December 2006 Show Archives

Growing Up Grapes

Oklahoma soil and climate is as condusive to growing grapes as the celebrated wine country of California.

Slaughterville Wine Festival

Since the first winery opened in Slaughterville in the year 2000, tax receipts for the city have risen by close to seventy percent.

FarmART Festival

In Eastern Oklahoma, a group of ag producers have come together to attract visitors to the Lake Eufaula area.

Wine Marketing

Small wineries are important to our rural economies. Not only do they generate capital investment, they create jobs, spur tourism, and advance farmland protection. We visit with three different owners of wineries about why they do what they do.

Final Thoughts

Rob gives his thoughts on today's show.

Forestry Overview

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 terrain, our state is as diverse as any in the Nation.

Forestry by the Numbers

When in comes to Oklahoma's woodlands, the latest figures show close to eleven thousand people are employed by Oklahoma's timber and paper industry, with a payroll of over a quarter of a billion dollars.

Talking Trees

From hunting leases to hiking trails, one area that continues to grow in popularity is forest recreation.

Forest Heritage

Each year some sixty million cubic feet of lumber is harvested in McCurtain County, home of Beavers Bend State Park.

Value Added (1 of 2)--Forest Heritage

Through Oklahoma's forest regeneration program, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry makes sure our forest lands are sustainable.

Wood Turner

Oklahoma's forest lands also offer many intangible benefits such as oxygen production and pollution filtration. And it's that environmental education that one Oklahoman hopes to pass on to the next generation by working with wood.

Weatherization

With our first blast of wintery weather, most of us have the luxury of just turning up the heat, but for Oklahoma's three hundred thousand low-income families, it can also become a time of desperation.

Shooting Sports

Outdoor sports have long been popular in Oklahoma and a new program is helping students become better marksmen...and markswomen.

Value Added (2 of 2)--Shooting Sports How-To

Learn more about the Shooting Sports program and how you can get the curriculum into your local school.

Final Thoughts

Rob shares his views on today's show.

Grow OK

Oklahoma has always been a leader in the energy industry, from the early wildcatters to the oil boom of the 1980s, our abundance of oil and natural gas has had tremendous impact on our economy.

National Security

Conversation with former Director of the CIA, James Woolsey, about our energy needs and it's impact on our National security.

Value Added (1 of 2)--Terrorism and Fuel Supply

Our continued conversation with James Woolsey about our energy needs and it's impact on our National security.

Biofuel Economics

In 2007, Congress will be in the midst of writing a new farm bill. Legislation many believe will greatly increase funding for bio-based energy. And it's an investment that could pay off big for rural America.

Switchgrass

Oklahoma is leading the Nation in developing biomass crops, which many believe is the true answer to our country's energy needs.

Conservation

Tinker Air Force Base is one step closer in reducing it's dependence on foreign oils by using alternative fuels in military vehicles. It's a commitment to energy independence, one fuel tank at a time.

Fast Food Fuel

When it comes to conserving energy, every little bit helps. Which is why the University of Central Oklahoma is fueling it's fleet of vehicles with help from university restaurants.

Email: Univeristy of Central Oklahoma Motor Pool

Phone: 405-974-2925

Value Added (2 of 2)--Biodiesel How-To

See how the University of Central Oklahoma makes their own biodiesel

Final Thoughts

Rob shares his views on today's show.