WEBVTT

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America's Heartland
is made possible by....

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They make up a small
part of our population,

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but have a huge impact
on all of our lives.

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They take business risks
that few others would tolerate

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all on our behalf.

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They're American farmers

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who feed, fuel
and clothe the world.

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Monsanto would like
to recognize them

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for all they do
for the rest of us,

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because ultimately our success
and everyone else's

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depends on theirs.

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....and by
the American Farm Bureau

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Federation
- the voice of agriculture.

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Hi, I'm Sarah Gardner.

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When you're raising produce
that makes its way

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to your dinner table,
you've got to act fast!

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We'll take you to Michigan
to show you

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how getting that green
from farm to your fork

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is an extended family affair.

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It's something farmers know
all to well:

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if you're going to work
with the land,

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you're going
to get your hands dirty.

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Now not generally said
about gourmet chefs,

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but Alabama chef Chris Hastings
knows all about

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getting his hands dirty
down on the farm.

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He's connecting farmers
and food lovers

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one delicious dish at a time.

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I'm Yolanda Vazquez.

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We're heading for Maryland
to introduce you

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to a young farmer
who's taking

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a very direct approach in
getting his products

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to the dinner tables
of consumers.

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It's all coming up
onAmerica's Heartland.

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♪ You can see it in the eyes
of every woman and man ♪

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♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪

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♪ There's a love
for the country ♪

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♪ and a pride in the brand ♪

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♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪

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♪ close to the land. ♪

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Sarah: As Americans
try to eat healthier,

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produce plays a larger role
in our diets.

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But if you've ever tried
to grow a garden,

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you know how perishable
produce can be.

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And for one Michigan
farm family,

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that means moving fast
to get the crops

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from their field onto your fork.

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Sarah: Calling the Ruhlig farm
afamily affair

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is an understatement.

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As the eldest son Robert
takes produce orders

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from distributors in Detroit,
his mom Roseanne

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and younger sister Tammy
ready fresh vegetables

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for delivery
to wholesale markets

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and grocery chains.

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Dave: I now have two girls
and two boys.

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And all four
of the family members

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are all involved in agriculture.

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Dave: Zucchini has been
one of the better crops

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that we've grown this year.

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Sarah: Dad Dave Ruhlig
is a fourth generation farmer.

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He began working this land
in the southeast corner

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of Michigan back in 1970.

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As the Ruhlig family grew,
so did the farm.

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The family tapped
into consumer demands

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from regional supermarkets
for produce

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that could go
from field to store

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almost overnight.

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Today the family,
along with hundreds of workers,

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grows a multitude of crops.

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Dave: Well, we start off
raising yellow summer zucchini

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and squash.

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And then we get into cucumbers.

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We do a lot
of the cool weather crops

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like cabbage
and broccoli

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and cauliflower,
watermelons,

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muskmelons,
and sweet corn.

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Sarah: Each family member
oversees a different aspect

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of the farming operation.

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Youngest son Jason
is prepping the fields

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with drip irrigation
for crops to be planted

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in the spring.

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He says the large workforce
makes it possible

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to keep planting
and harvesting on track.

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It also allows family members
to focus on new procedures

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to improve productivity.

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Jason: You don't get that
all the time

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with hired employees.

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They're not looking for ways
to always make things better.

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They may do a fantastic job
doing what they're doing,

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but they're not always looking
for good ways to improve

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the business.

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And that's what makes it nice
working with the family.

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Sarah: At any moment,
you'll find family members

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moving from oversight
on packing operations

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to details on staffing
and plant safety.

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Those delivery orders
handled by Robert

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mean more
than 15 hundred truckloads

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of produce
heading to market year round.

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The farm produces
some 30 thousand tons of crops

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each year.

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And Robert sees his role
as critical

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to meeting demands
from consumers.

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Robert: At the end of the day,
you're always glad

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that you're producing food
for people.

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And if you can keep your focus
on the fact,

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then you're supplying a need
that is probably

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the most important profession
on the face of the earth.

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Sarah: Oh,
and two other members

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of the family:
older daughter Kris

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runs the farm's front office
and her daughter Olivia

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adds vocal support
when she's awake.

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Since Michigan winters
can include months of snow

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and freezing weather,
Dave extends his growing season

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by starting seedlings
under glass.

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Once the seedlings
are moved to open fields,

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the greenhouses are used
for growing flower crops.

