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whose "Common Ground"

program creates
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consumers get the facts
about farming and food.

There's more at:
findourcommonground.com

The American Farm Bureau
Foundation for Agriculture.

Dedicated to building
greater awareness and

understanding of agriculture
through education

and engagement.

More information at:
agfoundation.org

The Fund for Agriculture
Education - A fund created

by KVIE to support
America's Heartland programming.

Contributors include the
following:

I'm Sarah Gardner.

Bees are crucial in helping
farmers grow dozens of

different products.

But, their native
populations are

mysteriously declining.

We'll take you to
California where farmers,

scientific experts, and
beekeepers are launching a

major new program to
help bring bees back.

Hi, I'm Jason Shoultz.

Come with me to New England
where the history of many

farms stretches back
hundreds of years.

I'll introduce you to a farm
family that's seen

some great times and
struggled through some

tough times

all with the goal of
keeping the farm alive.

Hi I'm Kristen Simoes.

We're taking you to school
in big sky country and this

lesson is all about good
horsemanship for the

animal and the rider.

Saddle up for a one of a
kind ranching adventure

in Montana.

I'm Rob Stewart.

We've got a unique ranching
story for you this time.

It's not about cattle.

We're taking you to Arkansas
to a ranch that is bustling

with buffalo!

That's all coming up next,
right here on

America's Heartland.

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

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

♪There's a love
for the country ♪

♪and a pride in the brand ♪

♪in America's Heartland
living close, ♪

♪close to the land ♪

When you think of bees,

you think of that hard
working insect who

brings us honey.

But, they actually do
much more than that.

They're essential
in agriculture.

Many successful crops
depend on bee pollination.

But, bees are in trouble.

Their numbers are declining,
and experts aren't sure why.

Here in Orange County,
California a major effort is

underway to bring
bees - back.

♪

The first settlers to
America brought European

honeybees with them
in the early 1600's.

The honey bee is our
workhorse pollinator.

And bringing bees
back especially native

varieties is what's drawn
habitat conservationists

like Mace Vaughn to this
carefully-tended field in

the hills outside
Irvine, California.

Vaughn wants these farmers
and ranchers to know just

how important all native
pollinators are to producers.

Pollination is critical
because many of our crops if

we look at apples and pears
and plums and cherries,

blueberries, strawberries,
squash, melon,

some of our tomato varieties
they need to have pollen

moved from one flower to
another in order to be able

to set fruit or to set
seeds that we then eat.

In the past few
years, beekeepers,

farmers and orchard
owners have been facing a

phenomenon called "Colony
Collapse Disorder".

While its causes
are still unclear,

the disorder can devastate
entire hives - killing off

millions of bees.

That impact ultimately
affects prices we pay

at the supermarket.

With colony
collapse disorder,

there's been a
major increase,

because of a
shortage of bees,

in the price of
renting hives.

Back 10 years ago, you're
probably talking 30 to 35

dollars on average per hive.

Today, we're talking about
well over a hundred dollars

a hive in many areas
of the country.

California's Almond crop
alone depends on tens of

thousands of beehives
brought into the state each

spring to pollinate eight
hundred thousand acres of

almond trees.

Farmers, scientists
and others in U.S. agriculture

are mounting an
effort to develop a unique

"pollinator partnership."

promoting the growth of
native plants on farms,

orchards and ranches
all across America.

So what we've been doing is
looking at how we can help

rebuild populations of
native pollinators.

wild bees, moths, butterflies,
insects,

even some animals - that
provide value added

pollination services.

In the east we find that
native bees can potentially

provide all the pollination
that's necessary on the vast

majority of those farms.

"Let's go down this way".

One candidate in this
southern California field

is this surprising
variety of native bee.

A lot of our native bees are
really small - quite small

compared to a honey bee.

So this looks like one of
our very small sweat bees.

Facilitating increased
numbers of native

pollinators, however, often
demands that farmers and

growers adjust the plants
that populate their

available landscape.

You create a habitat where
beneficial insects can take

up residence, come
into the fields,

provide pollination services
that won't replace those

that come from managed bees,
but will supplement them.

In addition to bees,
conservationist David Raetz

says certain
plants including black sage

can attract other types
of native pollinators.

Southern California has a
high percentage of butterfly

species that occur here and
are really concentrated here.

And so the black sage,
as well as many others,

will attract those
particular species.

Restoring native habitat
to attract a variety of

pollinators can also prove
beneficial to reducing soil

erosion and improving
water quality.

