Country Lifestyle
May 2017 Profile: Terry Stuart Forst
By Laci Jones
Fire engulfed thousands of acres of land across Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma in early March. Ranchers risked everything to try to save their animals as their livelihoods went up in flames.
“It’s devastating,” Forst explained. “It’s us. I know it is hard for people who don’t make their living off the cows and grass to totally understand. For those of us who do, we are right there with them.”
The recent devastation hit home for Forst as she has spent more than 40 years in the industry, nurturing the land her ancestors bestowed to her.
(Courtesy of Stuart Ranch)
History of Stuart Ranch
For nearly 150 years, Stuart Ranch has faced droughts, flooding, tornadoes and have persevered. The ranch was founded by Forst’s great-great grandfather, Robert Clay Freeny. In 1838, Robert Freeny traveled to Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory and married Sarah “Sallie” Ellis.
The couple, along with their 13-year-old son, Robert “Clay” Freeny, Jr., settled 14 miles west of Atoka in Boggy Depot in 1868. During that time, the family raised cotton, oats and corn.
“Cotton was huge back in that area across the Highway 70 corridor,” Forst said. “I had always been told they traded a lot of horses and mules to the U.S. Army.”
Before her death in 1868, Sarah Ellis Freeny gave birth to 12 children. That same year, Robert Freeny moved the family to Caddo before relocating north of what was once known as the Redlands in Blue County, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. Clay Freeny took over the operation after Robert Freeny died in 1878.
Clay Freeny, also known as Judge Freeny, continued to farm as well as raise cattle, horses and mules. He was named the County and Probate Judge of Blue County, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. After the death of his wife, Mary Beck in 1894, he married Josephene Baxter.
At the turn of the century, Carrie “Ida” Freeny was born to Judge Freeny and Baxter. She attended the Tuskahoma Choctaw School for Girls and later married Robert Terry Stuart, the son of a cattle rancher, in 1931.
(Courtesy of Stuart Ranch)
After working with the Pacific Mutual Insurance Company and the American Home Life Insurance Company in Fort Worth, R.T. Stuart purchased the Mid-Continent Insurance Company in Muskogee, Okla., in 1916. He relocated the company to Oklahoma City, where he and Ida Freeny Stuart resided and operated the ranch.
R.T. Stuart focused on improving the cattle operation, introducing Hereford cattle to the ranch. Two years after they were married, Robert Terry “Bob” Stuart, Jr., was born. Bob Stuart later took over the operation in 1950, where he focused on improving the horse operation by purchasing the ranch’s first Quarter Horse in the ‘40s.
Bob Stuart purchased a stallion named Big Shot Dun from 3-D Stock Farm, a part of the Waggoner Ranch, in 1949. Progeny bred to Son O Leo, purchased in 1961, proved to be a successful match.
The Terry Stuart Forst Era
Forst was born in Oklahoma City in 1954. Forst inherited her father’s passion for horses, riding every chance she could get. While Bob Stuart was supportive of his daughter’s passion for showing horses, he pushed her to find her own path. Forst showed in the American Quarter Horse Association Youth classes.
“I struggled, fumbled and showed up,” Forst explained. “I think my friends thought I was great because I was the ‘class filler.’ I wasn’t ever going to beat anybody, which was fine.”
Forst continued to show horses in the AQHA shows after she turned 18, enrolling at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., bringing horses along. Forst pursued a bachelor’s degree in animal science.
The university helped Forst develop relationships that have lasted for decades. After graduating in 1976, she returned to the ranch and helped her father with the horse program. The OSU alumna said she had the intention of returning to the ranch after graduation. Her goal was to prepare herself for her role on the ranch.
“That is all I ever wanted,” she added. “I never wanted to go anywhere else, but I wanted to do a good job for him. That was important to me.”
When asked what her father taught her, she laughed and said her dad “threw me to the wolves,” but in a good way.
“I learned a lot on my own, but I learned things because of either questions he would ask or questions I would have about the way he was doing things,” the rancher said.
After returning to the ranch, the father-daughter duo enhanced the horse program, later earning the AQHA Best of Remuda award in 1995. Due to conflicting visions for the ranch, Forst left Stuart Ranch in 1989 and worked for a real estate broker.
