.964
Still ahead,

11:36.964 --> 11:39.231
we'll take you to meet
a young Missouri couple

11:39.231 --> 11:41.231
who changed careers
to tie their future

11:41.231 --> 11:44.631
to distinctive grapes
and quality wines.

11:44.631 --> 11:54.664
♪♪

11:54.664 --> 13:20.798
♪♪

13:20.798 --> 13:21.998
Hello, I'm Paul Robins.

13:21.998 --> 13:23.331
And here's something
you may not have known

13:23.331 --> 13:24.664
about agriculture.

13:24.664 --> 13:25.931
There's no doubt
that honeybees

13:25.931 --> 13:27.598
are important to agriculture.

13:27.598 --> 13:28.864
Close to a third
of the world's crops

13:28.864 --> 13:31.064
are pollinated
by the busy little bees.

13:31.064 --> 13:32.464
Add to that?

13:32.464 --> 13:34.531
Bees give us honey
andcreate beeswax

13:34.531 --> 13:37.531
which is used in everything
from candles to cosmetics.

13:37.531 --> 13:39.798
Truth is
we've been depending on bees

13:39.798 --> 13:41.998
for a very long time.

13:41.998 --> 13:45.064
The ancient Egyptians used honey
for more than 500

13:45.064 --> 13:46.564
medicinal potions.

13:46.564 --> 13:48.331
And even today,
honey is recognized

13:48.331 --> 13:50.664
for certain anti-bacterial
properties.

13:50.664 --> 13:52.531
Greeks and Romans
referred to honey

13:52.531 --> 13:54.631
as theNectar of the Gods.

13:54.631 --> 13:57.398
And athletes used honey
as an energy booster.

13:57.398 --> 13:59.231
Europeans brought
domesticated bees

13:59.231 --> 14:01.064
to the Americas
and established hives

14:01.064 --> 14:02.664
in the New World.

14:02.664 --> 14:04.931
A few figures for you:
an average hive

14:04.931 --> 14:07.864
will have one queen bee,
hundreds of drones,

14:07.864 --> 14:10.464
and thousands of worker bees.

14:10.464 --> 14:11.864
Those bees
will collect pollen

14:11.864 --> 14:13.531
from thousands
of flowers and plants

14:13.531 --> 14:15.698
as part of the honey process.

14:15.698 --> 14:19.531
And different flowers give honey
different flavors.

14:19.531 --> 14:20.731
By the way,
if you've ever

14:20.731 --> 14:22.398
watched a bee zip around you,

14:22.398 --> 14:23.664
don't try to swat them!

14:23.664 --> 14:25.198
You should know
that bees can reach speeds

14:25.198 --> 14:32.664
up to 15 miles an hour.

14:32.664 --> 14:33.998
Rob: Cotton
is one of the most

14:33.998 --> 14:36.798
important textile fibers
in the world.

14:36.798 --> 14:38.998
And it's a crop
that's critical to agriculture

14:38.998 --> 14:40.698
not only in the U.S.
but around the world.

14:40.698 --> 14:42.864
Well at one university
in Alabama,

14:42.864 --> 14:45.931
the recognition
that cotton

14:45.931 --> 14:47.931
could be grown better now
and in the future

14:47.931 --> 14:55.064
started a long, long time ago.

14:55.064 --> 14:56.531
Rob:
Cotton is a critical component

14:56.531 --> 14:58.931
of Alabama's
agricultural picture.

14:58.931 --> 15:01.198
The state produces
more than half a million bales

15:01.198 --> 15:02.798
each year,
worth more

15:02.798 --> 15:10.564
than 140 million dollars.

15:10.564 --> 15:13.031
And Alabama's Auburn University
lays claim

15:13.031 --> 15:16.831
to part of cotton's
success story here.

15:16.831 --> 15:18.898
That's because
the university

15:18.898 --> 15:20.831
is home
to the world's oldest

15:20.831 --> 15:24.464
ongoing field research
on cotton production.

15:24.464 --> 15:26.698
The test plots here
have been used

15:26.698 --> 15:28.798
by agricultural scientists
since 1896,

15:28.798 --> 15:31.164
a time when cotton farmers
thought taking their fields

15:31.164 --> 15:36.464
down to bare soil
was the best planting practice.

15:36.464 --> 15:37.931
Dennis: They were real proud
of the way they buried

15:37.931 --> 15:40.398
all the crop residue
and left the fields bare

15:40.398 --> 15:42.064
and no weeds.

15:42.064 --> 15:43.664
But in the meantime,
there was a lot of soil erosion

15:43.664 --> 15:45.131
that went on.

