Sustainable Oklahoma

A guide to resources for growing a more sustainable and livable Oklahoma

This page has resources both on and off the internet. I am especially interested in resources for the Local Food Networks section. 243 links and non internet resources on this page. Compiled by Robert Waldrop.

For information about our plans for adapting our”urban homestead” to meet the looming challenges of peak oil, climate instability, and economic irrationality, see Gatewood Urban Homestead, the permaculture design for our home.

Oklahoma Sustainability Network , online access to a growing group of Oklahomans who are finding and publicizing sustainable alternatives. Don’t miss its first ever statewide conference, May 10, 2002, at the OSU OKC campus on North Portland.

Oklahoma Use Less Stuff Campaign , from the Oklahoma Dept. of Environmental Quality, excellent online access to downloadable materials, including a Powerpoint presentation and copies of their brochures.

added February 23, 2002

Cherokee Heritage Center , preserving and promoting Cherokee history and culture.

Briggs Weavers , Using Colonial Era looms brought to Oklahoma in the early 1900’s, this three-generation family of weavers (mother, daughter, and granddaughter) continue to produce intricate, one-of-a-kind blankets, rugs, and wall-hangings from their workshop in Briggs, OK.

Holder’s Herbs , 16287 SE 29th, Choctaw, 405.390.2233. Essential oils, food products, herb crafts and supplies, herbal vinegars (she makes her own herbal products), and live herb plants in season (beginning April 15th). She raises her own plants for sale. I called her up because she is a contact person for the OKC Herb Society, and she was a lot of fun to talk with and the conversation was very interesting.

Wyldewood Cellars Winery , a Kansas elderberry winery, located 9 miles south of Wichita close by Oklahoma, features wines made from blackberries, elderberries, sand plums, and elderflowers. Also jellies, syrups, and elderberry concentrate (which is reputed to have significant natural healing potency. KOTV story about the winery , with lots of info on elderberries.

Margaret Tidwell sells Elderberrry plants from her Eufaula home.Contact her at 918-452-3789.

OSU Ecology Department , classes, degrees, directory, information on ecology projects.

Adopt a Bison , Nature Conservancy program benefitting the bison of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory , access to information, OU project. Clearinghouse for information on rare and endangered plants, animals, and wildlife communities.

Ancient Cross Timbers Project , the Cross Timbers are post oak and blackjack oak old growth forests of great antiquity that cross Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. Has pictures, project summary, maps, bibliography. Thousands of 200 to 500 year old trees survive in eastern Oklahoma, this project is trying to find them and preserve them.

Quilts by Gloria , in Tahlequah. Beautiful work, takes custom orders.

America Meredith , Cherokee visual artist, Norman.

Traditional Cherokee Pottery , website of northeast Oklahoma Cherokee potter Victoria Mitchell Vasquez.

Oklahoma Meat Packing Plants , some of these businesses do custom butchering, and may be able to refer customers to farmers/ranchers with beef to sell for them to process.

Oklahoma Cheese , Oklahoma businesses involved with natural and processed cheese.

Canned fruit and vegetables , Oklahoma processors, but also some small businesses offering home made jellies and etc.

Oklahoma Food Processors and Businesses , from Shop Oklahoma.

Shop Oklahoma , extensive list of Oklahoma links and resources. Oklahoma Manufacturers and Processors , listed by “standard industrial categories”.

OKC Weather ,

Broken Bow , yahoo group focusing on McCurtain County and Broken Bow.

Okie Soapers , a yahoo group discussing soap making.

Oklegislative , An open forum for facts & opinions regarding media reports & legislation that may impact Oklahoma homeschoolers.

Bicycle League of Norman , supporting and encouraging the growth of recreational bicycling in Norman.

Bike Lawton , news and info about bicycling in Lawton and SW Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City Traditional Music Association , listserv about local happenings with dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, penny whistle, concertina.

OCADP , news, info, and discussion about the death penalty in Oklahoma.

Singing School , an old Oklahoma tradition, this group is about a singing school started by RJ Stevens in 1983. The school focuses on the mechanics of congregational song leading while emphasizing the great responsibility that comes with leading a church of God’s children in worship in song. The school meets annually for one week in July in Wilburton, Oklahoma. There are classes on sight singing, lyric writing, and song leading for all levels of ability, as well as classes for women and children.

Oklahoma Traditional Country Dance Association, Lawton , events and discussion about OTCDA in Lawton, SW Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship , Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship is about riding mountain bike trails in Oklahoma. Earthbike is dedicated to maintaining what trails we have and opening new trails in Oklahoma where we can.

Oklahoma Churches , directory of churches in state, by cities.

Colonial Crafters Guild , interested in fiber arts and old time crafts of all kinds, including Felted Hats / Other Felted Items, Braided Rugs, beeswax candle dripping, Soap Making, rug hooking, Needlework, herb vinegars, Tin Punch, woodstove cookery, Weaving, spinning, Quilting. Meets monthly at Canterbury Farm Fibers in Winchester, Oklahoma. Offers classes in weaving, spinning, candle and soap making. They sell a large variety of natural fibers, and also spinning wheels, dyes, and looms.

Oklahoma Living , “advocate of town and country.” Did you know this about Oklahoma? , page of fun facts, including “Oklahoma has 12 distinct ecosystems, only one state has more, Texas, with 13.” See also its online Farm Report , currently featuring news about producer grants for specialty crops and farmer’s markets. Also recipes and quilt patterns. I think this is produced by Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives.

Quilt Patterns , from Oklahoma Living.

