- [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.

(upbeat music) "Wish You Were Here," produced under an agreement with the Upper Cumberland Development District and made possible in part through support from the United States Department of Agriculture.

(gentle music) - [Narrator] In the heart of Tennessee, there's a little slice of heaven you just gotta see.

(upbeat orchestral music) Oh, man, "Wish You Were Here."

- Welcome to "Wish You Were Here," adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

I'm Katelyn Steakley, your guide on this extraordinary journey as we dive deep into the captivating nature and unique culture of this stunning region.

Together, we will unveil hidden gems, witness breathtaking landscapes and savor remarkable encounters that define the charm of the Upper Cumberland.

Join us for unforgettable adventures, meeting field correspondents who reveal the best kept secrets of this region.

Our expedition starts here in downtown Cookeville at Dogwood Park.

Let's go next store where we'll explore the wonders of an exceptional coffee shop.

(upbeat rock music) Today, we're delving into the story behind this heartwarming haven.

In this cozy corner, the idea sprouted, a dream to create more than a coffee shop, but a sanctuary where connections flourish.

Today, I'm joined by founders of the Exceptional Bean, Cigi England and Michael England.

Thank you guys so much for having us.

- Thanks for letting us be here.

- Yeah.

- [Katelyn] So, guys, tell me just a little bit about the Exceptional Bean.

What makes it so exceptional?

- So, the Exceptional Bean is an employment opportunity for individuals with disabilities and special needs.

The whole shop is catered to them.

Everything is accessible, every job they can do and we also built it to kind of have a community for them, a place where they could hang out, everybody looks like them, nobody's gonna stare at them for being different or anything like that.

This is their space.

- Yeah.

- [Katelyn] Tell me what motivated you guys to start this coffee shop.

- So, I would say our friends with disabilities definitely motivated us.

We met this Styer family through Ainsley's Angels, which you can kind of give a, what is Ainsley's Angels?

- So, Ainsley's Angels is a non-profit that have inclusion in the running community.

So, at these running events, they'll pair a typical athlete with a special needs athlete and then you run together and finish the race together and one of the very first races that I volunteered at, I got push Bradley Styer and so I felt like I was gonna be doing Bradley the favor that day, right?

I'm here to push him in the race and as we're running the race, Bradley's like cheering at the crowd and wooing and having the biggest time of his life and it inspired me.

I ended up getting so much more out of the deal than he did and we just started to go to dinner with Bradley and his family- - Yeah, and we're also involved with Rising Above Ministries, which is another local non-profit.

So, really just getting to know these families and seeing them do life and us doing life with them and we noticed that the world wasn't built for our friends with disabilities and we wanted to build a place to kind of serve as employment and as community for them.

- That's amazing.

Now, you guys hit on a few things, but one of the biggest things is that this is a non-profit organization that you guys have built.

- So, we wanted it to be a non-profit because we wanted the community to build it.

In the back of the shop we have a wall that says "Coffee, Community, Character," and everyone's name is in the word community that donated time, money, resources, really anything and every single thing in the shop has a plaque on it.

I'm looking at one right now.

Every table, every chair, every piece of equipment has a plaque where someone in the community donated it.

- We didn't want this to come across as like we were exploiting the special needs community.

- Yeah.

- So, if we did it as a non-profit, then it's a little more open and everybody understands what our motivation here is.

We're just simply trying to offer employment.

- So, tell me about your motto.

It's be kind and drink coffee.

- When we were very new in this world and we didn't know how to interact and there was a young girl that had a crush on Michael at one of the Rising Above dances and he said, "Do I dance with her?

Let me go talk to her mom to see how to handle this situation," because, obviously, he was a 40-year-old man, she was a 13-year-old girl, right?

And the mom said, "Just be kind."

And so when you don't know how to interact, when you don't know what to say, when you don't know what to do, the answer is always be kind.

- The world is sometimes, you know, they're tense and they're in a hurry and they gotta get to work or they gotta get here or gotta get there and so when they come in here, some of that shield is put down and they're just like, okay, this is almost like a safe space and we're just being nice here and everybody's working together.

- I really, really appreciate you guys having me today.

The space is beautiful.