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Dave:
It all starts out in Florida,

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then goes to Georgia,
and then comes up here

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to the North.

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We in turn,
send our produce

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down to Georgia and Florida
in the summer months.

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Then in the winter months,
the stuff they raise

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in Florida and Georgia
comes back to Michigan.

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Sarah:
Juggling a myriad of crops

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on a seasonal basis
has given the family

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new insights
on the relationship

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between
agriculture and consumers.

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Robert sees it
as a cooperative effort:

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farms responding
to the public interest

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and the public
better understanding,

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what it takes to put food
on their table.

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Robert:
It should be a requirement

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that they come to a farm
to learn about their food

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and where it comes from.

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And I think that if they did,
there'd be

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a whole different perception
about the value of the food

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and why it's grown,
why it costs,

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what it does,
and where it comes from.

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As long
as we're talking produce,

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those cucumbers and zucchini
you see in the supermarket

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come from the same family
as pumpkins, watermelon,

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and many types of squash.

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And they're juicy!

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Cucumbers have some
of the highest water content

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of any vegetable.

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John: More than ever before,
consumers are trying

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new flavors
when it comes to meals

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on the table.

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If that sounds like you,
let's try some vegetables

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you may not have known existed.

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Ron: It's gorgeous up here.

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You'll never see anything
in the water

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than what belongs there.

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John: The north coast of Maine
is the scenic backdrop

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for a rare kind of harvest.

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Ron: You see that nice honey
color right through there?

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John: The crop here is seaweed.

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And for nearly two decades now,
Ron Hinkle has made a living

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carefully pruning the plants
in these waters.

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Ron: You think of it
as kind of like a garden.

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The more I cut it
and keep it clean

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and nipped up,
the better the seaweed is

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every year!

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It gets better and better.

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John: It comes and goes
by names likedigitata,

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laver,
dulse,

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andbladder rack.

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As many
as eight types of seaweed

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are native to this stretch
of the Atlantic coast.

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Ron: Last year we harvested
100-thousand pounds

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of this stuff
to get 10-thousand dry pounds

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at the end.

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That's a lot of work too,
you know?

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John:
Hinkle does the heavy lifting,

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but it was the failing health
of this man's wife

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that turned these sea vegetables
into a business.

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Shep: We discovered it one day
at a picnic down by the beach.

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John: Seaweed was one
of the dietary changes

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suggested for his wife.

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But imported seaweed was costly.

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So Shep Erhart took a chance
on sea vegetables

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from the waters of Maine.

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Shep: Luckily somebody said,
"Well, change your diet

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and see what happens."

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And we started eating seaweed,
and it made all the difference.

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John: This admitted
hippie of the sixties

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pioneered drying techniques,
and sold his first batches

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by word of mouth
in brown paper bags.

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As the business grew,
Maine Coast Sea Vegetables

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found itself shipping seaweed
across the U.S.

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and overseas.

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Shep: But the seaweed
became more of a passion

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when we realized
a lot of people in the cities

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don't have access to this.

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They really appreciate it
and find it a vital part

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of their diet.

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John: Asian countries
have touted the benefits

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of seaweed
for thousands of years.

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And many
who consume sea vegetables

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claim significant
health benefits.

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As the seaweed sold,
the company began exploring

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other options
to make their sea-based

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food products
palatable to a wider audience.

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This is kelp
mixed with sesame seeds

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and brown rice syrup.

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They call it
akelp crunch bar.

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This is apple wood
smoked seaweed.

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Think beef jerky!

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And then you have
seaweed seasoning,

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a low sodium
salt shaker from the sea.

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Shep:
Kelp in soups is a no-brainer.

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It adds this richness.

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And if you're cooking
a bean soup or even a stew,

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put a little bit
of kelp in there.

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It's like putting pork
in your beans.

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John:
As in any farming operation,

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producers pay attention
to sustainability.

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It's a lesson
Ron Hinkle learned

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the hard way
after one

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of his early harvests.

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Ron: We over cut it
'cause it was just too easy.

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Whoa,
there's a big bunch over here!

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Let's cut it!

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The next year,
nothing

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(and it was six
or seven years before it)

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ever come back.

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John:
Creating the right environment

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for future harvests
demands cooperative efforts

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from everyone
who works these waters.

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Lee: It's a common myth
that fishermen

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aren't interested
in sustainability.

