We are interrupting the linear flow of our cross-country trip to bring you an episode from upstate New York. The flooding that resulted from Hurricane Irene (followed a week later by tropical rains that reflooded farms in New York and Vermont) was devastating. Late summer is time most farmers have been working for all year, and when your crop gets wiped out, it can mean losing the bulk of your income. Such is the story of Pete Taliaferro and Ray Bradley, who appear in this video. We hope our viewers remember that although this storm has left the headlines, people …

It seems that most farmers these days are also philosophers. David Cleverdon of Illinois-based Kinnikinnick farm is no exception. We had the pleasure of celebrating David's birthday with him and his family and friends on the farm, and then made a dinner in Chicago with Kinnikinnick produce. It was just another day on our Real Food road trip, but add Chef Paul Kahan -- and some controversial Monsanto tomatoes -- into the mix, and you've got yourself an unusual meal.

Almost halfway through our six-month, food-focused journey across America, we found a place we didn't want to leave: the stunning J Bar L Ranch, situated on 30,000 acres in southwest Montana in one of the most important wildlife corridors in the country. Gently shepherding cattle across the landscape, ranch manager Bryan Ulring, a former hunting and fishing guide, tries to replicate the bison's role in shaping this habitat. The result is an area packed with wildlife, fertile soil, and plenty of healthy and delicious meat. Best of all, the folks who run this place became our friends.

The Pacific Northwest is the perfect place for seaside adventures. On this leg of our cross-country trip, we forage for sea beans with Hank Shaw, dig for a giant clam called a geoduck with John Adams and Langdon Cook, and make our own salt with the young locavore chef from a restaurant called Herbfarm. We cook it all up in the kitchen of a new friend, all the while refraining from making dirty jokes about the geoduck (watch and you'll see why this wasn't easy):

This week's installment finds us in Portland, Ore., where I really wanted to make a Portlandia-inspired episode. It didn't quite happen, but there were plenty of moments that reminded us of the show -- like getting free valet parking because we were driving a hybrid. We also decided to visit an ultra-practical and amazing farm project called Janus Food Works, where we found young people from Portland getting paid to farm (it's about time) and selling the produce they'd grown. After filming with the kids, we created a meal with their crop for the Plate and Pitchfork farm dinner series. …

The way we eat seems to be in constant flux: Eat no meat, eat lots of meat -- everyone has his or her own opinion. But when a family that actually raises sheep for meat suggests we change our meat consumption, we should listen up. At Magnolia Farm, Elissa Thau raises her sheep with such love and attention that each death is a challenge. Meanwhile, the price of this coddled meat makes it a rare treat for most people. We filmed this short video on our way across Oregon, and while episodes usually comprise a couple of days of filming; …

California sea-urchin fishing, urban gardening in New Orleans, Mississippi catfish noodling, frog gigging in Arkansas, Gulf of Mexico shrimping, and banjo pickin' in the Ozarks: These are just a few of the stories that make up season two of The Perennial Plate. Currently at halfway through a six-month film shoot/real food expedition across the country, this video shares unseen footage, favorite moments, and sneak peeks. Take a glimpse into the lives of food heroes across the country -- along with the beautiful sights and flavors along the way: 

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On a recent visit to San Francisco, we had the great pleasure of preparing dinner with Samin Nosrat of the famed Tartine Bakery. While it doesn't regularly operate as a restaurant, once a month the bakery closes and Nosrat throws an epic dinner party. For this special after-hours event, we harvested ingredients from a diverse group of farms that showcase the bounty of the Bay Area: Riverdog Farm, Sunny Slope Orchard, and Pluck and Feather. Watch the delicious results:

Its not every day that you meet someone like Jason Woods. He is one of those people who would succeed at whatever he tried. In his case, he has loved to fish ever since he was a young boy. Over the years, he's tried his hand at most styles of commercial fishing and found his current setup to be the most humane. Jason doesn't waste anything; bycatch is not a part of his process. On many fishing operations, hundreds or thousands of pounds of fish will be killed or discarded in order to catch a few. With Jason, he hand-selects …