America's Heartland

Reporter Akiba Howard helps haul in a harvest of potatoes in Colorado. An Idaho farm creates new potato varieties to meet consumer demand. An Arkansas family stakes their future on growing large sweet potatoes. Sharon Profis is in the kitchen with a unique potato recipe.

Sarah Gardner takes you to North Dakota where scientists are developing new kinds of sunflower seed snacks. Akiba Howard profiles research on building a better tomato. Jason Shoultz reveals how entire lines of seed stock are protected at the National Seed Bank. Stephanie O’Neill discovers how researchers in California and Pennsylvania work to improve soil for better crops.

Reporter Yolanda Vazquez takes us to meet a New York family finding success in raising crops without soil. Rob Stewart travels to Louisiana where one grocery store has a produce garden on the roof of its building. It’s science and not soil for researchers in Arizona creating food and fuel from algae. Travel to the waters off the coast of Maine where fishermen haul in a harvest of seaweed.

Travel to Louisiana to discover the secret of the world’s most famous hot sauce. Reporter Sarah Gardner travels back in time to learn more about George Washington… the farmer. Ohio’s Malabar farm has a distinguished past as a historic farm and the location for the Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall wedding. Reporter Rob Stewart takes you to Vermont where one man is working to save historic barns.

Foodies celebrate artisanal wines and beers. A California man is serving up some very different kinds of beverages with artisanal Vodka! Kentucky is world famous for bourbon, one farmer's corn is critical to the flavor of this special drink. Vacationers to Hawaii love to bring home Kona coffee. One Nebraska farmer is staking his future on wine.

A Delaware farm where the customers do the picking. An Alabama chef celebrates local food producers with his own “Farm to Table” movement. Chef Sharon Profis serves up an unusual pork recipe with a strawberry sauce and delivers a simple strawberry dessert favorite. Reporter Sarah Gardner takes us to Hawaii where a tropical farmers market serves locals and visitors alike.

Reporter Sarah Gardner takes us to New Mexico where urban gardening finds a growing fan base in Albuquerque. Yolanda Vazquez discovers a 300 year old farm in the heart of New York City. Jason Shoultz visits a New England farm family working to avoid the crush of urbanization in historic Lexington, Massachusetts. A California woman finds success by farming mushrooms in the heart of Sacramento.

Reporter Rob Stewart heads down south to meet a South Carolina family that’s been raising prize winning peaches for nearly a century. Discover the hard work involved in bringing in the harvest in the cranberry bogs of Massachusetts. Tap into the successful operation of maple sugaring in Vermont. California farmers find new markets overseas for their bright red strawberries.

Reporter Jason Shoultz meets a Virginia farmer improving his profit margin by helping reduce pollution on his farm. A Louisiana family improves soil for their sugarcane farming operation. Sharon Profis is in the kitchen with a grilled peach recipe that delivers unusual flavor to a spicy meat topping. The State of Michigan works with farmers to improve the environment for city and rural residents.

From BLTs to breakfast, bacon is a staple on the menu for most Americans. With new recipes incorporating bacon into all kinds of dishes the popularity of bacon knows no bounds. Jason Shoultz visits a bacon festival in Colorado, a Chicago pub serving up beer and bacon pairings, a state fair bacon-booth and a bacon-themed food truck hitting the streets of Sacramento, California.

Rob Stewart meets an Alabama farmer who credits a serious accident for his success. Sarah Gardner sets sail off the coast of New England for a harvest of seafood. Jason Shoultz discovers how Florida officials battle bugs and bacteria to make our food safer. Rob Stewart takes to the woods to face a challenge from feral hogs. Jason Shoultz discovers how fire ants are threatening ranchers in Texas.

Rob Stewart heads to class with high school students learning to be farmers. Yolanda Vazquez jumps aboard a New Jersey school bus powered by soybeans. Sharon Profis serves up cheese flavored biscuits. Jason Shoultz meets a Minnesota farmer with an environmental message for third grade students.

It’s all about cotton! Rob Stewart takes viewers to a Louisiana cotton harvest. You’ll learn how cotton fibers are transformed into denim jeans. And you’ll discover why cotton seed is a favorite with dairy farmers.

Rob Stewart finds out how climate change is affecting American agriculture. Sarah Gardner travels to Washington State where farmers learn to do more with less water. Jason Shoultz takes to the fields as Georgia farmers use new technology to stretch scare water supplies. And Jason joins researchers in Florida working to create drought resistant lawns.

Jason Shoultz visits Illinois where one farm’s “country connection” also means weddings. Sarah Gardner meets two Michigan sisters earning honors for their environmental work while growing ripe red apples. The future for one California farm is in the heart of a major city. Rob Stewart meets an Arizona rancher whose life on the range means campfire cooking.

Sarah Gardner visits a farming program helping Armed Services veterans transition from combat to life on the land. Jason Shoultz travels to Minnesota where immigrant members of the Hmong community are starting out in farming. Sharon Profis heads to the kitchen for a recipe on deep-fried avocado egg rolls. Rob Stewart heads to an outdoor classroom in Massachusetts teaching students about farming.

Rob Stewart finds that North Carolina fishermen face challenges from the ocean and consumers in keeping their industry alive. Sarah Gardner heads for Arizona to meet a farmer trying to create the perfect pepper. Sharon Profis serves up a deliciously different recipe for salmon. Kristen Simoes heads for the Great Plains to sample some fine wine from Wyoming.

Rob Stewart takes us to the ranch of William Randolph Hearst. One of the most famous locations in America is home to a special grass fed cattle operation. Kristen Simoes travels down South to meet an Alabama woman rancher working to improve the environment. Jason Shoultz heads for the World Cattle Auctioneering Contest. An Arkansas ranch raises big big buffalo.

Jason Shoultz visits a California rice farm where a focus on preserving wildlife is important to the farm’s future. Sarah Gardner heads for New England where folks are a critical element in preserving one family’s farming heritage. Rob Stewart looks at the challenges faced by North Carolina goat ranchers in creating award winning cheese. Family found success in matching ranching with recreation.

Jason Shoultz reveals how Chicago’s Downtown Marriott sources food from local farmers, and raises vegetables on the hotel roof for its restaurants. South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore is working to improve her farming community with a world class botanical garden. Researchers in California and the Carolinas work to save the honeybees. Chef Sharon Profis sweetens up a dish using honey.

Rob Stewart visits a California forester transforming hardwoods into heirloom furniture. Kristen Simoes travels to Montana where the Spring Creek Ranch diversifies their cattle operation with world class fly fishing. Sharon Profis hauls in a culinary catch with a shrimp and scallop bake. Jason Shoultz joins one farm family sharing their love of old time travel with horse and buggy outings.