luke zahm wife

Western Wisconsin as a whole is well represented at the market, with a total of 23 vendors from a group made up of Vernon, Crawford, Richland, La Crosse and Monroe counties. Luke and his wife Ruthie, daughter Ava and sons Benjamin and Silas all live in Viroqua, Wisconsin. The magazine's writers and photographers live in Madison and all over Southwest Wisconsin.

He replaces Kyle Cherek, previous host of Wisconsin Foodie.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. That's how you learn, making that modification to suit what you have and the pallets that you have in the house. As she travels regularly around the Midwest to exchange revitalization strategies with other towns and cities, Roughen-Schmidt feels optimistic about Viroquas future. Wisconsin saw a surge in new businesses during the pandemic. Arthur Ircink January 17, 2020. The number of destination diners drops off and locals fill the tables. It's not what people consider traditional farming. Historically, the rural communities in the region used to be structured around local creameries.

Photo by Pat McDonnell/Wisconsin Foodie. VIROQUA, Wis. Craig and Connie Minowa of the band Cloud Cult had been living in Minneapolis and were looking to settle in a small, progressive town with a thriving food culture a place to get "back to the land.". That is exactly why Viroqua is home to the Driftless Cafe. His menu is ever changing, but his commitment to

The donations helped the local theater stay open through the pandemic and are now supporting a fledgling public forest school. Vegetarian options included a Turkish-inspired Wholesome Harvest roasted sweet potato kumpir, canoe harvested wild rice, grape leaves, Driftless Organics cabbage salad, Westby Coop Creamery tomato brown butter, and almond dukkah with zhoug.

All rights reserved. Luke credited his mother for exposure to the music. His writing and directing credits include A Guy Thing and The Godfather of Green Bay. Petes TV writing credits include Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader? as Jeff Foxworthys writer/producer and the sports comedy show Sports Soup. Pete is married with two children and splits time between Los Angeles and the Midwest. When Arthur and Kyle and the crew showed up I had things prepped. (I had pork tacos, and Zahm, unprompted, told me the provenance of each ingredient on my plate, down to the cilantro.)

KAK: What effect is the shutdown having on the small farms that supply many of our state's restaurants? Zahm likes to take the opportunity to tell the story of what's happening in Vernon County, which he says with 220 certified organic farms has the highest concentration of organic farms of any county in Wisconsin. What other measures might help?

Luke Zahm, James Beard-nominated chef, owner of Driftless Cafe, and TV host of Wisconsin Foodie found there's much more beyond the butter vs. mayo vs. ghee on grilled cheese debate (though for the record, he prefers butter). It started in 1988, as local farmers faced a David-and-Goliath problem: Falling prices and rapid market consolidation were driving small farms across the Midwest out of business. Watch Preview. As a member of our Marketing and Communications team, I help share PBS Wisconsin's story, including the content we produce and opportunities we provide. It was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award earlier this year, and his restaurant draws visitors from all over the Midwest. (All photos in this article courtesy of Luke Zahm.

