Lester Gagen takes a break to watch as his steers
rehearse for their role in Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s new
television commercial.
These five Longhorns rehearsed their part in the new
Oklahoma Farm Bureau television commercial in
downtown Tulsa.
In spite of it being her wedding, this Oklahoma bride
has an ear bud from her radio to listen to an important
football game. Two Oklahoma Farm Bureau ads with
this scene premiered Jan. 2 to coincide with bowl
games. One ad was play-by-play of the OSU Cowboys
and the other was play-by-play of the OU Sooners.
10 • Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008
“I think it’s fabulous,” says Oklahoma Farm Bureau Executive
Director Matt Wilson of the new advertising campaign.
Two ads with a football theme began airing Jan. 2. Lester’s ad
debuted a bit later.
After about nine months of market research, then interviews with
more than 20 advertising firms to select the ideal one; and countless
feet of videotape to shoot five new ads, Oklahoma Farm Bureau
launched the new campaign.
“We decided we need to do an effective multi-media campaign,” Matt
explained. “In today’s market, it’s important for Oklahoma Farm Bureau
to present itself in a way that is compelling and meaningful to
consumers.”
The television ads are a continuation of the organization’s selfimprovement campaign. Over the past 10 years, the organization with
the cooperation of
county Farm
Bureaus finished an
image improvement
campaign by
remodeling,
rebuilding or adding
on to county offices.
New district claims
office were
constructed, and
nearly every square
foot of the Oklahoma
City headquarters
building got a face lift.
“What this campaign emphasizes is
that this is Oklahoma;
we’re an Oklahoma
insurance company;
and we are
Oklahoma Farm
Bureau,” explained
Matt. “The campaign
is all about things in
Oklahoma – the weather, football and cattle. It says we’re OK – which is
a play on the name Oklahoma – so you’re okay emphasizing that this is
Oklahoma and we are Oklahoma’s insurance company and organization.
“We believe our new marketing campaign theme, ‘We’re OK, so you’re
okay,’ cements our relationships with our fellow Oklahomans as
someone they can trust in their time of need. In the end,” says Matt,
“that’s what insurance is all about.”
he first two ads to debut depicted weddings. A bride and groom
are repeating their vows in a church, but the bride has an ear bud
from her radio and is listening to a broadcast of the Oklahoma
State University Cowboys football game in one ad. The other ad is the
sample couple in the same scenario with the bride listening to the
Oklahoma University Sooners football game.
Both conclude with the theme that this is Oklahoma, Farm Bureau
is the state’s insurance company and that it’s all presented by
Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Those two ads began running Jan. 2 to take
advantage of the football bowl season.
Lester’s ad previewed later in January. It also emphasizes the “We’re
OK, so you’re okay” theme but in an entirely different setting.
From behind the wheel of an auto traveling down Tulsa’s Main
Street, the driver suddenly encounters several Longhorn steers in the
middle of the roadway.
As the driver stops for the cattle, a cowboy on foot (it’s Lester)
comes into the street to drive the cattle out of the way. The “This is
Oklahoma. . .this is Oklahoma’s insurance company. . .Oklahoma Farm
Bureau” theme then appears on the screen.
“I’m a bit in awe of how long it took” to film the commercial, Lester
said. “We did it umpteen times to get good pictures.”
Lester and his six cowboys loaded up the Longhorn steers on the
ranch, which is located near Bartlesville in the Ramona community,
that October Sunday and headed for downtown Tulsa.
“We hauled them down and got a fence set up. I didn’t know what
the steers would do when we turned them out. I thought we could have
a bit of a rodeo. The steers adapted, but the horses didn’t.”
The ranch horses the cowboys rode we skidish at the sights and
sounds from the city. The Longhorns were almost oblivious, and Lester
worried that they “were almost too gentle. They got very complacent
and gentler. You couldn’t hardly run them down the street,” says Lester.
Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008 • 11
Lester Gagen poses behind his desk at Green Country Ag &
Lawn Equipment in Tulsa. He and his son-in-law own and
operate two growing John Deere dealerships in northeast
Oklahoma. The second dealership is located in Pryor.