Common Oklahoma Native Medicinal Plants , from Oklahoma Living: willow bark, mint, dandelion, echinacea, yarrow.

Oklahoma Organic Gardening Association, Meets the fourth Friday of each month except November and December, 7 PM, OSU Extension Center,. 930 N. Portland, OKC, auditorium on the northside, has nice newsletter, dues are $12/year, POB 75602, OKC, OK 73147.

Oklahoma City Herb Society, meets the first Monday of each month, 7 PN, Will Rogers Garden Center, OKC. Dues are $15/year. Contacts: Rita Holder, 405.390.8513, Glynnda Johnson, 405.524.1000.

Oklahoma Native Plant Society , encouraging the study, protection, propagation, appreciation and use of Oklahoma’s native plants.

Noble Foundation Plant Image Gallery , online color photographs of grasses, flowers, trees, and shrubs. Focus is on the plants of this area, going down into Texas and up into Kansas. They are located in Ardmore.

Robert Bebb Herbarium , at OU, collection of 200,000+ specimens of plants focused on the Great Plains and the Southwest, with 2/3rds of the collection from Oklahoma.

The Plant life of Texas , which has some common points with Oklahoma’s plant life. Lots of info here.

Oklahoma Biological Survey , site of lavish information resources on the plants of Oklahoma. In particular, see Catalog of Woody Plants of Oklahoma , Latin and common name index, photos, detailed descriptions, maps of prevalences; also endangered animals and plants.

Nuyaka Creek Winery , Creek County, native fruit and classic grape wines.

Stone Bluff Cellars , Hasekll. Winery, bed and breakfast.

Oklahoma Agriculture Statistics Service , Access to Oklahoma agricultural statistics by counties.

Restoring the Prairie with Native Seeds , KOTV story about Nature Conservancy efforts to restore native prairies in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Nature Conservancy projects .

StoneBridge Garden Center: Martin Stone, 700 E. Will Rogers Blvd.,Claremore, OK 74017 (918) 341-1228. [email protected] . Source for Oklahoma natives.

Clear Creek Farm and Gardens: Loretta and Kirk Bowers, P.O. Box 89, Peggs, OK 74452. (918) 598-3782. [email protected]. “Native plant nursery featuring eastern Oklahoma trees, shrubs and perennials; butterfly gardens; prairie fields; undisturbed woodlands; springs. More than 125 species of trees, shrubs, vines and perennials are planted in wildlife gardens, butterfly nectar gardens, butterfly host plant gardens, herb and rose gardens, and vegetable gardens.”

Oklahoma Gardening Studio and Headquarters Gardens , on 100 acres west of OSU campus in Stillwater. Headquarters of the Oklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum. 1000 species of herbaceous and woody plants.

Wildscape Demonstration Sites in Oklahoma , lists of places to view examples of wildscaped gardens.

Sunshine Nursery and Arboretum : Steve and Sherry Bieberich, Rt. 1, Box 4030, Clinton, OK 73601. (580) 323-6259. [email protected]. I drove out to Clinton Friday the 22nd of February to visit this nursery and picked up several plants. This nursery is very beautiful, the staff are very helpful, and they have an extensive selection of plants. It was well worth the drive from Oklahoma City. Excellent source for Oklahoma native plants.

Martin Perennial Farm, Inc.: Lillian and Joseph (son) Martin, Rt 2, Box 750, Fort Cobb, OK 73038. 1-800-554-3139. [email protected]. Source for Oklahoma Natives.

Choctaw Crafts and Books, 3 miles south of Durant on Highway 69/85, in the Choctaw Inn, 1.888.932.9199, 1.580.931.9144.

Native American Times , website of Tulsa based paper published twice a month, “Native news at the crossroads of Indian country.” The largest independently owned Indian newspaper in the US of A. Has major Native American links page.

2002 Oklahoma Powwows and Native American Events , huge list. See also Powwows and Events , at the Native American Times.

The Spirit of Accomplishments and Contributions of the American Indian , 30th annual Symposium on the American Indian at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah. April 9 to 13, 2002. (Note, this webpage is for last year’s event, presumably it will be updated shortly for the 2002 meeting.

New Category:

Plants of Interest to Oklahoma Forest Gardeners

Aboriginal Dewberry , Oklahoma native, rambling vine, edible fruit. And Northern Dewberry , trailing vine, edible berries. Oklahoma native. See also Southern Dewberry.

New Jersey tea bush , 3′, Oklahoma native, leaves make a nice non caffein tea. Native American medicinal plant, nitrogen fixer. See also Ceanothus americanus at Plants for a Future.

Clove Currant , flowers smell like cloves, edible fruit.

Common Oklahoma Native Medicinal Plants , from Oklahoma Living: willow bark, mint, dandelion, echinacea, yarrow.

Oklahoma Blackberry , native.

Cherokee Rose , climbing vine, flowers are white or rose colored, yields half inch hips packed with vitamin C. .a/k/a prairie rose. Oklahoma native.

Pasture rose , ascending vine or erect shrub, pink flowers, hips remain on stems late in season, good bee plant. A/k/a Caroline rose. Oklahoma native.

Wild prairie rose , erect shrub, white flowers (May to August), Native Americans cooked young spring shoots, made tea from the flowers and leaves, and ate the large hips. Oklahoma native.

Thimbleberry , low growing shrub or vine, edible berries. Oklahoma native.

Muscadine Grape , purple fruits are pleasantly flavored, used for wine, jelly.

Camas lily , perennial, blue flower, hardy in Oklahoma, produces an edible mild onion flavored bulb..See also Camassia quamash .

