Encounters in the Heartland

Heartland Tours

James and Taylor McCann launch a new agritourism experience

Story by April Hamilton

Photos by Kimberly Meadowlark

Kimberly Meadowlark

Heartland Tours Raised on fresh fish and farm stands, cruising in my mom’s station wagon toward citrus groves, bushels of just-picked fruit, and jugs of local honey—I learned early on the value of shaking the hand that feeds you. We would go berry picking and churn those juicy strawberries into the best pink ice cream. Eating local was our norm. The tradition has stayed with me, and my first stop for groceries to this day is the farmer’s market, where I revel in the chance to meet the folks growing my food.

Beyond the growers, the next piece in the foodways puzzle is place: knowing where these farmers sow their crops and touching the soil where food is grown.

Heartland Tours aims to bring consumers face to face with the day-to-day operations of the farms that produce our local crops—from pecans and cotton to vegetables and sugarcane, as well as livestock.The tour ends at Cannatella Outdoors Farms (pictured) in Melville, Louisiana— which farms grain, sugarcane, and cattle.

Kimberly Meadowlark

This fall, local musicians James and Taylor McCann are fostering such connections between local eaters and farms through the launch of their new company, Heartland Tours. This multi-day educational bus tour brings passengers to the grounds of eight diverse Louisiana farms, where they’ll be greeted by farmers and local agriculture experts. Though the full tour is a three-night, three-and- a-half day adventure, other ticket packages suit the needs of every traveler. The experience culminates with a farm to table feast at St. Landry Parish’s La Casetta at the Farm—a once-celebrated bobwhite quail and sporting clay hunting lodge converted into a rustic-elegant venue—with live performances by the McCanns.

The farm-loving singer-songwriters blend their talents to educate and entertain, currently performing as James McCann and Taylor McCann and the Northbound Drifters—and promising music along the tour route in addition to the grand finale concert. “We carry music with us wherever we go,” said James.

Kimberly Meadowlark

The concept for Heartland Tours has its origins in Taylor’s previous work as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Grazing Lands Coalition, for which she organized a bus tour for cattle ranchers in 2017. “That first year we went to Texas,” said Taylor. “I loved everything about organizing that trip. The next year we went to Oklahoma and Texas and in 2019 we kept it local in Louisiana. I realized I could do this for all of agriculture. That’s how the idea got started.” James, also, has special experience in agriculture as an economist for the National Resources Conservation Services.

The tour has come together as a major act of collaboration with people like Denise Cannatella of Cannatella Outdoors Farms and La Casetta. “We want to inform and educate,” said Cannatella. “Agricultural products are everywhere. This is farm to life. It takes all of us to feed the world.” The tours serve to educate people about the importance of our local agriculture industry, while also giving farmers an additional source of revenue. “What is agri-tourism if the farmers aren’t making money?” asked Taylor.

By connecting directly with farmers like Denise Cannatella (below), the McCanns are unveiling the mystery of where our foods come from while also celebrating the work of our region’s agricultural leaders.

Kimberly Meadowlark

To get a small taste of the tour experience to come, I recently made the drive out to Cannatella Farms myself. I turned as directed down the gravel road, past the house with the pond, corn standing tall on my left and sugarcane waving on my right. My GPS announced, “you have arrived.” I imagined a farmer emerging from the field to say hello in that Louisiana hospitality way. Cannatella is working on signage to ensure visitors find her welcome mat. This is the site of the tour’s end, which Taylor described as “a big throw down,” following the final tour of the fields with a special emphasis on Cannatella’s infatuation: the equipment. “I do it all,” she says. “I just don’t drive the tractors. We share a deep passion for agriculture. We want to share our love for what we do.”

Kimberly Meadowlark

“We’re excited about this,” said James. “The public needs to know where their food comes from and how it comes to their table. We really need to connect the dots. Taylor’s the brainiac,” he continued, saluting his wife’s talents in filming and coordinating all the tour stops, and her musical genius. She is quick to correct him. “No, James is the brainiac. He’s the engine that keeps the numbers going. He inspires me.” Making music together keeps them in pure harmony.

Taylor and James McCann are bringing together their expertise in entertainment and agriculture to create a one-of-a-kind tourism experience across Louisiana.

Kimberly Meadowlark