TV programs coming to Yuma

Two national television networks are making plans to visit Yuma in the heat of the summer and film programming that features the area.

The Food Network just confirmed it has selected Yuma to film a program here - in August - featuring the area's agriculture, it was announced at the Yuma Visitors Bureau annual meeting Thursday evening.

The competition had come down to Yuma and Santa Barbara, with Yumans making all kinds of promises to sway the decision in Yuma's favor - like grow lettuce in a greenhouse, said Kristan Sheppeard, who recently took on the job of project manager for YVB's newly formed Agritourism Division.

Bob Blumer and the “Glutton for Punishment” show will be filming an episode in Yuma on Aug. 7. Blumer will try to break a world record for preparing Caesar salads with a time limit.

The episode is slated to air in January, perfect timing for the height of the area's winter produce season. And it will be set at the Yuma Territorial Prison.

The other network? The Weather Channel plans to feature Yuma's weather.

This national attention falls right in with YVB's new mission to promote the area's agriculture, said Susan Sternitzke, YVB interim executive director. After all, she noted, the estimated $1.3 billion industry is the Yuma area's largest economic driver.

She said agriculture has always been a draw for visitors from around the United States, Canada and Europe who travel here to see the winter lettuce fields and learn more about farming in the desert Southwest.

Now, YVB wants to capitalize on that lure, hoping to enhance the experience and offer additional attractions, Sternitzke said.

In one bold move, Yuma's two biggest agriculture are being blended to grow them both bigger and better in 2011.

Yuma Lettuce Days, a consumer-oriented festival celebrating green and leafy vegetables along with other Yuma crops, will move to March to partner with the Southwest Ag Summit. That agriculture industry-oriented event in turn will switch to a downtown venue. The summit will take place March 9-10 at Pivot Point Conference Center and the Yuma Quartermaster Depot. Yuma Lettuce Days will follow March 11-13 at the Quartermaster Depot and along Main Street.

There will be a whole new component to Lettuce Days, Sheppeard said, with a new focus on a cooking show by a culinary chef.

In addition, YVB's Agritourism Division is creating a CLAP (crop, land, animal, produce) grant program to encourage individuals and businesses to create agricultural experiences. Examples may be culinary classes highlighting homegrown ingredients, dinner in the fields and interactive tours.

Another hope is to develop an agriculture center to highlight the industry and provide an additional visitor experience, she said.

While a major new focus for YVB, agritourism is but one aspect of the agency's renewed effort to “put heads in beds” as a measure of visitors to the community, Sternitzke said, unveiling “ambitious” plans to put on 16 special events in the coming year.

A salute to the area's military will now be held when Yuma Lettuce Days traditionally was held in January.

For the month of December, the Quartermaster Depot will be turned into a magical Christmas village complete with playhouses depicting various stores, a gingerbread house, Santa's Workshop, historic Yuma homes and attractions and thousands of lights. There will be a busy calendar of events such as gingerbread house decorating classes, cookie decorating classes, local concerts and dance shows.

On Aug. 28, the Zoo-per Duper Summer Splash Bash will come to Gateway Park, featuring the Hippo waterslide. The largest waterslide west of the Mississippi River, it spans 175 feet and is three stories tall. There will be a variety of other slides, water activities and sports, too.

Sternitzke announced that Richard Nicholls, owner of HB Copy Service Center, is the recipient of this year's Tourism Champion Award for his willingness to help YVB whenever needed.

A member of YVB, Nicholls regularly comes to the rescue, printing up needed material overnight if need be - perfectly - and will even delivery them.

“His heart is as big as he is,” said Terre Munk, a YVB staff member.