>> "Modern Pioneering" is funded by... Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, offering degrees in culinary arts, artisanal food, baking, beverages, and more... ♪ ...Sullivan Catskills, a destination for long walks, casting a line, paddling a stream, and farm-to-table cuisine, located 90 minutes from Manhattan -- SullivanCatskills.com... also in part by contributions from the following... and by the support of generous individuals.

A complete list is available at APTonline.org.

♪ >> Small-town America, where you can ask your neighbor for a cup of sugar and everybody knows your name.

Here, among community and love of place, people have nourished generations of friends and families through the hard work they've invested in their land and the place they call home.

I'm Georgia Pellegrini, a food explorer and author.

Oh, yeah.

I'm on a quest to discover today's masters -- the unsung heroes who are making the best that their own two hands can produce.

>> It is a family secret.

>> So many skills of our past are not being practiced today.

>> There you go!

>> And modern conveniences are driving a wedge between ourselves and the most rewarding things we can do as humans.

Getting your hands dirty.

Come along with me as I discover and celebrate the people who are showing us how to slow down and get back to our roots, because, to me, self-sufficiency is the greatest adventure on Earth.

♪ Northwest Arkansas is home to two of the most quintessential small towns -- Bentonville and Fayetteville.

It's consistently rated one of the top places to live, from idyllic town squares to delicious restaurants and music.

But it all starts in the fields and farms and small shops, where locals are pioneering their vision and sharing their passions.

I take the tip of my knife, just like this.

Today I'm heading to teach a group of women how to roll up their sleeves and butcher their own meat in a cooking class I'm hosting in Bentonville, Arkansas.

It actually feels really nice, right?

>> It does.

>> But before I head there, I have to get our ingredients together, so I'll be meeting some food heroes along the way, as well as modern pioneers in their own right, making beautiful things with their own two hands and sharing their love of craft with others.

I'm always looking for an opportunity to try new flavors, so while I'm here, I'm going to explore as many of the places as I can, from their legendary Roots Festival to their beautiful farmers' market.

But first we have to go get our main ingredient for our women's cooking class.

Let's go.

Home to all kinds of small farms, we'll be heading to Across the Creek Farm.

Today I'm meeting the owner, "Spence," a veteran who makes it a point to hire other veterans.

He raises Heritage-breed chickens and ducks for local restaurants and residents.

So, Spence, I have heard so much about your chickens from so many different people in this town.

So, I'd love to know -- how did you become a man who raises chickens so well?

And what's your story?

>> Well, we're still -- we're still getting better.

[ Chuckles ] There's still a lot of work to do, but it started off as about 30 hens.

I had been back from the war for a couple years and was kind of having some issues.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> I did a year-long tour in Iraq... >> Okay.

>> ...as a machine gunner.

And when I got back... >> Wow.

>> ...just kind of needed -- needed something to do.

And we moved out onto a piece of property and started kind of homesteading, clearing fields, that kind of stuff.

And then it just kind of grew.

30 chickens turned into 100 chickens.

We had a customer that we serve that now we've been doing for 10 years, and we'd started selling them some eggs.

And then they asked us to start selling meat birds and we said, "Sure," and it's kind of went from there, so... >> What breeds do you usually raise?

>> So, these are Cornish Cross, and, really, it's the same bird that you see in a chicken house and that, you know?

They just -- >> Live happier lives?

>> Yeah, yeah.

And they get moved, and they get exercised, you know?

>> Yeah.

>> Tone and toughness are two different things to meat structure, so they get the exercise.

They get all that.

So, these are our laying hens.

>> Hello, ladies.

>> [ Chuckles ] They're really sweet birds.

>> Oh, you got one here.

She's sweet.

Hi.

>> So, these are just a sex-link.

It's a cross between two breeds.

It's a hybrid.

They lay really well.

They do really well on pasture.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> You'll notice the beak is still on.

>> Yep.

