John Coykendall

If you want to truly understand the wilderness, Blackberry Mountain Land Manager Brad LaFoy has one simple piece of advice: look up. On this episode of The Blackberry Podcast, Brad joins hosts Sarah Chabot and Mary Celeste Beall to talk about what it takes to care for Blackberry Mountain's 5,200 acres. From the wildlife that calls the mountain home to the evolution of the landscape, the trio explores how everything is connected and what the future holds for the land. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Project Monarch: https://projectmonarch.org/ Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Explore other episodes of The Blackberry Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGshS9OFb10dBRVS139e5KVhYtwq1YPnR Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Follow Blackberry Mountain on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberry.mountain Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackberryMountain TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackberry.mountain Learn more about Blackberry Mountain and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberrymountain.com. The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm. Producer: Kathryn Sullivan Video and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

For acclaimed interior designer Barrie Benson, sophistication and a sense of fun go hand in hand. In another conversation from their trip to New York, hosts Sarah Chabot and Mary Celeste Beall sit down with the Charlotte-based designer to discuss her playful take on traditional interiors, her work with Highland House and Peg Norriss and the role art plays in her projects. Barrie also reflects on where she’s choosing to take her work next and the creative pursuits that are bringing her the most joy.Follow our guests: https://www.instagram.com/barriebenson https://barriebenson.com/ Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Learn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting http://www.blackberryfarm.com. The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm. Producer: Kathryn Sullivan Video and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

Sometimes, the hardest part of getting healthier is getting out of your own way. On this episode of The Blackberry Podcast, professional cyclist and Vision Quest founder Robbie Ventura joins hosts Sarah Chabot and Mary Celeste Beall to share what years of competition and coaching have taught him about building confidence and making lasting changes. From overcoming mental roadblocks to rethinking how we approach fitness as we age, Robbie makes the case for putting your health first — and how it’s never too late to get stronger.Follow our guests: https://www.instagram.com/robbieventura https://visionquestcoaching.com/ Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Learn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com. The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm. Producer: Kathryn Sullivan Video and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

On this episode of The Blackberry Podcast, hosts Sarah Chabot and Mary Celeste Beall sit down with John Coykendall, Blackberry Farm’s master gardener and one of the country’s most respected seed preservationists. Fresh off an award-winning sweep at the Tennessee Valley Fair, John discusses his decades-long mission to rescue nearly extinct heirloom varieties and protect the living history behind our food. He also shares stories from his 70-year history with the Farm, the unexpected internet fame of his perfect tomato sandwich, and why he believes a life in the garden is a life well spent — with another 20 years in mind. Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Learn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting https://www.blackberryfarm.com. The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm. Producer: Kathryn Sullivan Video and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

For the first time, The Blackberry Podcast hits the road! Hosts Sarah Chabot and Mary Celeste Beall traveled to New York City and sit down with award-winning interior designer Brad Ford. From his New York showroom, FAIR, to Field + Supply, his modern makers market, Brad has built a career around an appreciation for high-quality craftsmanship. In this episode, he discusses expanding his business to the West Coast, scaling a creative brand organically, and why the stories behind handcrafted pieces matter.Follow our guest:https://www.instagram.com/brad_ford_idhttps://www.instagram.com/amakermoment/https://www.bradfordid.com/https://fieldandsupply.com/pages/dogsoffieldandsupplyFollow Blackberry Farm on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarmFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarmTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarmLearn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com.The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm.Producer: Kathryn SullivanVideo and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

For ultra-endurance cyclist Lael Wilcox, the finish line is only part of the story. On this episode of The Blackberry Podcast, hosts Sarah Chabot and Mary Celeste Beall sit down with Lael, who won the 2016 Trans Am Bike Race and broke the women’s record for cycling around the world in 2024. She talks about growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, discovering cycling in college and the experiences that have shaped her life on two wheels. From gas-station meals to alpine mornings, Lael shares stories from the road, the connections she’s made and the simple joy of waking up somewhere new every day.Follow our guests: https://www.instagram.com/laelwilcox Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Learn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com. The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm. Producer: Kathryn Sullivan Video and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

