Tag Archives: Andy Barth

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Below the Surface

This job is amazing. It takes me so many places I never thought I would go. When I first came to Oklahoma, I was excited to see the competitive livestock and be a part of the progressive agricultural industry. What I didn’t expect was to be engulfed in the Oklahoma lifestyle.

A few months ago, I met a young man who gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “grab life by the horns.” He has wrestled steers, fought men in cages and hunted and fished for every kind of animal known in Oklahoma. I knew if I wanted to experience a different side to Oklahoma I needed to hang out with Kaleb Summers. When he told me there was a way to fish with your hands and pull out huge catfish, there was no hesitation…I had to get in the water.

Like any fishing trip, things didn’t go exactly as planned and unfortunately for us, they seemed to take a turn for the worse. Not only were water levels low and drying out the holes, but the wind kept picking up and beating us against the rocks. When the wind got to the point of being dangerous (as if getting slammed into rocks wasn’t bad enough) we decided to leave and get the boat out of the water.

While en route back to the ramp we encountered huge swells of water coming over the sides of the boat. It was a very rough ride to say the least. All of a sudden we heard a loud pop and saw mud fill the water. Our motor sputtered, choked, and then died. At that point it was all hands on deck, or more like all hands in the water. With the boat in tow, I swam to shore with the guys pushing. After getting the vessel out of the water we realized we cracked the hydraulic cylinder and tore up the prop. Since it was the beginning of the weekend this meant we were on foot for the rest of the trip.

After we got our bearings and were back out on the water, Kaleb found out how I act under pressure when I am face to face with a lifelong fear – snakes. Kaleb found a water moccasin in a rock and told me to come look at it. I freaked out and jumped out of the water. That wasn’t good enough for Kaleb and he killed it…or so he thought. All of the sudden the snake shot out of the rock and made a bee-line for Kaleb. He jumped out of the way and the snake swam to shore.
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Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Plight of the Honey Bee

I have been on edge around bees for as long as I can remember. It amazes me how a tiny insect can frighten so many people. But when I had the opportunity to take a look inside the sweet home of honeybees (in a bee suit of course) I jumped at the chance.

What we found inside was incredible. There were huge gaping holes in the comb and the bees were not making honey like they should have been. We may be on edge about bees, but beekeepers are on edge about varroa mites. These little critters sneak inside the hive and weaken it. Not only does it hurt the bees but the beekeepers as well. Mite damage can cost producers millions of dollars and drastic hive loss, causing a quite a sting for beekeepers

In this today’s video blog, I introduce you to the president of the Oklahoma State Beekeeper’s Association, Keith Amason, as he shows us what is buzzing in the honeybee industry. Amason is a second generation beekeeper and is an ambassador for Oklahoma beekeepers. Suit up as Keith takes us up close and personal inside the threatened life of the honeybee.

~Andy Barth

On The Horizon: Plight of the Honey Bee from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On The Horizon: Tradition Meets Technology

In a world where technology seems to run our lives, agriculture serves as a role model of how to merge tradition and innovation. Farmers have proven time and time again how they utilize the past to influence the present and continue to provide for our future.

This week we introduce you to a woman who was on the fast track to a corner office in the corporate world but decided she wanted to give back to the environment…and her neighbors. Coleen Thornton is a prime example of how sustainable agriculture is a beneficial way farming can benefit an entire community. From organic crops to hand spun yarn…everything on Thornton’s farm serves a purpose.

Growing up in agriculture, I often heard the stereotype that farmers are cruel to the environment. This ag entrepreneur proves this theme wrong, because in order to be successful in agriculture, it is vital to be a steward of the land.
~Andy Barth

 

On the Horizon: Tradition Meets Technology from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.