I cannot wait to try some of the things that you guys have and just keep learning more about the Bean and how to be kind and drink coffee.

- That's right, thank you so much.

- A tapestry of heartwarming tales unfolds within these walls, not just employees, but a family knit by purpose.

Be kind, drink coffee, more than a phrase.

It's a beacon of change one cup at a time.

(upbeat music) Recently, field correspondent, Shan Stout, embarked on a journey to Crossville, Tennessee to unveil the wonders of a family-owned gem, Sunrise Dairy.

(upbeat country music) - [Narrator] Journey with us to the heart of Upper Cumberland, where a family run dairy farm is breathing life into the age old practice of milk bottle.

The Mast family's unique approach has been keeping the flame alive for younger generations.

- We're in the beautiful countryside of Crossville, Tennessee and I am at a wonderful family-owned business who are reviving the old-fashioned tradition of milk bottling.

And I'm here with Sunrise Dairy process, Ed Hofknecht.

- Hi, Ed.

- Hey.

Welcome to Sunrise Dairy.

Now, Sunrise Dairy is a family-owned business, but tell us, you know, there's a little piece that maybe our viewers do not know and that is the fact that there might be some Mennonite heritage involved.

How does that impact the business?

- Sure, Tim Mast, he runs the place and been bottling for about the last six years, but his family, they're all through this whole thing.

His daughters do the bottling.

They've done a lot of the processing over the years.

Their simple traditions, it kind of bleeds through into the business.

So, you see that with the old glass bottles and the whole milk with the fat on the top.

A lot of people say it's like what it was like back in the day when they were kids.

- Well, and that leads to some seriously high-quality products.

- Absolutely.

- So, let's talk about those products.

You guys have something for everyone.

- Sure, we have a whole line.

We have the whole milk, we have the 2%, we do a skim.

Then the flavored milks, we have the chocolate milk, which is everybody's favorite.

There's a strawberry milk and that's a big hit with the little kids and we have another one call Moo Coffee and Moo Coffee is like a chocolate milk with a coffee flavor added into it and that's quickly becoming a lot of people's favorites.

It's getting better and better.

We also run a whole line of ice cream.

We have dipped and we also sell our half gallons and pints, as well.

We're in a lot of different grocery stores across the Upper Cumberland.

We sell in Cookeville and Athens and Knoxville, as far north as Jamestown and really we're in little mom and pop shops all over the place.

- [Shan] It is wonderful.

Now, this is a multi-generation situation going on- - Sure.

- [Shan] With this family farm.

How else are they continuing these traditions and interesting the younger generations?

- [Ed] So, John Mast, Tim's father, he bought the farm back in '85 and he was running it.

Tim's taken over for the most part and then his daughters do a lot of the processing.

They do everything from mixing the chocolate milk and the different flavors to bottling.

They mix up all the ice cream.

They do a really good job of that, so every time you eat a scoop of ice cream or something like that, know that one of Tim's family members are the ones that put that together.

They do a great job and, actually, I'd say the quality of what we have is based on the fact that his girls are in here, just putting a big effort into it.

- Okay, so you're very busy today.

You got a lot of things going on.

Do you think you could use a couple of extra hands?

Is there something I can do?

- I was hoping you'd ask, absolutely.

Yeah, we'll plug you in.

- I bet that's pretty.

Okay, this is serious business if they're gonna all come at me at the same time.

All right, well, what do I do with the crate?

I stack another?

Yeah.

(Shan groans) Oh, my word.

So, Ed, I don't need a gym membership anymore.

I'm just gonna come, work at Sunrise Dairy.

Thank you so much.

Have a great day.

- [Narrator] The run rises on the farm as milking begins, so you can come out and savor the delicious taste their labor of love provides.

(upbeat music) - Amidst the scenic hills of Gainesboro lies a tranquil river oasis waiting to be explored.

One exceptional outdoor paddling outfitter company offers unforgettable adventures and expert guidance for every water enthusiast.

Join field correspondent, Rafferty Cleary, on an immersive journey, led by the experts at the Roaring River Post, as he delves into the river's captivating beauty first hand.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Here by the roaring river's edge, excitement beckons with Roaring River Post's array of water bound experiences and rentals.