“I really wasn’t sure if I would go back to the ranch, but I wanted to stay in agriculture and in this business.”
With two young boys to raise, Forst was accepted in the Texas Christian University’s ranch management program. The program was a stepping stone for Forst. She had her real estate license and wanted to become a rural appraiser.
Forst was preparing to start her own business when Bob Stuart called and asked her to take a look at a piece of property. The property was one of the few continuous operations in Oklahoma, where the land is not separated by roads or fences, which peaked Bob Stuart’s interest. She visited the property and prepared a management plan. When she presented the plan to him, he asked her to execute the plan.
“We made a deal where I had to get him profitable within a certain period of time, or I was going to leave,” Forst explained. “I had a job and if I couldn’t do it, then I wasn’t the one he needed to do it.”
They purchased the 11,000 acres east of Waurika, Okla., in 1992. She hired her TCU colleague, Jay Adcock to help put the ranch together as far as cattle and fencing. While it was a monumental task, Forst followed the management plan and succeeded while she and her family were still living in Caddo, Okla., at the time.
Soon after, Forst moved the family to Waurika, Okla., and took over the operation as ranch manager. The ranch manager said when she took over, she had goals for the ranch and a deadline to reach them.
Preparing for the Worst
She continued to learn and enrolled in courses at Kansas State University, read literature and exposed herself to new ideas. To this day, the ranch manager considers herself “a sponge” when it comes to range management. Forst has worked with her crew to understand more about grazing within the last five years.
“There’s always been a limiting factor—water,” Forst explained. “There is no groundwater here, only surface water. When you are surface water dependent, it changes the dynamic of a lot of things.”
While the ranch always prepares for the worst, the drought of 2011 was monumental. From one extreme to another, she said 2014 and 2015 saw massive amounts of rain. The ranch has faced weather challenges throughout the past few years, but Forst said those are situations they must manage.
Allocating money each year toward water development is an integral part of the budget because they understand how critical it is. This year, she plans to increase distribution to become more efficient. Forst has worked with her crew in implementing these changes.
“The crew has been really receptive,” she said. “You can’t do things by yourself with people who are better than you at a lot of things and strive to be the best they can be. I’ve got a crew like that.”
Future Generations
“A family operation is one of the most difficult operations to be a part of, but it is also the most rewarding,” Forst explained. “To know you are able to carry on a legacy that started 150 years ago, and know that you have been entrusted to make sure you hold it together, I don’t take that lightly.”
While the responsibility can be daunting at times, Forst has tried to prepare the next generation to take the reins. The mother of two has turned many sections of the operation over to the next generation, her sons Robert and Clay Forst.
“I think it is more advantageous for them to make mistakes while I can help them through it,” she added. “They have done a wonderful job and have worked hard their whole lives.”
Both Robert and Clay understand learning is an ongoing process. Forst said ranching will only continue to get more difficult as society finds themselves further removed from agriculture. The rancher said a rancher needs to be resilient, dedicated and have faith to be successful.
“I think you have to have a tremendous faith in God,” the rancher stated. “You see that evident every day. We are just stewards.”
Stuart Ranch by the Numbers
Knowing if the ranch does not move forward, it will move backwards, Forst has made it her mission to evolve. Today, the ranch consists of 45,000 acres of land.
“Our pastures are in good shape,” Forst explained. “This year’s prescribed burn was the best in 30 years.”
The ranch incorporated a no-till method in their operation. Thinking long-term, Forst said she hopes to increase soil fertility and cease using fertilizer 15 years from now.
Forst’s grandfather, R.T. Stuart, started with Herefords, but today they have Hereford and Angus cattle. The black baldie is their super cow—making up about 60 percent of the herd. While the cow herd number is down to 1,600 head, they plan to build their numbers this year.
“A goal for us is to be better next year than we were this year,” she added. “We sold heifers when the market was good, so now is when we want to start building the herd more than anything.”
Selling many of their replacement heifers has helped the rancher focus on improving herd genetics by developing an efficient and productive cow. Along with their cow/calf herd, the ranch also specializes in stocker cattle. The steers do well in the feedlot, according to Forst.