Lester Gagen and a son-in-law own and operate large John
Deere dealerships in Tulsa and Pryor. Since they
purchased the dealerships, business has grown from $4
million to $20 million annually in just seven years. They
put a strong emphasis on service just like Oklahoma Farm
Bureau.
Some of the trucks and production crew from Cloud 9
Productions in Tulsa assemble on the Gagen ranch outside
of Bartlesville. You’ll want to see the finished ad from this
site, which features a log chain flying at a 90-degree angle
from a fence post.
He did not see the television ad before it debuted. However, Lester
did have a pretty good idea of the message.
“It seems the mood was that anything can happen in Oklahoma.
You’re liable to see cattle in downtown Tulsa.”
Lester’s selection for the commercial was happenstance. The ad
agency selected to put together the new campaign contracted Cloud 9
Productions in Tulsa to do the actual production work.
That company began scouting for sites for another commercial in the
new campaign and wound up in Washington County.
12 • Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008
“It all started when the movie company was digging around looking
for a place to make a movie,” remembers Lester.
Lester and his wife, Becky, who manages all ranching operations,
had just leased a ranch that the production company liked for a
location shoot. After neighbors directed the production people to the
Gagens, Lester convinced them that another family ranch location
would be better.
“They asked if they could film there. But the grass wasn’t Big Blue
Stem, so I suggested my home place. I met with them. We went up to
Ramona and they fell in love with it. It has big grass, trees and an oil
well. It’s what Oklahoma is all about.”
While the production company was scouting the Gagen ranch for
locations, representatives asked Lester where they could find cowboys
for the Tulsa shoot.
“I told them me and my cowboys,” he remembers.
That was the start of the arrangement that put Lester, his cattle,
cowboys and ranch on Oklahoma television screens.
While he enjoyed participating in the shoot in downtown Tulsa,
Lester was more impressed when the production crew pulled on the
ranch. Large trucks full of equipment, a large RV that provided a
catered lunch to everyone involved and an airboat converged on
Broken Arrow 5.
The ad filmed on the massive Gagen ranch, which runs 1,000 to
2,000 stockers and about 100 cows, will debut later in the year. It’s a
weather related scenario, with a chain attached to a lone fence post in
the middle of a Big Blue Stem pasture. Strong winds eventually
straighten the chain, putting it at a 90-degree angle to the post. The
message at the end is the same as all the other ads.
Lester, who been a member of Washington County Farm Bureau
longer than he can remember, said even before the commercials that
he was impressed with Farm Bureau Insurance.
“It’s the easiest insurance company to work with,” he declared.
He had claims when fires burned his fields, which were filled
with hay.
“I was very impressed with the appraiser and he was good to work
with and how the claim was settled.”
Lester and a son-in-law now own and operate Green Country Ag &
Lawn Equipment, which has locations in both Tulsa and Pryor. His wife,
Betsy, manages the family ranch operations. They have employees on
the ranch, but the grandkids, daughters and
their husbands take an active role helping
with the operation.
They generally purchase one to two
thousand head of stockers in September or
October. The stockers stay on the ranch to add
pounds and are sold as feeders in July and
August. The hundred-head cow herd also is a
major facet of the ranch operation.
The ranch operation will double in size
later this year with the addition of 4,700
leased acres.
“I take a lot of ribbing about my wife
ranching and me setting here (at the Tulsa
Green Country location) behind a desk,” says Lester.
While his family has run cattle for more than a quarter of a century,
Lester and his son-in-law have been John Deere dealers just seven
years. They purchased Green Country and now have 40 employees
working at the two locations.
“We’ve gone from a $4 million to a $20 million business in seven
years of operation. We emphasize service and parts. We’ve grown every
year. It’s better than ranching, and it’s not near as hard.”
ester, who plans to ranch full time when he retires, has had a long
and varied career. He grew up on a dairy farm in Ramona. After
graduating high school, he went to NEO at Miami for a year
before Uncle Sam came calling with a draft notice in 1966.