- I'm in the heart of Gainesboro with the Roaring River drifting along past us right now and my guest today is Chelsea Macke, owner of the Roaring River Post.

Chelsea, what is the Roaring River Post?

- It's a little mixture of just being able to get folks out on the water.

We love to kayak, canoe, we've got inner tubes, if you wanna just float down the river, you can.

We're just family oriented and any option to get out on the water.

- [Rafferty] Have a relaxation business, huh?

- [Chelsea] Just get out and relax, yeah.

- [Rafferty] So, kayaks obviously the big part of Roaring River Post, but are there other types of vessels or crafts that you can have the opportunity to use through your company?

- [Chelsea] Of course, like I said, we're family.

A lot of people will come out in a paddle boat even and that's a great way to get the whole family out on a budget even.

We've got canoes, we've got inner tubes, we even big tubes to pull behind your boat if you wanted to.

People will float down the river in them because they're so large.

- [Rafferty] What's the typical season for you all?

When does it start, when does it end?

- Typical season weather wise, we could start as early as April through October, but we really kick off Memorial weekend every year.

You just call, make your appointment, reservation if you wanna go out during the week, on the weekend, you can and then we float you down the river.

We'll meet up, we drive you or you can take it yourself.

- [Rafferty] Is this a deal where you kind of let folks go and do their own thing or is there a guided kayaking part, as well?

- [Chelsea] We do, you can go by yourself if you wanna just have a family day, peaceful, quiet family day.

If you'd like it to be a little more guided, we offer that, so thataway if you're nervous, but it's a mild river.

It's pretty fun, though.

- All skill levels- - Yes.

- [Rafferty] Will be able to take part in this.

- [Chelsea] Young and old.

- What makes, I guess the location, the Roaring River, hence in the name, But what makes it so unique and maybe better than other places that offer kayaking opportunities around the Upper Cumberland?

- It's very mild, like I said before and it's a float.

There's not a lot of paddling, almost lazy river, but it's, to me, better than the Cumberland because the Cumberland is a lot more work if that's not what you're looking for.

And it's pretty, the mountains, the terrain, the animals you'll see.

- [Rafferty] Of course, we in just one part near the dam here on the Roaring River, but give folks who are watching today an idea of what they're doing to experience as they're floating down the Roaring River.

- [Chelsea] Yeah, so you're gonna just get in the river and it's peaceful and quiet, exactly like this area, it looks just like it, it's called the Boils.

It's a local spot that we hang out at and you're gonna float down that river and you're just gonna have trees and shade.

You'll see sides of rocks and mountains.

You'll be the only one on the river more than likely.

- [Rafferty] Wildlife?

- [Chelsea] Lots of wildlife.

The deer, the birds, fish.

- Beaver, too.

- Sometimes.

- Just a few minutes ago I saw one- - Did you?

- Entering out of the water to a clump of trees off to the side.

- Okay.

- I mean, there's all kinds of stuff.

- Occasionally over here we do have cows- - Oh, really?

- That come into the River.

- [Rafferty] Interesting.

- So, just be mindful of the cows.

- Wow, what are the chances me and you can get out on the water today and get a taste of what?

- I think it'd be a lot of fun to go down the dam.

- Let's give it a shot.

- [Narrator] Roaring River, where novices and seasoned paddlers unite.

Let the river's secrets be unveiled by experts.

Roaring River Post offers guided adventures for newcomers.

Paddle and discovery wonder.

The Roaring River's hidden gems and wildlife await your exploration.

(bright music) ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ - Join us on the Upper Cumberland wine trail where a love for muscadine picking has grown into a thriving business.

With sprawling vineyards, a warm atmosphere and a commitment to excellence, this unique winery beckons you to savor flavors and embrace the culture in the heart of the Upper Cumberland.

Follow field correspondence, Matt Beal, to Sparta, Tennessee for a tasting at Northfield Vineyards.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] In the heart of Sparta's tranquility, discovery Northfield Vineyards and its captivating charm.

- We're here at the beautiful Northfield Vineyards winery on the side of a family farm that goes back five generations and today I'm joined by family members and owners, Marty Luna and Mark Ray.

Marty and Mark, thank you so much for having us out this morning.

- Nice to meet you.

- Thank you for being here.

