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ANDY BARTH: THIS WEEK ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
WELL, WE TRAVEL TO SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA TO THE LARGEST FOREST AREA IN
THE STATE.
MICHELLE FINCH: I THINK ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE THINGS THAT WE CAN TALK
ABOUT IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA IS HOW FORESTRY AND TOURISM CO-EXIST; YOU
KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS FABULOUS, VAST FOREST.
ANDY: OUR ROB MCCLENDON SITS DOWN WITH WEYERHAEUSER'S RICHARD
CHAPMAN TO LEARN ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THEIR MISSION.
RICHARD CHAPMAN: WE HAVE MORE TREES NOW THAN WE DID IN THE 1930'S OR THE 20'S;
EVER SINCE THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING DATA ON TREES.
ANDY: WE GO WINE TASTING AND LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF OKLAHOMA TOURISM.
MICHELLE FINCH: OVER A MILLION TOURISTS A YEAR COME TO THIS AREA OF
BROKEN BOW LAKE, BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK.
SO THEY WERE COMING; WE WEREN'T SURE THEY WOULD COME HERE, BUT WE KNEW
THEY WERE COMING TO THE AREA.
ANDY: AND, WE END OUR DAY DRIVING AROUND NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA ON
AGRITOURISM'S BUS TOUR.
STAY WITH US FOR OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA'S INVESTMENT IN CAREERTECH PROVIDES MORE
THAN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND TRAINING, IT PRODUCES
SOLID FINANCIAL RETURNS FOR THE STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE;
OKLAHOMA CAREERTECH, ELEVATING OUR ECONOMY.
ANNOUNCER: AND, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY,
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE GROW GOOD THINGS.
AND NOW, FROM THE CAREERTECH STUDIOS IN STILLWATER, HERE'S YOUR
HOST, ANDY BARTH.
HELLO EVERYONE, I'M ANDY BARTH, ROB MCCLENDON IS AWAY THIS WEEK.
WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK OF OKLAHOMA, IT'S THE PRAIRIE THAT COMES TO MIND,
WITH NOT A TREE IN SIGHT.
BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR TERRAIN, OUR STATE IS AS DIVERSE AS ANY IN THE
NATION.
TODAY, WE LOOK AT AN OKLAHOMA NATURAL RESOURCE BY EXAMINING ONE THAT'S
BOTH HUGE AND PLENTIFUL, OUR FOREST LANDS.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA IS COVERED IN FIVE POINT SEVEN MILLION ACRES OF
FORESTED LANDS WHICH IS KNOWN FOR BEING ONE THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE
NATION.
BUT FORESTRY IS NOT JUST A BOOMING INDUSTRY, IT'S A WAY OF LIFE.
JOINING ME NOW IS OUR KELA KELLN.
KELA KELLN: WELL ANDY, WHEN THINKING ABOUT OKLAHOMA, FORESTRY ISN'T
SOMETHING THAT COMES TO MIND.
HOWEVER, NEAR THE TOWN OF BROKEN BOW, PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO CELEBRATE
THE SURROUNDING FOREST.
LOG ROLLING.
[SOUND: CHAINSAWS]
CHAINSAW RACES.
[SOUND: CROWD CHEERING]
AND EVEN AN OLD FASHIONED JACK AND JILL COMPETITION.
[CROWD: PULL! PULL!]
EVENTS AT THE OWA-CHITO FESTIVAL OF THE FOREST AT BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK.
DAVE SMULYAN IS AN EVENT ORGANIZER.
DAVE SMULYAN: THE FESTIVAL STARTED A LITTLE MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO; THIS IS THE
40TH ANNIVERSARY.
AND IT WAS ALL DESIGNED TO CELEBRATE THE HERITAGE HERE IN SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA, WHETHER IT BE THE CHOCTAW NATION OR, AND OR THE FORESTRY; AND THE
WORDS OWA-CHITO, ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO WITH THE FOREST AND THE FESTIVAL, AS WELL.
SO IT ALL TIES IN TOGETHER AND AGAIN THIS WAS STARTED OVER 40 YEARS AGO AND
THERE ARE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EVENTS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF
ENTERTAINMENT AND THERE'S A LOT OF FORESTRY EVENTS AS WELL, WHICH IS REALLY
ONE OF THE MAIN DRAWS.
[SOUND: CHAINSAWS]
THE FESTIVAL WILL DRAW IN ANYWHERE BETWEEN 30,000 AND 40,000 PEOPLE OVER THE
3 DAYS; AND, IT'S JUST A TREMENDOUS BOOST TO OUR ECONOMY HERE IN SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA.