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And we've been able to use
word of mouth

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and actually create
a sustainable harvest

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up and down the coast
of a lot of different varieties

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of seaweed.

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John:
AtMaine Coast Sea Vegetables,

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sustainability is a pursuit
by sea and by land.

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Shep:
That's a pretty nice piece,

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nice and clear.

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John: Erhart says his desire
to provide quality

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user-friendly foods
demands a balance with goals

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that focus on people
and the planet.

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Shep: It's true!

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We sell to Europe
and California.

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But that's not
our long-term strategy.

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We'd really like to be feeding
our local people

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and keep our product
as local as we can

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because it makes
a lot of dollars and sense.

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Harvesting plants from the sea
has a long history.

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In some parts of Asia,
sea vegetables

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have been food staples
for more than a thousand years.

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Dietary choices
in some religions

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also furthered their use.

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And since they grew
in a sea salt environment,

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they could be
dried and stored

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for lengthy periods of time.

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I'm Yolanda Vazquez.

10:51.831 --> 10:54.031
Still ahead,
a young couple in Maryland

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reaches out to consumers
by taking food

10:56.198 --> 10:58.764
from farm to fork.

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I'm Jason Shoultz.

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Still ahead,
we'll take you to Alabama

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to meet a chef
who is as comfortable

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on the farm
as he is in the kitchen!

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♪♪

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Jason: Well, mares eat oats
and does eat oats

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and according
to mounds of mounds of research,

11:19.898 --> 11:21.898
people
should probably eat them, too.

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I mean,
there's got to be a reason

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why this guy on the box
is smiling, right?

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Oats have been shown
to lower cholesterol,

11:26.898 --> 11:29.831
reduce the risk
of heart disease and diabetes,

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and are a good source
of fiber and nutrients.

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And we humans
aren't the only ones

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benefiting
from these tasty grains.

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That's because
about 85% of the U.S. oat crop

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is used for livestock feed.

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Horses and cattle
love the stuff!

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The scientific name for oats
isAvena Sativa.

11:47.964 --> 11:50.364
Once the tall,
grassy crop is harvested,

11:50.364 --> 11:52.698
the oats are cleaned
and then roasted

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for a more distinctive flavor.

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Next the oats
are steamed and hulled.

11:57.564 --> 12:00.764
But because the kernel is soft,
the bran and germ

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are kept intact.

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And that's why oatmeal
is such a great source

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of nutrients.

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If you are perusing the aisles
of your local grocery store,

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you have lots of choices
for oat products.

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Couple of choices:
oak groats are the whole grain

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with only the husks removed.

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Steel cutorIrish Oats
are groats

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that have been chopped up.

12:21.664 --> 12:24.531
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
have been flattened

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by a series of rollers
to help speed up

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the cooking time.

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Quick Cooking Oats
are rolled even thinner

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thanOld Fashioned
and take about 5 minutes

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to cook.

12:34.298 --> 12:37.731
AndInstant Oatmeal
has been pre-cooked and dried.

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So all it needs is hot water
to re-hydrate.

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Okay, oatmeal:
low in fat,

12:42.764 --> 12:44.764
high protein,
and lowers cholesterol!

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What more do you want
from a breakfast food?

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Well, how about skin care?

12:48.098 --> 12:50.164
Ancient civilizations
actually used oatmeal

12:50.164 --> 12:52.231
for a whole host
of skin problems.

12:52.231 --> 12:54.531
And today you can find
oatmeal in a lot of products

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on the shelf.

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It's good for you
both on the inside and out.

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Yolanda:
There are a large variety

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of farming operations
in the United States,

13:05.364 --> 13:08.564
large farms and ranches
whose thousands of acres

13:08.564 --> 13:11.231
deliver grain
and livestock products.

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But there are also
small farmers whose owners

13:13.698 --> 13:16.964
have a very personal approach
to reaching consumers.

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And here in Maryland,
one young couple

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is doing just that.

13:24.631 --> 13:30.864
♪♪

13:30.864 --> 13:32.464
Yolanda: Ted Wycall
and his wife Julia

13:32.464 --> 13:36.131
consider themselves
at the forefront of a movement.

13:36.131 --> 13:37.464
Ted: It's an exciting time
to be a farmer.

13:37.464 --> 13:41.031
I really feel like right now,
at this time

13:41.031 --> 13:44.798
in the agricultural industry,
that there's sort of

13:44.798 --> 13:46.231
like a renaissance going on.

