A Fork in the Road

Join David at Comfort Farms in Milledgeville, Georgia, where agriculture, innovation, and live fire cooking come together. You meet Jon Jackson, a veteran helping others heal through farming, and Ray Palermo, creator of the Quad Grill. Discover how open flame cooking, heirloom ingredients, and a Georgia-made invention are redefining backyard barbecue and farm-to-table cuisine.

Muscadine grapes are a true Southern staple, and Paulk Vineyards in South Georgia is helping bring them to a wider audience. In this episode, we explore how this family-run farm grows, harvests, and transforms muscadines into award-winning wines, juices, and health products. Discover why muscadines thrive in Georgia’s climate and how Paulk Vineyards is shaping the future of this uniquely Southern crop.

How do you get kids excited about fruits and vegetables? In this episode, we visit Drew Charter School in Atlanta to see how Small Bites Adventure Club is helping students try new foods through hands-on cooking and classroom experiences. You will hear how educators are using simple, practical tools to teach healthy eating habits, build kitchen confidence, and turn picky eaters into curious young chefs.

In this episode of the Fork in the Road podcast, you meet the founders of HIBO, a Georgia-made energy drink crafted from hibiscus. Traveling to Bishop, Georgia, we explore how Clayton and Phoebe Oetting set out to create a clean, great-tasting alternative to traditional energy drinks. From food science roots to national ambitions, this is a story about patience, family, and super simple energy.

Join host David Zelski as he travels the state to bring you the personal stories from Georgia’s farmers, fishermen, merchants, artisans, chefs, and others who help provide Georgia-grown products to folks in the Peach State and beyond. You can also watch the Fork in the Road TV show on GPB and on demand at GPB.org as David Zelski takes you across the state in a lively half-hour program.

We visit Providence Farmstead in Demorest, Georgia, where the Russell family raises American Wagyu by crossing full-blood Wagyu sires with Jersey cows. You hear how careful nutrition, low-stress handling, and family teamwork shape beef prized by chefs across the Peach State. 

Let's visit Nashville, Georgia, in Berrien County to see how cold-hardy satsuma mandarins are reshaping local agriculture and school nutrition. You'll hear from growers and packers who walk us through varieties, frost protection, and the journey from orchard to classroom lunch trays. Discover why cultivars like Xie Shan, Brown Select, Owari, Kishu, Cara Cara, Sugar Belle, and Shiranui are taking root across South Georgia.

Let's meet Biram Chapman of St. Catherines Island Seafood, the small Georgia business turning shoppers into “shrimp snobs.” We follow his week from coastal boats to Middle Georgia coolers to the Grant Park Farmers Market and hear why wild-caught Georgia shrimp tastes different. You learn the family history that ties Biram to St. Catherines Island and how buying local supports shrimpers in a tough import-driven market.

In this episode, we visit Savannah Bee Company in Savannah, Georgia, for a tour of its honeys, mead bars, and conservation work. Founder Ted Dennard shares how a Peace Corps detour became a lifelong calling, why flower sources define honey, and how The Bee Cause Project puts observation hives and bee curricula in schools. You also meet the team teaching mead’s ancient roots and modern flavors.

At the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Hometown Harvest turns the historic Vickery House into a garden and outdoor classroom that serves the UNG food pantry and Lumpkin County Schools. You hear how students, faculty, and community partners grow tomatoes, onions, berries, and more, preserve heirloom seeds, and deliver fresh produce to salad bars and neighbors in need. 

This episode of the Fork in the Road podcast takes you to Chase Farms in Oglethorpe, Georgia, where three generations of the Chase family have been growing peanuts with care and tradition. Host David Zelski explores how they balance science, sustainability, and family life to keep Georgia’s state crop thriving.

On this episode, David visits Georgia Sea Grill on St. Simons Island to explore how Chef Tim Lynch and owner Zack Gowen are redefining local dining through fresh, coastal cuisine. The journey continues to Potlicker Farm, where farm manager Sam McPherson grows seasonal produce that connects deeply with Southern food traditions.

Let's visit Soldier of the Sea Distillery in Comer, Ga., where Marine veteran Mark Davis crafts unique whiskeys, some infused with local honey from his beekeeper wife, Jennifer, while honoring the armed forces and revitalizing the town. Discover how their passion for distilling, housed in a historic building, blends art and science to create exceptional spirits and promote the local community and Georgia's agricultural bounty.