KELA: AN ECONOMY THAT IS THRIVING DUE TO THE NUMBER OF LOCAL TOURISM
ATTRACTIONS.
MICHELLE FINCH WORKS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND
FORESTRY.
MICHELLE FINCH: I THINK ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE THINGS THAT WE CAN TALK
ABOUT IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA IS HOW FORESTRY AND TOURISM CO-EXIST; YOU
KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS FABULOUS, VAST FOREST THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE AND IN THE
HEART OF IT, WHERE WE'VE GOT ALL THE CABINS AND PEOPLE COME HERE TO ENJOY
THE FOREST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT'S A PRODUCTIVE FOREST.
IT'S BEING HARVESTED, WE CAN SEE LOG TRUCKS COMING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD,
WE'VE GOT SAWMILLS OPERATING, AND ALL KINDS OF INDUSTRY.
SO, WE'RE ACTUALLY HARVESTING, REPLANTING, AND TOURISTS ARE STILL
FLOCKING HERE TO ENJOY THIS FOREST THAT'S ACTUALLY A WORKING,
PRODUCTIVE FOREST.
KELA: FOREST LAND THAT STRETCHES ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
KURT ATKINSON: THERE ARE NEARLY 10 MILLION ACRES OF LAND IN OKLAHOMA THAT IS
FORESTED, WHICH IS ALMOST 23% OF THE STATE AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE FIND
THAT HARD TO BELIEVE.
KELA: KURT ATKINSON IS A LOCAL FORESTOR AND SAYS THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE
SURPRISED ABOUT THE IMPACT FORESTRY HAS IN THE STATE.
KURT: WELL I THINK THE OBVIOUS ONE MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ALREADY ARE THE
WOOD PRODUCTS THAT WE HARVEST FROM THE FOREST.
BUT IN ADDITION, WHILE YOU'RE MANAGING FORESTS FOR WOOD YOU ALSO HAVE
CLEAN WATER, HEALTHY WATER SHEDS THAT ARE TREE COVERED ARE THE HIGHEST
QUALITY OF WATER THAT YOU CAN FIND.
AIR QUALITY, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, WILDLIFE HABITAT, RECREATION,
HIKING, A LOT OF DIFFERENT HUNTING, FISHING ACTIVITIES ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH FOREST LANDS.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY OF REASONS WHY TREES ARE IMPORTANT TO OKLAHOMA.
[NATS]
KELA: INCLUDING TOURISM.
HERE AT THE FORESTRY FESTIVAL VISTORS ENJOY A PART OF THE STATE MANY ARE
JUST LEARNING ABOUT.
DAVE: TOURISM IN MCCURTAIN COUNTY IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR TOP THREE INDUSTRIES.
IT'S AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF FOLKS THAT ARE COMING IN, NOT JUST FROM THE TEXAS
AREA, BUT NOW OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA ARE BEGINING TO LEARN ABOUT
BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK, BROKEN BOW LAKE, THE LOWER MOUNTAIN FORK RIVER, AND
ALL THE THINGS THAT IT HAS TO OFFER.
[NATS]
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN OKLAHOMA, WE'VE GOT THE TREES, THE MOUNTAINS, THE
STREAMS, AND OUR TOURISM IS JUST A HUGE INDUSTRY.
KELA: CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN 2 BILLION DOLLARS TO OUR STATES ANNUAL ECONOMY.
MICHELLE: ONE OF THE OTHER BIG THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING IS A LOT OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA, IN THESE WOODS WITH LOTS OF CABINS BEING
BUILT; AND FROM A FORESTRY PERSPECTIVE, FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S AN AWESOME THING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GENERATING A LOT OF DOLLARS FOR THE TOURISM ECONOMY AND IT'S
INCREDIBLE.
KELA: MAKING BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK AND THE FORESTRY AREA NOT ONLY A
TOURIST DESTINATION, BUT AN ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSET TO
OKLAHOMA.
OKLAHOMA'S FORESTS SUPPORT AN ANNUAL TWO POINT SEVEN BILLION DOLLAR WOOD
PRODUCTS INDUSTRY; AND, THE FOREST ITSELF IS AN ATTRACTION TO TOURISTS
FROM SURROUNDING STATES.
ANDY: WELL KELA, IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA HAS
BECOME A POPULAR PLACE TO VISIT, WHAT OTHER EVENTS ARE HAPPENING AROUND
THERE?
KELA: WELL ANDY, EACH NOVEMBER THEY HOLD AN ANNUAL FOLK FESTIVAL AND
CRAFT SHOW AND IT'S REALLY BECOME APOPULAR PLACE TO GO.
ANDY: ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH KELA.
KELA: YOU'RE WELCOME ANDY.