13:46.231 --> 13:47.964
Yolanda: The Maryland couple
is one of thousands

13:47.964 --> 13:51.398
of Americans
just starting out in farming.

13:51.398 --> 13:52.531
Julia: It's a lot of work.

13:52.531 --> 13:53.964
It's definitely a lot of work.

13:53.964 --> 13:55.298
There's always something to do.

13:55.298 --> 13:59.831
There's always something to do.

13:59.831 --> 14:01.364
Ted:
Enjoy your new surroundings!

14:01.364 --> 14:02.964
Yolanda: It's a career change
they see as

14:02.964 --> 14:06.531
apersonal approach
to life and the land.

14:06.531 --> 14:07.898
Yolanda: We're trying to grow
as many different things

14:07.898 --> 14:09.564
as we eat here on the farm.

14:09.564 --> 14:11.698
But we do it
not just for ourselves.

14:11.698 --> 14:14.364
We do it
for our surrounding community.

14:14.364 --> 14:16.898
Yolanda: Ted's experience
as a farmer was limited.

14:16.898 --> 14:19.498
He worked for a time
on a farm in Montana.

14:19.498 --> 14:22.564
But the opportunity
to farm his family land

14:22.564 --> 14:23.964
got him thinking.

14:23.964 --> 14:25.631
Ted: I moved back
to Maryland from Montana.

14:25.631 --> 14:28.064
The farm was here.

14:28.064 --> 14:30.864
And I decided
that it was a place

14:30.864 --> 14:32.398
that I would want to live.

14:32.398 --> 14:34.664
And then once I moved here,
after living here,

14:34.664 --> 14:36.064
I decided
that it was a place

14:36.064 --> 14:38.198
that I wanted to work and farm.

14:38.198 --> 14:40.331
Yolanda: The Wycall's decided
on organic farming

14:40.331 --> 14:42.031
as their first venture.

14:42.031 --> 14:43.931
Eighty acres were readied
for crops,

14:43.931 --> 14:46.298
and the couple incorporated
an additional 40 acres

14:46.298 --> 14:47.598
of timber.

14:47.598 --> 14:50.364
It's a model of sustainability
often referred to

14:50.364 --> 14:53.131
asagricultural renaissance.

14:53.131 --> 14:57.798
Ted: That's kind of like
the model that when, well,

14:57.798 --> 14:59.764
it's all over the world,
really!

14:59.764 --> 15:01.564
But it's kind of,
I would say,

15:01.564 --> 15:03.798
what's considered
like peasant farming.

15:03.798 --> 15:04.598
Yolanda:
The Wycall's first crops

15:04.598 --> 15:05.831
were vegetables.

15:05.831 --> 15:08.098
Ted: This is one
of our four generations

15:08.098 --> 15:13.864
of our fall planting
of broccoli and cabbage.

15:13.864 --> 15:15.398
Yolanda:
They soon added livestock

15:15.398 --> 15:17.298
by rotating cattle,
pigs,

15:17.298 --> 15:18.531
chickens
and goats

15:18.531 --> 15:20.631
from their pasture to the woods.

15:20.631 --> 15:22.431
Ted: We'll take an area
of the forest,

15:22.431 --> 15:24.698
open it up,
cut some trees,

15:24.698 --> 15:28.064
sunlight comes in,
and vegetation starts to grow.

15:28.064 --> 15:30.231
And then we put
the goats in there,

15:30.231 --> 15:33.064
and they kind of hit
a lot of the saplings.

15:33.064 --> 15:34.198
And then we put
the pigs in there,

15:34.198 --> 15:35.398
and they do what they do.

15:35.398 --> 15:37.531
And what ends up happening
is that you have

15:37.531 --> 15:40.364
a really strong re-growth
of oak saplings,

15:40.364 --> 15:41.864
certain trees
that can withstand

15:41.864 --> 15:43.598
the impact from the animals.

15:43.598 --> 15:45.798
Yolanda: As the animals graze,
manure adds nutrients

15:45.798 --> 15:47.631
to the soil.

15:47.631 --> 15:48.864
Ted:
What I'm kind of striving to do

15:48.864 --> 15:52.731
is to have a closed-loop system
where it will be, you know,

15:52.731 --> 15:59.964
a completely self-contained,
little feedback cycle here.