- That's quite a journey going back five generations from what this was to what we're seeing today.

Take us on that journey, how did we get here?

- So, this just used to be a farm where we raised cattle and we would two acres of tobacco every year and I hope I don't never see tobacco again as long as I live, but it's always been a working farm.

- [Matt] And muscadine is easier to harvest than tobacco?

Is that what you're saying?

- Absolutely.

- Absolutely.

- And a lot more fun.

- And a lot more fun.

- Let's talk about the product.

What are Northfield Vineyard wines?

- I like to call them country wines.

I don't do a lot of fancy wines.

So, we do a lot of fruit.

Of course, we do muscadines and blackberries, cranberry.

Our cranberry wine outsells everything we got, November and December.

Our only two dry wines, we do a chardonnay and I do a chambourcin grape.

Other than that, everything's got and our apple cider is probably our best seller.

- For sure.

- I think it's probably overtaken the blackberry wine.

Our blackberry wine was our best seller and I think apple cider is because we're doing three different variations of the cider.

- But we're from Tennessee and we like sugar in everything.

- That's true.

I've never had unsweet tea and I never intend to.

- That's right.

- [Matt] The atmosphere here immediately when you come on property, it's laid back, it's relaxed.

In addition to that, I love that you have the family on the wall.

- We grew up here riding horses.

Like Mark said, working in tobacco and it just feels like home.

We lost our dad in 2020 to COVID.

He was our front porch greeter.

He's missed beyond words, but we've tried to carry on that legacy because he did not know a stranger.

- And he's left a whole, but he's also set a precedent, which was filled in nicely by Beau.

He was my greeter today.

- [Marty] He's our Walmart greeter.

- [Matt] And Beau is who?

- Come on, get up here.

- Come on.

- There you go.

- And there is Beau.

- There is Beau.

So, speaking of greeters, tell us about this greeter that we have now.

- He's been here four years and he's a rescue from Lachey Farms Animal Rescue.

Mark and I knew neither one have kids and the animals are our babies.

- [Matt] And Beau's not the only animal here on property.

There's a couple more that I met outside, yeah.

- [Mark] A couple of draft mules.

Carl Bilbry up at Cookeville got me interest in draft mules about 20 years ago.

They've just got a personality of their own and everybody's got grapes and wine glasses on their bottles and I just thought there's nothing more nostalgic than mules, so that's how we wound up with the mules on the bottles.

- Well, I hope that I'm lucky enough to maybe get to taste some of- - Absolutely.

- What you do while I'm here today.

- Absolutely.

- [Matt] We really appreciate you having us out.

This is really fantastic.

- It's been nice having you.

- First we're gonna do our Ol' Black Izzy.

It's a 60% white berry, 40% Isabella grape, so it's not a blackberry wine that's gonna make your teeth hurt.

Not too sweet, not too dry.

Isabella is not a wine that you would typically make a wine with, but it's a good blending grape.

- And I think when we think about sweet wines or as Mark called them, country wines, we do think they're all super sugary sweet, but that really does have that balance to it.

- [Marty] This is my personal favorite, it's like a little party in your mouth.

It's a sweet bubbly muscadine.

- So good.

- Isn't that delicious?

- That is absolutely delicious.

And the nose the flavor profile of each one is so unique from anything that you normally have, that I normally have and from one another.

- Well, I think they're all award winning.

Thank you so much for letting me try them.

I appreciate it, Marty.

- Thank you.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Caution, the irresistible lure of the wine slushy machine might beckon you to stay a little longer or perhaps take some home with you.

Northfield's generous grounds have witnessed an array of splendid festivals and gatherings throughout the year, ensuring there's always a delightful reason to return.

(upbeat music) - Embedded deep with our hearts are the tourist recollections of baking alongside our grandparents.

Two young women harnessed their passion for baking to establish a vibrant community hub where people come together to share moments.

In a recent trip, field correspondent, Shan Stout, journeyed to downtown Livingston, Tennessee to delve into the delectable creations at Ruby & Lee Coffee and Bakehouse.

(bright music) - [Narrator] Welcome to downtown Livingston's beating heart, where scents of freshly baked delights fill the air.

Let's step into the inviting world of Ruby & Lee Coffee and Bakehouse.