Growing strawberries in the home garden , from OSU extension. Also, Blackberry and Raspberry culture for the home garden .

Oklahoma Redbud , understory tree, beautiful flowers (edible), seeds and seed pods are also reputed to be edible (I’m guessing grind the seeds into flour?). One source says it fixes nitrogen, another source says it doesn’t.

Kiwi fruit for Oklahoma , non native, but increasingly popular.

Hoepfner’s Hardy Kiwi Farm, Mike Hoepfner and family grow and sell the hardy kiwi on their farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma. The farm is located 6 miles west of Eufaula on OK Highway 9. Follow signs another 4 miles south. For more information call 918-689-2352.

Oklahoma Wildflowers , great page of pictures, very comprehensive, from OU Biosurvey folks.

Pense Nursery , specializing in small berry plants, including blackberry, raspberry, dewberry, elderberry, boysenberry, gooseberry, currants, blueberries, grapevines. Grown in the mountains of northwest Arkansas. 78 varieties of small fruits, and 30 of grapes (wine and juice and jellies). Mountainburg, Arkansas.

American Elderberry , from Plants for a Future, more info on this useful edible and medicinal perennial.

NOTE: Here are some general permaculture links that explain more about forest gardening. See also Forest Gardening links at the main Better Times info site.

Forest Garden Guilds , a basic explanation of the concept of guilds, which are to forest gardening what companion planting is to annual vegetable crops.

Apple Guild , an example, showing how mutually beneficial plants can be grouped together.

Permaculture techniques for food cultivation , basic list of permaculture concepts and elements, illustrated with photographs.

Constructing the Food Forest Orchard , basic methods and considerations, some examples of plant associations.

Principles of Permaculture : zones, energy cycling, diversity, optimize edge, patterns, multiple elements, natural succession, relative location, multiple functions, sectors, biological resources, elevational planning.

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Energy Conservation

Primary energy consumed in Oklahoma , for the year 1999, from the US Dept. of Energy.

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Growing

Holder’s Herbs , 16287 SE 29th, Choctaw, 405.390.2233. Essential oils, food products, herb crafts and supplies, herbal vinegars (she makes her own herbal products), and live herb plants in season (beginning April 15th). She raises her own plants for sale. I called her up because she is a contact person for the OKC Herb Society, and she was a lot of fun to talk with and the conversation was very interesting.

Margaret Tidwell sells Elderberrry plants from her Eufaula home.Contact her at 918-452-3789.

Oklahoma Organic Gardening Association, Meets the fourth Friday of each month except November and December, 7 PM, OSU Extension Center,. 930 N. Portland, OKC, auditorium on the northside, has nice newsletter, dues are $12/year, POB 75602, OKC, OK 73147.

Oklahoma City Herb Society, meets the first Monday of each month, 7 PN, Will Rogers Garden Center, OKC. Dues are $15/year. Contacts: Rita Holder, 405.390.8513, Glynnda Johnson, 405.524.1000.

Oklahoma Native Plant Society , encouraging the study, protection, propagation, appreciation and use of Oklahoma’s native plants.

Restoring the Prairie with Native Seeds , KOTV story about Nature Conservancy efforts to restore native prairies in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Nature Conservancy projects .

StoneBridge Garden Center: Martin Stone, 700 E. Will Rogers Blvd.,Claremore, OK 74017 (918) 341-1228. [email protected] . Source for Oklahoma natives.

Clear Creek Farm and Gardens: Loretta and Kirk Bowers, P.O. Box 89, Peggs, OK 74452. (918) 598-3782. [email protected]. “Native plant nursery featuring eastern Oklahoma trees, shrubs and perennials; butterfly gardens; prairie fields; undisturbed woodlands; springs. More than 125 species of trees, shrubs, vines and perennials are planted in wildlife gardens, butterfly nectar gardens, butterfly host plant gardens, herb and rose gardens, and vegetable gardens.”

Oklahoma Gardening Studio and Headquarters Gardens , on 100 acres west of OSU campus in Stillwater. Headquarters of the Oklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum. 1000 species of herbaceous and woody plants.

Wildscape Demonstration Sites in Oklahoma , lists of places to view examples of wildscaped gardens.

Sunshine Nursery and Arboretum : Steve and Sherry Bieberich, Rt. 1, Box 4030, Clinton, OK 73601. (580) 323-6259. [email protected]. I drove out to Clinton Friday the 22nd of February to visit this nursery and picked up several plants. This nursery is very beautiful, the staff are very helpful, and they have an extensive selection of plants. It was well worth the drive from Oklahoma City. Excellent source for Oklahoma native plants.

Martin Perennial Farm, Inc.: Lillian and Joseph (son) Martin, Rt 2, Box 750, Fort Cobb, OK 73038. 1-800-554-3139. [email protected]. Source for Oklahoma Natives.

Choctaw Crafts and Books, 3 miles south of Durant on Highway 69/85, in the Choctaw Inn, 1.888.932.9199, 1.580.931.9144.

Noble Foundation Plant Image Gallery , online color photographs of grasses, flowers, trees, and shrubs. Focus is on the plants of this area, going down into Texas and up into Kansas. They are located in Ardmore.

Robert Bebb Herbarium , at OU, collection of 200,000+ specimens of plants focused on the Great Plains and the Southwest, with 2/3rds of the collection from Oklahoma.

The Plant life of Texas , which has some common points with Oklahoma’s plant life. Lots of info here.