>> That's something that even the "free-range" or the ones -- the pasture-raised -- they have to take the beaks off 'cause of the density.

>> Mnh.

>> Their beak is kind of like our fingers.

>> Yeah.

>> And so they take the beak off 'cause they're so stressed out.

>> Mnh.

>> It's kind of like to stop you from fighting, if you get -- >> Yeah.

>> So, out here, we don't have to do that.

They have plenty to explore.

We move them.

They don't squabble too much.

They've got space to get up on perches.

Part of the flavor is fat, right?

Fat is flavor.

>> Yep.

Yep.

>> And so all of our feed's milled in Arkansas just 'cause we ask our customers to buy local -- we should, too.

>> Yeah.

>> So our chicks are raised a county south.

Our feed comes from -- is milled a couple counties over.

And we keep it as tight [chuckles] around northwest Arkansas as possible.

And on our feed, we use, like, a roasted soy... >> Okay.

>> ...a whole roasted soybean.

So, it's a full-fat, whole roasted soybean.

So, this is one of our eggs that was laid just a minute ago.

>> Yes.

>> The kids grabbed it.

They're always excited.

So, this is on good forage.

We don't get, like, that orange, orange, orange color... >> Okay.

>> ...that's, like, everybody's eggs now.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> And that's actually becoming a way that you can tell when something's actually on pasture.

>> Interesting.

>> You can mimic that color with marigold petals.

>> Really?

>> So when you go to the store and every egg is, like, bright orange -- >> Right.

>> That doesn't happen in nature... >> That is so interesting.

>> ...because they eat certain things.

The plant species are constantly changing, right?

>> Right.

>> Like, we look out there, and we see like -- >> Right.

>> There's like 13 different types of grasses.

And just, like, greens -- you know, some taste better, some don't.

You should be able to know just by eating it, though.

>> Right.

>> So, if you're farming methods are good enough, then you know just by the taste and that kind of stuff.

>> Yeah.

>> These are our nesting boxes.

You can hear them.

They're pretty proud of themselves.

>> [ Laughs ] Oh, wow, look at that.

>> So, they're laying.

>> A little bit warm still.

>> Yeah.

They're coming right out.

So, a chicken -- which you can imagine why they want, like, a dark place.

They want... >> Yep.

>> ...somewhat quiet.

But I like to pile on the same spot 'cause it says it's safe.

>> You can see probably different ages maybe or -- a little more mature, some of them?

>> Some of it's genetics.

This is from a hen that's a year older, you know.

We run them in two cycles.

>> Right.

>> And, one, they only have so much pigment, and so eggs tend to get lighter over age.

>> That's interesting.

I did not know that.

>> So, like, you see the brown?

And everybody thinks, "Oh, that's a farm-fresh egg."

I mean, a chicken can lay a white egg in the same -- >> Right, it's just purely genetics.

>> It's genetics.

Then it's also they only have so much pigment, so, over time, their eggshell fades.

>> Right.

>> The other thing is they tend to lay bigger eggs the bigger they get, so -- >> Really?

Yeah.

So, like, when they're -- I know, for us, when we've had chickens that are six months old, that's when they typically start to lay, right -- around six months?

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah, I usually get a much smaller egg.

>> Yeah, and that's called a pullet egg.

>> They're beautiful, though, these eggs.

>> Yeah.

>> Give these back to you girls.

>> They're pretty adventurous.

We left the door open there, and so they're already out.

>> We're gonna have to go chase it in the rain.

♪ [ Chickens clucking ] Okay, we have our birds.

Now let's go check out the farmers' market.

I hear they have a great one here.

♪ The Fayetteville Farmers' Market is in all its glory on Saturday mornings.

It's located just 100 feet from the beautiful historic square in Fayetteville.

There you'll find diverse foods, Popsicles, doozy peaches, and families strolling with their children and dogs in tow.

The best way to get to know a town is to come to its farmers' market.

It's where the community comes together, and you really get a sense of the fiber of the place.