On this episode of The Blackberry Podcast, host Sarah Chabot and Blackberry's vice president of food and beverage, Andy Chabot, sit down with Sam Kaplan, one of the most acclaimed winemakers on the California coast. The trio traces Sam's unconventional path to the vineyard, starting far from wine country on an Oklahoma farm, and changing course entirely during a trip to Spain. Sam opens up about following his gut and how that’s guided him since his early days in Napa Valley and into the present for the sought-after wines he makes today. From his childhood farm to his latest vintage, his respect for the soil makes him a true kindred spirit of Blackberry.Follow our guests:https://www.instagram.com/thesamkaplanFollow Blackberry Farm on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarmFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarmTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarmLearn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com.The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm.Producer: Kathryn SullivanVideo and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

What happens when an artist's creativity is untethered? This week on The Blackberry Podcast, singer-songwriter Jessie Baylin joins hosts Mary Celeste Beall and Sarah Chabot to talk about her life in Nashville and the freedom she’s enjoying while working on her seventh studio album. Jessie opens up about her sudden bursts of songwriting, leaving her inner critic in the dust with gratitude, and the daily juggle of balancing studio deadlines with running a household. The trio also chat about the nostalgic magic of record stores and Jessie’s dream of one day recording music with her husband. It's a conversation filled with passion, honesty and thoughtful reminders that creating art requires protecting the space to let it grow.Follow our guest:https://www.instagram.com/jezziebaylinFollow Blackberry Farm on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarmFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarmTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarmLearn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com.The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm.Producer: Kathryn SullivanVideo and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

This week’s episode of The Blackberry Podcast is a conversation about teamwork — with other people, with animals and with the land. Host Sarah Chabot is joined by Blackberry Farmstead Director Christen Waddell to talk with Blackberry Farm’s cheesemaker, Chris Osborne, about what it means to work with nature to create something great. It’s easy to admire a delicious cheese when we enjoy a bite of it, but this episode shines a light on what a process it is to get there. True experts in their fields and two of the Blackberry team members behind the award-winning cheeses that come from Blackberry Farm’s creamery, Chris and Christen offer a behind-the-scenes look at fostering a good environment for the animals, how nature influences flavor and what’s unique about our sheep’s milk exclusive production. Chris shares how ingredients from the Blackberry Farm Garden have been used to create unique recipes and offers tips for the best way to enjoy your favorite cheeses served at home. If you love cheese, this is the perfect opportunity to get into a little of the science and expertise behind it from the thoughtful perspective of dedicated artisans.Follow our guest:https://www.instagram.com/c_osborne81Follow Blackberry Farm on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarmFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarmTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarmLearn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com.The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm.Producer: Kathryn SullivanVideo and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions

When Paul Lato, winemaker and owner of Paul Lato Wines, visited Blackberry Farm for a special event called Soil to Soul, he sat down with The Blackberry Podcast to share about the path that led him to winemaking. Host Sarah Chabot is joined by guest host Andy Chabot, Blackberry’s vice president of food and beverage, to talk with Paul about his notable career. In this episode, Paul tells how he was exposed to some excellent wines long before he realized the value of what he was drinking and how a love of cooking and working with flavors developed into a love of creating wine. A first-generation winemaker, Paul shares his unique perspective on the pursuit of discovery and following your passion even if you’re not following in footsteps. He talks about the art of unlearning, following your intuition and learning your craft authentically. This conversation ends with a simple but important reminder that the true goal of great hospitality and great wine is to make people happy. Cheers to that. Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/paullatowines Follow Blackberry Farm on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackberryfarm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackberryfarm Learn more about Blackberry Farm and make your reservation by visiting www.blackberryfarm.com. The Blackberry Podcast is a production of TenTen Media and Blackberry Farm. Producer: Kathryn Sullivan Video and Audio Recording: Reid Long Productions