Oklahoma Biological Survey , site of lavish information resources on the plants of Oklahoma. In particular, see Catalog of Woody Plants of Oklahoma , Latin and common name index, photos, detailed descriptions, maps of prevalences; also endangered animals and plants.

Tulsa Master Gardeners , training volunteers as a resource to help other gardeners. Has fact sheets and a nice Oklahoma garden calendar , with state-specific suggestions for gardeners each month of the year.

OSU Horticulture tips , organized by month.

Holland Wildflower Farm , POB 328, Elkins, AR 72727
Near Fayetteville, specialize in American native plants with emphasis on
natives of Arkansas and other states in the Ozark region.
501-643-2622 – [email protected]

Wild Ones – Oklahoma Chapter, PO Box 1544, Stillwater, OK 74076
405-372-8335, 466-3930, Natural Landscapers, Ltd., nonprofit education and sharing info on native species and natural landscaping.

Bill Merrell, The Tomato Man with Garlic Breath, sells heirloom tomato, eggplant, green and hot peppers, and various herb plants, April through May; he has heirloom garlic September – October, 9 – 5, no mail order. Founder and director of the annual Garlic is Life symposium and festival in Tulsa (at the OSU Tulsa campus), October 31 – November 3. Find him at 2208 W. 81st St. South, Tulsa, (918) 446-7522. Here’s an online bio of this amazing man, who is currently maintaining 206 heirloom cultivars of garlic! And here’s some on-line garlic growing tips . The co-founders of the Seed Savers Exchange , the major US “central portal” for networking among heirloom variety cultivators, will give the keynote address at this year’s symposium.

Vegetable Production , publications from OSU Cooperative Extension. A treasure trove of info.

Eckroat Seed Company, OKC, offers Oklahoma grown vegetable garden seeds.

Tulsa Garden Center , horticulture education, library, meeting place for gardening and environmental events.

Oklahoma Herb Growers and Marketers Association, POB 700991, Tulsa, OK 74170; 981-481-0464 (note: that’s the phone number given on the listing I found, it should probably be area code 918 rather than 981). Send a SASE for brochure.

Oklahoma Fruit Growers Association. This groups meets once a year (in January) as part of the Arkansas/Oklahoma Horticulture Industries Show. The next meeting is scheduled for January 11-12, 2002 (Friday and Satrurday) at Tulsa Community College. Contact the Tulsa Cooperative Extension office (918-746-3707) in early November for registration information. The Oklahoma Fruit Growers Association also publishes Oklahoma Fruit Review, a quarterly newsletter. For membership contact: Dr. Dean McCraw, OSU Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture 360 Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078. 405-744-5405

Red River Chapter , Native Plant Society of Texas, This chapter includes members in north central Texas and south central Oklahoma. Our mission is the preservation, proliferation, and education of indigenous and endemic plant species. We are part of a larger statewide group, Native Plant Society of Texas. .

Free mulch! Delivered! Courtesy of OG&E and their tree contractor, Asplundh. Call the company at 405-478-0202 for information on how to order. (August 2001 Note: this may be not as good a deal as original thought. We have made two requests over 2 months and have received no delivery.)

Oklahoma Organic Certification Program, Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture, 2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., OKC, 73105, 405-521-3864.

Oklahoma Small Farm Resource Guide , a page at the Small Farm site of the USDA.

Southern Region , Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, includes Oklahoma info plus general info about sustainable agriculture.

Sustainable Pecan Production , from the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas folks. Whut yew need to know. See also Oklahoma Pecan Management , from OSU.

Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association (OPGA) is an educational and advocacy group that gives a voice to Oklahoma’s pecan industry. Membership is $30 per year, which includes a very informative quarterly newsletter, subscription to Pecan South magazine and discounts on registration at the annual OPGA meeting. Held every June, this two-day meeting includes educational talks, a trade show and an excellent “hands-on” field day. To join contact: Don Gray, OPGA treasurer, Route 2, Box 22, Vinita, OK 74301.

Oklahoma Alfalfa , forages, alfalfa production info,

Oklahoma Forages , by Dr. John Caddell, forage agronomist, professor of plant and soil science, OSU, extensive database, including pictures. For example, see Oklahoma Forage Legumes .

Is there a black walnut tree in your future , basic info encouraging sustainable black walnut forestry in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Gardening , online presence of the OETA television series, site has previous show notes.

Oklahoma Organic Gardening Association , since 1977, encouraging organic gardening in Oklahoma,

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Crafting and Making

Oklahoma Steam Threshers Association , the “March of Machines.” Has an annual reunion each year in Pawnee.

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Family

Black Oklahoma , access to Black Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Parent E-network , for parents of children with disabilities residing in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Homeschooling Access , from About.com, “one stop source” for Oklahoma homeschooling info.

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Internet Discussion Groups

Broken Bow , yahoo group focusing on McCurtain County and Broken Bow.

Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship , Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship is about riding mountain bike trails in Oklahoma. Earthbike is dedicated to maintaining what trails we have and opening new trails in Oklahoma where we can.

Okie Soapers , a yahoo group discussing soap making.

Oklegislative , An open forum for facts & opinions regarding media reports & legislation that may impact Oklahoma homeschoolers.

Bicycle League of Norman , supporting and encouraging the growth of recreational bicycling in Norman.

Bike Lawton , news and info about bicycling in Lawton and SW Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City Traditional Music Association , listserv about local happenings with dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, penny whistle, concertina.

OCADP , news, info, and discussion about the death penalty in Oklahoma.