ANDY: AND WHEN WE RETURN WE'LL TALK TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
LARGEST FORESTRY COMPANY IN THE NATION.
MALE ANNOUNCER: YOU'RE WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON, FEATURING SOME OF THE GOOD
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
ANDY BARTH: NOW WEYERHAEUSER MANAGES MORE THAN 20 MILLION ACRES OF
TIMBERLAND IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, AND PRIDES THEMSELVES IN BEING
CONSERVATIONISTS, SCIENTISTS, AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS.
EARLIER, OUR ROB MCCLENDON SAT DOWN WITH WEYERHAEUSER'S RICHARD
CHAPMAN TO HEAR ABOUT THE LARGEST FORESTRY COMPANY IN THE NATION AND ITS ROLE
HERE IN OKLAHOMA.
ROB MCCLENDON: SO RICHARD, GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF JUST HOW BIG THE IMPACT
OKLAHOMA'S FORESTRY INDUSTRY IS.
RICHARD CHAPMAN: WELL, IT'S UH, ITS ABOUT FIFTH AS FAR AS THE AGRICULTURAL
CROP GOES IN OKLAHOMA.
ITS SOMEWHERE AROUND PROBABLY 20 MILLION DOLLARS, SOMEWHERE AROUND
IN THROUGH THERE, ALL SAID AND DONE.
SO, ITS UH, IT'S A PRETTY BIG INVESTMENT.
ROB: AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU CALL IT AN AGRICULTURAL CROP;
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NORMALLY THINK OF AS AN AGRICULTURE CROP.
RICHARD: NO; IT'S GENERALLY THE SAME AS WE DO, WE GO THROUGH THE SAME
PROCESS AS THEY DO IN WHEAT, AS CORN; WE PLANT IT, WE GROW IT, WE
FERTILIZE IT, WE HARVEST IT, AND THEN WE MAKE MATERIALS OUT OF IT.
ROB: YEAH, SO WHAT IS THE TYPICAL LIFE CYCLE FOR A TREE?
RICHARD: IT DEPENDS ON THE SOIL TYPE.
OUR LOBLOLLY PINES LOVE ACIDIC SOIL, SO PROBABLY DEPENDING ON HOW ACIDIC
THE SOIL IS, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 25 AND 28 YEARS.
ROB: OKAY, AND.
RICHARD: THAT'S ALONG TIME FOR A CROP.
ROB: AND SO YOU GROW A TREE FOR 28 YEARS, HOW BIG IS THAT TREE GOING TO GET?
RICHARD: IT'LL GO ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 60 FEET UP TO ABOUT 80, 85 FEET TALL.
ROB: AND THEN, ONCE THAT TREE IS CUT, WHAT HAPPENS TO IT FROM THERE?
RICHARD: WELL, IT'S LOADED ONTO A TRUCK AND THEN TAKEN TO A SAWMILL AND THE
SAWMILL PROCESSES THAT TREE INTO DIMENSIONAL LUMBER.
A LOT OF THE TREES ARE TAKEN TO THE CONTAINER BOARD MILL IN VALIANT AND
DIFFERENT PLACES IN CHIPS, AND MADE INTO CHIPS TO MAKE LINER BOARD.
SO THERE'S DIFFERENT PROCESSES; AND THE REST OF IT IS SAWDUST AND THAT
GOES TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY MARKET AND MARKETS LIKE THAT FOR THE BEDDING FOR
ALL OF THE CATTLE AND THE SHEEP AND THE PIGS AND THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SHOW
UP AT THE LIVESTOCK SHOWS.
ROB: NOW WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR TREES?
NOW WEYERHAEUSER OWNS LAND ITSELF, DOES IT NOT?
RICHARD: YES; WE OWN 500,000 ACRES IN OKLAHOMA.
WE OWN ABOUT 750,000 ACRES IN ARKANSAS TOTAL, NATIONWIDE, WE OWN ABOUT
SIX POINT ONE MILLION ACRES IN TREE FARMS.
ROB: NOW IS THAT SOLELY WHERE THE WOOD COMES FROM THAT YOU USE?
RICHARD: NO, NOT ALL OF IT; WE USE ABOUT 70% OF OUR OWN TREES AND THE REST
OF THE 30% WE BUY ON THE OPEN MARKET FROM INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS
YOURSELF.
ROB: OKAY.
NOW, WHAT ABOUT JOBS; WHO WOULD YOU BE EMPLOYING IN THIS INDUSTRY?
RICHARD: WE'LL BE EMPLOYING TREE PLANTERS.
WE'LL EMPLOY RIPPERS THAT RIP AFTER HARVEST, THAT COME ALONG AND RIP THE
SOIL READY FOR TREE PLANTING.
