A Fork in the Road

<p>Join David Zelski on a visit to Stonewall Creek Vineyards in Tiger, Georgia, where Mark and Sandi Diehl are helping shape North Georgia wine one harvest at a time. This episode explores how grapes, including Cabernet Franc, Petit Manseng, and Traminette, grow in the mountain climate, then follows the winemaking process from hand harvesting and fermentation to barrels and the tasting room.</p>

<p>Travel with David to Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, Georgia, to trace its roots in Georgia’s early craft beer movement and see how beer moves from grain to glass. You hear from Terrapin leaders about Hopsecutioner IPA, the brewery’s Grateful Dead-inspired identity, the science behind brewing, its Terraprint sustainability work, and its connection to the Athens community.</p>

<p><em>A Fork in the Road</em> is back for Season 8, with new stories celebrating the people, places, and traditions behind what Georgia grows, makes, and eats. This season, David Zelski visits the apple orchards of Ellijay, a hidden alpaca and llama rescue in Atlanta, North Georgia wine country, and a South Georgia pitmaster putting peaches, blueberries and pepper jelly to work in his barbecue. We’ll also hear the story of Athens craft beer pioneer Terrapin and meet Georgia entrepreneurs finding new ways to turn homegrown ideas into something uniquely their own.</p>

<p>What happens to used cooking oil after a restaurant closes for the night? Join David on a visit to Clean Energy Biofuels in Monroe, Georgia, where used fryer oil and grease trap waste are transformed into renewable fuel. Along the way, we meet the welders, plant managers, engineers, and recycling experts working behind the scenes to reduce landfill waste, support restaurants, and help power a growing biofuels industry across the Southeast.</p>

<p>Join David Zelski on a visit to Tiger Mountain Vineyards in the mountains of northeast Georgia and explore the vineyard that helped establish Georgia’s modern wine industry. Learn how the Tiger Mountain team pioneered European vinifera grapes in Georgia, preserved wine history, and discovered the future signature grape of North Georgia wine country.</p>

<p>In this episode, David heads to Waverly, Georgia, to visit Grassroots Farms, where farmer Brandon Chonko is building a regenerative farm from the ground up. Using heritage livestock, rotational grazing, and low-input methods, he transforms raw land into fertile soil. This story explores sustainable farming, rare breeds, and the grit it takes to grow food in South Georgia.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Join David on a visit to Creature Comforts Brewing Company in Athens, Georgia, and explore how craft beer can bring people together and drive meaningful community impact. You will hear how the brewery sources local ingredients, partners with the University of Georgia, and leads initiatives like Get Comfortable and Brew for One. Discover how Creature Comforts blends brewing, storytelling, and philanthropy into a model for community-focused business.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Georgia citrus is on the rise, and one South Georgia farm is helping lead the way. In this episode, we visit a family-run citrus nursery growing satsumas, lemons, and more while teaching customers across the country how to plant and care for their own trees. Learn how Georgia-grown citrus is expanding into a thriving agricultural industry rooted in community, education, and innovation.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Join David on a visit to The Chai Box in Marietta, Georgia, where authentic chai is brewed with purpose and care. What began as a family ritual has grown into a nationally recognized business rooted in sustainability, cultural education, and bringing people together one cup at a time.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>In this episode, we visit EM Farms in Salem, Georgia, where owner Kaneisha Miller is cultivating fresh produce, preserves, and a sense of community on land that generations of her family have worked. You will hear how EM Farms blends tradition, creativity, and local support to build a sustainable small farm rooted in legacy and resilience.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>David takes you to Savannah’s Bull River to meet Perry and Laura Solomon of Tybee Oyster Company, the pioneers behind Georgia’s first floating cage oyster harvest. They show how flip-farm baskets, smart stocking, and coastal science produce clean, meaty half shells while building habitat and easing pressure on wild reefs.</p>

<p>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.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From a farmers market kettle to supermarket shelves, Corks Popcorn founder David Cork shares how a weekend side hustle in Statesboro became a full-time Georgia Grown brand. In this episode of the <em>Fork in the Road </em>podcast, you’ll hear how oil-popped mushroom kernels, local grit, and a lot of patience turned simple ingredients into a small-batch success story featured at the Masters Tournament in Augusta.&nbsp;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>David takes you to White Sulphur Farms just outside Gainesville to meet the Reynolds/Hemmer family and see how they raise Belted Galloway cattle and heritage Tamworth pigs on land first settled in 1802. You hear how the farm’s spring gave the community its name and why the family is committed to keeping the core acreage in agriculture for generations to come. Expect history, livestock know-how, and a true farm-to-table ethos rooted on the banks of the Oconee River.</p>