- Greetings, fellow explorers.

I'm Katelyn Steakley, your guide on a fun-filled adventure called "Wish You Were Here".

Prepare yourselves for our next journey where we'll bathe in healing waters, learn what makes the perfect biscuit, get up close and personal at a yak ranch, sample sweet treats at a local landmark, and get dirty at a farm to table nursery, exclusively on "Wish You Were Here!"

(light music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] "Wish You Were Here", produced under an agreement with the Upper Cumberland Development District and made possible in part through support from the Tennessee Tech University Center for Rural Innovation and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

(light music) - [Commentator] In the heart of Tennessee, there's a little slice of heaven you've just got to see.

(uplifting music) - [Tourist] Oh man, wish you were here.

- Welcome to "Wish You Were Here!"

Adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

I'm Katelyn Steakley, your guide as we explore the scenic beauty and unique culture of this stunning region.

Together we'll uncover hidden gems, take in picturesque landscapes, and encounter the remarkable personalities that define the charm of the Upper Cumberland.

Before we meet up with our "Wish You Were Here!"

field correspondents, let's get the dirt on a local nursery that offers much more than just plants.

Dirty Girl's Nursery in Crossville is a destination for everyone, even those without a green thumb.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Sometimes you have to get dirty along the journey.

A stop at Dirty Girl's Nursery in Crossville offers lessons in gardening, canning, or for those without a green thumb, a beautiful place for a great drink or a meal.

- We are here today at Dirty Girl's Nursery in Crossville, Tennessee with one of the co-owners of the nursery, Miss Jennifer Garate.

She and her business partner, Jim Carpenter, or AKA Farmer Jim- - Farmer Jim.

- Own this lovely piece of property and little slice of heaven in Crossville.

Jennifer, thank you so much for having us today.

- Oh, thank you guys so much for coming.

I'm excited to have you all.

- I want to hear the origin story of the Dirty Girl's name.

- Okay, well Farmer Jim and I merged two businesses together and for a long time, I'm saying at least a year, he bugged me to have one name.

And I was hitting some names back and forth with my sister-in-law, and she goes, well, what about Dirty Girl's?

First of all, we did farmer's markets four times a week.

It's triple digits where I come from.

So I'm hot and sweaty from loading, unloading, and selling and everything, so.

By the time I get to the end of market, I am hungry and I wanna go to my favorite Mexican restaurant and I'm covered in sweat and dirt.

So I thought a shirt that says Dirty Girl's.

People would go, oh, it's her job.

Like, yes.

And then I said, well, let me ask Farmer Jim if he'll wear a hat that says Dirty Girl's.

And he goes, "Let me think about it."

And I thought, well, we'll see.

He wanted me to pick a name.

So he came back just a day later and said, "Yeah, I think it'll be great."

Farmer Jim is extremely camera shy.

He would never get in any scene like this, but I want to brag on him because the quality that you see out in the field, it's because he's obsessive about watering.

He's obsessive about feeding and care for his plants.

And also Disneyland recognized the quality that Farmer Jim would grow and purchase all their color from his production.

- [Katelyn] Tell me a little bit about what guests can expect when they're on the property.

- [Jennifer] Well, what I hope they feel is stepping back in time when they walk into this barn, I want the barn to feel like a barn minus the cow poop, you know?

And the smell.

Maybe when you walk in, you smell cinnamon rolls or something baking that's sweet.

Or maybe I'm grilling up some shishito peppers that farmer Jim has grown and I'm making a quesadilla or a grilled cheese sandwich of sorts.

So I'm trying to bring the past to the present, and that's really what I want people to feel when they walk in here is just a place that has a comfort, and you just feel like you're back in time.

- [Katelyn] Can you tell us about some of the things that they can do when they're here?

- [Jennifer] I knew I wanted to have a place where people can learn how to grow, and then also a place where people can plant their own, their own gift or have fun with grandkids when they come out here and make a cute little fairy garden.

So we have a whole little station down below that you can get your hands dirty, and then a cute little sink that you can wash 'em up with.

We have chickens, which I'm a new chicken mom.

I used to be terrified of birds, anything feathered.

But I'm now a lover of chickens and we have chickens, turkeys, a goose named Jenny the Goose.

And our turkeys are young, but they're growing into themselves and they're the sweetest things.

- The property is beautiful and I cannot wait to explore and meet Farmer Jim.

Thank you so much for joining us today and let's go explore.

- [Narrator] It's obvious to see that tender loving and care goes into more than just the flowers at Dirty Girl's Nursery.