15:59.964 --> 16:02.798
Yolanda: Like her husband,
Julia was new to farming.

16:02.798 --> 16:05.398
But her background did include
food preparation

16:05.398 --> 16:07.531
and presentation.

16:07.531 --> 16:09.998
Julia: So I'm able to bring that
to the farming,

16:09.998 --> 16:12.531
to like the markets
and speaking to customers

16:12.531 --> 16:14.564
about
Oh, how do you cook this?

16:14.564 --> 16:16.098
Now I have
a greater appreciation

16:16.098 --> 16:24.998
for what is really
good food and how does it grow.

16:24.998 --> 16:26.531
Yolanda: Beans are on
the harvest schedule

16:26.531 --> 16:28.731
this summer afternoon.

16:28.731 --> 16:30.431
Ted: Any of those
are fine,

16:30.431 --> 16:33.998
any variety.

16:33.998 --> 16:35.831
Yolanda: The Wycall's crops
make their way

16:35.831 --> 16:38.164
to farmers markets
and local restaurants.

16:38.164 --> 16:40.698
They've also established
aCSA,

16:40.698 --> 16:43.298
Community Supported Agriculture,
where customers

16:43.298 --> 16:51.131
buy a share
of the produce being raised.

16:51.131 --> 16:54.331
A small number of employees
work the Wycall farm.

16:54.331 --> 17:00.431
Each crop brings new lessons
in getting more from the earth

17:00.431 --> 17:04.298
and provides new recruits
for a future in farming.

17:04.298 --> 17:05.664
Jeff: We have farmers
that are fifty-nine,

17:05.664 --> 17:06.798
sixty years old.

17:06.798 --> 17:10.831
And they have no one ready
to take over their farms.

17:10.831 --> 17:12.131
And the only way
that's going to turn around

17:12.131 --> 17:14.931
is if young people
who are interested in it

17:14.931 --> 17:17.264
decide that it really
is a possibility.

17:17.264 --> 17:19.331
It really is an option
to come out

17:19.331 --> 17:20.864
and farm for a living.

17:20.864 --> 17:22.331
Yolanda:
The opportunity to realize

17:22.331 --> 17:24.598
a personal dream
is part of the attraction

17:24.598 --> 17:28.264
on this and other small farms,
planting the seeds

17:28.264 --> 17:31.898
for the future
one row at a time.

17:31.898 --> 17:33.198
Ted: It's really exciting
to be part of that,

17:33.198 --> 17:36.131
to be part of this national
(if not even worldwide)

17:36.131 --> 17:40.264
kind of realization
of just how productive

17:40.264 --> 17:43.298
and sustainable
small farms can be

17:43.298 --> 17:47.098
and to be a young farmer
just getting started

17:47.098 --> 17:52.198
when this whole movement
is just getting started.

17:52.198 --> 17:55.198
About a third of Maryland's land
is used for farming.

17:55.198 --> 17:57.864
Apples and peaches
are popular picks.

17:57.864 --> 17:59.198
And much of the crop
is shipped

17:59.198 --> 18:01.464
up and down
the eastern seaboard.

18:01.464 --> 18:03.731
You'll find lots of members
of the equine family

18:03.731 --> 18:05.398
in the Old Line State.

18:05.398 --> 18:07.064
Maryland's
Department of Agriculture

18:07.064 --> 18:09.531
claims more horses
per square mile

18:09.531 --> 18:16.331
than any other state
in the nation.

18:16.331 --> 18:22.598
♪♪

18:22.598 --> 18:23.731
Hi, I'm Paul Robins.

18:23.731 --> 18:25.064
And here's something
you may not have known

18:25.064 --> 18:26.398
about agriculture.

18:26.398 --> 18:28.664
Celery is one of those items
in the produce department

18:28.664 --> 18:30.464
that really gets
very little respect.

18:30.464 --> 18:32.098
It's not as flashy
as the tomato.

18:32.098 --> 18:34.298
And frankly,
it's a little bland.

18:34.298 --> 18:35.931
But let me give you
a little history

18:35.931 --> 18:39.231
on these stalks,
and you may change your mind.

18:39.231 --> 18:41.264
Most folks use celery
in a salad,

18:41.264 --> 18:43.531
stir a bloody Mary with it,
or just have fun

18:43.531 --> 18:45.764
making thatcrunchingsound
when they eat it.