Lester spent a year with the infantry in Vietnam, a locale he
sarcastically called a “fun place” before he returned to the states. He
then spent the next 33 years with three different companies that
marketed oil field equipment, and was vice president of marketing for
North American operations for two of the three.
Travel was a major part of his duties with the companies. Lester said
he was gone about 35 weeks each year, working for the companies in
places like China, South America, England and Europe. After several
years, he was able to remain stateside but was transferred to many
different cities and states.
He and his family “came home” in 2001 to northeastern Oklahoma
and expanded the ranching operation near Ramona.
“I’ve lived all over the country, but I like northeastern Oklahoma
best.” All his family and his wife’s family are just a few hours away from
the ranch, which is important to him.
“It’s a dying culture if we don’t do something,” Lester says of
ranching. That’s why he and his wife involve their daughters and their
husbands and all the grandchildren in the ranching.
“You can spend a lot of time teaching kids things and they’ll learn a
lot more than just playing football or basketball,” he concluded. “That’s
what I want to do full time when I retire.”
Watch for Lester on your television. And, don’t miss the two wedding
ads and the upcoming log chain blowing in the wind spot. There’s one
more with a couple in a car listening to a weather report on the radio,
but we’ll not give it away. Tune in, we think you’ll be proud of Oklahoma
Farm Bureau.
Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008 • 13
All Around
Oklahoma
Hope Pjesky selected as Eisenhower Fellow
state’s top young farmers for their
lfalfa County Farm Bureau’s Hope
achievements in the farming business and
Pjesky has been selected as a 2008
their leadership in the agricultural
Eisenhower Fellow in Agriculture.
Hope, who resides near Goltry, will travel to community.
She and Ryan operate a large diversified
Thailand, Malaysia and Japan to investigate
wheat and cattle farm, which makes heavy
agriculture trade policies and food safety,
use of the ability to graze stocker cattle on
defense and traceability practices. The
program is designed to enrich her perspectives winter wheat pasture. A portion of their land
was originally homesteaded by Ryan’s great,
and contacts through professional meetings
with farmers, farm organizations, food retailers great grandfather in the Land Run of 1893.
Hope comes from a farm family in Virginia
and manufacturers, national government
that possesses an 18th century land grant
officials, university researchers and policy
from the King of England. That farm remains
experts in the field of agricultural trade.
in operation today.
She joins an impressive international
She was a 1993 Virginia Farm Bureau
network of Eisenhower Fellows, including only
Discussion Meet winner.
16 from the entire field of agriculture.
Hope has served as an
Hope was selected after a
Agriculture Advisory Committee
competitive interview and
member for Sen. Tom Coburn,
selection process. The selection
and also has an American
committee, composed of
Farm Bureau YF&R
leaders and innovators in the
Achievement Award top 10
agriculture industry, chose
finish in her numerous list of
her based on her proven
accolades.
leadership and success in
She currently is a
the field of agriculture and
member of Class 13 of the
international exchange, her
Oklahoma Ag Leadership
potential for continued
Program. With her selection
impact, and her long-term
as an Eisenhower Fellow, she
commitment to the
will be spending a lot of time in
agricultural sector.
the Far East, between this and
In recommending Hope for
the OLAP international study
the fellowship, Dr. Joseph
experience planned for China and
Williams, program director of the
Hope Pjesky
South Korea.
Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership
Eisenhower Fellowships engage emerging
Program, said that she “has a true thirst for
knowledge relative to agriculture at all levels.” leaders from around the globe to enhance
their professional capabilities, broaden their
Eisenhower Fellowships’ USA Program
contacts, deepen their perspectives, and
typically sends up to a dozen abroad annually
unite them in a diverse, worldwide network
for four- to eight-week programs of similar
where dialogue, understanding, and
professional enrichment. The program is
collaboration lead to a more prosperous, just
designed to give participants professional
and peaceful world.
insights and contacts, a broadened
Established in 1953, Eisenhower
international and cross-cultural perspective,
Fellowships has identified men and women
and a lifelong network of colleagues and
well on their way to positions of national
friends from their program groups.
leadership and provided them with
Hope serves on the Alfalfa County Farm
opportunities for professional, intellectual,
Bureau Women’s Committee and was heavily
and personal growth. Nearly 1,700 Fellows
involved in the Farm Bureau Young Farmers
from more than 100 countries have
and Ranchers program. She and her husband,
participated in Eisenhower Fellowships since
Ryan, were the Oklahoma YF&R Achievement
Award winners in 2004. That award honors the its founding.