So why not make a trip to Crossville and come find out for yourself?

(light music) - Yak encounters, yak education, a yak boutique plus donkey snuggles, miniature horses, geese greetings, and a historic vacation rental.

Let's join field correspondent Shan Stout in Crossville at Deep Draw Yak Ranch, a 50 acre ranch like no other in Tennessee.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Deep Draw Yak Ranch in Crossville let's guests get face to face with yaks while learning a multitude of yak facts.

- We are here in beautiful Crossville, Tennessee at the Deep Draw Yak Ranch.

You heard me right.

Yak Ranch.

Now, if you're like me, I have never seen a yak in real life before, so I'm very excited.

I'm here with owner Ali Estes.

Hi, Ali.

- Hello.

Welcome to Deep Draw Yak Ranch.

- Now tell us a little bit about your origin story.

You can literally hear the ducks splashing behind us.

This is the sweetest experience ever.

I can't wait.

- Well, thank you all for coming out.

We have been here in Crossville for three years.

I was born, raised on a farm, said I would never even grow a tomato or have a chicken again.

- Famous last words.

Her inner country girl was calling.

- Yes, so now we're up to about 35 yaks.

We have rescue miniatures.

Oh, we have little miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

So I did my research on that as well.

I looked at one of the most neglected criminal cases of farm animals, and miniature horses came up.

And we have a beautiful rescue called East Tennessee Miniature Horse and Donkey Rescue.

So we got a couple of horses and donkeys from them.

Then we have all the chickens you'll hear in the background.

We have about 45 chickens that free range, the couple of geese, and then we have our few ducks.

We looked at buffalo, we looked at highland.

Someone at work suggested a yak.

And I was like, there's no yaks in the U.S.

They're in Tibet, they're in Mongolia.

They're still in Asia.

Wow.

And they're like, no, there's a few yak farms here in the U.S.

I went out west, visited a bunch of yak farms, fell in love, and now we breed for wool.

We breed the dzo and make the yak love grow here in the U.S. - It has now grown into tours.

And you do this not only for school children, but for families, tourists.

You do this for special needs children and adults.

- Yes.

I want it to be a memory.

I want them to come and experience the yaks.

There's so many cool things about them.

If you're a farmer, the yak poo doesn't smell, which is huge.

- [Shan] I consider that an asset.

- [Ali] Yes, they are the size of what a miniature cow would grow up to be.

Their females are only about 600 pounds.

- [Shan] Oh wow.

- [Ali] They grunt and don't moo but you get wool from 'em, a luxury fiber.

- [Shan] Speaking of people who love yaks, when they come here, they fall in love with all the animals, and so they can have a souvenir, you have a yak boutique.

- [Ali] I do have my yak boutique.

So we harvest all the wool from our yaks and we take it and get gloves, hats, mittens, socks made.

And it's a luxury wool.

It feels like cashmere.

It has the same microns.

That's what gives it the softness.

Cashmere's a little hard to upkeep, but with yak wool, you have that softness, but it's 30% warmer than wool.

It's hypoallergenic, so anyone with a wool allergy can wear yak wool.

It's breathable moisture wicking.

And then we have ornaments, we have felted products, we have clay products.

Our shirts are printed here in Crossville.

So as long as it fits in my little yak boutique, and it's all local Crossville folks, or the wool from our yaks, I love it.

It's crowded.

We have artists, we have clay.

And I can't wait to show you everything in the yak boutique.

- [Shan] Well, I'm very excited to see it.

I wanna meet all the friends here on the ranch.

- [Ali] Absolutely.

- Now remember, this is reservation only.

So when you come to visit Deep Draw, you'll wanna call and make your appointment because you only tour one group at a time.

So if you're a small family or a couple, you're gonna get an individual tour.

If you're a large group, that's gonna be your tour.

Is that right?

- Correct.

I want it to be a memory.

And the interest of little 8-year-old boys who wanna chase chickens, I want them to be able to chase a chicken if they want to.

And then adults wanna just take pictures with the yaks and give 'em love and treats.

So I want it to be a memory based on each group's preference.

We do painting parties.

We have a local artist named Debbie Goodwin, and she comes and actually takes a portrait of our animal, paints it, and then we do the paint along classes here.

So they are actually of our animals.

So tons of fun.

- [Shan] That's so great.

So much fun.

- [Ali] And then we have a lot of homeschool groups.

We have a lot of field trips.

And when they come they have to bring a yak fact.

