Sorghum has never needed Oklahoma farming to be easy. From sweet syrup and handmade brooms to livestock feed, silage and commercial grain, the crop has repeatedly found a place in the state’s rural economy. In this episode of Red Dirt and Round Bales, Dave Deken traces sorghum’s journey from its early domestication in Africa to the dry fields of western Oklahoma. He explains the distinct roles of sweet sorghum, broomcorn and grain sorghum—better known to many Oklahoma producers as milo—and recalls the period when Oklahoma led the nation in broomcorn production. The episode also explores how changing labor costs, synthetic fibers, hybrid seed and irrigation economics reshaped sorghum production. Although broomcorn faded and corn gained acres in some irrigated areas, milo remained valuable on dryland farms and in rotations with wheat and cotton. In 2025, Oklahoma producers planted approximately 440,000 acres of sorghum, demonstrating that a crop built for heat and uncertain rainfall still has a place above the red dirt.
RedDirtAndRoundBales.com
When summer heat settles over western Oklahoma and the rain fails to arrive, sorghum often keeps working.
Dave Deken explores the history of one of Oklahoma agriculture’s most adaptable crops, from sweet sorghum syrup and broomcorn to modern grain sorghum, livestock feed and silage.
He explains how sorghum traveled from Africa to the Southern Plains, supported household economies and helped build agricultural businesses in communities including Lindsay, Woodward and Mooreland.
The episode also follows milo through the Dust Bowl, the arrival of productive hybrids and changing irrigation economics in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Although sorghum is not drought-proof, its ability to use limited moisture has helped it remain an important option for dryland farms and crop rotations west of Interstate 35.
Key takeaways:
Detailed Timestamped Rundown
00:00–00:12 — Introduction
Dave Deken introduces the program and its focus on Oklahoma agriculture and rural life.
00:12–00:43 — A crop standing against the weather
The episode opens with an image of sorghum growing beneath the western Oklahoma sun despite curled leaves, cracked soil and uncertain rainfall.
00:43–01:31 — Sorghum’s origins and Oklahoma uses
Sorghum’s African origins are introduced, along with its adaptation to heat, long dry seasons and inconsistent precipitation. Its arrival in the United States and eventual spread into Oklahoma are explained.
01:31–01:47 — Three forms of sorghum
Dave distinguishes sweet sorghum for syrup, milo for grain and livestock, and broomcorn for manufacturing broom fibers.
01:47–02:52 — Syrup making and broomcorn labor
The episode describes how families pressed sweet sorghum cane and boiled its juice into syrup. It then explains the hot, itchy and labor-intensive process of cutting, bundling and preparing broomcorn.
02:52–02:59 — Oklahoma’s broomcorn communities
Woodward, Mooreland and Lindsay are identified as towns that developed businesses around broomcorn.
02:59–03:23 — The decline of broomcorn
Lindsay’s reputation as the “Broomcorn Capital of the World” is recalled. Synthetic fibers, expensive labor and changing economics—not an agronomic failure—ended the industry.
03:23–04:07 — Milo, moisture and the Dust Bowl
Grain sorghum’s fit in Oklahoma’s dry western counties is explained. The episode emphasizes that sorghum is drought-tolerant rather than drought-proof and discusses its value as farms recovered from the Dust Bowl.
04:07–04:54 — Hybrids transform production
Improved hybrids in the 1950s increased productivity and reliability. Milo became useful for grain, cattle feed and silage and provided an alternative where corn demanded more water.
04:54–05:25 — Sorghum in modern Oklahoma
The episode reviews recent acreage and production and notes that most Oklahoma sorghum is grown west of Interstate 35.
05:25–05:53 — The crop that quietly works
Sorghum is contrasted with Oklahoma’s more visually or culturally prominent crops, including wheat, cotton and corn.
05:53–06:04 — A final reflection on endurance
Dave concludes that sorghum never required Oklahoma to be easy; it required only an opportunity to grow.
06:04–06:11 — Listener resource
Listeners are directed to RedDirtAndRoundBales.com for more information.
06:11–06:25 — Closing
The episode closes with an invitation to return for another look at Oklahoma agriculture and rural life.