It's where people come week after week and everybody knows your name and says hello.

And then the people from out of town can come and see what the local farmers and craftspeople are producing.

So, right here we're gonna get our ingredients for our cooking class with the women later today.

We kept it local with the chickens, and now we're gonna keep it local with the rest of our ingredients.

♪ These are gorgeous.

♪ Look at these pink mushrooms.

They're oyster mushrooms, but they have a sort of blue and pinkish hue.

Gorgeous.

At the cooking class, we're making a chicken tagine, which has zucchini, squash, red peppers, carrots.

So I'm gonna buy some of the ingredients for later today, keeping it local.

These are some beautiful squash and zucchini that a local farmer has produced.

So I bet they're gonna taste extra delicious.

Perfect.

Thank you.

We've got peppers here, which is exactly what we need for this cooking class.

Look how beautiful these are.

Big, juicy peppers, perfect for the chicken tagine.

Those really look good, too.

[ Chuckles ] Look at these beautiful pears.

They remind me of the pears that my great grandfather and grandparents grew, kind of unique and not perfectly shiny, but true to what nature produces, full of wobbly bits, but probably taste even better because of it.

So good.

[ Chuckles ] ♪ We're having our lunch at this really beautiful textile studio called Hillfolk.

So I'm thinking about how we can decorate the table and make it a little bit more magical.

We're actually gonna be doing a little bit of dyeing there, and we're gonna be using some flowers, as well, for the dyeing process.

But I love to create some context, so I think maybe we'll decorate with some flowers, as well, for the luncheon.

♪ Okay, it's time for one more stop before our cooking class because a great meal -- it's not just about the food.

♪ I'm stopping off here at Hillfolk design studio, where I'm gonna go meet owners Trish and Bea.

We're gonna be setting up the lunch for the ladies who are taking my cooking class.

Let's go see what they got going on.

It seems like there are a lot of different types of crafts in here.

Do you pull in different artisans locally or -- How does it work?

>> So, we've really tried to be intentional about sourcing a variety of textiles and, like, pottery.

>> Little sparkles here.

>> Yeah.

From women makers and local craftspeople.

We actually developed a private label, a yarn line, with some small family farms.

It's our Hillfolk yarn.

It's really cool because, kind of like how you have farm-to-table food, this is sheep-to-skein.

So, we know the farmers who grew the sheep, and then we know the family that mills the yarn and the woman that dyes it for us.

So, it's a really neat process.

>> Some of the yarn's almost braided.

It's beautiful.

>> Yeah, so, this is like a chainette construction type yarn, so it's super warm, but it's also really lightweight.

All these yarn companies are USA-owned.

This wool here is grown in the Patagonian grasslands.

And then all this wool is grown in the U.S. and then milled here in the States, milled and dyed in the States.

>> How great.

So, it's really about supporting local people, local artisans, even if they're not totally local, the idea of pioneers in their own right, you know, using their hands, using the best that their own two hands can produce.

>> Right.

>> You've got some beautiful napkins here, as well.

>> We've sourced, like, indigo products from a small company based out of South Africa that does the indigo dyeing, producing stuff in kind of a more traditional, homegrown way with indigo.

And then we've sourced, like, linen from Lithuania.

They're reviving the linen industry with kind of a more modern palette and contemporary colors.

And then we've got a lot of local pottery from some really amazing women.

>> So, would you say that that's really the philosophy of Hillfolk, the idea of preserving traditions and bringing back sort of artisan traditions?

>> Yeah, so, really, our ethos is about finding a lot of joy in super-traditional, slow methods of making things.

You see that movement in the whole food system, but we're really trying to highlight, you know, home goods, textiles.

>> Well, I'd love to learn how to do a little something with you if I may.

>> Yeah, I'm excited.

We are gonna be bundle-dyeing napkins today.

>> Alright, let's do it.

This is so beautiful.

You've got so many delights around you.