Part of what the project
is all about is how do we

structure and create an
appreciation for and more

importantly a commitment to
create habitat and build up

the populations of the
native pollinators so that

if there is a problem we
can still have an abundant

supply of pollinating
entities that can help make

sure we still
have food to eat.

While a solution is being
sought for

Colony Collapse Disorder,

developing a
national program of native

pollinators can provide
options for protecting our

food supply now and
in the future.

Native pollinators are a
great example of a specific

solution that farmer and
ranchers can deliver from

the land.

Farmers, ranchers, forest
landowners aren't the source

of problems; they're the
source of solutions.

♪

If you're wondering why
honeybees make that

"buzzing" sound, it's
because their wings are

fluttering at more than 11
thousand times a minute.

Their perception of visual
movement is fast as

well about six times
that of human beings.

Were bees to watch a movie,
they would be able to

differentiate individual
frames being projected.

♪

When you think
about rodeos,

competitive or recreational
riding even those

equestrian events
in the Olympics,

you can see why proper
training for a

horse is important.

Well, here at this
Montana ranch,

good horsemanship is all
about the animal and the rider.

♪

"Get down on your rein and
ask for her eye and use your

foot at the same time"

It doesn't matter how
great a horse we raise,

if we don't bring people up,
young people up through the,

with knowledge and
horsemanship, you know,

our industry won't last.

Lisa Anderson loves several
things about managing

Copper Spring Ranch.

Including working alongside
her husband,

Brian and Training and
selling world class horses

"Bring her back
into a small circle,

looking between her ears."

It's a place where champion
quarter horses are bred and

trained and where
instructors like

Lisa share their talents
with the next generation of

equestrian enthusiasts.

Working here, I get to be
outdoors all the time.

I get to be around horses
and being around people like

Brian and Lisa,
who know horses.

Tana Pena rides for her high
school's rodeo team and

looks forward to someday
having a career

involving horses.

The high school senior works
as a barn assistant at the

ranch earning some extra
cash and picking up

equine experience.

I get to learn just by
watching them every day.

Just watching them out in
the arena roping or working

with the horses I'm learning
all the time

which is incredible.

Like Tana, Kevin Peterson is
on his school's rodeo team.

Looking beyond college,
Kevin sees a future in

America's multi-billion
dollar horse industry.

"You know we market all over
the United States we try

to stay regionally
focused with Montana,

Idaho, Washington,
South Dakota, North Dakota

and Wyoming"

Kevin is a marketing major at
Montana State University.

His intern work updating the
ranch's website earns him

college credit and allows him to
interact with the horses

he's promoting.

Having the, the kids around,
the younger generation, um,

it just builds a
positive attitude.

They're excited about life,
they're excited about

their future, and it's just a
happy place.

It's an attitude Lisa shares
with owners

Klein and Karen Gilhousen.

The husband and wife team
see the ranch as a way to

take young riders and
horses to championship

levels in a variety
of equestrian events.

To me it's really important
to help our young people to

be successful and to be good
role models for them and

give them opportunities
that they might not

have otherwise.

Karen's daughter, Aspen, is
also one those learning more

about the skills
involved in riding.

For other young people, a
variety of internships give

college students a chance to
expand their knowledge in

everything from veterinary
medicine to marketing.

Lisa and her husband, Brian,
see their jobs as providing

the tools needed to excel
in a number of

forms of horsemanship.

Equally important - is
recognizing that excellence

comes from a cooperative
effort between animal and rider.

It's not just about how many
wins you get or getting your

name in the headlines.

It's about loving
these animals,

getting them placed
in the right hands,

with the right people, so
that they have great lives.

♪

North America was home
to members of the equine

family way
back in history.

But those pre-historic
horses ultimately

became extinct.

Spanish explorers brought
horses back to the America's

in the 1500's.

Many of the wild horses
roaming the west today are

descendants of those
original breeds.

I'm Jason Shoultz.

Still ahead - I'll take you
to Massachusetts where one

multi-generational farm
family is very picky about

their produce.

I'm Rob Stewart and
still ahead on

America's Heartland,

we're heading for
Arkansas and a ranch raising

some of the biggest land
animals in the entire country.

♪

Hi, my name is Mike Freeling
and I have a

question about agriculture.

I grow a lot of vegetables
in my garden so I know a

small amount of land can
be pretty productive.

But I was wondering just how
much food can be grown on

the average farm?

Hey, we all love to get a
great harvest when it comes

to our home gardens --even
if you're wondering what

you're going to do with
all of that zucchini?

You may already know that
American farmers are some of

the most productive in the
world and that's one of the

reasons that
Americans, on average,

spend a lot less for food
than people in many parts of

Europe, the Middle
East and Asia.