15:45.131 --> 15:49.331
All the nutrients
were washing down to the creeks.

15:49.331 --> 15:51.598
Rob: For more than a century,
plant scientists here

15:51.598 --> 15:54.664
have manipulated conditions
to test theories

15:54.664 --> 15:57.598
on field conditions
that directly impact

15:57.598 --> 15:59.598
cotton harvests.

15:59.598 --> 16:01.064
Dennis:
The big improvement we've seen

16:01.064 --> 16:03.998
is when we go ahead
and plant a winter cover crop.

16:03.998 --> 16:05.131
You know?

16:05.131 --> 16:07.864
Keep something
green here year-round?

16:07.864 --> 16:09.798
Keep those roots growing,
and keep the soil

16:09.798 --> 16:13.231
from washing away.

16:13.231 --> 16:15.998
Rob: The continuity of research
has also allowed students

16:15.998 --> 16:19.598
to take ahands onapproach
in evaluating the impact

16:19.598 --> 16:22.398
of crop rotation,
field moisture,

16:22.398 --> 16:25.131
and plant nutrients.

16:25.131 --> 16:30.131
Steve: In some plots,
they are taller and more lush.

16:30.131 --> 16:32.998
This one's got a lot more
compared to all the other ones,

16:32.998 --> 16:34.298
most other ones.

16:34.298 --> 16:37.098
Rob: On this summer morning,
ag student Steven Tapley

16:37.098 --> 16:39.164
and his colleagues
are evaluating

16:39.164 --> 16:42.431
planting procedures
that affect crop yields.

16:42.431 --> 16:47.098
It's a unique connection
to therootsof past.

16:47.098 --> 16:48.431
Steven: It's neat to know
that 100 years ago

16:48.431 --> 16:51.731
people were doing the same thing
on the same spot.

16:51.731 --> 16:53.264
Rob: But the work here
is not just

16:53.264 --> 16:55.131
historic comparison.

16:55.131 --> 16:57.798
Information gleaned
from these research efforts

16:57.798 --> 17:00.331
makes its way
to county extension agents

17:00.331 --> 17:04.198
who work directly
with farmers in the field.

17:04.198 --> 17:06.731
Tom Ingram
is one of those farmers.

17:06.731 --> 17:09.931
He's been working his land
for more than a half century

17:09.931 --> 17:12.931
often utilizing research
that comes directly

17:12.931 --> 17:15.998
from university field studies.

17:15.998 --> 17:20.164
Tom: We used to make,
every day when we started,

17:20.164 --> 17:22.131
maybe a bale to acre a day.

17:22.131 --> 17:24.398
Today we make two,
two and a half bales.

17:24.398 --> 17:27.064
So that's double.

17:27.064 --> 17:29.598
Rob: And Tom hopes the lessons
found in the soil

17:29.598 --> 17:32.731
at theOld Rotation
will leave his land

17:32.731 --> 17:36.498
in more fertile shape
for future generations.

17:36.498 --> 17:38.931
Tom: I plan to leave it
in better condition...

17:38.931 --> 17:40.998
...my sons,
when they take over...

17:40.998 --> 17:44.331
...than it was when I started.

17:44.331 --> 17:46.864
Rob: Auburn's research
in tesing better methods

17:46.864 --> 17:50.264
to improve yields
is something the university says

17:50.264 --> 17:53.698
touches on a belief
that agriculture is critical

17:53.698 --> 17:55.531
to our nation.

17:55.531 --> 17:57.264
Dwayne: And that notion
goes back as far

17:57.264 --> 17:58.531
as Thomas Jefferson.

17:58.531 --> 18:02.898
Thomas Jefferson felt like,
and said,

18:02.898 --> 18:06.298
that those
who cultivate the soil

18:06.298 --> 18:09.831
are the sturdy yeomen
that form the backbone

18:09.831 --> 18:11.631
of the republic.

18:11.631 --> 18:15.298
Rob: As the research continues,
scientists approach their work

18:15.298 --> 18:20.031
with a respect for the past
and an eye to the future.

18:20.031 --> 18:21.564
Dennis:
Just dispelling the notion

18:21.564 --> 18:24.698
about that cotton itself
is hard on the soil,

18:24.698 --> 18:26.031
that you couldn't grow cotton.

18:26.031 --> 18:29.798
And we proved
you could do it the right way

18:29.798 --> 18:32.798
with the winter cover crops
and use the other

18:32.798 --> 18:34.231
recommended practices.

18:34.231 --> 18:39.698
But you can keep growing cotton.

18:39.698 --> 18:40.964
Cotton was one
of the earliest fibers

18:40.964 --> 18:42.798
known to man
dating as far back

18:42.798 --> 18:44.698
as 5 thousand B.C.