You've got marigolds and onion peels and rhubarb and purple basil.

I love it.

And then this is what we're actually dyeing here?

Is that right?

>> It's organic cotton.

You can use them for a variety of things -- bandanas, napkins, dish towels.

>> So, they're slightly damp.

I guess that's how you start always?

>> Yes, you're gonna mordant the fabric in aluminum acetate so that it takes the dye.

We just use a variety of flowers and different foodways.

We have onion skins.

We have avocado peel from the pits, purple basil.

>> Oh, they're from the pits of the avocados?

>> Yeah, so they dry the pits, and then that flakes up.

>> That's so interesting.

So, do you just put an avocado pit on your window sill for a while or -- What's the process of drying?

>> It took several months for them to dry out.

>> Okay, got it.

>> But, yeah, one would dry out pretty quick.

And then lots of flowers work.

There's a lot of information online about what works the best for natural dyeing.

Roses always work great.

They're easy to find.

And then you just kind of have fun.

You can use whatever.

You can sprinkle it in a pattern, or you can just... >> I'm a fan of marigolds.

>> ...free-form.

Yeah, the marigolds are very vibrant.

>> This is beautiful.

>> That's an amaranth.

You can eat the grain, and then the leaves are edible, too.

>> Fun.

>> And this is one that we finished on cotton, and you can see kind of the marigolds.

The roses kind of turn blue, the red roses.

They're just different every time, and it's really fun to do with friends or at a party.

This one shows an onion skin.

>> Oh, wow.

>> Turned out really beautiful.

>> That's really great.

I love avocados.

Let me get some avocado in there.

>> First you're gonna just do one section at the bottom, and then we're gonna fold it.

>> Got it.

What's the rhubarb do?

>> Yeah, so, you can sprinkle that on.

It's very strong.

>> Okay.

>> So, you would just sprinkle a little bit on.

>> Ooh, it's a pretty powder.

>> And it will stain your fingers a little bit.

>> That's okay.

It smells good, too.

It's got a little sweet earthiness to it.

>> I'm gonna put a little purple basil, too, because it smells really good... >> Nice.

>> ...when it's steaming.

>> I bet it's a fun activity for kids and families to do together.

>> It is.

We've done it with kids, too.

>> Let me get some more of these roses.

Look at this.

This is incredible.

>> And these are from -- local florists donate their scraps... >> I love that.

>> ...and local flower farms also.

>> So, once again, another person in the community is sort up-cycling and pushing forward whatever the product is.

>> They normally go in the trash immediately, so... >> How fantastic.

>> Yeah.

>> I'm gonna do some bright pink maybe.

>> So then we're gonna fold it.

>> Okay.

>> Bea?

Like this.

>> Alright, folding.

Half?

Basically in half?

>> Mm-hmm.

>> Okay.

>> And then we can layer some more on top and then fold it again.

>> Great.

>> The blue hydrangea is also really beautiful.

>> I love hydrangeas.

>> It's a gorgeous blue color.

>> I never say no to hydrangeas.

Look at this.

>> Can I borrow some hydrangeas, too?

>> Yes.

>> And the eucalyptus is also a favorite.

We always have dried eucalyptus in the store.

It smells really good, and it dyes a beautiful yellow color.

>> Ooh.

I love that.

>> And you can also use silk.

So, this one is eucalyptus and hydrangea, actually, on silk.

>> Oh, my gosh, look at that.

That is really stunning.

And I always say I feel like the food or the product has so much more meaning when you're sitting there using it and you've made it with your own two hands... >> Yes.

>> ...even if it's a napkin that you're using at dinner.

Looking great.

>> Okay.

So then we're gonna fold it again.

I like use the dowel, and then you can sprinkle more, too, if you want as you go.

>> Well, then I'll sprinkle if you roll.

>> If you want to be extra like me.

[ Laughter ] >> Who doesn't want to be extra?

[ Laughter ] Alright.

I just kind of go for it?