But, let's answer your
question about production on

the farm.

Let's start with corn.

Now, of course, it depends
on your soil conditions,

growing season and
weather, but on average,

you can expect to get more
than a hundred fifty bushels

per acre when it
comes to corn.

Wheat?

Anywhere from 35 to
40 bushels an acre.

Each bushel produces about
42 pounds of flour and that

makes a lot of
bread and pasta.

You'll get lots of potatoes
from an acre of farmland

from 25 to 35
thousand pounds.

And what about
something like cotton?

Again it depends on
where you're planting,

but an acre can produce more
than 700 pounds of cotton.

A bale of cotton weighs
about 480 pounds.

That's enough to make
200 pairs of blue jeans.

And one more fact
on production.

In 1940 one farmer raised
enough food to feed 19 people.

Today?

One farmer can produce
enough food and fiber

for 143 people.

That's quite a jump.

♪

How close are you
to your family?

Well, imagine working
with your parents,

your brothers and
sisters, aunts,

uncles even your
children every day.

The Hanson family just
outside of

Boston, Massachusetts

has been
working together for

generations and the ups and
downs of their lives are

tightly intertwined with
the farm that they work on.

It has to be very fresh.

Fresh isn't just a marketing
buzzword for Tom Hanson.

As he and his crew head out
to harvest sweet corn on

this fall morning just
outside of

Boston, Massachusetts

he's up
against the clock.

There's a constant rotation
in trying to feed the

farmer's market and the farm
stand.

Hanson's Farm has been in Tom
Hanson's family since 1908

and the land has been
farmed since 1715!

Today Tom, his wife
Martha, his son Matt,

daughter Elizabeth and even
Martha's mother all help out

on the farm in
various roles.

It's hard work and sometimes you
just wondering

why you're doing all of this.

But, I'm really glad
they want to do it.

And the decisions made on
this farm have a direct

impact on the lives
of the family.

And sometimes an impact on
who becomes part of the family!

Like when about 30 years
ago Tom was looking to help

the bottom line by trying
something new with his produce.

I did You Pick.

Where you could
come and pick your

own vegetables
here at the farm or small

fruit, you know, like
strawberries or raspberries.

That decision brought
someone special to the farm.

I get out of work early and I
drove up here.

I'd always wanted to pick
strawberries and that's

how I met Tom.

And he showed me around his
farm and eventually we went

on a date, and six months
later we were engaged.

But with good times,
also come bad.

In 2009 Tom's son Matt
and father Charles we're

involved in a serious
farm accident.

So what happened was, he was
cutting corners and he did

something he always
taught us never to do,

which was to start a
tractor on the ground

they both of them
got run over.

I almost lost my
son that day too.

But he was ok.

He was banged up, but my
father got his ribs stove in

and he died a
couple weeks later.

Ah, and I miss
him to this day.

It was very hard for Matt
who was there that day.

And, ah, he, he really, um,
tried to save my dad, um,

as best as he could.

But it was
difficult for him.

Um, and we were
really lucky.

He just got banged up.

He was OK.

Um, but I think for all of
us it kinda of steeled us,

you know, to pull together.

Today this farm family is
focused on staying a step

ahead of trends in food
and shopping tastes.

From catering to ethnic
communities to marketing the

locally-grown and wholesome
aspect of their produce.

About 15 years ago something
happened that there was all

of a sudden a whole locally
grown movement in the country.

And it's kinda
coming nation-wide.

And diversifying the farm
means trying new things,

like horse boarding.

And as new family
members get involved,

they bring ideas.

Last year, my daughter
wanted to get back into some

of the farming aspect of it.

And we came up with an
idea of

freshly squeezed lemonade.

So she started a great
business with doing freshly

squeezed lemonade made to
order at certain

farmer's markets.

Things like CSA and farmer's
markets have been great

for us right now.

But it may be something else 10
years from now.

So you have to be keep your mind
open to that

and keep evolving and that sort
of thing.

"We didn't spray it so
much so there's gonna

be some worms but just nip it
nip it off,

don't worry they don't eat
much."

So I really like getting out
there and picking and I also

really like, when we're at
the farmer's market today,

just talking with
my customers.

A lot of times I'll see
folks I haven't seen

in a long time.

"They're the
hottest peppers in the world

right there"

"Are they really?"

"Yeah they are".

You get a feel for
what people are doing.

And I don't spend enough
time doing that and I really

enjoy that part of it.

I can't imagine
it any other way.

I really can't.

I can't imagine them
not being right here.

It's great.

It's great to be
able to get together,

see each other all the time.

We all get along
really well.