18:44.698 --> 18:47.631
When Columbus arrived
in the New World in 1492,

18:47.631 --> 18:49.831
he found cotton
growing in the Bahamas.

18:49.831 --> 18:51.798
By 1500,
cotton was known

18:51.798 --> 18:56.764
throughout the world.

18:56.764 --> 19:01.831
♪♪

19:01.831 --> 19:03.631
Do you like baked potatoes?

19:03.631 --> 19:05.298
Do you like them loaded
with chives,

19:05.298 --> 19:07.831
butter and sour cream?

19:07.831 --> 19:08.898
Sourcream!

19:08.898 --> 19:10.364
What is it about sour cream?

19:10.364 --> 19:13.031
I always thought
thatsourwas not desired

19:13.031 --> 19:14.131
in the food world.

19:14.131 --> 19:16.364
But sometimes it is
like lemon or vinegar.

19:16.364 --> 19:19.598
What is it exactly
about thesourin sour cream

19:19.598 --> 19:21.631
that make it tastes so good?

19:21.631 --> 19:22.698
Jason: Ok,
before things

19:22.698 --> 19:25.564
get too confusing,
sour cream doesn't start out

19:25.564 --> 19:26.598
that way.

19:26.598 --> 19:29.464
Sour cream is actually
heavy sweet cream

19:29.464 --> 19:33.731
fermented with bacteria cultures
derived from lactic acid.

19:33.731 --> 19:36.764
The bacteria not only changes
that taste of the cream,

19:36.764 --> 19:39.864
but also causes the cream
to become the thick

19:39.864 --> 19:42.864
and tangy concoction
we dollop generously

19:42.864 --> 19:45.131
on potatoes and burritos.

19:45.131 --> 19:46.664
The termsour
refers more

19:46.664 --> 19:48.998
to the production process
of souring

19:48.998 --> 19:52.664
than it does
to the mildly sour flavor.

19:52.664 --> 19:55.231
So what's the skinny
on sour cream?

19:55.231 --> 19:56.798
Well, let's talk butterfat.

19:56.798 --> 19:59.064
There's less saturated fat
than you'd get

19:59.064 --> 20:01.498
in an equivalent portion
of mayonnaise

20:01.498 --> 20:04.664
and less saturated fat
than some 12 ounce portions

20:04.664 --> 20:05.964
of milk.

20:05.964 --> 20:07.498
Luckily
for the weight conscious

20:07.498 --> 20:09.231
among us,
there's light

20:09.231 --> 20:11.764
and non fat versions
that utilize stabilizers

20:11.764 --> 20:15.864
to replicate the thickness
of regular sour cream.

20:15.864 --> 20:19.631
You can actually make
sour cream substitute at home.

20:19.631 --> 20:21.464
Take a cup
of cultured buttermilk,

20:21.464 --> 20:24.798
add 2 cups of heavy cream,
and leave that in a warm place,

20:24.798 --> 20:28.264
about 80 degrees or so
for 8 to 24 hours.

20:28.264 --> 20:30.298
The bacteria cultures
in the buttermilk

20:30.298 --> 20:33.264
will interact with the cream
resulting in that thick,

20:33.264 --> 20:37.531
velvety goodness
that so many people love.

20:37.531 --> 20:39.798
Jason: So do you have trouble
peeling off those pesky

20:39.798 --> 20:40.931
sour cream lids?

20:40.931 --> 20:42.864
Well, manufacturers
have got your solution.

20:42.864 --> 20:44.531
Squeezable sour cream!

20:44.531 --> 20:46.264
They're marketing it right now.

20:46.264 --> 20:47.531
It's just the thing
you need to make

20:47.531 --> 20:49.498
any dining occasion
that involves sour cream

20:49.498 --> 20:55.598
that much more convenient.

20:55.598 --> 20:57.564
John: If you enjoy
a glass of wine with dinner,

20:57.564 --> 20:59.598
our next story
should pique your interest.

20:59.598 --> 21:01.464
It involves
a young Missouri couple

21:01.464 --> 21:04.098
who's decided
to tie their future

21:04.098 --> 21:07.464
to one of the world's
oldest crops.

21:07.464 --> 21:13.098
♪♪

21:13.098 --> 21:14.764
John: Jason and Colleen Gerke
are a match

21:14.764 --> 21:18.798
made inwine making heaven.

21:18.798 --> 21:21.531
He knows marketing
and public relations.

21:21.531 --> 21:23.131
She comes
from one of California's

21:23.131 --> 21:25.564
richest wine making regions.