>> Yeah.

>> I mean, now I'm never throwing out my onion skins again.

>> Save them, yeah.

>> My avocado pits.

Forget it.

I'm keeping everything.

>> So, we just like to get these bundles really tight... >> Okay.

>> ...so there's as much contact between the dye stuff and your fabric.

>> Okay.

>> And then you're gonna use string to tie it up tightly.

>> Okay.

>> There you go.

>> So, I like to truss it up like a pork roast.

>> Oh.

That I can relate to.

[ Laughter ] Now you're speaking my love language.

Great.

So, we stick this right in the steamer?

>> Yep.

So, you're just gonna drop it in the pot.

>> Mmm, it smells so good.

>> Leave the stick up so you can get it out easily.

And it's going to just steam.

>> For 30, 45 minutes?

>> Yep.

30 minutes, minimum.

>> Great.

>> And then you'll have beautiful results.

>> Love it.

♪ ♪ To me, a great meal isn't just about the food.

It's about the story of the people and the places where you have the great meal, and it starts by setting the right ambiance.

I'm really excited to meet this group of women from all walks of life who decided to roll up their sleeves and join me in this class.

It sounds like a fearless group.

A lot of them have driven many hours to be here.

I can't wait to introduce the women to these artists and be able to break bread here.

We have the women inside that are here for my VIP butchering class.

I'm excited to meet them.

They're coming from all walks of life.

Let's go check it out.

Fun part -- roll up your sleeves if they're not already rolled up.

I'm gonna get your hands in the meat.

We've got a big, beautiful container here of chickens that we got from this incredible local farmer.

He and his family raise these beautiful heritage chickens.

He's a vet, and he employs vets.

Just grab yourself a chicken.

This is all about [chuckles] getting your hands dirty.

This is a boning knife, which is helpful to use.

You could also use just a regular chef's knife.

I tend to start with the legs.

Now, you see you've got a lot of sort of loose skin, the joints where these legs are.

I take the tip of my knife, just like this, and you just kind of poke at it.

And you'll see it'll immediately open up for you.

Now, you don't want to go all the way, so just do that one part, okay?

I like to take it, and I pop it.

And when you pop it, you're gonna see a bone come forward.

And I want to get the oyster.

The oyster is my favorite little bite of meat on the back where the spine is.

If you all want to feel it, flip over your bird quickly, and you can feel these soft little buttons on either side of the back of the spine.

Those are the most delightful little bites of meat, so whenever you can, eat those off of your roasted chicken.

So, what I like to do is capture that when I'm cutting it.

And you can take your knife, and you can cut around that oyster.

Slice the meat off along the spine, and you loosen it.

So, you've got that oyster right here, and then you've got your first leg with the drumstick and the thigh.

Does anybody need help?

I can come around and help you, make sure it feels doable.

>> She's an excellent teacher.

My family hunts, and we eat venison and those types of things, so it just kind of all came together.

>> I've never cut a chicken before.

I told her my goal is to make my own broth with the kind of gold part at the end.

>> My husband and I have started a farm, and we grow probably 85% of everything we eat year round.

now, both meat and produce.

And I've kind of had to teach myself little bits of everything that we're doing all along.

I never knew how to cut up a chicken or anything, and so when I saw that this class was coming, I was like, "Ah, this is perfect."

>> As you stir, I'm drizzling olive oil.

This olive oil is gonna really help it macerate.

So, olive oil has acid in it, so that has a natural acidity that will help things break down and marinate, as well.

Who else wants to get their hands in here?

>> I feel like I could cook a meal and it look actually, like, restaurant-prepared.

[ Laughter ] >> Love it.

That's some beautiful chicken tagine.

It's time for lunch.

To me, food is about making memories not just around the taste of the food itself, but who you're having those memories with, the incredible environment that you're having it in, this beautiful table.

I would love for you guys to just grab a platter, start passing, and I might put you on the spot, too, 'cause we'd love to sort of get to know each other more here.

