Preserving New England -
weekends with yankee

In this episode of Weekends with Yankee, co-host Amy Traverso is in South Berwick, Maine, where growing heirloom beans is a treasured skill. First, she meets bean farmer Charley Baer, who specializes in New England varietals in a gorgeous array of colors and patterns. Then, she heads across town to North Berwick to the property where homesteaders Rebekah Yonan and Peter Kellman have created a modern-day Eden, growing everything from walnuts and rye to pears and herbs, and, of course, beans. Also visiting the homestead is Rebekah's brother Joe Yonan, the food editor of the Washington Post and author of several books, including Cool Beans. In the outdoor wood-fired oven, Joe prepares a vegetarian spin on traditional New England-style baked beans for a lovely outdoor dinner. Next, we travel to Lyme, New Hampshire, to meet Ben Kilham, who rescues and rehabilitates orphaned bear cubs. We tour his property, meet some of his youngest cubs, then head to a remote woodlot to visit some of the oldest bears he's raised who are back in the wild and thriving. Then, we head to Freeport, Maine, where co-host Richard Wiese gets a behind-the-scenes peek at what it takes to become a Registered Maine Guide, a program with a long and storied history. Following in the footsteps of the first-ever Registered Maine Guide, Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby, L.L. Bean guide Kristen Roos shares her outdoor savvy with Richard as she demonstrates everything from righting a capsized canoe to baking a pie in a campfire.

Episode Duration: 26 minutes and 46 seconds

Episode Number: 605

About Weekends with Yankee:

WEEKENDS WITH YANKEE is a 13-part travel and lifestyle series named for the long-running publication enjoyed by readers across America for more than 80 years.

With New England among the nation's top tourist destinations, the magazine-style program takes viewers on an insider's exploration of the cities, countryside locales and far-flung places in the quaint and scenic region.

The series is hosted by Richard Wiese, (Born to Explore) , an Emmy Award-winning TV personality, author and explorer who has traveled to all seven continents, participated in two expeditions to Antarctica, and cross-country skied to the North Pole.

Amy Traverso, a senior food editor at Yankee magazine who has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and the Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay, joins Richard as co-host.

She highlights recipes, local flavors and the sense of community that make up the regions' food and dining scene.

WEEKENDS WITH YANKEE offers an "all-access" behind-the-scenes pass to the unique attractions that define the region, and the hidden New England that only locals know.

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