Recently about 50 cowboys visited alternative energy enterprises, commercial turf grass operations and viewed Oklahoma State University-developed wheat varieties in northwest Oklahoma.
Those cowboys were faculty and staff members of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The 2009 Agricultural Access Tour made many stops in the Big Orange Bus (BOB) to demonstrate the diversity of agriculture and natural resources in northwest Oklahoma.
BOB made its first stop at Mountain Country Foods in Okeene, where agricultural products are put to good use in the making of dog biscuits.
After a few healthy “treats” and a discussion with owner Matt Dixon, the cowboys rode on down the road to Roman Nose Golf Course in Watonga. The group learned about the different kinds of grasses on the course and experienced the surrounding natural beauty of the area with head groundskeeper, Ryan Brunner.
A cookout style lunch hosted by Chisholm Trail Farm Credit preceded the tour of Flying W Livestock Equipment. Owner, Kyle Widney, gave an overview of his family business and the technology that goes into his merchandise.
From there, it was on to United States Gypsum where Bill Weber took the group on a tour of the mines and the plant.
“Gypsum is an old resource that has been produced in Oklahoma for nearly 100 years and we hear very little about it,” Trapp said. “We don’t think of Oklahoma as a mining state but gypsum is a mining industry. One reason we may not hear that much about gypsum is that the reclamation activities that we saw appeared to be pretty effective.”
The next stop was in Fairview at Plymouth Valley Cellars Winery where owner Dennis Fleming discussed his operation. Plymouth Valley Cellars Winery has a variety of wines and Fleming talked about the different flavors and what set his winery apart from others in the state.
The group started the second day of the tour by visiting the Southern Plains Range Research Station in Woodward. Various projects were discussed and after a tour of the facilities, it was on to the Centennial Wind Farm near Woodward.
“We hear a lot about wind power these days and it was awesome to actually go inside of one of the giant wind turbine,” Trapp said. “Wind power is a new-found resource, or perhaps I should say newly rediscovered natural resource, since we have had wind mills for a long time, but not wind turbines. Northwestern Oklahoma is slated to be a national leader in wind power.”
After the wind farm, the group blew in to the Cultural Center in Woodward for lunch provided by Central National Bank of Alva. With full bellies, the tour continued to the North Central OSU Research Station in Lahoma, where Ray Sidwell and Brett Carver conducted a mini field day about the wheat variety trials at the station.
The tour concluded with a visit to Pollard Farms near Enid as owner Barry Pollard gave a presentation on the cattle industry. New technology that allows from premier breeding and even genetic cloning were discussed.
“Participants were treated to two days of the best our state has to offer.”
Ag News from Around the Country
Faculty and staff experience agricultural diversity in Okla.
- Ag News from Around the Country
-
-
USDA announces CRP signup
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6.
-
Experts predict tighter cattle supplies in 2012
As cattle supplies remain tight and global demand intensifies profitability for cattle ranchers will continue in the year ahead, CattleFax analysts told cattlemen during remarks delivered at the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn.
-
Record farm profits could stumble in ‘12
Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, U.S. agriculture last year stood as a shining example of growth.
-
K-State teams up to cut E. coli risk
Seventeen Kansas State University scientists will join researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other universities and government agencies in a coordinated, multi-pronged approach to improve the safety of beef.
-
Sjeklocha honored as Beef Cattle Veterinarian of the Year
Dave Sjeklocha, DVM, is the 2011 recipient of the Beef Cattle Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
-
Interest in meat goats is on the rise
It seems everyone in the world eats goat meat but Americans. However, the preference for goat meat in the U.S. is rapidly increasing, as reflected in the record high prices of the last two years.
-
Gauging the farm’s financial success for 2011
The United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service has recently forecast 2011 total net farm income for US farms at $100.9 billion. This number represents an increase of 28 percent from the 2010 net farm income level. These nation-wide numbers are impressive, but they do not tell a farmer much about his or her farm’s individual financial success.
-
USDA grant helps veterans returning to farm
The USDA Risk Management Agency has awarded the Center for Rural Affairs, Farmer-Veteran Coalition, Nebraska AgrAbility Project and eight additional partner organizations with funding intended to introduce new veteran farmers and ranchers to various areas of agriculture, and thereby find solutions to the employment and economic challenges facing so many rural veterans.
-
Infiltration is the key when it rains
The moisture needs to infiltrate the soil first—and good infiltration is not necessarily a given
-
Commodity prices up after initial fall from Japan crisis
Commodity prices are back on the rise after they fell quickly in reaction to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan.
- More Ag News from Around the Country Headlines
-
USDA announces CRP signup
