As a boy, Neil Garrison spent most of his days outdoors — and usually barefoot. While his father was helping build Lake Eufaula , his family lived in Briartown , a tiny community northwest of Stigler. If Garrison wasn’t in school, he was playing out in the sticks or noodling for catfish in the creek.

It’s not surprising he chose to work around nature. For 30 years, Garrison has worked as a natural...