A
14 • Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008
klahoma Farm Bureau purchased the
champion wether meat goat and 26
other prize-winning animals that
made the annual premium auction at the
2007 Tulsa State Fair Junior Livestock
Premium Auction Oct. 5. The grand
champion exhibitor Cierra Staats of Alva FFA
along with other Alva youngsters are
pictured with OFB’s Steve Kouplen along
with the Bank of Western Oklahoma’s
Jimmy Harrell and Texas Transco’s Kyle
Minyard. The bank and oil company joined
with OFB to purchase the goat, which
brought $12,500.
O
he Haworth FFA team won the
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Tulsa State
Fair Livestock Judging Contest Oct. 5
for the second consecutive year. The team
will be Oklahoma’s representative at the
National Western Show in Denver in
January, where the best judging teams from
across the nation compete for the national
championship. Members of the team, from
left, with FFA Advisor Paul Ogden include
Chani Galloway,Trey Lockhart, Courtney Mayl
and Matthew Deloziev. OFB’s Roland
Pederson, far left, and Mike Spradling, far
right, were on hand to congratulate the team
and award a $750 cash prize to the Haworth
teens. Farm Bureau presents the monetary
award to help the winning team defray its
expenses at the National Western Show.
T
klahoma Farm Bureau received the
Frank Sanders Memorial Award at the
Tulsa State Fair Junior Livestock
Auction Oct. 5. The award goes to the buyer
purchasing the largest volume of prizewinning animals at the previous year’s
premium auction. It was the sixth
consecutive year OFB received the award,
which is a portrait displayed by Frank
Sanders Jr., son of the award’s namesake.
Pictured in the photo, from left, are OFB’s
Roland Pederson, OFB’s Steve Kouplen and
his grandchildren, Blake and Sydni Gomez,
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, Sanders, OFB’s Charles
Sloan and Mike Spradling.
O
OFB is a top buyer at Tulsa Fair
klahoma Farm Bureau & Affiliated
Companies was a major buyer at the
2007 Tulsa State Fair Junior Livestock
Premium Auction Oct. 5.
The state’s largest farm organization
purchased the grand champion wether meat
goat and 26 other prize-winning animals that
made the annual premium auction.
Farm Bureau was recognized prior to the
auction with the 2006 Frank Sanders
Memorial Award for last year’s premium
auction, marking the sixth consecutive year
for Farm Bureau to be recognized for
purchasing the largest number of animals in
the sale.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau also sponsored the
Tulsa State Fair FFA Livestock Judging
Contest Oct. 5, and awarded a $750 cash prize
to the winning Haworth FFA team in the
senior division. The team will be Oklahoma’s
representative at the National Western Show
in Denver in January, where the best judging
teams from across the nation compete for
national championship. Members of the
Haworth FFA team included Chani Galloway,
Trey Lockhart, Courtney Mayl and Matthew
Deloziev. The monetary award is presented to
help the winning team defray its expenses at
the National Western Show.
The 27 exhibitors of the prize-winning
animals Farm Bureau purchased during the
premium auction were:
• Cierra Staats of Alva FFA for her goat,
which was the grand champion wether meat
goat.
• Emily Pippin of Cherokee County 4-H for
the reserve champion all other breeds steer.
• Kyle Norvell of Amber-Pocasset FFA for
the third place Shorthorn steer.
• Ryan Pullan of Aline Cleo FFA for the
reserve champion Berkshire barrow.
• Chelsea Clifton of Kingfisher FFA for the
reserve champion natural lamb.
• Madison McGolden of Fairview FFA for
O
the champion Suffolk lamb.
• Jill Davis of Guthrie FFA for the
champion speckle face lamb.
• Laurie Fitch of Payne County 4-H for the
reserve champion speckle face lamb.