18:45.764 --> 18:47.264
But the ancient
Greeks and Romans

18:47.264 --> 18:50.098
considered celery
to have medicinal properties.

18:50.098 --> 18:52.564
And the French and Italians
used it in love potions

18:52.564 --> 18:54.431
in the 17th century.

18:54.431 --> 18:56.598
Celery came to America
in the 1850's.

18:56.598 --> 18:58.464
And by the turn
of the 20th century,

18:58.464 --> 19:01.498
theSears Roebuck Catalogue
was offering a nerve tonic

19:01.498 --> 19:02.931
made from celery.

19:02.931 --> 19:04.764
California and Florida
grow the lion's share

19:04.764 --> 19:05.998
of celery in the U.S.

19:05.998 --> 19:08.531
And the average American
eats about ten pounds of celery

19:08.531 --> 19:09.698
a year.

19:09.698 --> 19:11.998
That's a lot of stalks!

19:11.998 --> 19:13.664
Back to those
medicinal properties.

19:13.664 --> 19:16.664
Celery is rich in B vitamins
and high in Vitamin C.

19:16.664 --> 19:19.531
And there's a royal tie
to these green stalks.

19:19.531 --> 19:22.164
When they opened the tomb
of King Tut in Egypt,

19:22.164 --> 19:24.598
they found a shroud
adorned with garlands

19:24.598 --> 19:26.331
of wild celery.

19:26.331 --> 19:32.931
Some vitamins for the afterlife!

19:32.931 --> 19:34.464
Jason: It's something
farmers know all too well:

19:34.464 --> 19:36.064
if you are going
to work the land,

19:36.064 --> 19:37.598
you're going
to get your hands dirty.

19:37.598 --> 19:39.798
It's not generally said
about gourmet chefs.

19:39.798 --> 19:42.531
But Alabama chef Chris Hastings
knows all about

19:42.531 --> 19:45.198
getting his hands dirty
down on the farm.

19:45.198 --> 19:47.531
He's connecting farmers
and food lovers

19:47.531 --> 19:55.831
one delicious dish at a time.

19:55.831 --> 19:57.231
Jason:
Think of chef Chris Hastings

19:57.231 --> 20:03.498
like a doctor
making house calls.

20:03.498 --> 20:08.298
Today he's visiting
theJones Valley Urban Farm.

20:08.298 --> 20:09.164
Chris: Good morning, Edwin!

20:09.164 --> 20:09.931
How are you doing buddy?

20:09.931 --> 20:10.698
Edwin: Good,
how about you?

20:10.698 --> 20:13.231
Chris: Great!

20:13.231 --> 20:14.831
Jason: In the heart
of Birmingham, Alabama,

20:14.831 --> 20:17.964
this agricultural enterprise
uses vacant land

20:17.964 --> 20:21.698
to grow 80 different types
of fruits and vegetables.

20:21.698 --> 20:23.698
Today executive director
Edwin Marty

20:23.698 --> 20:27.098
shares some of his
baby arugula with Chris.

20:27.098 --> 20:29.098
Edwin:
This was sort of an experiment

20:29.098 --> 20:31.631
that we threw together
this winter.

20:31.631 --> 20:34.031
Jason: Chris buys produce
fromValley Urban Farm

20:34.031 --> 20:36.831
which in turn
uses it for educational programs

20:36.831 --> 20:40.264
about food and farming
for city kids.

20:40.264 --> 20:44.231
Edwin: So his continued support
buying from us week after week

20:44.231 --> 20:46.064
after week
throughout the entire history

20:46.064 --> 20:47.764
ofJones Valley Farm
has made it possible

20:47.764 --> 20:49.631
basically for us
to continue to grow,

20:49.631 --> 20:52.364
for us to continue
to have income,

20:52.364 --> 20:55.864
to turn that over
to our education programs.

20:55.864 --> 20:57.364
Jason:
Using locally grown produce

20:57.364 --> 20:59.598
when he can
is part of Chris Hastings'

20:59.598 --> 21:02.064
culinary philosophy.

21:02.064 --> 21:04.264
Chris says it allows him
to create tastier,

21:04.264 --> 21:05.998
seasonal dishes.

21:05.998 --> 21:08.998
Chris: You get to taste the food
right there on the spot.

21:08.998 --> 21:10.531
You get to know
about their history,

21:10.531 --> 21:15.298
who they are,
and it's just important

21:15.298 --> 21:18.298
to get to know those people.