- I'm here with owners Chelsea Savage and April Stover, good morning girls.

- [Together] Good morning.

- Welcome to Ruby & Lee Coffee and Bakehouse.

- Okay, now, first thing first.

This is a beautiful business.

You walk in, it's full of charm and interest.

You have caffeinated beverages, but there are other interesting beverages that I see floating around here today.

- So, of course, we have our lattes, coffees that is extremely good, but out big thing that we do is the lotus energy drinks and they've been amazing.

It's really refreshing.

They're usually really fruity.

We can do bubbles or not, so people really enjoy those a lot.

- [Shan] And they're beautiful.

I mean, they look like summer.

They're just absolutely beautiful.

All right, now we covered all the great things to drink and as you can hear behind the doors, it is really busy here.

I mean, it has been hopping all morning long.

There are people of all ages.

They obviously love it.

Now, I see so many magical pastries.

Tell us a little bit about the bakehouse side of your business.

What do you offer?

- So, we're known for a few different things.

So, we both have different specialties.

Chelsea's known for- - I do a lot of breads, cheesecakes, I'll do cookies if I have to.

- She's not a cookie girl.

- Oh, I do them, it's just they're tedious.

- She's our bread maker, for sure, and then cinnamon rolls.

Everybody loves her cinnamon rolls.

We talk about it a lot.

My specialty's more cupcakes, scones, muffins, the wedding cakes, things like that you mentioned.

We do a really good lunch.

All of the lunch or any menus that we kind of do are all named after the men in our families.

So like dads or uncles or, you know, brothers, things that have inspired us, but we have people that comes all over on the weekends.

- Now, what if I have, say, a family get together or a party and I need someone to cater?

Do you offer catering?

- Chelsea has a background working with Italian food.

We're very well rounded people.

- We've both worked in restaurants for quite a while.

- But we do a lot of lasagna catering.

We do a lot of country cooking.

And then sandwiches.

We make all of our house bread, our sourdough and we call it our Granny Lott bread, which is Chelsea's grandma's recipe and so we do a lot of sandwiches, boxes, things like that.

- I'm not an expert baker like you are, but do you think you have some tips?

Maybe we could make something in the kitchen.

- We would love to show you how we do our lemon berry scones.

- I would love to eat a lemon berry scone, so we have that in common.

All right, I think it's time to get back there.

(bright music) Did I do okay?

- They turned out perfectly actually.

So, all we like to finish is to make a quick glaze.

We actually will glaze these twice.

We glaze them when they're warm.

You're going to try them warm, but before they go in the case, we let them completely cool and do a pretty glaze on there.

And we're gonna go ahead and let you taste test one of these beauties.

- [Shan] That's what I'm waiting for.

Oh, my goodness.

They're so good.

- And you can taste the glaze.

That lemon has a real kick to it.

I love this, this is so good.

I hope I did you okay as a student.

I appreciate it.

- They're great.

- Thank you for taking time to let us come and be a part of your magical space here and we want you to come back and enjoy your time here at Ruby & Lee and wish you were here.

- [Narrator] A menu that evolves, delights that change.

Discover the latest culinary creations at Ruby & Lee, from espresso to lunch time feasts, Ruby & Lee caters to every craving.

(bright music) - As we wrap up our journey into the heartwarming world of the Exceptional Bean, it's clear that this coffee shop transcends the ordinary.

It's a place where coffee just isn't a beverage, but a catalyst for change.

So, to all of you, remember that every visit, every sip and every act of support at the Exceptional Bean is a step toward building a brighter, more inclusive future.

Thank you for joining our journey through Tennessee's upper Cumberland.

Until we meet again, let wanderlust guide you to new horizons, igniting the explorer within.

Continue uncovering the Upper Cumberland's hidden marvels.

Farewell for now.

"Wish You Were Here."

(bright music) - I feel like a pastry surgeon.

I'm just worried about crushing a blueberry, man.

(bright music) (all laughing) - Bonk.

(bright music) (bright music) - [Announcer] "Wish You Were here," produced under an agreement with the Upper Cumberland Development District and made possible in part through support from the United States Department of Agriculture.

(upbeat music) This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.

(upbeat music)