• Garrett Sharp of Garfield County 4-H for
the fourth place Simmental steer.
• Tiffany Hubbard of Ottawa County 4-H for
the fourth place Maine-Anjou steer.
• Dalton Hubbard of Ottawa County 4-H for
the fifth place Chianina steer.
• Blake Kennedy of Pottawatomie County
4-H for the eighth crossbreed barrow.
• Jennifer Lawler of Elgin FFA for the
fourth place crossbreed lamb.
• Kari Wendt of Kingfisher FFA for the fifth
place Suffolk lamb.
• Tiffany Reiger of Alfalfa County 4-H for
the sixth place natural colored lamb.
• Garrett Goodwin of Tonkawa FFA for the
seventh place natural colored lamb.
• Sam Eden of Keyes FFA for the eighth
place wether meat goat.
• Rashele Blakley of Oologah FFA for the
fourth place Angus steer.
• Brooke Summers of Claremore FFA for
the seventh place Shorthorn steer.
• Taylor Terry of Custer County 4-H for the
seventh place crossbreed steer.
• Clinton Partain of Afton FFA for the fifth
place Limousin steer.
• Steven Beck of Pauls Valley FFA for the
twelfth place crossbreed barrow.
• Lacey Newlin of Burlington FFA for the
seventh place Hampshire lamb.
• Natalie Eaton of Arapaho FFA for the
eighth place crossbreed lamb.
• Austin Rhodes of Fort Cobb-Broxton FFA
for the eleventh place crossbreed lamb.
• Whitney Taylor of Pryor FFA for the
twelfth place natural colored lamb.
• Emma Sherry of Hughes County 4-H for
the reserve champion Shorthorn steer.
Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008 • 15
A CENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION
klahoma Farm Bureau used member J. Mack
Bohn and his Touch of Ear eight-mule hitch
to wish the state a happy 100th birthday in
the Centennial Parade. Bohn and his unique hitch
O
of some of the world’s largest mules hauled Farm
Bureau’s banner through the Guthrie parade Nov. 16
to the delight of thousands of parade goers. Bohn
houses the mules on his Diamond JK Ranch on
the outskirts of Cyril. He and his hitch travel
thousands of miles across the United States each
year to participate in parades, festivals and other
special events.
SECRETARY
CONFERENCE
large crowd of
county office
secretaries
gathered in Oklahoma
City at the Marriott Hotel
for the two-day County
Office Secretary Training
session. Well over 100
secretaries from across the state assembled for the
kickoff luncheon Nov. 27 where they were
welcomed by Oklahoma Farm Bureau President
Mike Spradling. OFB Executive Director Matt
Wilson was on hand to introduce members of the
A
16 • Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008
state staff. General Counsel Monica Wilke was the
day’s featured speaker, telling the story of her
upbringing in a small Oklahoma town. She related
events from her life, telling the secretaries the
importance of being properly prepared for any
endeavor. The first day of the conference also
featured two sessions presented by American Farm
Bureau’s Matt Scramlin. Informative breakout
sessions and details about the latest in employee
benefits were second day highlights.
Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008 • 17
TULSA FARM SHOW
klahoma Farm Bureau Field Representative
Robin Landrum (wearing cowboy hat) goes
over the Tulsa Farm Show map with former
state Director Jim Freudenberger of Coyle and
Canadian County member Marvin Novak of Yukon,
O
far right. Safety Director Justin Grego, left, also looks
at booth setup map. Safety Specialist Micah Martin
is in the background. The 14th annual farm show
attracted a big crowd on opening day, Dec. 6, despite
chilly temperatures outdoors. All exhibits were
indoors in the Quik Trip Center on the Tulsa State
Fairgrounds. The show ran through Dec. 8. OFB’s
booth at the show featured the Kids Fire Safety trailer
plus safety videos running on television along with
stacks of brochures about the farm organization.
Angus Heritage Foundation
taps OFB member
he American Angus Association board of
directors has selected an Oklahoma
Farm Bureau member for induction to
the Angus Heritage Foundation.