There's so many interesting facts about a yak.

They're not like a cow, so they come with yak facts.

It's educational as well.

- [Shan] So what your favorite yak fact?

- They are the highest altitude dwelling mammal, wool producing mammal.

And they can live to negative 40 degrees.

- Wow.

I am not related to yaks.

Now we know.

Well, we've already made friends with the geese and the ducks today, but I know there's more critters to be able to meet and pet.

And so I think it's time to be able to hit the ranch.

All right, let's do it.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Encounters with these unique animals are a specialty as Deep Draw is the only yak experience destination in Tennessee.

(upbeat music) - Need a relaxing retreat, maybe a getaway to a place of peace and quiet?

Let's catch up with field correspondent Tiffany McDonald as she seeks a soak in the healing waters of Red Boiling Springs at the Armour's Hotel, the only remaining hotel in Tennessee to offer mineral spa experiences.

(light music) - [Narrator] With 100 years of offering healing and relaxing mineral bath experiences to their guests, the Armour's Hotel in Red Boiling Springs is a true destination for tranquility and a peaceful retreat.

- Today we're here in beautiful historic Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee at the Armour's Hotel.

I'm with owners, Mark and Kally Efros.

Hello.

How are you guys?

- Hi.

- Good.

- Thank you so much for having us today.

So first, if you'll tell us why your hotel is such a unique asset to not just your town but the state, that'd be great.

- Well, our hotel is 100 years old this year.

So centennial celebration.

And so that's part of the history.

But the town itself has been here much longer.

And going back into the 1800s, as people discovered the sulfur springs that are here, people started to build hotels and saw the opportunity, and it grew into quite a spa town.

This hotel was here through most of that.

And I tell people it's like the story of "The Three Little Pigs".

Many of the other hotels are gone because of flood or fire, but this one's made of brick.

So it's still here.

- [Tiffany] So here specifically, we soak in the Blackwater.

Is that right?

- [Kally] Yes.

- [Tiffany] So what are some of the benefits?

- I think we can share that you notice that you have softer skin.

A lot of people are like, I'm like, oh, rub your elbows.

That tends to be a little bit softer.

There's a lot of historical reported benefits that people have been coming here for over 100 years to utilize that.

We also have some therapy beds that include a vibrant acoustic sound massage bed, and a biomat which is far infrared.

And they're just, it's relaxing.

So people come here, we just wanna enhance that experience so they can spend the whole weekend checking in to their wellness and their health and they leave here feeling better.

- [Tiffany] I can't wait to do a soak after we chat here in just a little bit.

Also to an addition to that now, you guys have a wonderful hotel here.

Can you tell us what the guests should expect?

And you know, talk about some of the really unique decor that you have in each individual room.

- Every room is themed and as you can just see looking around you, there's lots of antiques, artwork.

And a lot of people tell us they feel like they walked into their grandma's house.

And so we hear that a lot.

There's a lot of things where you can just relax and kind of hide off on your own if you want to, or play a game in the library with family.

There's just so many different things and activities that you can do here, whether you're just trying to relax or whether you wanna just have a good time.

- [Tiffany] It does feel very cozy and welcoming here.

- [Mark] It is.

- [Tiffany] From the time that you walk in the front door.

Now, in addition to that, you also have a dining hall?

And you have events here.

So can we talk about what happens after 5:00 in the dining hall?

- [Mark] Well, we've become known for some incredible food and we like to put a lot of love into our food.

We have a little bit of a local flavor, but an international touch to it.

So you get a little bit of China and Italy and maybe some other countries stuck in between.

And then some southern cuisine as well.

- [Kally] Everything's fresh.

We don't do a lot of Mexican food 'cause there are some other Mexican foods here, but tonight's taco bar was by request from people who are coming.

So that's what we're doing tonight.

Plus the abundance of tomatoes for the salsa.

- [Tiffany] Oh, absolutely.

- [Kally] Everything else that we've got.

- [Tiffany] Absolutely.

And you also have a gift shop and like an herbalist shop here where they can purchase things to take home, right?

- [Mark] We call it the apothecary.

- [Tiffany] The apothecary.

- [Mark] And it's full of, we've got herbs and essential oils and a few other little treats.

And also some toys and games and some of the necessities that you might need as a guest.

- Thank you guys so much for having us today.

I'm gonna go get ready for my soak.

So until then, we wish you were here.

- [Narrator] Legendary waters, light therapy, apothecary gift shop, and more await at this historic and healing escape.