21:18.298 --> 21:20.431
Jason: And there's also
a social benefit:

21:20.431 --> 21:22.931
dollars stay right here
in the local economy,

21:22.931 --> 21:25.598
helping out farmers
like Arlie Powell

21:25.598 --> 21:28.731
at Chris 'next stop,
Petals of the Past Nursery.

21:28.731 --> 21:30.231
Chris: Good morning, Mr. Powell!

21:30.231 --> 21:31.364
Arlie: Good Morning!

21:31.364 --> 21:33.831
Jason: Today
Arlie is harvesting grapes.

21:33.831 --> 21:36.098
Arlie: And when this
gets this color,

21:36.098 --> 21:38.164
you can take that fruit
and twist it one way

21:38.164 --> 21:40.898
and twist it the other
and it will snap loose.

21:40.898 --> 21:41.831
Chris: How about that!

21:41.831 --> 21:42.798
Look at that!

21:42.798 --> 21:44.098
Arlie:
And you don't break the skin!

21:44.098 --> 21:44.964
Jason:
Providing local restaurants

21:44.964 --> 21:46.831
with fresh fruit
in the spring and summer

21:46.831 --> 21:51.264
helps this nursery
have a stable year-round income.

21:51.264 --> 21:54.431
Arlie: Restaurants are not going
to take humongous amounts

21:54.431 --> 21:56.764
of fruit
on any given day

21:56.764 --> 21:58.498
because of the demands
of the restaurant,

21:58.498 --> 22:00.364
what they need.

22:00.364 --> 22:02.164
But when you supply them
fresh fruit

22:02.164 --> 22:05.364
(and you can do it twice a week,
and you have

22:05.364 --> 22:08.364
several restaurants involved)
then you reach a point

22:08.364 --> 22:12.198
where it's
monetarily of a advantage

22:12.198 --> 22:13.464
for you to do that.

22:13.464 --> 22:15.531
Plus,
the people who eat

22:15.531 --> 22:20.398
in the restaurants see our name
many times on some of the menus.

22:20.398 --> 22:23.164
And they inquire
as to where the fruit

22:23.164 --> 22:24.364
came from.

22:24.364 --> 22:26.131
And we have
any number of visitors

22:26.131 --> 22:27.931
that have been
to Chris' restaurant

22:27.931 --> 22:33.531
that come to our place
as a result of that.

22:33.531 --> 22:35.398
Jason: Chris Hastings
is the owner and chef

22:35.398 --> 22:38.698
atHot and Hot Fish Club
in Birmingham.

22:38.698 --> 22:40.964
He's been serving up
a seasonal menu here

22:40.964 --> 22:50.164
since the restaurant opened
in 1995.

22:50.164 --> 22:51.664
Of course,
not everything served here

22:51.664 --> 22:52.931
is grown locally.

22:52.931 --> 22:54.998
That would be too limiting.

22:54.998 --> 22:58.131
But he maintains relationships
with around 200 farmers

22:58.131 --> 23:01.298
in the southeast U.S.
to buy as close to Birmingham

23:01.298 --> 23:03.431
as possible.

23:03.431 --> 23:04.998
Chris: We're kind of in between
two seasons.

23:04.998 --> 23:08.464
We're leaving summer,
and we're coming into fall.

23:08.464 --> 23:09.464
So we have....

23:09.464 --> 23:10.898
....we're living in both worlds.

23:10.898 --> 23:13.764
We'll take the arugula
fromJones Valley,

23:13.764 --> 23:17.098
combine it with persimmons
fromPetals from the Past

23:17.098 --> 23:20.164
to make a light salad.

23:20.164 --> 23:22.298
Jason: Hastings shares
his culinary philosophy

23:22.298 --> 23:24.698
beyond the walls
of this restaurant.

23:24.698 --> 23:26.698
You can also find him
hosting tours

23:26.698 --> 23:29.231
for foodie tourists
along Florida

23:29.231 --> 23:34.364
so-calledforgotten coast
in the panhandle region.

23:34.364 --> 23:35.631
Guests get
to spend the week

23:35.631 --> 23:38.931
harvesting clams,
oysters and fresh produce.

23:38.931 --> 23:43.131
And then Chris prepares a feast
on the night of their adventure.

23:43.131 --> 23:45.131
It's an opportunity
for him to reconnect

23:45.131 --> 23:47.598
to his roots.