WE'LL EMPLOY HARVESTERS THAT COME IN AND CUT THE TREES.
WE'LL EMPLOY LOADERS THAT LOAD THE TRUCKS.
AND, WE'LL EMPLOY THE TRUCK DRIVERS THAT ACTUALLY TAKE THE RAW
MATERIALS TO THEIR FACILITIES TO BE PROCESSED; AND THEN, THE
FINISHED PRODUCTS FROM THE FACILITIES TO THE MARKETPLACE.
ROB: NOW, WHAT OTHER WORRIES WOULD YOUR INDUSTRY HAVE; I MEAN,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL ABOUT?
WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION?
RICHARD: [LAUGH] PROBABLY JUST KEEPING OUR EMPLOYEES EMPLOYED WITH THE DOWNTURN
IN THE ECONOMY, HARD TO GET FINANCING FROM THE BANKS; IT'S LOOSENING UP A
LITTLE.
THE MAJOR INVENTORY OF HOMES, THE LACK OF NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION, AND/OR
MULTI-FAMILY HOMES, OR REMODELING; ALL THOSE SORT OF KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT.
AND THEN, YOU WORRY ALSO ABOUT YOUR CROP, YOUR TREES THAT YOU'LL HAVE
GROWING IN THE FOREST, YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT WILDFIRES THAT ARE
HAPPENING.
COLORADO IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, ALL THROUGH THE WEST RIGHT NOW, ALL THOSE
TREES ARE BURNING UP AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT IN TIME
THROUGH NATURAL REGENERATION.
WE REPLANT OURS, BUT ONCE YOU GET A WILDFIRE DOWN PERHAPS IN SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA, IT COULD BURN A 1,000 ACRES.
AND IF THEY'RE 9 OR 10 YEAR OLD TREES, THEN THAT'S 10 YEARS THAT
YOU'VE LOST ON YOUR INVESTMENT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE CROP INSURANCE, SO WE, THAT INVESTMENT IS A TOTAL
LOSS; SO WE'LL HAVE TO COME IN AND TAKE, CUT THOSE TREES DOWN AND START
THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN, AND START WITH OUR SEEDLINGS.
ROB: SO WITH THE DROUGHT OF 2011 THAT WAS SO *** FARMERS IN THIS PART OF
THE COUNTRY, HOW DID IT AFFECT THE FORESTRY INDUSTRY?
RICHARD: IT HURT IT QUITE A BIT BECAUSE WE HAD ANYWHERE, WE LOST ALL OF
OUR YOUNG SEEDLINGS THAT WE PLANTED LAST YEAR, THEY ALL JUST DIED FROM THE
DROUGHT AND THAT'S IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
THEY'RE ALL DEAD.
SO, YOU HAVE TO REPLANT THAT CROP; PLUS, A NEW CROP THAT YOU HARVESTED IN
2012, YOU ALSO HAVE TO REPLANT.
ROB: SOUNDS LIKE A VERY SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY; WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE
FOLKS THAT SAY, GOSH DARN, WE SHOULDN'T CUT DOWN A TREE?
RICHARD: WE HAVE MORE TREES NOW THAN WE DID IN THE 1930'S OR THE 20'S,
EVER SINCE THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING DATA ON TREES.
THERE ARE MORE FORESTS OUT THERE; AND, THERE ARE NO MORE ENDANGERED FORESTS
AROUND OTHER THAN, THEY'RE ALREADY DETECTED.
AND YOU KNOW, WE GROW A CROP, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE OUT CUTTING DIFFERENT
TYPES OF TREES.
WE HAVE A CROP THAT WE DO A SUSTAINABILITY ON, AND THAT'S THE CROP THAT WE
WANT, WE KNOW HOW TO GROW IT, WE KNOW HOW TO REPLANT IT, WE KNOW HOW TO HARVEST
IT, AND WE KNOW HOW TO GET A GOOD FINISHED PRODUCT TO THE MARKETPLACE.
ROB: SO EVERYTHING YOU CUT, YOU REPLANT?
RICHARD: THAT'S RIGHT; WE ACTUALLY PLANT MORE TREES THAN WE NEED.
BECAUSE WE THIN ABOUT EVERY 10 YEARS AND WE TAKE THOSE THINNINGS AND WE
SEND THEM ALSO, THERE'S A MARKET FOR THIN TREES AND IT LETS THE OTHER LARGER
TREES GROW UP INTO DIMENSIONAL LUMBER TREES.
BUT WE TAKE THE THINNINGS, USE THE THINNINGS THAT WE PLANT TO UH, FOR EXAMPLE,
LINER BOARD MILL OR MAKE CHIPS OUT OF, THINGS OF THAT SUCH.