My greatest memories are defined by what I eat and the people I eat it with.

The food tastes so much better when you've had to work hard for it, and the community of people you break bread with makes it all the more nourishing.

>> There's just something very powerful.

I feel like we all have a common thread of just wanting to be more sustainable and be healthier, too, and just the connection, the conversations.

>> Favorite was the lentil and couscous.

The color was gorgeous.

The taste -- it was simple and beautiful and very filling.

>> I love that I get to meet women from all walks of life, where we can step outside our comfort zones together a bit and try new things together.

It's girl bonding at its finest, if you ask me.

♪ As if this couldn't get any better, I'm ending my time here with a visit to Fayetteville Roots Festival, an urban music and food festival right here in the Ozarks.

The festival features multiple music stages and culinary events, showcasing many of the elements that make the Fayetteville community and northwest Arkansas region a beloved cultural hotspot.

The festival also supports local farmers, chefs, and restaurants, focusing on locally grown produce, locally raised meats, and locally produced products from the Ozarks.

I'm here with my friend, Chef Matt Bell.

We are at the Roots Festival live fire event here.

We're cooking up some beef tenderloin.

We're gonna make a delicious recipe to pass out to all the guests that are about to flood the gates.

There's this real sense of community feel.

Everyone seems to be out from all over the place, all over Arkansas, even some from Missouri I've met.

It's pretty cool.

>> Yeah, I think, you know, for the chefs at the event, it's definitely kind of a family and community builder, you know, people we don't always get to work with... >> Yeah.

>> ...some people we don't get to work with enough and love to, you know?

I think it's kind of the same for the guests at the event.

They meet people from all over, like you said, and get to spend time with people from other places.

It's awesome.

>> And try all different kinds of cuisine, which is pretty fun.

I mean, for me, it's like I see chefs from New York, from Atlanta, from Austin.

>> Yeah.

>> And they're all bringing their own personal flavor, which is pretty fun.

>> Well, and this kind of communal, outdoor, you know, meat on wood is pretty -- >> Doesn't get more tribal and authentic and human than that, right?

>> Yeah, human.

That's really what it is.

>> All you need is meat and fire... >> Yeah.

>> ...and I think we're content.

So, we're gonna let these sear pretty quickly, just get them to a rare temperature.

♪ >> Oh, man.

>> Oh, yeah.

The word "roots" is intentionally used to describe both the music and the food of the festival because it's dedicated to showcasing what makes this region of the Ozarks so unique.

♪ The crowd's about to flood in.

I'm on the chef showcase stage, and I'm about to serve up some meat tacos.

We've got some rare-cooked tenderloin here with some parsnip puree.

We've got some pickled mustard seed, some pickled jicama, some pickled carrot.

And we're finishing it off with a smoky adobo sauce.

I think they're gonna love it.

♪ >> Thank you.

>> Take more.

Come back.

So, it's got a little spice, a little tang.

>> Okay.

>> Enjoy.

Bon appétit.

>> This'll be great.

♪ >> I've always said I can hang as a city girl, but I'm most at home in the country.

Northwest Arkansas and the small towns that make it shine offers the small-town feel with the culture of a bigger city.

You can also enjoy world-class cuisine and the modern pioneers who personify the American spirit.

It's the kind of place you may find yourself staying for a while.

♪ ♪ >> To learn more about the topics featured on this episode, log on to GeorgiaPellegrini.com or follow along on Georgia's Facebook and Instagram pages for weekly "Modern Pioneering" adventures, tips, and recipes.

"Modern Pioneering" is funded by... Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, offering degrees in culinary arts, artisanal food, baking, beverages, and more... ♪ ...Sullivan Catskills, a destination for long walks, casting a line, paddling a stream, and farm-to-table cuisine, located 90 minutes from Manhattan -- SullivanCatskills.com... also in part by contributions from the following... and by the support of generous individuals.

A complete list is available at APTonline.org.