(light music) - In the south, it doesn't get much better than devouring the perfect biscuit.

Let's check in with field correspondent Matt Beal in downtown McMinnville as he learns the ingredients of the perfect biscuit at the Cumberland Biscuit Company.

Plus he takes a stop next door at Tops Frozen Yogurt and Metro Deli.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Biscuits are a comfort food.

And the Cumberland Biscuit Company dishes up comfort with a side of hospitality in downtown McMinnville.

- Greetings and welcome to the heart of downtown McMinnville, Tennessee and for a special journey into the heart of southern cooking.

Today we will take a trip into the Cumberland Biscuit Company and more.

We're joined today by owners of Cumberland Biscuit Company, Matt and Anna Sands.

Matt, Anna, thanks so much for having us in this morning.

- Thank you.

- Thank you, Matt, for having us.

- Well, we're excited to be here and so much to learn about with Cumberland Biscuit Company.

So, Cumberland Biscuit Company is all about the biscuit.

- Yeah, we started out with the concept of creating a good biscuit and our chef, Nate Baker, he has done a great job with that.

And we've kind of built a menu around that so it caters to a lot of different tastes and a lot of different price ranges as well.

- Did I see correctly that there's a brunch menu?

Because that is my favorite meal.

- Yes.

- Yes.

Yes, there is.

- I love breakfast myself.

- [Matt B] You're a breakfast fan.

- But Matt does not.

- I'm more of a dinner time.

So brunch does fit me too, Matt.

And so, yes.

So, at Cumberland Biscuit Company we have a breakfast, brunch, lunch menu, and then also we have a dinner menu.

- [Matt B] And are you all from this area?

- [Anna] I am.

- [Matt B] You are?

- [Anna] Yes.

- [Matt B] Born and raised in McMinnville?

- [Anna] Born and raised in McMinnville.

- [Matt B] So some of these recipes may go back generations.

- [Anna] Yes.

- [Matt B] Right where we are.

- [Anna] Yes.

- [Matt B] Speaking of right where we are, let's back up a step.

We are actually sitting in Tops Frozen Treats and Metro Deli.

Did I get that right?

- [Matt] Yes.

- [Anna] Yes.

- Okay.

So where did that come from?

Or is that the chicken or the egg in this situation.

- That probably would be the chicken.

So we started out Tops Frozen Yogurt and Metro Deli back in 2014.

We started out just doing a little bit of self-serve frozen yogurt, frozen ice cream, and then it kind of blew up into a deli that cuts fresh meats and cheeses, makes sandwiches fresh to order.

- We thank you all so much for your contributions to downtown McMinnville and the Upper Cumberland, and I look forward to talking to the chef who inspired a lot of this and to maybe trying a little something before we're done.

- Fantastic.

Thank you Matt.

- Thank you.

(upbeat music) - [Matt B] And we are joined now by the chef at Cumberland Biscuit Company, Nate Baker.

So tell me, what is your inspiration for cooking and being a chef?

- Southern traditions, family, always grew up around my mom, grandma cooking, and I like to take that into my cooking today.

- [Matt B] So very important question.

Have you perfected a biscuit recipe?

- [Nate] I wouldn't say perfected, but I think I've pretty well gotten it down.

- [Matt B] What makes the perfect biscuit?

- [Nate] Love, cold butter, and buttermilk.

- [Matt B] Those are the three main ingredients?

Love, cold butter- - [Nate] Cold butter.

- [Matt B] And buttermilk.

Makes 'em good and flaky and delicious.

So tell me about this delicious dish that you're working on now.

- [Nate] So we'll make a Billy Nelson.

It's on a English muffin with slice of Gouda cheese, spicy sausage, peppers and onions, and topped off with sweet potatoes and poached eggs.

- [Matt B] Yum.

And it's got a little kick to it you say?

- [Nate] It's got a little kick to it.

Yeah.

- And something that I really pick up on here, there's a real community and family aspect to the staff, to the clientele.

What does that mean to you when you open the doors every morning and see who's coming in?

- We call our staff our family.

So when we hire somebody or somebody comes on board, we're welcome to the family because for us it is family.

We're part of a small community.

In a small community, everybody takes care of everybody.

And that's just part of how we feel about our businesses as well is taking care of the community.

The community will take care of us.

- And nothing shows love for people like food that you create, right?

- That's true.

- I mean, that just fits the formula and the puzzle perfectly, and I feel that just being in here today.

So thank you so much for having us.

We appreciate it.