Stuart Ranch has also expanded on their horse operation with approximately 150 head of horses. Each day, they train, promote and show their quarter horses. Forst said they are looking forward to the 2017 Snaffle Bit Futurity, which will take place in Ft. Worth, Texas, this October.
“Because of the proximity, people can come and look at our horses,” she added. “We wanted to be in a good position to have horses for sale.”
Forst is considering opening a small horse rehabilitation facility on the ranch in the future as well. She saw a need for the facility in the area for other horse owners to use. She hoped new additions to the ranch will enhance their horse operation.
“We have diversified and evolved from our roots and traditions,” Forst explained. “Those things are important to us and we highly value our legacy and what we have been entrusted with and hope to continue in a profitable fashion.”
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Oklahoma Farm & Ranch.
By Ann Asher
The first cool evenings of September make sitting outside sound good again. After months of Oklahoma heat, a fire pit, a few chairs and an evening outdoors can finally feel inviting.
Before you strike the match, take a few minutes to make sure your fire pit area is ready for fall.
Start with location. Set a fire pit on a level, noncombustible surface such as concrete, brick or patio blocks, not directly on dry grass or other vegetation. The National Fire Protection Association recommends keeping fire pits at least 10 feet from anything that can burn, including decks, siding, fences, overhanging branches and outdoor structures.
That distance matters even more after a dry summer. Even when evenings cool down, dormant grass, fallen leaves and other dry vegetation can catch a spark fast. Clear leaves, sticks and other debris from around the pit before you use it, and skip the fire on windy evenings.
Check whether your county or town has burn restrictions in place. Drought can linger well into fall, and local rules may change with fire danger. A fire that was fine one weekend may be a bad idea the next if conditions have worsened.
For wood-burning pits, use clean, dry, seasoned firewood. Don’t burn trash, treated lumber or painted wood. Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start or relight a fire. Commercial fire starters or ordinary kindling are much safer.
Once the fire is going, keep it manageable. A backyard fire pit doesn’t need to become a bonfire to keep you warm. Smaller fires are easier to control, throw fewer embers and are much easier to put out at the end of the evening.
Keep children and pets well away from the pit, and set chairs far enough back that no one sits directly over the heat or in the path of sparks. The NFPA recommends a three-foot child-free zone around the fire.
Look at what else is nearby before everyone settles in. Blankets, loose clothing, outdoor cushions and even the stack of firewood beside the pit can become hazards if they sit too close.
Keep a way to put out the fire within reach. A garden hose, a bucket of water or a shovel and dirt can all work, depending on your fire pit. Never leave a fire unattended, even if it seems to be dying down.
When the evening is over, make sure the fire is completely out. For a wood fire, water the coals, stir them and water them again until no heat, glow or flame remains. Let ashes cool completely, then store them in a metal container with a secure lid, away from anything that can burn.
A fire pit doesn’t need much to become one of the best parts of fall. A safe spot, a little preparation and a manageable fire are usually all it takes. Then all that’s left is finding a comfortable chair and enjoying an Oklahoma evening that is finally cool enough to stay outside.
By NTFR Staff
It seems to happen every summer. The garden suddenly produces more tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans than anyone could possibly eat, and before long someone asks, “Maybe I should learn to can?”
For many families, canning is a tradition passed down for generations. For others, it’s a new hobby that offers the satisfaction of stocking pantry shelves with homegrown food. Either way, getting started can feel overwhelming. Pressure canners, boiling water baths, jars, lids, processing times and safety recommendations are enough to make anyone wonder where to begin.
Home canning isn’t difficult once you understand the basics.
Canning preserves food in sealed jars by heating them to destroy microorganisms and create a vacuum seal. The USDA approves only two methods for home canning: boiling water bath canning and pressure canning. Which one you use depends entirely on what you’re preserving.
A boiling water bath is exactly what it sounds like. You submerge filled jars completely in boiling water and process them for a specific amount of time. Because boiling water only reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level, this method is safe only for foods that are naturally high in acid or have enough added acid to prevent dangerous bacteria from growing.
