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Last updated: October 20, 2023 Heather and I practiced for this trip since 2017. We finally took our own RV on a long distance run that required multiple, one-night stops until we got to our destination. We smoke-tested our Harvest Host membership by staying at host sites, and it was fun. Harvest Hosts is an RV membership program that matches hosts with RVers who are able to remain self-contained for one night at the hosts site. Host sites include museums, golf courses, wineries, and breweries. Hosts do not charge for the stay, but RVers are expected to spend a nominal amount of money at the host's business. Booking We reserved a spot at Harvest Host partner locations our first two nights on the road and we found that the reservation process was different for each one. Our first night out included a stop at the Canadian River Brewing Company. Booking a reservation through Harvest Host was easy. Communicating the request and confirmation with Canadian River Brewing was managed entirely through the application, so there were no questions or concerns about where we were in the process. Our second reservation required us to make phone calls directly to the partner and because of working hours, availability for the conversation, etc. it took a couple of days to get confirmation. That was fine, just different than the other one and not quite as easy. Arrival The arrival at Canadian River Brewing was straightforward. Heather called about ten minutes before our arrival to let Nigel know that we were close, and we were told that we had our choice between of one of three options, a parking spot next to a grassy area, a parking lot, or a newly approved parking area about ½ block away in front of an old train station. We chose the train station because it was at the end of an abandoned, brick lined street with party lights over the approach. Harvest Host Partner - one of Canadian River Brewing Company's parking options The ambiance was right, and it was a very short walk to the brewery. The site was level, so we did not have to unhitch. We could not have asked for better. The Host Canadian River Brewing Co. is a Veteran, Woman, and Native American owned brewery in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The water drawn by the brewery comes from a rural aquifer and it includes calcium and other minerals required for great tasting beer. They are also a Harvest Host partner and offer an overnight spot and brewery experience for RVers travelling through the area. We walked in and introduced ourselves as guests to our Harvest Hosts, Holly and Misty. They made us feel right at home, of course, so we sat at the bar and with twelve taps staring us in the face, we each ordered a tasting flight. After finishing my first tasting, I asked for a second flight so we could decide which style to order as a full serving and which ones to take home. Misty Westfall, Brand Ambassador, Canadian River Brewing Company The tasters came in a flight of four and between the two of us, we eventually tasted all twelve options. Canadian River Brewing also offered candied nuts to snack on while we tasted and a shredded chicken sandwich for din-din. Tasting in a brewery is fun because the space is filled with sights, smells, and sounds of a brewery. The personalities behind the counter were friendly and fun, the tasting menu was right in front of us and if we looked just past the tasting menu, we could see the fermenters and brewery infrastructure. Fermenters at Canadian River Brewing Company, Chickasha, Oklahoma The Event As we arrived, we noticed a person standing just inside the entrance who greeted some of the younger patrons as they walked in. We sat at the bar and saw that multiple tables were set up behind us for the growing crowd of student-aged friends. When I asked one of the individuals who seemed to be managing the group, Dr. Misty Steele told me that the group included twenty-seven students from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) who were attending a “Schmooze and Booze” event for Juniors and Seniors in the program. Most liberal arts colleges are private and USAO is one of only 30 public liberal arts universities in the U.S. that happens to be located in Chickasha, Oklahoma. If you click the USAO website here, you will see that it advertises itself as “a program which offers students a broad educational experience, grounded in the sciences and humanities, that reinforces communication, critical thinking and problem solving.” Schmooze and Booze was the fourth is a series of activities for Career Success Week sponsored by the Dr. Steele’s Student Success department. Each activity targeted specific student populations and lucky for us, the juniors and seniors attending the Schmooze and Booze event were fun to watch and listen to. The event was an exercise for USAO students to network with others and develop their elevator pitch. The sponsors used a fun format that they described as “speed networking,” a format that is very reminiscent of a “speed dating” event. Sponsors from the USAO, front to back: Sean Risinger, Coordinator for the Neill-Wint Neurodiversity Program; Rob Miles, Adjunct Professor of Business and Career Service Consultant; Kelli Monroe, Associate Director of Student Success; Misty Steele, Director of Student Success and Professor of Psychology Heather and I have a couple of decades in the IT and banking industries. We are (or have been) hiring managers leading organizations of various sizes and we have both been in situations over the years where having the right network and elevator pitch mattered. So, while we enjoyed drinks made from water, grain, hops, and yeast, we listened to instructions given to a group of students at the beginning of their careers and reminisced about our own experiences as we near the end of ours. We heard one of the sponsors describe a corporate interview and the things that students should consider if asked a hard question. We wished we could have turned around and added insight from a hiring manager’s perspective. For example, interviewees do not have to answer every question quickly. It is okay – and preferable to us - for the interviewee to respond to a hard question with, “that’s a good question. Could I take a moment to organize my thoughts before answering?” From the hiring manager perspective, it is better for the interviewee to have a thought out, cogent answer than to provide a rapid-fire, “just get something out there” kind of answer. I didn’t hear everything that was said so the sponsor may have cautioned the students about answering too quickly… Answering questions was one of the exercises for the night. Building a network was, too. Heather and I were fortunate in our careers, and we developed networks that are important for professional growth. The networks we developed were the single most effective tool in moving from a good position in one company to a better position in another one or from one role to a more challenging and rewarding role within the same company. Paraphrasing from the Roman philosopher Seneca, success is where preparation and opportunity meet. Education and industry credentials prepared us for success, networking provided our opportunities. I believe that the importance of a good network is under-taught in academia and understated in the corporate world. A person’s network grows organically over time (some better than others), and it is easy for some to just let it develop without really managing it, much like planting a garden without feeding, watering, and weeding it regularly. The garden may grow, but it won’t thrive. Because networking is critical to professional growth and is a perishable skill, I hope the students take deliberate steps throughout their careers to develop and maintain a thriving network. They should feed it, water it, and weed it regularly. I was excited to see Dr. Steele and the other sponsors teaching their students to focus on just that. Impressions I suppose that I have a high bar and saying that the Harvest Host experience met expectations does not adequately describe how excited we were about it. All the pieces worked – the in app search and communication functions, the confirmations, parking instructions, the hosts, the beer, the event – it was like a puzzle whose pieces fell into place and created a wonderful, memorable picture. My only regret comes from my perspective as a home brewer. I did not ask any questions about the beer itself so even though Heather and I had a wonderful time at the Canadian River Brewing Company, I did not learn about the water, grains, adjuncts, hops, yeast, and techniques that make the Canadian River Brewing Company’s beer worth going back for time and time again. Conclusions The whole experience was like anticipating an early morning on December 25th with every discovery building to something better and better. By the end of our first experience with Harvest Host, Canadian River Brewing, and the conversations with the interesting and engaging sponsors from USAO, it was clear that everything we hoped for this first time out fell into place. It could not have been better for us so we would recommend Harvest Host and Canadian River Brewing as options for RVers. By the way, the beer at Canadian River is available at the brewery, of course, but it is available in the local market as well. Look for it and if you find it, try one. Or two. ?