21:25.564 --> 21:27.231
Colleen: The ones up high
don't look like

21:27.231 --> 21:29.764
they're ripening as fast.

21:29.764 --> 21:31.198
John: Their first bottles
were little more

21:31.198 --> 21:32.831
than science projects
in a basement

21:32.831 --> 21:35.364
in downtown
Kansas City, Missouri.

21:35.364 --> 21:37.431
But in 2004,
Jason and Colleen

21:37.431 --> 21:39.964
decided to try their hand
at agriculture,

21:39.964 --> 21:42.064
planting grapes
on a piece of farm land

21:42.064 --> 21:43.731
not far from the city.

21:43.731 --> 21:46.031
Jowler Creek Winery was born.

21:46.031 --> 21:47.298
Colleen: At first,
I think we thought

21:47.298 --> 21:48.298
it was going to be a hobby.

21:48.298 --> 21:50.264
We put some grapes in,
and they looked pretty

21:50.264 --> 21:52.331
driving up the road.

21:52.331 --> 21:54.364
We put 250 in the first year,
and it kinda

21:54.364 --> 21:59.598
got out of hand from there.

21:59.598 --> 22:02.998
John: Cabernets and chardonnay's
won't survive

22:02.998 --> 22:04.864
the Midwest heat and humidity.

22:04.864 --> 22:06.331
But Norton's,
Vignoles,

22:06.331 --> 22:08.931
and several other local grapes
thrive.

22:08.931 --> 22:09.698
Jason: Her dad?

22:09.698 --> 22:11.764
He's very fond of our reds.

22:11.764 --> 22:13.464
John:
They passed the in-law test:

22:13.464 --> 22:15.931
Colleen's parents
are admitted wine snobs.

22:15.931 --> 22:18.664
But confirmation
of theiragricultural acumen

22:18.664 --> 22:21.564
came in 2007
when consumers sampled

22:21.564 --> 22:24.264
their wines
during a regional arts festival.

22:24.264 --> 22:25.098
Jason: The response was great.

22:25.098 --> 22:25.998
They really like it.

22:25.998 --> 22:28.298
We sold wine.

22:28.298 --> 22:29.431
It was very fulfilling.

22:29.431 --> 22:31.898
You know,
after planting sticks in 2004

22:31.898 --> 22:33.898
(looked like dead sticks)
you never know.

22:33.898 --> 22:36.764
These are going to grow, right?

22:36.764 --> 22:38.431
John: That moment
uncorked the dreams

22:38.431 --> 22:40.764
that had been fermenting
for years.

22:40.764 --> 22:42.664
Jason: As soon as you taste it,
there's a real woody taste

22:42.664 --> 22:43.731
to it.

22:43.731 --> 22:45.131
John: Since then,
the Jowler Creek brand

22:45.131 --> 22:47.931
has medalled
at regional wine competitions.

22:47.931 --> 22:49.698
Some varieties are aged
in barrels

22:49.698 --> 22:51.164
made of Missouri Oak.

22:51.164 --> 22:53.031
But Colleen's
California influence

22:53.031 --> 22:55.464
is a subtle
but constant presence.

22:55.464 --> 22:57.031
Colleen:
Most white wines are filtered.

22:57.031 --> 22:58.964
But you'll see in your glass
that there's going to be

22:58.964 --> 23:00.698
a little sediment.

23:00.698 --> 23:03.431
And there's some sediment
still in the bottle.

23:03.431 --> 23:05.164
And that keeps it
doing a kind

23:05.164 --> 23:07.498
of a gentle fermentation
in the bottle

23:07.498 --> 23:11.031
which gives it
almost a champagne taste.

23:11.031 --> 23:14.864
John: Today their hobby
is a growing business.

23:14.864 --> 23:16.531
These wine vats
help fill the demands

23:16.531 --> 23:19.431
of more than two dozen stores.

23:19.431 --> 23:20.831
And marketing
is also focused

23:20.831 --> 23:23.064
on local
and regional restaurants.

23:23.064 --> 23:24.598
A national push
tobuy local

23:24.598 --> 23:27.264
has also helped
by giving these young winemakers

23:27.264 --> 23:29.531
a higher profile
in a state better known

23:29.531 --> 23:32.031
for its St. Louis beer history.

23:32.031 --> 23:33.564
Colleen: I think that plays
to our advantage

23:33.564 --> 23:35.231
that we are small.

23:35.231 --> 23:38.764
Jason and I
go into the local stores

23:38.764 --> 23:40.998
and do the tasting's there.

23:40.998 --> 23:44.031
And people
can actually talk to us.