Singing School , an old Oklahoma tradition, this group is about a singing school started by RJ Stevens in 1983. The school focuses on the mechanics of congregational song leading while emphasizing the great responsibility that comes with leading a church of God’s children in worship in song. The school meets annually for one week in July in Wilburton, Oklahoma. There are classes on sight singing, lyric writing, and song leading for all levels of ability, as well as classes for women and children.

Oklahoma Traditional Country Dance Association, Lawton , events and discussion about OTCDA in Lawton, SW Oklahoma.

Cherokee Small Farming , sharing small farm information with Cherokees and others. See Local Food Networks for more activities.

New Okie Pioneers , homesteading, back to the land, in north Texas and Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Greens Discussion , for discussion and communication regarding the Green Party of Oklahoma and various other environmental initiatives.

Oklahoma Greens Announcements , for announcements relating to the Green Party of Oklahoma, only the moderators may post, not a discussion list.

Oklahoma Bale Heads , Oklahomans into strawbale building. Group may hold an Oklahoma strawbale conference later this year.

Retrofit , not an exclusively Oklahoma list, but the moderator is an Okie, for discussion of retrofitting existing structures (like trailer houses) with strawbale walls.

Y2kOk , established during the run-up to y2k, not much discussion lately, but devoted to all aspects of sustainable resilience in Oklahoma communities.

Garden Talk , not an exclusively Oklahoma list, but several Okies participate, and it is owned and moderated by Bonnie the Ranchmama from eastern Oklahoma. Excellent place to find practical gardening info and get answers to questions.

Oklahoma Bicycle Society , discussion group about bicycles in Oklahoma, page says for members only, but its open to everbody apparently.

Oklahoma Home Schooling . Open forum and networking for all aspects of home schooling in Oklahoma.

Okie Soapers , for people interested in soap making.

Oklahoma Sustainability , linking people in Oklahoma working on sustainability/environmental issues.

Okie Goats , discussion about goats in Oklahoma.

Altus Bikers , for those interested in road or mountain biking in the Altus, Oklahoma area.

OK Grapes , discussion about growing grapes, vinyards, and making wine in Oklahoma.

Idabel , public discussion board for events, happenings in Idabel, Oklahoma

Melonheavers , for past and present residents of Rush Springs, Oklahoma.

Cement Oklahoma Folks , for and about.

Eco-OSU , announcement list for OSU environmental organization. Eco-talk , Eco-OSU discussion list.

Hennessey Oklahoma folks , a hometown conversation.

Oklahoma Gardening , focus on decorative and landscape plantings.

Poteau , for home folks and former residents, Poteau has been selected as one of the 100 best small towns in America.

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Them That’s Doin’

America Meredith , Cherokee visual artist, Norman.

Traditional Cherokee Pottery , website of northeast Oklahoma Cherokee potter Victoria Mitchell Vasquez.

Ron’s Cabin , from the Kathy Clark of the Cherokee Nation, a chronicle of the growth of a cabin, plus a Virtual Quilt Tour , Cherokee genealogy, plus links and essays like How we ended up here , a journey from the radical 1960s at Northwestern in Tahlequah through the advent of globalization. Plus music. We should all be so beautifully busy.

Our OKC Forest Garden plant list , chronicling the beginning of our forest garden, garden plan.

New Okie Pioneers , Oklahoma homesteaders going forward!

Weird and unusual things in Oklahoma , fun and folksy page.

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Housing

Construction-grade Strawbales, 14″ x18″ x 36″ heavy string-tied, and a few mini-bales; all $3 from the barn. No trucking from me. Advanced contracting, with 1/3 down, secures supply, otherwise, first come, first served, on a very limited supply. More specs upon request…Mike Skinner, [email protected] , Box 982, Spearman, Texas 79081

Home Ownership Tulsa , city department that encourages home ownership, access to programs to assist low income folks with down payments and closing costs, plus general info for everybody about the home buying process.

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Lawn Care

Treehugger Lawn Care--substantially less polluting electric mowing and more. Call Mark Lewellen in Norman at 405-329-7070.

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Alternative Energy

Bergey Windpower , wind generators made in Oklahoma, 2001 Priestley Ave, Norman, OK 73069, 405-364-4212.

Energy Guide for Oklahoma Consumers , pdf file, on the importance of energy conservation and the potential for alternative energy in Oklahoma. 10-19-2001

Homestead School , in far northeast Oklahoma City, a sustainable alternative energy homestead which offers regular workshops about alternative energy and sustainable living.

Oklahoma Windpower Assessment Initiative , “stimulating economic development through wind power production in Oklahoma. A joint project of OU and OSU.

Renewable Energy Businesses in Oklahoma , directory listing.

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Schools, workshops, libraries, demonstration projects

Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory , access to information, OU project. Clearinghouse for information on rare and endangered plants, animals, and wildlife communities.

Ancient Cross Timbers Project , the Cross Timbers are post oak and blackjack oak old growth forests of great antiquity that cross Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. Has pictures, project summary, maps, bibliography. Thousands of 200 to 500 year old trees survive in eastern Oklahoma, this project is trying to find them and preserve them.

OSU Ecology Department , classes, degrees, directory, information on ecology projects.

Oklahoma Association for Environmental Education , resources and events for environmental educators.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Environment , academic program at OU.

OSU OKC Calendar of Events , relating to agriculture and horticulture.

Oklahoma 4-H program , Head, Heart, Hands, Health, and the fifth H is HOPE. Yours truly is an alumnus of the Loyal 4 H club in Tillman County, Oklahoma and learned to speak in public at 4 H speech contests and how to explain something at the demonstration contests.