Bob Hartley, a Craig County Farm Bureau
member from Vinita, was one of five selected
as a 2007 inductee.
Each year, a select group of individuals who
have made significant contributions by dedicating their time, knowledge and efforts to the
improvement and advancement of the Angus
breed are inducted into the Heritage Foundation.
Hartley is a graduate of Oklahoma State
University. He is a pioneer in performance
testing and carcass evaluation.
In 1958, he founded Spur Ranch in Vinita,
T
18 • Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008
where he built a reputation for practicality,
efficiency and performance.
Hartley was involved in the initial planning
of the Oklahoma BEEF, Inc. bull test station
at OSU.
In addition, he bred the 1971 International
grand champion bull, Spur Emulous Master.
He established H&H Land & Cattle
Company LLC in 1994, and continues to raise
commercial and registered Angus cattle and
operates a stocker cattle program.
Hartley served on the OSU board of regents
from 1969 to 1971, and was honored as a
distinguished graduate of the animal science
department in 1972. He was named OSU
Master Breeder in 2000.
Bob Hartley, left, was inducted to the Angus Heritage Foundation
at the 2007 American Angus Association Annual Banquet at the
North American International Livestock Expo Nov. 12 in Louisville,
Ky. The Angus Heritage Foundation recognizes individuals who
have made a significant contribution to the advancement of the
Angus breed and Association programs. Also pictured is
American Angus Association President Paul Hill.
Look for Ag Census soon
o you raise a few goats or exotic
animals? How about organic fruits and
vegetables or free-range chickens?
Maybe you have a few equine for pleasure and
harvest some hay from your acreage. Many
times we think of agriculture as only big corn
and soybean farms that dominate the news
and farm bill debates. Did you know that 59
percent of U.S. farms sell less than $10,000
worth of agricultural production? Small farms
and acreages represent an important segment
of the rural economy.
The USDA defines a farm as “any operation
that produces and sells, or could sell, at least
$1,000 worth of agricultural production.” With
more than 1 million operations, each selling
less than $5,000 worth of production, rural
lifestyle and mainstream agriculture join
forces to represent the entire food and fiber
industry. Your local communities need to know
the growth of this segment of their
constituency. How fast is the face of
D
agriculture changing and how does that
change affect the services and programs
available to rural residents?
The only comprehensive measure of
agriculture at the local level is through the
Census of Agriculture. Every five years, the
USDA is charged with the responsibility of
benchmarking agriculture and documenting
the direction it is heading. This confidential
data is collected directly from operators at all
levels of production. Aggregated to county and
even zip code levels, the results are made
available to all segments of the economy,
without disclosing individual information.
Small and very small farms, even those that
may not consider themselves as farms, are an
integral part of the economic engine that
drives our local communities.
The 2007 Census of Agriculture represents
all of agriculture; small farms as well as large;
traditional as well as non-traditional farms;
specialty production as well as major
commodity production.
“It is all-important to the overall economy
and therefore should be included. In order for
your segment of the industry to be
represented, it is up to you. Remember, this is
your voice, your future and your
responsibility,” said Wilbert Hundl Jr., director
of the Oklahoma Field Office of USDA-NASS.
Beginning in January, the Census report
forms will arrive in mailboxes throughout
rural America. Please be part of the
information solution and promptly complete
and return the form. If you feel you have been
missed and should be counted as part of the
U.S. agricultural economy, call 1-888-424-7828
and request to be included.
Farm Bureau Members
SAVE $300
Present this certificate along with your Farm Bureau member card to your
salesperson at any John Vance Auto Group dealership and receive an
additional $300 rebate off the final purchase price of any new or used car or
truck. This rebate is available only to Oklahoma Farm Bureau members and is
in addition to all other rebates available. Certificate expires March 31, 2008.
SERVICE SPECIAL
Bring this coupon in for
FREE OIL CHANGE
(5 qt. max., does not include synthetic)
or $20 off on any Diesel oil change
www.vanceautogroup.com
800.375.4471
Exit 153 & I-35
Just 10 minutes north of Edmond
Oklahoma Country • Winter 2008 • 19