Tag Archives: farming

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon–The Road Less Traveled

Family farms have been a tradition in America for years. From crops to livestock, farmers keep the grocery stores shelves stocked and the clothes racks full.

A trend that is emerging is the average age of farmers is increasing and less and less young farmers are coming up to take their place. With the global population nearing nine billion, a small amount of people are presented with the task of feeding and clothing more with less.

Despite this grim scenario, a young couple in Western Oklahoma are bucking the trends and have a farm and then some. I was able to spend a couple days with the Base family at their farm in Geary, Okla. It was easy to see their passion for agriculture and it was obvious to see how dedicated they are.

In today’s video blog, we take a look at the Base Vines and Cattle farm. Diversity doesn’t begin to describe what the Base family does. They seem to have their hands in all things agriculture. They have a little bit of traditional and a little bit of nontraditional. All in all they are definitely doing their part in feeding the world.

Andy Barth

On the Horizon: Variety on the Farm from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Bring Home the Cattle

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The cows are starting to come home in Southwestern Oklahoma. But high prices are slowing down the process. When I traveled to the Southwest corner of the state last year, I found crunchy ground, long trailer lines at the sale yards, and people rationing their water. It was site I prayed I would never have to see again.

As this spring rolled around, the rains poured across North Central Oklahoma where I live. But I wondered what was happening with our friends to the Southwest of us. I was very pleased to find that they had gotten 14 inches of rain by the month of June! Things were definitely turning around for them and I knew I had to get back down there and tell the other half of their story.

In this week’s video blog, we take a look at how the citizens of Caddo County survived the drought and how they are bouncing back and reclaiming their livelihoods.
Andy Barth
 

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Child labor laws – We’re talking about a way of life

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Over Christmas I had the rare opportunity to turn the camera on my own family. I managed to escape some of the holiday madness by hiding behind my lens as my family worked throughout the holidays on our ranch in Northeast Kansas.

Few issues have ignited as much debate as the proposed child labor laws and like hundreds of other families our opinions on the issue are strong. We could think of no better way to portray this story than through the eyes of my little sister. For a few days I followed her around our ranch in Tonganoxie, Kansas, and eventually on to our grandparent’s ranch in Allen, Kansas. The story not only tackled the debate head on it may just have ended up being one of the most rewarding stories in my young career.

In this week’s video blog, the DeHoff family shows us what farming and ranching is really all about.
~Courtenay DeHoff

RDC News & Updates

Wanted: A New Crop of Farmers and Ranchers

Editors Note:  We’re not normally a venue for news or announcements.  However, there are occasional pieces of information that seem to fit so well with who we are that we’ll use our energy to spread the love.  This announcement happens to be one of those.  I’ve spoken to many individuals or couples over the last two years who are “thinking about farming,” “considering buying a piece of land and moving to the country…and maybe farming,” etc. and I’m wondering how many of them actually have.  So, my friends, if YOU are a new farmer or have recently purchased your new ranch or farm and are ready to roll…perhaps this program could be helpful for you.  Good luck!
[kelly]

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If you’ve been farming or ranching for less than ten years, the KerrCenter has got a deal for you: a year-long course in sustainable farming and ranching, with tuition and materials covered by scholarship.

Applications for the Oklahoma Beginning Farmer and Rancher program aredue October 21. Space is limited, and early application is strongly encouraged.

The program’s purpose is to assist “beginning” farmers and ranchers with training, resources, and mentoring. It provides an in-depth, year-long training course at the Kerr Center, with instruction in business and whole-farm planning. Participants choose either a livestock or horticulture track. Continue reading Wanted: A New Crop of Farmers and Ranchers →

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.