ROB: WELL CERTAINLY A FASCINATING INDUSTRY HERE IN THE STATE AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, AND ONE THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T QUITE
APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW?
RICHARD: WELL, WE'RE, OKLAHOMA'S ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE SOUTHERN PINE
BELT AND IT GOES FROM OKLAHOMA ALL THE WAY TO NORTH CAROLINA.
AND THE MAIN TREE THAT IS GROWN DOWN IN THE SOUTH IS LOBLOLLY PINE, SOUTHERN
YELLOW PINE.
AND IN THE NORTHWEST IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TREE, IT'S MAINLY A DOUGLAS FIR.
AND OUR HEADQUARTERS IS BASED OUT OF FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON, AND THAT'S THE
TREE THAT THEY GROW OUT THERE IS A DOUGLAS FIR; WHICH IS A HUGE, LARGE
TREE AND THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE DO.
ROB: WELL, RICHARD, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY AND GOOD LUCK
TO YOU AND THE WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY.
ANDY: NOW ROB CONTINUES HIS CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD CHAPMAN ON OUR
WEBSITE WHERE WE ALSO HAVE A FEATURE ON THE HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA FORESTRY; JUST
GO TO OK HORIZON DOT COM AND CLICK ON THIS WEEK'S VALUE ADDED.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: STILL TO COME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON,
WE TOUR THE OKLAHOMA COUNTRYSIDE.
FEMALE ANNOUNTER: BUT FIRST, IT'S GIRLS, WINE, AND TOURISM.
ANDY BARTH: WELL WHILE FORESTRY IS IMPORTANT TO OKLAHOMA, TOURISM IN THE
SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE IS ALMOST SURPASSING IT.
BUT, NOT ALL OF THE BUSINESS IS LOCAL, 85% OF THE VISITORS COME FROM THE
DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA.
OUR COURTENAY DEHOFF TAKES US TO A BUSINESS WHERE WINE AND TOURISM GO
HAND-IN-HAND.
COURTENAY DEHOFF: THREE BEST FRIENDS AND A COUPLE BOTTLES OF WINE LATER,
THREE BROKEN BOW WOMEN DECIDED TO POUR THEMSELVES INTO THE WINE INDUSTRY.
[NATS]
WITH NO EXPERIENCE AND NOTHING BUT A LOVE FOR GOOD WINE, THEY BECAME
GIRLS GONE WINE.
MICHELLE FINCH: AT THE WORST WE THOUGHT WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF WINE, WE CAN
DRINK THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR, AND WE'LL SIT ON OUR PINK LEATHER SOFA AND
UH.
CHANDRA RICKEY: WATCH SEX AND THE CITY.
MICHELLE: WATCH CHICK FLICKS AND HOPE WE HAVE A CUSTOMER OR TWO.
COURTENAY: MICHELLE FINCH, RHONDA REED, AND CHANDRA RICKEY ARE THE THREE
FRIENDS BEHIND THE STORE THEY SAY IS ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN.
RHONDA REED: IT'S FUN TO COME TO WORK, IT'S FUN, IT'S THE TIME FOR US THREE
TO GET TOGETHER AND IT'S A PLACE FOR GIRLFRIENDS TO MEET.
AND, WE HAVE GIRLS GROUPS COME HERE ALL THE TIME, AND KINDA SCHEDULE THEIR
IMPROMPTU MEETINGS, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
MICHELLE: AND LIKE OUR LABEL SAYS, A PLACE TO, TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, MEET OLD
FRIENDS, AND HAVE FUN.
CHANDRA: IT'S ALL ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING A
GOOD TIME WITH THAT.
MICHELLE: VARIETY.
COURTENAY: FROM THOSE FRIENDSHIPS COME ONE OF A KIND STORIES THAT MAKE ONE
OF A KIND LABELS FOR THEIR UNIQUE WINES.
MICHELLE: THE MOST FUN HAS BEEN, ALMOST ALL OF THE WHOLE, EVERYTHING WE'VE
DECIDED CAME OVER SEVERAL GLASSES OR A GLASS OR TWO OR SEVERAL OF WINE.
OFTEN TIMES AROUND RHONDA'S KITCHEN TABLE; IN THE EARLY DAYS OF WE'RE
GONNA HAVE A RED, OH LET'S HAVE A ROADTRIP RED, AND THEN WE'D MAKE UP THE NAME
OF THAT PARTICULAR WINE.
ALL THE LABELS ARE ARTWORK BY OKLAHOMA'S OFFICIAL CARICATURE ARTIST, TERESA
FARRINGTON, IN POTEAU ANOTHER WOMAN, THAT'S KIND OF OUR THEME.
