Tag Archives: agriculture

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Devastating Drought

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Few times in my life have I experienced something where I was moved to tears. When I traveled to Southwestern Oklahoma and saw the devastation brought on by the severe drought, my tears were some of the only water around. The temperature was so brutal; my equipment was too hot to touch at times. My hands were blistered from grabbing my tripod and camera.

This area has not seen any rain since October of 2010. Their grass is dried up, if it has not been burned by fire, and most of their ponds are history. Livestock and equine producers are forced to sell out because they simply cannot feed or water them. We stopped by the sale yard in Apache, OK, and the sight there was almost unbearable. The average number of cattle that runs through there is about 3,000 head of bulls and steers on Thursdays. Because of circumstances beyond control, there were over 6,000 head already there and trailers kept rolling in. When it was all said and done, auctioneers sold until 4:00 the next morning.

Growing up in Washington State, I never knew drought. I did grow up on the “dry side” of the state but we have a wonderful irrigation system that has made Eastern Washington a prime agricultural area. I never dreamed I would see the day where Americans are restricted in their water use. It was a wakeup call for me as I drove through Cement, OK, and saw very few people watering their lawns. Even when the time came to where people could water, many forfeited their chance to save water for the firemen.

A lot of times, stories like these create awareness and people take a stand to change things. Unfortunately, in this case, the change that needs to be made is RAIN. So say an extra prayer, do a rain dance, or whatever it is you may do. Because the people, the livestock and the land in Southwestern Oklahoma are drying up and are running out of options.

~Andy Barth

On the Horizon: Devastating Drought from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Too Hot to Handle

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As a member of Class XV of the Oklahoma Agriculture Leadership Program, I get to visit many places across the state of Oklahoma to learn how agriculture is done. It is a program I have wanted to be in for many years and was privileged to do so this go round. I have learned so much at times my head is spinning. You’d be surprised what really goes on down on the farm.

For example, the diversification that takes place all around you, from wheat to vegetables to fruit, sometimes all on the same farm. To remain economically viable, Oklahoma farmers are learning how to make a living year round versus just seasonally. Sometimes that means a nontraditional crop.

In this week’s video blog, I show you our state’s hottest crop from Southwest Oklahoma.
Alisa Hines

On the Horizon: Too Hot to Handle from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Plight of the Wheat Farmer

Do you know where your food comes from? With so many people moving off the farm and into urban areas it’s not surprising we’ve lost touch with our agriculture roots.

When farmers became capable of producing food beyond the needs of their own families, others in their society were freed to devote themselves to projects other than food acquisition. Historians and anthropologists have long argued that the development of agriculture made civilization possible. The total world population probably never exceeded 15 million inhabitants before the invention of agriculture. Now only about two percent of the population (farmers) are feeding the rest of the world. And many of those farmers are over the age of 50. What will happen when they die off? Who will step up and feed the world?

There IS a new generation of farmer. But where grandpa was solely a farmer and could make ends meet with what he earned, the new farmer has to be smarter and work harder usually at two different jobs. In our video blog this week, I travel to Fairview, OK to visit with a farming family to find out just what goes into a wheat harvest and how they are combining life on the farm with life in the office.

~Alisa Hines

On the Horizon: Plight of the Wheat Farmer from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.