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Return to the Emerald Isle

When I fall, I fall hard— and I’ve fallen hard for Ireland. I mean, it’s difficult not to! Picturesque landscapes, charming people, cozy buildings, what’s not to love? When I first visited this country in 2014, I knew almost immediately that I’d return. When Louisiana 4-H offered us a seat on this trip, I literally jumped at the opportunity. This was not only a chance to visit again, but now as a reporter for TWILA, I’d get to capture and share that experience with our viewers. 

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kristen oaks
Discovering Ireland: A Journey of Culture and Agriculture

We’ve landed in Ireland, and the first thing I can say with confidence is: it is, in fact, very green and very gray. It’s like someone took the saturation slider on the landscape and cranked it all the way up and did the opposite for the skies.  

Josh Meeks and I touched down a couple days ago to begin our trip with Louisiana 4-H students to explore the land of castles and cattle depending heavily on coffee. We were invited to participate in this trip around 18 months ago and are so excited to finally be here in Dublin. 

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kristen oaks
From Pasture to Plate: The Udderly Delightful World of Dairy Goats and Goat Cheese at Circle M Farms- Southern Maids Dairy

I need a goat. Or ten goats. Like, ASAP.

In fact, my new mission in life is to convince my husband to get on board with this idea… because it’s happening.

Why, you ask?

Goats are like the quirky, free-spirited friends of the livestock world. They'll climb on your car, yell at you when you're late with breakfast, and occasionally escape—just to remind you who's really in charge. But they also give you delicious, nutrient-rich milk and eternal bragging rights.

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kristen oaks
Feasting on Agriculture -- TWILA Team Christmas Feast

Each member of our team was tasked with preparing a dish for a Christmas dinner—ideally, something they traditionally eat during the holidays that features a Louisiana commodity. Luckily, everyone came up with a dish that created a perfectly balanced holiday menu! We had a main course, bread, several side dishes, and a dessert—all highlighting the bounty of Louisiana agriculture.

Now, it was time to get busy in the kitchen!

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kristen oaks
Feasting on Agriculture -- Salt Revival Oyster Company

Irish writer Jonathan Swift once wrote, “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.”

And maybe he was right. Heck, it took me 37 years to muster up the courage to take the plunge—into raw oysters, at least.

If you’re going to cross this cultural bridge into the world of oyster slurping, there’s no better place than the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, which is where I found myself for this month’s Feasting on Agriculture.

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kristen oaks
Feasting on Agriculture -- Thirsty Farmer Winery & Vineyard

When you think of wine country, I doubt northeast Louisiana is one of the first places that comes to mind.  But, Ouachita Parish is quickly becoming a unique, must-see destination for wine lovers in the Bayou State.

This week, I traveled north, to my hometown of Calhoun, LA to visit one of the newest vineyards, growing just miles from my childhood home.  

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kristen oaks
Feasting on Agriculture -- Crawfish Haven Bed & Breakfast

Early Monday morning, I headed south to Kaplan, LA to shoot this week’s Feasting on Agriculture segment, but I had no idea that I would literally be working for my meal! 

Barry Toups owns Crawfish Haven/ Mrs. Rose’s Bed and Breakfast and also offers crawfish excursions for his visitors.  Nestled in the heart of Cajun Country, Barry says his bed & breakfast is the only place where you can “catch, cook, and sleep!” 

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kristen oaks
Feasting on Agriculture: High Prices & Empty Traps -- Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Facing Historic Season

It’s finally crawfish season!  It’s a time Louisianans start anticipating the moment they take their last bite of crawfish the previous season.  But this year there’s a caveat: crawfish is in short supply, and if you are lucky enough to find a sack, the prices are through the roof.

For this month’s “Feasting on Agriculture” segment, we traveled back to Four Oaks Crawfish Farm in Morganza to visit the Frey family and find out why crawfish farmers across the state are facing such an unprecedented situation.  

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Sandra Farms - A Story Of Perseverance

Sandra Farms, located on a beautiful mountainside in Puerto Rico, is a coffee farm owned by Sandra and Israel Gonzalez. For Israel, farming is a lifelong dream and passion. "I love farming. That is true since I was about six years old. I love it. I mean, it's part of me in a sense," he says.

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Karl Wiggerscoffee, TWILA Team