Harn Homestead , located at 313 NE 13th in Oklahoma City, an 1889 homestead, has an heirloom herb garden, 1900 working farm, 1890 Shepherd house, and 1897 one room school.

Metropolitan Public Library System , Oklahoma County

Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture , Poteau, working farm, research, demonstration projects, on-line information. On-line library and links.

Overstreet Kerr Historical Farm , showing casing late 19th and early 20th century farm life and technology. Preserves heirloom livestock and plants. Near Keota.

Homestead School , in far northeast Oklahoma City, a sustainable alternative energy homestead which offers regular workshops about alternative energy and sustainable living.

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Animals

Free to Live , no-kill animal shelter in Edmond.

Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association , online newsletters, pictures, breeder and related businesses directory, lots of links to national draft horse and mule sites.

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Transportation

Go Metro , Central Oklahoma Transportation Authority, bus and trolley schedules for the OKC area.

Oklahoma Bicycle Society , weekly ride, annual tours, monthly meetings,

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Enterprise

Shop Oklahoma , extensive list of Oklahoma links and resources. Oklahoma Manufacturers and Processors , listed by “standard industrial categories”.

Earth Elements Organic Farm , Lexington, OK. A certified organic farm manufacturing personal care products from crops grown on the farm.

Made in Oklahoma , Oklahoma Dept of Ag site.

Oklahoma Home Based Business Association , non-profit offering helps and resources for home-based and emerging businesses.

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Miscellaneous

Oklahoma Sustainability Network , online access to a growing group of Oklahomans who are finding and publicizing sustainable alternatives. Don’t miss its first ever statewide conference, May 10, 2002, at the OSU OKC campus on North Portland.

Oklahoma Use Less Stuff Campaign , from the Oklahoma Dept. of Environmental Quality, excellent online access to downloadable materials, including a Powerpoint presentation and copies of their brochures.

Oklahoma Agriculture Statistics Service , Access to Oklahoma agricultural statistics by counties.

Adopt a Bison , Nature Conservancy program benefitting the bison of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

Oklahoma Churches , directory of churches in state, by cities.

OKC Weather ,

Oklahoma World Wide Web resources , page of links to all things Oklahoma, especially government and education.

Oklahoma Living , “advocate of town and country.” Did you know this about Oklahoma? , page of fun facts, including “Oklahoma has 12 distinct ecosystems, only one state has more, Texas, with 13.” See also its online Farm Report , currently featuring news about producer grants for specialty crops and farmer’s markets. Also recipes and quilt patterns. I think this is produced by Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives.

Oklahoma City , the About.com guide, lots of listings of organizations, churches, events, etc.

Spatial and Environmental Information Clearing House , from OSU, major access to primary Oklahoma data (maps, census data, etc.)

Oklahoma weather and climate links , from the state Dept of Libraries.

Libraries , access to Oklahoma libraries.

Tulsa , the About.com guide, see their series, Alternative Grocery Guide .

SurfOK , Oklahoma internet portal and link directory. Lots of interesting links.

Cherokee Nation

Oklahoma FAQS , interesting, amusing.

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Arts and Music

Paseo Artists District . Oklahoma City, annual festival, artists, music, food.

Oklahoma Bluegrass Club , monthly jams in Midwest City.

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Fabric Arts

Quilts by Gloria , in Tahlequah. Beautiful work, takes custom orders.

Briggs Weavers , Using Colonial Era looms brought to Oklahoma in the early 1900’s, this three-generation family of weavers (mother, daughter, and granddaughter) continue to produce intricate, one-of-a-kind blankets, rugs, and wall-hangings from their workshop in Briggs, OK.

Colonial Crafters Guild , interested in fiber arts and old time crafts of all kinds, including Felted Hats / Other Felted Items, Braided Rugs, beeswax candle dripping, Soap Making, rug hooking, Needlework, herb vinegars, Tin Punch, woodstove cookery, Weaving, spinning, Quilting. Meets monthly at Canterbury Farm Fibers in Winchester, Oklahoma. Offers classes in weaving, spinning, candle and soap making. They sell a large variety of natural fibers, and also spinning wheels, dyes, and looms.

Quilt Patterns , from Oklahoma Living.

The Stitching Post, 5928 NW 16th in OKC (just west of MacArthur). spinning, weaving, quilting,
knitting and sewing machines, 405- 495-4699.

Arklahoma Machine Embroidery Group , discussion listserv interested in machine embroidery.

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State and County Extension Offices

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension , great place for information, on gardening, canning, home economic activities, horticulture, farming. County extension office list | Pete’s Electronic Archive and Resource Library (Pearl).

Beaver County Extension Office

Bryan County Extension , Durant, Oklahoma.

Comanche County Extension , Lawton, Oklahoma

Custer County Extension , Arapaho

Tulsa County Extension , learn how to start a home-based business, plan nutritious meals, reduce sugar and fat content in your diet, gardening.

Oklahoma County Extension , 930 N. Portland, 4-H, Master Gardener program (classes, on-line info, telephone advice), weekly farmers market, online free newsletter Horticulture in Oklahoma County (which is not an “organic” publication, but still has valuable tips and advice about local conditions).. Calendar of Oklahoma garden events .

Pittsburg County Extension , “we teach skills for living.”

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Festivals

Third Annual Garlic is Life symposium and festival in Tulsa (at the OSU Tulsa campus), October 31 – November 3. The co-founders of the Seed Savers Exchange , the major US “central portal” for networking among heirloom variety cultivators, will give the keynote address at this year’s symposium, many other garlic luminaries will be there too. .

