All stun at first sight. Yet, their beauty is merely peripheral to their caring hearts and sincere smiles. They dress their versions of Deep South dinner tables with forthright life stories. Side dishes of humbleness, patience, and grace are evident with every moment served. Their kindness is a special kind of sweet tea. When these agriculture and outdoor adventure experts invite you into their homes – campers, farms, pastry shops, or staged barn sets – you understand what family means. As I celebrate another November birthday and recently earned international communications awards, I needed to introduce you to avant-garde women who have simply rocked my rural and ’80s-baby world this year. I’ve had the privilege to learn, grow, and push editorial boundaries because of their willingness to try something new in nature alongside me.

These countryside “Golden Girls” offer unforgettable and life-changing experiences in the American South. Not for the sake of likes. Comments. Shares. But through sheer selflessness. Wanting to community-build intentionally so that generations from this region can sustain our here-and-now narratives, traditions, and lifeways. The next time you visit the Georgia Black Belt, put these Southern hospitality-approved ladies on your radar. For farming. Fellowshipping. And future collaborations. Their connections to the outdoors from a multicultural framework is a breath of moonlight magnolia air. We whipped up the sweetest (and sassiest) memories at Marigold Stables in Forsyth, Georgia, this month. So without further ado, say howdy to:

KANEISHA MILLER: Third-generation farmer and self-made agribusiness owner Kaneisha Miller grows fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies from her late grandma Emma Maude’s land. Known today as EM Farms. Kaneisha reimagined the 6-acre parcel into a backwoods retreat, on-farm market, and u-pick patch that attracts hundreds of visitors year-round to Culloden, Georgia. When the market opens, Kaneisha gets rather fancy with her offerings, too. Her custom-built, ruby red barn is stocked with homemade jellies, cakes, juices, and branded apparel. Depending on the season, travelers can shop for kale, peppers, okra, collards, turnips, corn, broccoli, tomatoes, peas, muscadines, and strawberries at this Georgia Grown location. Grab your Georgia Farm Bureau Farm Passport at participating farms or local Farm Bureau offices. This passport serves as your guide to more than 90 farms. As you’re visiting participating properties like EM Farms, ask farmers to stamp your passport. The more stamps you receive during the months of May, June, and July, the more prizes you will earn. According to the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development, agriculture contributes roughly $83.6 billion annually to the state’s economy. Kaneisha’s allegiance to her family’s farmland chips in to ensure a source of modern food security for her community. With her 3-year-old twin boys tagging along, Kaneisha invites every age to the farm for agritours, training events, and celebratory occasions.

LENISE LEKNES: International chef Lenise Leknes often flirts with Southern confections and tops them with a Latin kiss. The 17-year culinary veteran introduces her customers’ taste buds to bursts of unexpected joy with each bite. Based in Forsyth, Georgia, the Puerto Rican creative is known for her plated desserts, traditional sponge cakes with Italian buttercream, French macarons – the most requested filled with strawberries. Cheesecakes galore (pumpkin, praline, and apple pie). Yes, please! My lovely Lenise graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a pastry arts degree. Curious in the kitchen as a kid, she perpetually experimented with cultural dishes that pulled from her heritage. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in South Florida’s Hollywood Beach, her dishes and desserts marry island influences. Her Latin cuisines and pastries fuse savory and sweet delights. Culturally rich creations her grandmother and auntie taught her first. Beginner eats she aced: arroz con leche (a Latin rice pudding) and empanadas stuffed with special seasoned ground beef. Today, she’s refreshing Deep South palettes with her weekly changing menu of signature sweet treats. She opened Treats With Lenise Pop-Up Bakery in 2023 and is now collaborating with local farmers of the Georgia Black Belt to offer new farm-to-table pastry opportunities in her community. Treats With Lenise provides private chef services, custom orders, and local pop-up events that complement outdoor culinary lifestyles.

SIMONE ADAMS: A strategic facilitator and outdoor enthusiast, Simone travels with more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and fundraising. She constantly challenges pervasive narratives that exclude Black and Brown people by engaging companies in culturally inclusive and equity-centered conversations. Her early love for the outdoors – nurtured through backpacking trips in the mountains of North Georgia and Western North Carolina – fueled her to form grassroots, regional 501(c)(3) nonprofit Color My Outdoors in 2021. As its founder and executive director, Simone is on a mission to change how People of Color are depicted in the outdoors through a more thoughtful and realistic lens. Concentrating efforts in the Southeastern United States, the organization dismantles stereotypes and highlights the honest outdoor stories that honor historical and present-day People of Color. Simone literally storytells the Southeast Region from her RV. Known for her ability to create safe spaces for tough talks, she empowers leaders and groups to confront racial biases and build long-term, authentic change within the outdoor industry.

TANYA BAILEY: Abstract artist, interior designer, and barnyard stager Tanya Bailey spent her kid years sketching plant life from parish St. Catherine, Portmore, on the Southern coast of Jamaica. Mango trees, hibiscus plants, red ginger, and lignum vitae became early canvas inspiration. The fruity, tropical tapestry of coastal life allowed her to go botanically bold with colors, shapes, and patterns. Drawing and painting blossomed into a new appreciation for home decor when Tanya moved to South Florida’s Plantation and Sunrise areas five years ago. Hearing stories of how Georgia’s ecosystem mimicked her home, she was curious. Now a resident of Locust Grove, Tanya divides her time between Hotlanta and homesteading. Since 2016, she has designed and staged urban to rural properties and agribusinesses. Automatically creating welcoming spaces for families and customers alike. Only a month ago, she partnered with her husband, Sean, to transform her hobby into purpose work: Bailey’s Staging & Designs. The Baileys also offer event planning, which educates clients about strategies that flawlessly repurpose family farms, rural storefronts, and mobile businesses into thriving legacies.