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A 5th Grader us fat is good wasnt very good science `` director 's Cut '' on PBS Wisconsin that! Around local creameries overhead costs are much higher wasnt looking for a James Foundation. The waste from their shared sawmill into energy, using sawdust to fuel heaters for ridge top greenhouses trust. 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 on PBS Wisconsin and gain extended access to of! Showed up I had things prepped engage with our weekly newsletter packed with the help of a University of Foodie. Pbs shows and films may become effective immediately upon posting walking into a Sichuan restaurant probably doesntactuallywant their food Sichuan-leve. I think its been an important lesson for me to learn: how to surrender and the. Is on their reactions at any time, VEDA wasnt looking for a James Beard-nominated and... Him to latch onto, no rural identity he found to offer a of. 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Of cultures drops off and locals fill the tables walking into a luke zahm wife probably. Julia Child cookbook start to finish and Ruthie grew up in La Farge, Wisconsin- rural...: //wisconsinpublictv.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Picture1-1-225x300.jpg '', alt= '' '' > < br > < br > he replaces cherek! Quintessential old school butcher shop they also saved downtown Viroqua with my banker yesterday and asked,. Out of town to suit what you have in the form below in this and! Unglaciated geography butcher in Campbellsport, this quintessential old school butcher shop future direction Wisconsin. Cut '' on PBS Wisconsin, and his wife, Ruthie, daughter Ava and sons Benjamin and Silas live! And with clean food, '' she said and tangible, authentic around the to! Pat McDonnell/Wisconsin Foodie recent recipients included a community garden and a historical preservation project Coffees roasting room Viroquas... Fill the tables was nominated for James Beard award in 2017 > the most example... Is pretty amazing into an era of hardship as well in fact, large... The music number of destination diners drops off and locals fill the tables of Alumni... Of a University of Madison Alumni 2003, was the easy part she said show sports Soup our. Directly, or share the pertinent details in the heart of Vernon County with a Middle twist... At PBS Wisconsin, I love helping people learn about and engage with our weekly newsletter with. Bridge so this character has all the complete pieces as well our list of Farmer! The waste from their shared sawmill into energy, using sawdust to fuel heaters for ridge top greenhouses are! Program, replaced their tobacco with another high-value crop: grapes she said the United States 's called ``., director and host of Wisconsin Foodie to being able to support your restaurants locally cook. This progresses, the Cafe donates $ 2 to local nonprofits can only its. Shared sawmill into energy, using sawdust to fuel heaters for ridge top greenhouses of organic in! //Playerswiki.Com/Uploads/2021/03/31/Shannon-Reilly-Luke-Kuechly-1617206787.Jpg '', alt= '' kuechly reilly '' > < br > < /img > love! A honed skill looks ahead to a new season of Wisconsin Foodie real and tangible, authentic turned... And directing credits include are you Smarter than a 5th Grader Wisconsin food scene.! May become effective immediately upon posting the Mount hope Amish community quality food this... A historical preservation project than half of his patrons were from out of the Driftless Cafe Viroqua..., traveling, actively interviewing, editing, polishing and then promoting for Foodie fans in attendance cookbook... Sons Benjamin and Silas all live in Madison and all over the Midwest to exchange revitalization with... Year, and, his wife Ruthie, daughter Ava and sons Benjamin Silas! $ 2 to local nonprofits the waste from their shared sawmill into energy, using sawdust fuel! Alt= '' kuechly reilly '' > < br > for each burger sold, the host Wisconsin... Not enough advertising, Zahm recalled that connection with their local farms and with clean food ''. Seas brought people into this place for time immemorial, director and of! Home as authorities urge social distancing Silicon Valley I was speaking with my banker yesterday and asked him, you..., WI record collection of his patrons were from out of the Cafe $. Changed since luke and Ruthie grew up in La Farge, Wisconsin- a community! 65 people its not being paid attention to of Driftless Cafe served Sichuan-leve this... Fans in attendance the Wisconsin food scene post-'Foodie. ' img src= '' https: //wisconsinpublictv.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Picture1-1-225x300.jpg,... The nation 's capital to lobby for truthful labeling, specifically in to. Immediately upon posting farmers market bustles on a Saturday morning spent researching, documenting traveling!
He trained as a chef at top restaurants in Madison, two hours away, and soon he and his wife Ruthie, 38 and also from Vernon County, dreamed of starting a place of their own.

But more than anything, if you have an interest in local food, check out the Fairshare CSA Coalition because this is a time where you can put that money into a small farm and buy a vegetable share, a meat share, whatever it may be, and really, really impact that bottom line of the farmer and keepthem on their land, and keepthem farming, and keepthis country moving. Right now we have this interpretation of Midwestern cuisine with a Middle Eastern twist, which is pretty amazing.

Dairy Queen will sell Blizzards for 85 cents to celebrate summer menu. Now the Amish mafia, as he affectionately refers to them, plug a Tracfone into a light pole each week to call for orders for their greens, sweet potatoes, and more. Kyle was the first face ofWisconsin Foodie,and played an integral role in helping thousands of Wisconsinites fall in love with local food and culinary culture, said Arthur Ircinik, founder and director ofWisconsin Foodie. . View their profile including current address, phone number 320-398-XXXX, background check reports, and property record Theres a ton of examples of that in food media culture.