Look forward to eating some of these delicious things while we're here.

And we encourage you to come down to the heart of McMinnville Tennessee and find the perfect biscuit made with the perfect ingredients at Cumberland Biscuit Company.

Until next time, we wish you were here.

- [Narrator] Signature menu items paired with passion for serving make this a welcoming stop for locals and travelers alike.

(upbeat music) - Made in Tennessee ice cream, locally roasted coffee, signature flavors and blends, plus a landmark location with a special historic sign.

Let's see how sweet it is for Shan Stout as she takes a trip to Cream City Ice Cream and Coffee House in the historic west side of downtown Cookville.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Located in downtown Cookville's west side cultural district and topped with a historic and famous sign, Cream City Ice Cream and Coffee House serves up made in Tennessee ice cream, locally roasted coffee, and more at their family run business.

- I am where happiness and sugar come on the most wonderful date together and have the best day ever.

I'm here at Cream City in downtown Cookville and I have owners, Karen and Chris Savage.

Hi guys.

- Hey, welcome to Cream City.

- You can smell the ice cream in the air.

It is this delicious cotton candy smell that just literally comes out the door when you open the door.

Now you guys have been owners since 2013.

What caused you to wanna take on that endeavor?

- I like ice cream.

- [Shan] Who doesn't?

- It was an opportunity that rose for us that we thought would be fun and a challenge.

And so we decided we wanted to do that.

- Cream City is from the 1800s, and you have a very beautiful vintage sign that has a special story there too.

- [Chris] Well, you know, we know that Cream City has been around for a long time.

The sign in the background is probably from the '40s.

The neon sign up on top of the building is from the 50s.

One of the few remaining neon signs in the country working.

- [Shan] The community appreciates that you're here.

They don't wanna see you go anywhere.

You have a lot of locals that come here on a regular basis.

So you kind of have a 50/50 split between visitors that come while they're on vacation and your locals.

So tell us about that experience because you guys are even open late.

- Sunday through Thursday we're open till 10:00 PM, and then Friday and Saturday we're open till 11:00 PM.

And it's not unusual for all generations to, you know, come in, get their ice cream, relax on the couches or in the back room, or sit out front even, you know, late at night.

So we're just very blessed that this is a place that a lot of generations wanna come.

- Now, we can't talk about Cream City Ice Cream without actually talking about the ice cream.

How many flavors do you carry?

Is that a straight number?

Does that grow or decrease over time?

And you have crazy flavors that are signature to Cream City.

So let's talk about that as well.

- [Chris] There are about 38 flavors.

We have 32 out any given time.

Mexican chocolate.

It's one of our staples that people love that's exclusive for us.

A blackberry cornbread.

Banana pudding's another great flavor, as well as chocolate and vanilla.

They're just, those are amazing, even though they seem a little standard.

- [Shan] Okay.

We've covered our bases on ice cream.

Is that all you sell here?

- [Chris] No, we actually have some other things.

We offer a full coffee bar.

We have a blend with Vertical, the Cream City blend, that they make exclusively for us that's our espresso beans.

So any of your coffee drinks you like.

Lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos.

We offer all of that as well as drip coffee too.

And then recently we've started some energy drinks.

We use the lotus plant-based energy, and we have some phenomenal combinations of those drinks.

- You're right here in the heart of downtown Cookville.

You're across from the Cookville Depot Museum, literally walking distance up and down.

Beautiful shopping while you're here, enjoying all that Cookville's west side has to offer.

Thank you so much for letting us spend time here today.

You think maybe I can get some ice cream?

- Definitely.

- Absolutely.

- We can fix you up.

- [Narrator] Cream City Ice cream and Coffee House.

The perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth while you explore the beautiful west side of Cookville.

(upbeat music) - Delectable biscuits, signature ice cream, healing baths, a unique yak encounter, and a passion for plants.

This was yet another episode we hope inspires your visit to Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Thank you for traveling with us today on this journey in uncovering the region's hidden gems.

Until our next adventure, wish you were here.

(upbeat music) - Okay, Efros.

Efros, Efros.

Now I got it.

I got it.

Efros.

Efros.

Efros, yeah?

Third time's the charm.

My entire reel is a complete blooper.

I mean, like we just lucky and he makes magic happen.

- [Shan] He's not moving!

(Shan laughing) He's stronger than I am.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] "Wish You Were Here!"

Produced under an agreement with the Upper Cumberland Development District and made possible in part through support from the Tennessee Tech University Center for Rural Innovation and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music)