Amish Auction, Clarita, Oklahoma, September 8th.

Oklahoma State Fair , the grandaddy of Oklahoma festivals. Tulsa State Fair .

Global Oklahoma , at Rose State College in Midwest City, a celebration of world cultures.

Red Earth , Oklahoma City, a celebration of Native America.

Guthrie Jazz Banjo Festival, May 25-27, 2001, a top 100 US festival event, 1-800-.652-2656

Fall Farm Fest , at the Overstreet-Kerr historical farm near Keota, second Saturday of October, demonstrations of 100 year old farming activities,

Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival , October, Guthrie, an America’s top 100 event.

Bluegrass Music Festivals , national list, scroll down to the Oklahoma section.

Oklahoma / Arkansas Horticulture Industries Show (HIS) is a two-day educational extravaganza held at alternating sites. Scheduled for January 11-12, 2002 at Tulsa Community College, contact Sue Gray (918-746-3717) in early November 2000 for details. This two-day meeting is a combined annual meeting of the following Oklahoma organizations: fruit growers, vegetable growers, herb growers, grape growers and winemakers, farmers market, and sustainable agriculture. Beginning in 1998 HIS also teamed up with the Arkansas State Horticulture Society. This joint meeting alternates locations between Tulsa and Springdale, Arkansas.

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Local Food networks

Oklahoma Food Cooperative easy access to Oklahoma produced foods.

Wyldewood Cellars Winery , a Kansas elderberry winery, located 9 miles south of Wichita close by Oklahoma, features wines made from blackberries, elderberries, sand plums, and elderflowers. Also jellies, syrups, and elderberry concentrate (which is reputed to have significant natural healing potency. KOTV story about the winery , with lots of info on elderberries.

Nuyaka Creek Winery , Creek County, native fruit and classic grape wines.

Stone Bluff Cellars , Hasekll. Winery, bed and breakfast.

Oklahoma Meat Packing Plants , some of these businesses do custom butchering, and may be able to refer customers to farmers/ranchers with beef to sell for them to process.

Oklahoma Cheese , Oklahoma businesses involved with natural and processed cheese.

Canned fruit and vegetables , Oklahoma processors, but also some small businesses offering home made jellies and etc.

Oklahoma Food Processors and Businesses , from Shop Oklahoma.

Ozark Cooperative Warehouse , in Fayetteville, AR, but has buying clubs throughout Oklahoma with regular in-state deliveries via their own trucks. Distributor of organic and natural products. Contact them for the phone number of buying clubs in your city or county.

Oklahoma Farmers Markets , list of 26 Oklahoma farmers markets, with contact info.

Oklahoma stores that carry organic meat , some locally grown.

Oklahoma fruit and vegetable growers ,has listings by county , also certified organic growers , and another list of Oklahoma farmers’ markets . Has a form to submit your own operation.

OSU-Oklahoma City Farmers’ Market , 400 N. Portland, Wednesdays and Saturdays. AFAIK they don’t have a website, but here’s the About.com article about the OKC farmer’s market.

Heartland Share , “Self Help and Resource Exchange,” local monthly food co-op buy. Each basic monthly SHARE package costs $16, plus 2 hours of voluntary service at the charity of your choice. The contents will vary from month to month, depending on what the buyers have been able to find, but it is always high quality food. Typically you would get something like: chicken thighs, chicken breasts, hamburger, bacon, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, aples, grape,s grapefruit, red pears, cheese, fudge brownie mix. You can order as many SHARES as you want, and often each month there is a supplemental meat package that can be added for $8.50 plus one additional hour of volunteer service. They take food stamps. You sign up and pay for your SHARE early in the month at a “SHARE site” (churches, schools, clubs in various areas of the state), and the food is delivered 2-3 weeks later. There is at least one SHARE host site in just about every Oklahoma county, and some like Tulsa and Oklahoma City have several.

Cherokee Small Farm Project , meets most any week on Wednesdays 10 a.m., Restaurant of the Cherokees in Tahlequah, you can pre-order fresh raw and toasted almonds, free range chicken eggs and get in on a free seedling (Cherokee Tomatoes, Basil, Gourds) exchange there or sample some dried peach chips, etc. Or put the word up on the webboard there for stuff you want, and if one of us is growing it or knows who is, they will reply to you.

Watonga Cheese Factory , making cheese since 1940,

OKC Community Gardening Association

Kendall-Whittier Community Garden, Tulsa

Someplace Else Bakery and Sandwich shop, a full range of baked goods produced on site, French bread, whole wheat, rye, white, cinnamon rolls, hoagie rolls. NW 23rd and Western, OKC.

Ethnic markets in Tulsa , from About.com

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Politics and Resistance

Oklahoma Sustainability Network , online access to a growing group of Oklahomans who are finding and publicizing sustainable alternatives. Don’t miss its first ever statewide conference, May 10, 2002, at the OSU OKC campus on North Portland.

Oklahoma Use Less Stuff Campaign , from the Oklahoma Dept. of Environmental Quality, excellent online access to downloadable materials, including a Powerpoint presentation and copies of their brochures.

Cherokee Heritage Center , preserving and promoting Cherokee history and culture.

Native American Times , website of Tulsa based paper published twice a month, “Native news at the crossroads of Indian country.” The largest independently owned Indian newspaper in the US of A. Has major Native American links page.

2002 Oklahoma Powwows and Native American Events , huge list. See also Powwows and Events , at the Native American Times.