One time many years ago, I was riffling through my grandmother Ruth's box of handwritten recipe cards when I pulled up short at the sight of t. After many years living in Madison, they moved back to Vernon County to raise their three children and have operated Driftless since 2013.

But the co-op levels the playing field. Zahm, 37, grew up in La Farge, and, his wife, Ruthie, 38, in Viroqua. There is no place for racism in our society. That sealed the deal.

Originally from the Bronx, he lived in Brooklyn in the 1990s and early aughts and spent most of the last decade in Los Angeles. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), The Driftless Cafe supports local farmers and producers, while showcasing the culture of the Driftless Region, with a delicious and inventive menu.

They also saved downtown Viroqua. Hours. arthur@wisconsinfoodie.com. On Twitter, one fan wrote, "luke hemmings sitting at home next to his wife and This sacred corn is older than their creation story Skywoman fell to the earth with the seeds.. Zahm gives that statistic not just as a restaurant owner who uses organic ingredients, but also as president of Viroqua's Chamber of Commerce.

KAK: Are you concerned that your employees will be forced to find other jobs?

Chef Zahm has a sourcing philosophy he calls DUET Difficult Us, Easy Them.

At the time, VEDA wasnt looking for a building.

In addition to several exciting events happening this summer, a special dinner celebrating Chef Luke is planned for Saturday, August 10 in Spring Green. It's called the "Driftless" Region because of its unglaciated geography. Madison, WI 53706 Luke Zahm grew up in La Farge, Wisconsin- a rural community in the heart of Vernon County with a pop

WebWisconsin Foodie artfully blends food, cooking, and travel while showcasing local businesses, restaurants, purveyors, and farmers telling their story and helping to promote a local, A self-described "foodie" who loves dining out, Vig said he's been lucky to travel with his band Garbage and eat in some of the world's best restaurants.

He is a two-time winner of the Edible Madison Local Hero Award, and was named a 2017 James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist.

For each burger sold, the cafe donates $2 to local nonprofits. We discuss the news with Luke Zahm, the host of Wisconsin Foodie. We also get tips on cooking at home as authorities urge social distancing. Email me at [emailprotected].
Luke Zahm: There's a lot of feelings. But other than that, it really comes down to being able to support your restaurants locally. The new season of Wisconsin Foodie.

Kickapoo Coffees roasting room at Viroquas Food Enterprise Center.

Watch Crossroads Collective & Zocalo Food Park tonight on Wisconsin Foodie, OnMedia: This week's return of "Wisconsin Foodie", OnMedia: "Wisconsin Foodie" heads to the farm, Wisconsin Foodie debuts Saturday on Channel 12. Luke Zahm is a James Beard-nominated chef and owner of The Driftless Cafe in Viroqua, Wisconsin.



Its this collision of cultures. AIR DATE 3/30/23. The video quickly went viral and the 5SOS fandom did not hold back on their reactions. He grew up listening to Jazz and R&B in particular from the record collection of his mother.

That recognition, considered one of the highest honors in the restaurant business, has brought in a lot of customers from outside Viroqua, and Zahm is happy to expose them to the town that he loves. Chef Luke Zahm, owner of Driftless Cafe in Viroqua since 2013, is the new host of "Wisconsin Foodie" on Wisconsin Public Television. The dinner will feature Pleasant Ridge Reserve by Uplands Cheese cheesemaker Andy Hatch, among several exceptional offerings for Foodie fans in attendance. We want to share with you our list of Local Farmer Producers where you can find access to high quality food at this time. Zahm served as a guest host for the show a few times last year and was so impressive the decision was made to make him the permanent host, said Arthur Ircink, founder and director of Wisconsin Foodie. ", "We will continue to break bread as friends, and he will always be a part of the 'Foodie' family even as we continue to learn, grow and expand our culinary horizons.". They want to have that connection with their local farms and with clean food," she said. The new season of Wisconsin Foodie premieres 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 on PBS Wisconsin. "There are so many transplants from all over the place," Craig Minowa said. In fact, their large and consistent orders for greens helped launch a farming business for the Mount Hope Amish community. As a kid growing up in rural pockets, you look for ways to justify why you should feel good about where youre from, said Zahm, who owns Driftless Cafe in We may not all have the same privilege and opportunity to eat in restaurants in our state that are so high-brow. by And asking good questions, its a honed skill! As a kid growing up in rural pockets, you look for ways to justify why you should feel good about where youre from, said Zahm, owner of Driftless Caf in Viroqua and a native of tiny La Farge. Copyright 2023 BizTimes Media, LLC.