That makes water bath canning a good fit for jams, jellies, fruit preserves, pickles, chutneys, fruit butters and many tomato products that have the proper amount of bottled lemon juice or citric acid added according to a tested recipe.
Pressure canning works differently. A sealed canner traps steam, and the temperature climbs well above the boiling point of water to about 240 degrees Fahrenheit. That higher temperature is necessary to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores, which can survive ordinary boiling and produce the toxin that causes botulism.
Because of that, you must pressure can low-acid foods such as green beans, corn, carrots, potatoes, meats, poultry, seafood and soups. A boiling water bath isn’t safe for these foods, no matter how long you boil the jars.
For most beginners, water bath canning is the easiest place to start. The equipment costs less, the process is simpler and recipes like strawberry jam or dill pickles are forgiving enough to build confidence. Many people who enjoy preserving fruit eventually buy a pressure canner once they want to put up vegetables or homemade stock.
Pressure canning doesn’t need to be intimidating, either. Modern pressure canners include multiple built-in safety features and are far different from the exploding canners in the old stories many people heard decades ago. Like any kitchen tool, they’re safe when used according to the manufacturer’s directions and with tested recipes.
Whichever method you choose, one rule never changes: always use recipes that have been scientifically tested. Family recipes may taste wonderful fresh, but they aren’t always safe for canning. Changing ingredient amounts, thickening soups with flour, adding extra vegetables or reducing vinegar can all affect the safety of the finished product. The USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation remain the gold standards for home canning recipes and processing recommendations.
Today’s recommendations may also differ from the ones your grandparents followed. Research has improved over the years, and food safety guidance has changed with it. Methods like open-kettle canning, oven canning and sealing jars by turning them upside down are no longer considered safe for shelf-stable foods.
If you’ve never canned before, you don’t have to preserve an entire garden your first weekend. Start with one recipe. Learn how to prepare the jars, measure headspace, remove air bubbles and process them correctly. Once you hear that satisfying “ping” as the lids seal, you’ll understand why so many people find canning rewarding.
Opening a jar of peaches in January or serving homemade salsa long after the tomatoes are gone is a special kind of reward. With a little knowledge, the right equipment and a commitment to tested recipes, anyone can preserve the harvest safely for months to come.
By Bryce Angell
My eyes are glued up to the shelf, a brand-new pair of Mucks. They’d be in my possession, but I lack the certain bucks.
I could go without my Pepsi for a month or maybe two. But the headache would be pounding like a freight train passin’ through.
I’ve got my Visa plastic for emergencies and such. The boots are kinda spendy. Do I really care that much?
I grab my precious cargo and I’m tingling to my roots. The clerk says, “Hundred eighty.” Must be gold in them there boots!
To purchase I can justify. It’s more than just a treat. No more sittin’ in the saddle with my cold and frozen feet.
I’ve waited days to wear them. Time to saddle up Ol’ Blue.
But my boots won’t fit the stirrups. What’s a broke cowboy to do?
The boots ain’t never goin’ back. I burned the dang receipt. My wife will never know the cost. Is that what’s called deceit?
The Co-Op might be open. I’ve seen stirrups there to buy. They close at 6:00 p.m. It’s 6:05 p.m. No use to even try.
I’ll drive out to the shoppin’ mall. They’ve got a western store. But their prices are extravagant, not for the country poor.
I’m riflin’ through the stirrups. Find a pair that fits my Mucks. I take ’em to the clerk. She says, “Two hundred twenty bucks.”
This time I cough and choke on down my Wrigley’s Spearmint chew. The clerk said, “Sure they’re spendy, but they’re made for guys like you.”
I wonder what she meant ’cuz I ain’t got the cash to spare. I swear she meant hi-rollers with their nose up in the air.
Still, I bought the brand-new stirrups with my plastic, once again.
Does it hurt to use my Visa card, every now and then?
The smuggish patrons, back in line, are giving me the stare.
They’re prob’ly thinkin’, “Poor cowboy.” I hurry out of there!
I’m addin’ up my purchases. Looks like four hundred bucks. And with the Gov’ner’s share I’m in the class of stupid clucks.
I burned the Visa card receipt, so that should take care of it from where I stand. I’m wonderin’ now if my warm feet are worth the half a grand?
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