[LAUGHING]
MICHELLE: SO SHE WOULD SEND UH, SHE WOULD SEND A MESSAGE, WE
WOULD SEND HER AN EMAIL WITH UH, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT IS THE NEXT IDEA AND
WE'D SAY WELL, WE KINDA SEE US IN A CONVERTIBLE, THELMA AND LOUISE STYLE,
SCARVES FLYING, ROADTRIP RED.
CHANDRA: EVERYBODY LOVES OUR LABELS AND THEY ENJOY IT WHEN THE NEW LABEL
COMES OUT.
I THINK THEY'RE AS EXCITED ABOUT THE LABEL AS THEY ARE THE VARIETY OF THE
WINE.
MICHELLE: AND THEY WANT TO KNOW THE STORY BEHIND EACH LABEL TOO.
RHONDA: RIGHT, EVERY, EVERY LABEL HAS A STORY.
COURTENAY: AND WHILE EVERY LABEL HAS A STORY, SO DOES THE WINE INSIDE THE
BOTTLE.
MICHELLE: WE LITERALLY ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND MADE THAT FIRST BATCH;
JUST BAILED OFF INTO IT, SO TO SPEAK.
WE'VE GOT 400 BOTTLES OF WINE, WE HAD WHEN WE OPENED THE DOORS ON APRIL
FOOL'S DAY; AND THEN WE QUICKLY REALIZED WE HAD TO START MAKING MORE.
ABSOLUTELY, MY HUSBAND TERRY'S THE WINEMAKER.
TERRY WALKER: MAKING BEER AND WINE ARE A LOT ALIKE.
RHONDA: HE'S OUR WINE GUY; WINE STUD IS NOW WHAT WE CALL HIM.
CHANDRA: HE WAS THE WINE BOY FIRST; THEN, WE GAVE HIM A PROMOTION TO WINE
STUD.
RHONDA: BUT HE'S THE ONE WHO MARCHED IN THE DOOR AND SAID LADIES, AFTER
JUST PROBABLY A MONTH MAYBE, HE SAID, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE WINE
AND MAKE ALL THE WINE WE CAN MAKE.
AND HE, HE'S REALLY KEPT US AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
MICHELLE: OVER A MILLION TOURISTS A YEAR COME TO THIS AREA OF BROKEN BOW
LAKE, BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK.
SO THEY WERE COMING; WE WEREN'T SURE THEY WOULD COME HERE, BUT WE KNEW
THEY WERE COMING TO THE AREA.
SO WE PUT UP TWO LARGE BILLBOARDS OF GIRLS GONE WINE AND JUST OPENED THE
DOORS AND LITERALLY PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR THAT SOMETHING TO DO AFTER THEY
GET OFF THE LAKE AND OFF THE HIKING TRAILS.
YOU KNOW, ONCE I HEARD AT A TOURISM CONFERENCE IN MISSOURI YEARS AGO, YOU
JUST HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH CASH REGISTERS TO MAKE TOURISTS HAPPY.
TOURISTS COME TO VACATION TO SPEND THEIR MONEY, AND THEY NEED PLENTY OF
PLACES, PLACES TO DO THAT, AND SO WE GAVE 'EM ONE MORE CASH REGISTER.
COURTENAY: AND AS TOURISTS CONTINUE TO POUR INTO THE AREA, WINE ISN'T THE ONLY
THING THESE GIRLS HAVE TO OFFER.
RHONDA: THE GIFT SHOP IS A BIG PART OF THIS; IT'S A SASSY, FUN, GIRLFRIEND'S
GIFT SHOP.
AND PEOPLE DON'T FIND THOSE KIND, THE KINDS OF ITEMS THAT ARE OFFERED IN
THE STORE JUST EVERYWHERE; TO BE A COLLECT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WOMEN TEAR THROUGH
HERE AND JUST, WE FINALLY BOUGHT LITTLE SHOPPING BASKETS 'CAUSE PEOPLE'S
ARMS WERE FULL OF GIFTS.
IT'S BEEN CRAZY.
[LAUGHING]
COURTENAY: ONE CRAZY IDEA THAT TURNED INTO A TOURIST
DESTINATION, ALL ABOUT DRINKING WINE AND HAVING A GOOD TIME.
ANDY: AND OUR CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO GIRLS GONE WINE, THEY WERE
FINALISTS FOR THE OKLAHOMA BEACON AWARD FOR THEIR PHILANTHROPY WORK WITH
EDUACTION AND ANIMAL RESCUE SHELTERS.