And I think a big part of
that is because Tom's mom

and dad set a really
fine example for us,

when we first
started farming.

We always were able
to talk things out.

Work things out.

So, I think we'll
all make it.

I'm sure we will.

I don't want to be anybody
else, anywhere else,

doing anything else.

I really this is what
I always wanted to do.

My heroes were farmers
growing up and

I love this place.

So keeping it going for
the next generation,

that's what
we're working on.

♪

Are you a cookie fan?

The fig newton gets its name
from the town of

Newton, Massachusetts.

The original maker a
Boston cookie company,

liked to name products
after nearby communities.

Of course the Boston
Crème Pie was invented in

Massachusetts and Clarence
Birdseye is credited with

developing frozen
food in

Gloucester, Massachusetts
in the 1920's.

When we talk about ranching,

cattle or sheep
may come to mind,

but did you know that a
growing number of ranchers

are raising buffalo all
across this country?

That includes a rancher in
Arkansas taking us along on

a one of a kind
ranching experience.

♪

These hills in Marshall,
Arkansas are home to

Ratchford Farms, a sprawling
500 acre oasis of

rolling grassland.

And if you take a short
drive though these green

pastures you'll find
them blanketed with buffalo!

Now, we'll be the first
to say that an up-close

encounter with the largest
land animal in North America

is not something
to try in the wild.

But ranch owner L.C. Ratchford

felt confident
that these animals his

"breeding" herd could
be approached safely.

I can't believe
we're gonna do this.

Well, it's a lot of fun and
we do it on a daily basis.

♪

Right through the gate,
the buffalo come running.

"Look at that, how
fast can they run?"

"They can outrun a horse.

They can 35 to 40 miles
an hour"

♪

"Oh my gosh!

This is a 3000 pound male.

This guy can go from a tamed
docile animal like you see

here, to a wild animal with
all the wild instincts of

self-preservation
within a heartbeat.

OK, well let's keep
it happy with food.

There is a massive presence
coming from these animals.

You can just feel
their weight.

Oh you can.

They're very majestic.

We as European's
as American's,

almost made them
become extinct.

And to me, that would
have been such a waste.

Hi there.

Look at those
horns, my goodness.

Well they have good breath.

Oh yes.

I'm not kidding.

The American
buffalo or bison was

nearly hunted to
extinction in the 1800's.

With some herds ultimately
protected in national parks,

their numbers grew.

In the past 20 years,
ranchers have initiated new

herds or expanded their
existing stock

benefitting from a growing
consumer demand for low fat,

grass fed and
sustainable meat.

When I was just a
youngster I watched a show

on PBS, it showed
the buffalo.

I knew that there
was a connection,

I knew I had to
raise them some day.

Buffalo can live
from 20 to 25 years.

Each year, about half
of these animals will reproduce.

Once fully grown, they will
be processed for their meat.

And L.C.'s is some of the most
popular in this area.

So it went from one store
almost 12 years ago,

to we've got well over 700
stores that sell our

snack sticks, our jerky,
summer sausage,

as well as some
burgers, some steaks.

Just got a call
earlier today, uh,

a big place in Texas, and
another one in Tennessee

that wanna start
carrying our stuff.

Look at that
view over there.

Oh it is spectacular!

Ranching has deep roots
here at Ratchford Farms.

L.C.'s great-grandfather raised
cattle and descendants

of those original cows
still graze this land.

I see your cows
are following us.

Oh Yes, we use very passive
means dealing with our

cattle no different than
dealing with the buffalo.

L.C still raises about 100
cows but adding buffalo

to his farm changed
his life forever.

I think that they embody
the United States.

I think that they embody
what we stand for as a country.

They're very majestic,
they're hearty,

they're survivors.

L.C has one more place he
wants you to see

he says it is his favorite
view on earth.

The bottom of the valley where
his parents once plowed

this land with mules.

What does it
mean to you to have this?

It means everything.
I consider myself so lucky.

The ability to come out here
and enjoy these things.

I consider myself very rich.

Not necessarily monetarily
but just the way of life.

Some people I think have a
certain illusion that wealth

is money, power.

To me it's my 500 acres, my
heard of buffalo, my family,

to be living here in
Arkansas and

I wouldn't trade it for
anything.

♪

And that's going to do
it for us this time.

We thank you for traveling
the country with us on this

edition of America's
Heartland as we find

interesting people and
places to share with you.

And don't forget you can
stay in touch with us 24/7.

We make it easy for you.

You can find us on your
favorite sites you can also

find all of our stories
and video on our website:

americasheartland.org

We'll see you next time

right here on
America's Heartland.

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