The Spirit of Accomplishments and Contributions of the American Indian , 30th annual Symposium on the American Indian at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah. April 9 to 13, 2002. (Note, this webpage is for last year’s event, presumably it will be updated shortly for the 2002 meeting.

Intertribal Wordpath Society , dedicating to preserving, teaching, and encouraging the use of Oklahoma’s tribal languages.

Oklahoma residents oppose water sale to Texas , the Southern Oklahoma Water Alliance has been formed to oppose the proposed sale of huge amounts of Oklahoma water to Texas.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful , good news about good works, encouraging, promoting, assisting individual and group efforts towards beautification and preservation of Oklahoma’s environment.

ONG Sucks , exposing ONG/ONEOK corporation machinations.

Will record revenues produce record deaths? In memory of Bernice Watts, 86 years old, who died of heat exhaustion after OGE cut off her electricity in July 2001.

Green parties of Oklahoma , online access.

Letters & Documents regarding ONG’s heartless treatment of the poor , chronicling our efforts to get ONG to be better behaved, beginning in December 1999. ONG update , from the June 2000 OKC Catholic Worker.

Corporate Hogs at the Public Trough , a study of Seaboard Farms in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Institute for a Viable future , studies of the net energy of nuclear power.

Oklahoma Sierra Club , leading the fight against Confined Animal Feeding Operations in Oklahoma.

South Central Oklahoma Environmental Justice Resource Center , located at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, offers workshops, extensive library resources,

Oklahoma factory farm project resources , working to eliminate “factory farming” in favor of a sustainable agriculture system.

Oklahoma Native America , links to Oklahoma tribes.

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A meta-list of sustainable technologies for Okies |

1. Rainwater collection systems (gutters and cisterns)
2. clothes line
3. wash tub and scrub board
4. solar small battery chargers and rechargeable batteries
5. urban agriculture, including (6) indoor growing, (7) container growing, (8) “square foot gardening”, (9) de-paving, (10) greenhouses, (11) cold frames, (12) hydroponics, (13) seed saving, (14) non-hybrid heirloom varieties, (15) composting systems (piles, bins, worms)
16. Siphon hose
17. water wheel
18. windmill
19. bicycle
20. cart
21. Hand pump (water and air)
22. passive and active solar water and space heating
23. hand tools
24. hand looms and spinning wheels
25. acoustical instruments (from tracker pipe organs to violins,
banjos, tin whistles, snare drums, and all points between.)
26. pressure cooker
27. boiling water bath canner
28. mason jars and lids
29. Solar dehydrators
30. clothes line
31. board games
32. playing cards
33. ice houses
34. ice boxes
35. non-refrigerated air conditioning
36. chicken coop
37. rabbit hutch
38. aquaculture
39. permaculture
40. orchards
41. wood lots
42. steam engines
43. distillation of alcohol (both methanol and ethanol)
44. wine-making
45. yeast-growing
46. companion planting
47. Cast iron cookware
48. ax, sledgehammer and wedge
49. strawbale housing
50. cob construction techniques
56. earth-sheltered housing
57. mixed-use neighborhoods
58. cooperatives and microenterprise.
59. Recycling, reusing
60. rolling pins, sifter
61. Threshing machine,
62. Grain mill, meat, nut, coffee, spice grinders
63. Tortilla press/roller
64. Outdoor ovens
65. Pottery wheel
66. Potters kiln.
67. Dye-pot and dye plants
68. Eating with the season.
69. Home, neighborhood, community, and regional food production,
processing and distribution.
70. Quilting frame
71. co-intelligent group processes, including (72) precinct community assembly/discussion circles, (73) neighborhood friendship net/web
74. Non-electric crockpot/hotpot cookers, dutch ovens, solar ovens.
75. Wheelbarrow
76. Public transportation
77. Local money
78. Extended families living together or in close proximity (families by birth, necessity, or choice), elders staying living as part of the family.
79. Strong bonds and connections within the local geographical community, transcending divisions race, ethnicity, religion, world-view, or class.
80. Natural family planning.
81. Schools, including (82) community, (83) religious, (84) vocational/practical, (85) great universities,
86. Wellness systems (health care as it should be)
87. Woodburning stoves
88. Choirs
89. Poetry readings
90. Books and bookmaking
91. Papermaking
92. Ink-making
93. Printing
94. Libraries and reading rooms, including (95) community, (96) religious, (97) “storehouses of knowledge” e.g. great university, (98) “world view”.
99. Leather-crafting, including (100) shoe and sandal making
100. Hand sewing
101. Methane digester
102. Producer gas generator
103. Soap-making
104. Flower arranging (fresh and dried)
105. Newspapers
106. Painting, jewelry making, natural cosmetics, perfume and incense making,
107. Live theater, acting troupes, musical ensembles, opera, bands, orchestras
108. Wells
109. Chalkboards
110. Bulletin board
111. Chimney and stove pipe
112. Nets and bags
113. Baskets and basketmaking
114. Cabinet and furniture making
115. Railroads (steam, electric, or soybean oil)
116. Small towns and communities
117. Singing, song-writing, composing, musical notation
118. Writing.
119. Organic farming
120. Natural fiber ropes and cords
121. Oil presses/expellers
122. Scarecrow
123. Geodesic domes
124. Calendars
125. Mathematics
126. Window screens
127. Fishing poles and reels
128. Bucket
129. Pulley
130. Hand crank pasta maker
131. Steamer
132. Juicer
133. Mortar and pestle
134. Sharpening stone
135. Scissors
Better Times Home

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Robert Waldrop