NOW WHILE BROKEN BOW'S POPULATION IS JUST OVER 4,000, EACH YEAR MORE THAN
A MILLION TOURISTS VISIT THE AREA.
AND WITH ALL THE NEW VISTORS IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA, THERE IS A
GROWING NEED FOR LODGING.
COURTENAY DEHOFF: NESTLED DEEP IN THE HEART OF BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK,
LOG CABINS DOT THE ROADS SURROUNDING BROKEN BOW; VACATION HOMES FOR SOME,
AND A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANDRA RICKEY AND TERRY WALKER.
TERRY WALKER: THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BEEN POURED INTO OKLAHOMA IN
THE FORM OF THESE CABINS, WE STARTED OUT IN THE EARLY 90'S AND WITH A FEW
SMALL FACILITIES AROUND.
BUT WE'RE UP TO OVER 500 CABINS, AND THESE AREN'T JUST LITTLE FISHERMEN
CABINS, THESE ARE REAL NICE TWO AND THREE BEDROOM VACATION HOMES.
THEY'RE RETIREMENT HOMES FOR MOST OF THESE PEOPLE.
PEOPLE BUILD THESE HOMES AND THEN WE RENT THEM FOR THEM WHEN THEY DON'T WANT
TO USE THEM AND THEN THEY DERIVE REVENUE FROM THAT.
BUT BASICALLY, HELP PAY THE MORTGAGE AND WHEN THEY'RE READY TO RETIRE
THEY'LL HAVE A HOME PAID FOR TO MOVE HERE.
COURTENAY: WALKER SAYS THE CABINS PROVIDE NOT ONLY A VACATION GETAWAY FOR
FAMILIES, BUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS AREA OF THE STATE.
TERRY: IT'S REALLY STIMULATED THE ECONOMY IN OUR AREA, ALL THE
CARPENTERS, ALL THE BUILDERS; OF COURSE, WE RAISE THE TREES RIGHT
HERE.
WE'VE GOT, I COULDN'T GUESS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WORK CLEANING THE
CABINS, MAINTAINING THE CABINS, RENTING THE CABINS.
WE SPEND, OUR COMPANY SPENDS, ABOUT $20,000 A YEAR JUST ADVERTISING THE
CABINS THAT WE MANAGE.
SO IT'S, IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY; JUST THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN TERMS OF
TOURISM THAT WE GENERATED 9 MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR, IT COMPUTES TO ABOUT
56 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR THAT WE PUT INTO THIS ECONOMY RIGHT HERE.
COURTENAY: LOCATED JUST 3 1/2 HOURS FROM FIVE MAJOR CITIES, BEAVERS BEND IS A
THRIVING TOURIST DESTINATION.
TERRY: WE'RE 3 1/2 HOURS FROM EVERYWHERE, SO WE'RE 3 1/2 HOURS FROM
DALLAS-FORT WORTH MARKET, FROM OKLAHOMA CITY, FROM TULSA, FROM LITTLE ROCK,
AND FROM SHREVEPORT.
SO WE'RE RIGHT IN THE CENTER AND THERE'S BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE MOVE INTO THE
DALLAS MARKET IN THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS THAT IT'S REALLY POURED INTO OUR
AREA.
WE'RE JUST PERFECTLY LOCATED.
MALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS NOW PORTABLE.
JUST SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY PODCAST.
VISIT I-TUNES DOT COM WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD OUR SHOW FOR YOUR LISTENING OR
VIEWING CONVENIENCE.
ANDY BARTH: EACH YEAR OKLAHOMA AGRITOURISM HOLDS A BUS TOUR AROUND PART OF
THE STATE, WHICH IS ALWAYS ONE OF OUR FAVORITES HERE AT HORIZON; AND THIS YEAR,
IT WAS MY TURN TO HOP ABOARD.
ANDY: IT'S ALL ABOARD IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA, AS AGRICULTURALISTS BECOME
TOURISTS.
BECCA LASICH IS THE EASTERN REGION AGRITOURSIM COORDINATOR, AND SAYS THE
BUS TOUR IS A NETWORKING HOTBED.
BECCA: THE BUS TOUR IS JUST SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO,
A--NETWORK; I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING.
THEY SIT ON THE BUS, THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER; THEY GET IDEAS.
WE HAVE A GOOD MIX ON THIS TOUR OF BASICALLY EXISTING PRODUCERS WHO ARE ALREADY
WORKING WHO ARE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL AS AGRITOURISM BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE WHO
ARE INTERESTED IN STARTING SOME KIND OF A BUSINESS.
SO THIS GIVES THEM IDEAS, THEY CAN SHARE IDEAS BACK AND FORTH.
IT GIVES THEM A WAY TO GO, JUST GENERATES A LOT OF IDEAS AND A LOT OF
SUPPORT.
