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ORAL HISTORY
Ronnie Vinikoff
Ronnie Vinikoff was born in San Gabriel, California, in 1964. He grew up in east Texas, and originally came to the Austin area as an ironworker. He started his forestry management and woodcutting business when he was fifteen years old, and he now works primarily on land outside of Rockdale, Texas. Ronnie and his crew supply post oak and other types of wood to numerous restaurants in and around Austin, many of them barbecue restaurants. Ronnie has been a pioneer in managing forests in Central Texas for sustainability and tree health, developing innovative practices and technologies, as well as providing advice and assistance to others. When you eat barbecue at a restaurant fueled by Ronnie Vinikoff’s wood, you’re not only tasting flavors from a Texas forest, you’re also helping to sustain it.