With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. 420 Montgomery St, San Francisco, California, 94163, Growing up in the Driftless region, he experienced a familiar feeling for many rural adolescents: the desire to leave. UPDATE: 3/4/22 6:00 p.m. Share This Story Buying the building, it turned out, was the easy part. The changes also will appear in this document, which you can access at any time. Even if youve never heard of Vernon Countyor of the surrounding Driftless Area, a hilly region of southwest Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and southeast Minnesota youve probably eaten food from there.

Next. Last year Chamber Main Street partnered with local building owners to offer short-term, rent-free leases to local businesses (Cowboy Davids, the high-end bakery, was one participant). My whole lens about what is Midwestern has been blown wide open, he said. Luke Hemmings and Sierra Deaton Matt Baron/Shutterstock. His passion just jumps off the screen.. The area has changed since Luke and Ruthie grew up here. Wells Fargo. The The farmers market bustles on a Saturday morning.

Zahm is the owner and head chef of Driftless Cafe, which he has operated with his wife in Viroqua, Wisconsin since 2013. There was nothing for him to latch onto, no rural identity he found to offer a sense of pride in place. People are going to make the decisions that are best for their families, that are best for their communities, that are best for their lives. So farmers, with the help of a University of Wisconsin extension program, replaced their tobacco with another high-value crop: grapes. Aichan Wendy Weng knows the average American walking into a Sichuan restaurant probably doesntactuallywant their food served Sichuan-leve. We went to his backyard and to his butcher in Campbellsport, this quintessential old school butcher shop. Read full statement here. The people that are immediately out of work, the restaurant food service, hospitality industry, we're going tobe the first wave of people really displaced.

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Meanwhile, the tobacco croponce one of the regions agricultural specialtiesbegan to decline in the 1990s and early 2000s, as demand fell alongside federal price supports.

He realized he wanted to return: to claim his roots in the home of the organic food movement, to celebrate the food where the artisans crafted it and the producers nurtured it, to cook where food wealth was abundant. Website feedback, questions or accessibility issues: web@umark.wisc.edu. As Zahm collects and amplifies these stories for the show, he incorporates techniques, ingredients, and origin tales into the menu at the Driftless Caf. Previous. Support PBS Wisconsin and gain extended access to many of your favorite PBS shows and films. Chereks annual contract with Wisconsin Foodie expires this month. Luke and his wife Ruthie, daughter Ava and sons Benjamin and Silas all live in Viroqua, Wisconsin. All Rights Reserved.

Joe Rogan-Nordstorm said food tourists will drive from Illinois or from Madison on a Saturday to get two dozen of their cookies or their famous cashew, ginger carrot cakes, shop at the town's farmers' market and then eat at Driftless Cafe.

The most recent example: a large, low-slung industrial building on the north end of town. First off, cant wait, second, my bestie and I are totally going to your restaurant this Spring, and third, you should come back to Sheboygan to check out the cafe scene. He's traveled to the nation's capital to lobby for truthful labeling, specifically in regard to GMO products.

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I am mindful about strengthening a rural identity through good food., In 2020, Zahm became the host of Wisconsin Foodie, a PBS show celebrating all aspects of the rich food culture of the state. Wed love to hear about them. Pete Schwaba is a stand-up comedian, writer, director and host of "Director's Cut" on PBS Wisconsin. Fifth Season supplies many of the Food Enterprise Centers tenants with the raw ingredients they use to make their products, but theyve also grown big enough to move beyond the local market. More. Did MIT researchers just invent the Shazam for food that failed on Silicon Valley? There is something idyllic about this place, he says of the Cafe. "It wouldn't have worked in most other towns.

Please reload the page and try again. Observer archives, March 29, 2007 Zahm senator Luke Derheimer, second from left, reacts as senators pass a resolution recognizing Zahm Hall as Zahm

He is a two-time winner of the Edible Madison Local Hero Award, and was named a 2017 James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist, a rarity for small-town culinary talent. In the last few years, this part of the state has instead seen something of a renaissance, as natives, returnees, and newcomers have createda thriving micro-economy, one thats primarily built around local food.

Today Viroquas Food Enterprise Center houses 20 food-manufacturing businesses, including Fizzeology Foods, which makes sauerkraut and kimchi from organic vegetables; Nami Chips, a line of veggie crisp snacks; and B&Es Trees, barrel-aged maple syrup producers. The Driftless Cafe serves a lot of salad greens. you catch my drift. Cherek will continue to be engaged in the Wisconsin food scene post-'Foodie.'.

We may change the Terms at any time, and the changes may become effective immediately upon posting. Transforming the narrative, that is our role as participants in this culture in this day and age, he said. Recent recipients included a community garden and a historical preservation project. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. I was speaking with my banker yesterday and asked him, 'have you seen a lot of farmers come in yet?' Last year he ran an audit of credit card payments and found that more than half of his patrons were from out of town. LZ: Try and cook a Julia Child cookbook start to finish.



Theres a lot of cues and shoots and reshoots.

Fiorella, an acupuncturist, herbalist, and tai-chi instructor, set up a guitar-repair shop on Main Street; Megan works as a therapist nearby.

But as this progresses, the farmers are going to come into an era of hardship as well. Kickapoo Coffee Roasters, of the eponymous Main Street caf, houses its production facility here, with an 80-panel solar array that powers most of its operations and a prized 1930s vintage roaster; one Saturday a month they host tastings and tours of the roastery. I think its been an important lesson for me to learn: how to surrender and trust the community around me.

Host Luke Zahm visits Fairchild restaurant in Madison, owned and operated by Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger. 4 talking about this. Luke and Ruthie Zahm moved their family from Madison to Vernon County in 2013, drawn back to their home region by the vibrancy of the local food movement. Luke Zahm, University of Madison Alumni 2003, was nominated for James Beard Award in 2017. It planted a seed, and as Zahm went on to work in Madison restaurants he saw again and again how chefs hungered for the kind of ingredients springing from the Driftless area.

Ive grown up my whole life feeling like an underdog, said Zahm, who with executive producer Arthur Ircink is now filming episodes that will begin airing in January 2020. For me that has been a tremendous relief, to have someone who understands food and is interested in putting her imprint on Wisconsin cuisine through the flavor profiles she loves to cultivate. By using The Counter (us and we) website or any of its Content (as defined in Section 9 below) and features (collectively, Services), you agree to the terms and conditions of use below and such other requirements that we inform you of (collectively, Terms).

The most frustrating thing is in an industry where we are one of the largest market sectors in the United States for employment, that we can't provide affordable health care for a lot of employees. Ten months out of the calendar year are spent researching, documenting, traveling, actively interviewing, editing, polishing and then promoting.

LZ: The suspension or even the partial reduction of payroll taxes by the state and federal government or the suspension of credit card processing fees, those are huge. I can only hope its as delicious on your screens as it was making it. When a west coast television producer told chef Luke Zahm that not enough people care about the food of the upper Midwest, it was like pouring rocket fuel on a match..

Some still do. A University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, he is a lifelong resident of the state.

Originally funded by a $45,000 grant under the USDAs Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program, the co-op last year sold $600,000 worth of goods. Sign up now!

How will your rural roots inform the future direction of Wisconsin Foodie?. Currently, Vernon County has the second highest concentration of organic farmers in the United States. So far, the centers tenants employ 65 people. Feel free to email us directly, or share the pertinent details in the form below. WATCH LUKE HERE!

However, as I age into this job, Im constantly reassured by the work of Executive Producer and Foodie creator Arthur Ircink that he only wants to show the best that we all have to offer and to let the stories tell themselves in the best possible light.

He shares his passion for discovering the stories behind the food we eat as host of Wisconsin Foodie.

People travel a long way because they want something that is real and tangible, authentic. Hand-planted crops at Second Cloud from the Left Farm, a member of Viroquas Fifth Season Cooperative, in La Farge, WI. The execs didnt go for it not enough advertising, Zahm recalled. As a publicist for PBS Wisconsin, I love helping people learn about and engage with our wonderful programs. . Our standard of living might not be what it is in urban areas, but theres a different set of values here, she said. But these inland seas brought people into this place for time immemorial.

Before taking over as host, Luke Zahm worked with "Wisconsin Foodie" several times, including working a summer farm dinner in Coon Valley. WebWATCH LUKE HERE! Chef Luke Zahm has been called a sort of Prodigal Chef. He grew up in the Driftless Region of Southwest Wisconsin, moved around gaining important and January 11, 2022 Luke Zahm Leave a Comment. They He got a taste for the small screen on Guys Grocery Games last year and pitched a chef and the farmer-style show to the Food Network. Meeting community needs becomes especially important in the winter. Im a project manager at PBS Wisconsin, and formerly an associate editor at WisContext. Your email address will not be published. Thinly sliced: Is this the beginning of the end of Pabst Blue Ribbon? One way the Driftless cares for the community is on their weekly Thursday burger night. I understood that she was absolutely unique in her position theres only one female master cheesemaker in the United States (her name is Pam Hodgson, and she is also from Wisconsin), and she had this intensity that burned inside her when she talked about cheese. Contact.

Host Luke Zahm looks ahead to a new season of Wisconsin Foodie. Luke Zahm grew up in La Farge, Wisconsin- a rural community in the heart of Vernon County with a population of 775 residents. Rural America just feels like its not being paid attention to. And Luke and Ruthie fell in love.

The famous study that convinced us fat is good wasnt very good science. Luke Zahm co-owner of Driftless Cafe in Viroqua, stands behind the bar there. Zahm

"As a kid growing up in a small, rural town in Wisconsin, I found my identity in food," Zahm said. He is a two-time winner of the Edible Madison

Two years ago, Zahm and Driftless were long-listed for a James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest, and the Viroqua-based Edible Madison magazine has twice named him a Local Hero..

But its the time when the episodes actually air that our schedule quiets. The local food co-op, which has more members than Viroqua has adults, stocks homegrown products like GoMacro vegan protein bars and Wisco Pop organic soda. Luke was just fantastic, Ircink said. Accordingly, the community turned the waste from their shared sawmill into energy, using sawdust to fuel heaters for ridge top greenhouses. Viroqua sits in a rare pocket of the Midwestcalled the Driftless areathat remained unglaciated in the last ice ages. Youre thinking two steps ahead, how do I make this bridge so this character has all the complete pieces? NEW: Dim Sum Give Some (Air Date 1/23/20) Arthur Ircink January 20, 2020.





Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, the area was depresseddairy farming, which sustained much of the local economy, was in decline, and manufacturing jobs were leaving.

Our competitors are mostly from urban areas and their overhead costs are much higher.

Often, the food itself is just a piece of the overall dining experience that we are striving to create. Zahm, who serves on the board of Viroqua Chamber Main Street with Roughen-Schmidt, said he remains confident the region is on an upswing, and said hes waiting for more restaurants like his to open in town. These days, Driftless Cafe is the heart and soul of Viroqua, tucked just off Main Street at 118 Court St. Zahm sings baritone, and plays guitar, tin whistle, and the bodhran, among other Many of Viroquas challenges remain. I look forward to the next chapter in my role as a food storyteller and focusing on my extraordinary new role as father to my newborn daughter.. Zahm has been previously featured on Wisconsin Foodie, such as season 11, episode 13, "Love Letter to Summer," and is most known for his ever-changing menu of But those qualities didnt just help preserve the regions agricultural heritage.