THE AGRITOURISM COMMUNITY IS REALLY SUPPORTIVE.
THEY SHARE THEIR IDEAS; THEY WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO SUCCEED.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT MAKES US A REALLY UNIQUE PART OF AGRICULTURE
AND PART OF TOURISM AS WELL.
ANDY: WELL AGRICULTURE IS THE TOP INDUSTRY IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, BUT
FRUIT PRODUCTION DOESN'T RANK HIGH ON THE LIST IN TERMS OF NOTORIETY.
BUT TODAY WE ARE AT THE LIVESAY PEACH ORCHARDS WHERE FRUIT IS ABUNDANT
AND OUR NEXT STOP IS THE STONE BLUFF CELLARS.
OKLAHOMA'S WINE INDUSTRY HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE YEARS.
AFTER THE DUST BOWL ONLY 6 REMAINED IN THE STATE, WHILE TODAY, THERE ARE
MORE THAN 50 ESTABLISHMENTS STATEWIDE.
AND ACCORDING TO STONE BLUFF CELLARS' DEE SELBY, A LARGE PART OF THE
SUCCESS IS.
DEE SELBY: WORD OF MOUTH.
THESE PARTICULAR FOLKS ARE ALL INVOLVED IN AGRITOURISM INDUSTRY.
AND SO IT'S ALSO A GOOD WAY TO SHARE IDEAS AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND SAY
OKAY THIS WORKS FOR US, THIS DOESN'T WORK FOR US.
AND SO THAT'S WHY A TOUR GROUP LIKE THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS SO GOOD BUT TOUR
GROUPS IN GENERAL, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE FOLKS WHO ARE FAIRLY LOCAL
THEY SAY YOU KNOW I NEVER KNEW YOU WERE THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK OUT THERE.
AND THAT JUST HELPS BUSINESS ALL IN ALL.
ANDY: ELAINE FLAMING IS A FELLOW BUSINESS WOMAN IN THE WINE INDUSTRY AND IS A
PARTICIPANT IN THE AGRIBUS TOUR.
ELAINE FLAMING: WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY INTERESTED SINCE THE
BEGINNING WHEN THEY INVENTED OKLAHOMA AGRITOURISM.
AND WE HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED THE ROLLING WORKSHOPS.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S NETWORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE
STATE, SEEING DIFFERENT DIVERSIFICATION THROUGHOUT THE FARMING, RANCHING,
CHRISTMAS TREES, BLUEBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, SO VERY INTERESTING.
ANDY: AND EACH TOUR OFFERS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY.
ELAINE: HEARING THE DIVERSIFICATION AND SEEING ON THE BLACKBERRIES AND
BLUEBERRIES, THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THAT AND THE GRAPE GROWING
THAT WE DO BUT YOU STILL LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DEPTH OF WHAT
CARE THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE TO THEIR BERRY CROP, OR THEIR BLACKBERRY CROP,
AND THE WORK THAT GOES INTO IT, WHICH I WAS NOT AWARE OF.
AND THAT REALLY ENFORCES WHATEVER CROP YOU GO INTO; THERE'S ALWAYS THAT
KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU NEED TO OBTAIN IN ORDER TO COME OUT WITH A QUALITY
PRODUCT.
ANDY: MAKING CONNECTIONS, WHILE ROUNDING THE CORNER TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW FARMING IS A TOUGH CAREER, BUT VITAL FOR OUR NATION AGRITOURISM ALLOWS
THESE FAMILIES TO GENERATE MORE INCOME BY UTILIZING THEIR EXISTING RESOURCES.
AND, AS SOCIETY MOVES FURTHER AWAY FROM THE FARM; IT GIVES PEOPLE THE
CHANCE TO COME BACK TO SEE WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM.
NEXT TIME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, WE'RE GOING TO EXAMINE THE HEALTHCARE
DEBATE WITH FORMER INTEGRIS HEALTH CEO AND NOW AUTHOR, STAN HUPFELD.
STAN HUPFELD: THE PRESIDENT SAID WE SHOULD ONLY PAY FOR WHAT WORKS.
AND IN THAT CASE, HE WAS EXACTLY CORRECT.
BUT TO GET THERE, WE'VE GOT TO GET TO EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE.
ANDY: HEALTHCARE; ON OKLAHOMA'S SHOW FOR THE HEARTLAND, OKLAHOMA
HORIZON.
WELL WE ARE OUT OF TIME FOR TODAY.
I'M ANDY BARTH.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
ROB MCCLENDON WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.
MALE ANNOUNCER: HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, AND
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE, GROW GOOD THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON.