Séka Hills, K & J Orchards, Rainwater Ranch and Cultural Roots Nursery Highlighted in “America’s Heartland”
By: Maia Salter, PBS KVIE
“America’s Heartland,” the first nationally broadcast agriculture series of its kind in the United States, has returned for its 18th season with 10 new episodes featuring unique crops grown on diverse, locally-owned farms. This season, “America’s Heartland” highlights four farms in Yolo County on upcoming episodes airing on PBS KVIE.
- Owned by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Séka Hills in the Capay Valley is an olive farm that produces its own specialty olive oils. The episode featuring Séka Hills will air on Monday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m.
- K & J Orchards in Winters is an orchard that supplies fresh, seasonal fruit to Pomet – an award-winning restaurant owned by one of the farmers. The episode featuring K & J Orchards will air on Monday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m.
- Rainwater Ranch is an organic flower farm in Winters that is operated by a husband-and-wife team. The episode featuring Rainwater Ranch will air on Monday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m.
- Cultural Roots Nursery is a farm in Winters that grows Asian heritage plants and helps people reconnect with their cultural backgrounds. The episode featuring Cultural Roots Nursery will air on Monday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m.
Produced by PBS KVIE, the half-hour series can be viewed on public television stations across the nation. Episodes featuring the Yolo County farms will be released weekly on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. on PBS KVIE. Viewers can also find the episodes online at americasheartland.org, on the PBS app or on YouTube.
“We’re pleased to offer these new episodes to PBS viewers,” said Michael Sanford, Associate GM for Production at PBS KVIE. “Our focus on specialty crops, small and diverse farmers and their unique crops, and their shared commitment to sustainability has allowed us to discover and share some amazing new stories.”
First launched in 2005, “America’s Heartland” shines a light on the efforts of farmers around the United States to adopt sustainable practices, bring specialty crops to consumers and nourish their communities. The series can be seen on PBS stations in more than 88% of U.S. television markets, including stations in all top 25 markets.
“America’s Heartland” also features farm-fresh recipes developed by chef Sharon Profis as well as an all-new segment in season 18 exploring health, the environment and cultural farming practices with Dr. Daphne Miller, a practicing family physician, clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco and research scientist at the University of California Berkeley.
Support for “America’s Heartland” is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). For more information about the series, visit americasheartland.org.
About PBS KVIE: Broadcasting from California’s capital since 1959, PBS KVIE inspires viewers to explore the world and connect with their community through engaging experiences in current events, drama, history, nature, science, and more. As a member station of PBS, the most trusted media institution in America, PBS KVIE curates the best in educational television programming and online content available, reaching almost 1.4 million households in the nation’s 20th largest television market. PBS KVIE can be viewed in 28 of California’s 58 counties and brings our region the highest quality programming like “PBS News Hour,” “Nature,” “NOVA,” and “Masterpiece,” and is also one of the leading producers of public television programming in the country with series like “America’s Heartland,” “Rob on the Road,” “Studio Sacramento,” “KVIE Arts Showcase,” and “ViewFinder.” For more information, visit PBS KVIE’s website at kvie.org.