23:47.598 --> 23:50.031
Chris: I go back to the time
when I was a creek boy

23:50.031 --> 23:50.864
for the family.

23:50.864 --> 23:52.164
I'd go out every day.

23:52.164 --> 23:53.398
I'd crab,
I'd fish,

23:53.398 --> 23:55.064
I'd dig clams and shrimp.

23:55.064 --> 23:56.798
And bring it back home
to the table.

23:56.798 --> 24:00.131
My aunts would prepare the food
that I'd caught

24:00.131 --> 24:01.664
along with
the beautiful vegetables

24:01.664 --> 24:05.431
from the roadside stands.

24:05.431 --> 24:07.298
Jason: Back in Birmingham,
the food is prepared,

24:07.298 --> 24:11.098
and the restaurant patrons
have arrived.

24:11.098 --> 24:14.964
Chris:
We have baby Japanese eggplants.

24:14.964 --> 24:16.498
Jason:
And when the chef visits diners

24:16.498 --> 24:19.498
to check on their meals,
it's also an opportunity

24:19.498 --> 24:22.498
to share the story
beyond the dish.

24:22.498 --> 24:24.031
John:
The small farmers are the ones

24:24.031 --> 24:25.898
that's really winning from this.

24:25.898 --> 24:27.931
This and the chefs,
and of course the people

24:27.931 --> 24:30.364
at the end that win,
are the people

24:30.364 --> 24:32.231
who get to eat the good food.

24:32.231 --> 24:35.098
Jason: For this southern chef,
a lifelong passion for cuisine

24:35.098 --> 24:37.831
has successfully paired
with his philosophy

24:37.831 --> 24:40.431
on food and community.

24:40.431 --> 24:41.964
Chris:
We've become an important part

24:41.964 --> 24:43.831
of the food community
and the community

24:43.831 --> 24:45.198
at large here.

24:45.198 --> 24:47.031
You know,
we feel very lucky!

24:47.031 --> 24:48.431
Jason: Of course,
the diners here

24:48.431 --> 24:50.031
are the ones who get
the best reward

24:50.031 --> 24:58.031
from this menu with meaning!

24:58.031 --> 24:59.498
Jason: And that's going to do it
for this time.

24:59.498 --> 25:01.364
Thanks for traveling
the country with us

25:01.364 --> 25:04.831
on this edition
ofAmerica's Heartland.

25:04.831 --> 25:06.498
John: We're always glad
when you join us.

25:06.498 --> 25:07.964
And remember,
there's much more

25:07.964 --> 25:09.898
onAmerica's Heartland
on our website

25:09.898 --> 25:12.098
including video
from today's stories.

25:12.098 --> 25:14.831
Just go to
americasheartland-dot-org.

25:14.831 --> 25:17.098
We'll see you next time.

25:17.098 --> 25:19.098
To order a copy
of this broadcast,

25:19.098 --> 25:25.064
visit us online
or call 1-888-814-3923.

25:25.064 --> 25:31.231
The cost is $14.95
plus shipping.

25:31.231 --> 25:37.398
♪ You can see it in the eyes
of every woman and man ♪

25:37.398 --> 25:43.364
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪

25:43.364 --> 25:46.331
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪

25:46.331 --> 25:49.298
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪

25:49.298 --> 25:56.498
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪

25:56.498 --> 25:59.364
♪ close to the land. ♪

25:59.364 --> 26:05.031
America's Heartland
is made possible by....

26:05.031 --> 26:07.631
They make up a small
part of our population,

26:07.631 --> 26:10.964
but have a huge impact
on all of our lives.

26:10.964 --> 26:13.898
They take business risks
that few others would tolerate

26:13.898 --> 26:16.164
all on our behalf.

26:16.164 --> 26:18.031
They're American farmers

26:18.031 --> 26:21.431
who feed, fuel
and clothe the world.

26:21.431 --> 26:23.698
Monsanto would like
to recognize them

26:23.698 --> 26:26.664
for all they do
for the rest of us,

26:26.664 --> 26:30.398
because ultimately our success
and everyone else's

26:30.398 --> 26:32.864
depends on theirs.

26:32.864 --> 26:34.364
....and by
the American Farm Bureau

26:34.364 --> 26:39.398
Federation
- the voice of agriculture.

26:39.398 --> 26:43.431
♪♪