23:44.031 --> 23:46.331
John: Missouri once had
a thriving wine industry

23:46.331 --> 23:48.298
dating back
more than a hundred years.

23:48.298 --> 23:51.231
But national laws on prohibition
brought wine making

23:51.231 --> 23:53.531
to a halt in the 1920's.

23:53.531 --> 23:55.264
With prohibition's repeal
in the 1930's,

23:55.264 --> 23:58.198
the industry began
a slow growth back.

23:58.198 --> 24:01.198
Jason: Yeah,
there's a little sugar in there.

24:01.198 --> 24:03.198
John: Jason and Colleen
have added livestock

24:03.198 --> 24:04.798
to their ag adventure.

24:04.798 --> 24:06.798
Thesebaby dollsheep
assist in efforts

24:06.798 --> 24:08.931
to be sustainable
while keeping grass

24:08.931 --> 24:10.998
and weeds in check.

24:10.998 --> 24:12.931
Jason: We don't have to mow
or buy diesel.

24:12.931 --> 24:14.698
That's a pain nowadays.

24:14.698 --> 24:16.698
We don't spray
to control the weeds.

24:16.698 --> 24:18.031
We definitely
embrace the idea

24:18.031 --> 24:21.598
of being efficient,
reducing your carbon footprint,

24:21.598 --> 24:24.864
leaving it better
than we started.

24:24.864 --> 24:26.231
John: Missouri
has close to a hundred

24:26.231 --> 24:27.398
wineries today.

24:27.398 --> 24:29.131
And the industry
has grown dramatically

24:29.131 --> 24:30.864
in the past ten years.

24:30.864 --> 24:33.298
And while Jowler Creek Winery
is not yet as well known

24:33.298 --> 24:35.598
as its
California counterparts....

24:35.598 --> 24:37.298
Colleen:
....that's a Chambourcin,

24:37.298 --> 24:39.031
that's our French hybrid....

24:39.031 --> 24:40.964
John:....the winery does have
a tasting room!

24:40.964 --> 24:42.431
And it's considered
amust stop

24:42.431 --> 24:46.131
on a tour
of regional boutique wineries.

24:46.131 --> 24:47.398
It also benefits
from friends

24:47.398 --> 24:49.564
and farmers nearby.

24:49.564 --> 24:51.098
Colleen: Back here,
everybody wants to help

24:51.098 --> 24:52.298
your neighbor.

24:52.298 --> 24:54.064
So when there's work to be done,
you're neighbors come over

24:54.064 --> 24:58.364
and pitch in.

24:58.364 --> 24:59.764
John: And that's going to do it
this time.

24:59.764 --> 25:01.498
Thanks for traveling
the country with us

25:01.498 --> 25:05.698
on this edition
ofAmerica's Heartland.

25:05.698 --> 25:06.664
Akiba: And remember,
there's much more

25:06.664 --> 25:09.564
onAmerica's Heartland
at our website

25:09.564 --> 25:11.098
including video on the stories
from today's show.

25:11.098 --> 25:14.231
Just log onto
americasheartland-dot-org.

25:14.231 --> 25:17.164
We'll see you next time.

25:17.164 --> 25:18.964
To order a copy
of this broadcast,

25:18.964 --> 25:25.031
visit us online
or call 1-888-814-3923.

25:25.031 --> 25:31.164
The cost is $14.95
plus shipping.

25:31.164 --> 25:37.398
♪ You can see it in the eyes
of every woman and man ♪

25:37.398 --> 25:43.464
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪

25:43.464 --> 25:46.431
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪

25:46.431 --> 25:49.398
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪

25:49.398 --> 25:56.131
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪

25:56.131 --> 25:59.364
♪ close to the land. ♪

25:59.364 --> 26:04.564
America's Heartland
is made possible by....

26:04.564 --> 26:07.564
They make up a small
part of our population,

26:07.564 --> 26:10.564
but have a huge impact
on all of our lives.

26:10.564 --> 26:14.231
They take business risks
that few others would tolerate

26:14.231 --> 26:16.231
all on our behalf.

26:16.231 --> 26:18.164
They're American farmers

26:18.164 --> 26:21.498
who feed, fuel
and clothe the world.

26:21.498 --> 26:23.498
Monsanto would like
to recognize them

26:23.498 --> 26:26.731
for all they do
for the rest of us,

26:26.731 --> 26:30.231
because ultimately our success
and everyone else's

26:30.231 --> 26:32.898
depends on theirs.

26:32.898 --> 26:34.431
....and by
the American Farm Bureau

26:34.431 --> 26:39.531
Federation
- the voice of agriculture.

26:39.531 --> 26:43.531
♪♪