North Carolina farmers raking in the 'brown gold'

THE CH

>>> GROUNDS FOR WHAT THEY CALL

PINE DOLE.

IT'S BIG BUSINESS ACROSS THE

SOUTH, RAKING IN ABOUT $200

MILLION A YEAR.

IT'S A CRIME IN OUR STATE TO

STEAL THE PINE STRAW.

SHOWING US THE HARVEST THAT

DOESN'T JUST PUT MONEY IN THE

BANK, BUT A BOOM FOR THE

SYSTEM.

SOUNDS MUCH LIKE DISTANT OCEAN

WAVES.

A SEA OF THESE GREAT CONFERS

SWEEPS ACROSS THE SAND HILLS.

>> THEY JUST FILTERED THE WIND.

>> Reporter: HE'S A MAN OF GOOD

TIMBER.

>> WE'RE IN GREAT DEMAND.

>> Reporter: THE LANDOWNER WHO

RAISES NORTH CAROLINA'S STATE

TREE, THE PINE FOR ITS BEAUTY

AND BROWN CARPET BOUNTY.

>> I THINK IT WILL BE WISE TO

HANG ON TO YOUR TIMBER AND LET

IT PRODUCE AN ANNUAL CROP.

HE SELLS AS MULCH.

AT $3 TO $6 A BAIL, MONEY DOES

FALL OFF THESE TREES.

>> THAT EQUATES TO AS MUCH AS

$1,200 PER ACRE PER YEAR IN

GROSS INCOME.

>> Reporter: COMPARED TO ABOUT

$5,000 FOR CLEAR CUTTING AND

MATURE LONG STANDING, WHICH

TAKES ABOUT 50 YEARS TO RAISE.

HE HAS AN INCENTIVE TO LET IT

STAND.

>> I CAN STILL SHOW YOU WHERE I

COULD MAKE MORE MONEY ON PINE

SAW THAN CUTTING THE TIMBER.

>> Reporter: MIKE WILSON GAVE

UP PEACH FARMING WITH 600

ACRES.

AN ECO SYSTEM HE LONGS TO

PROTECT.

>> WELL, DON'T GO AROUND

PILFERING OTHER PEOPLES PINE

NEEDLES.

STEALING PINE STRAW IS A CLASS

A FELONY.

>> WE HAD SOME TROUBLE OF

PEOPLE STEALING IT.

>> Reporter: FIVE YEARS AGO THE

NEEDLE THIEVES STUNG MIKE

WILSON.

>> IT WAS A DARK RAINY NIGHT

AND LOADED IT RIGHT OUT OF THE

TRAILER.

>> Reporter: BUT THEY WERE

CAUGHT AND CONVICTED.

CLAYTON TODD LOADED UP HIS

STRAW THE LEGAL WAY.

HE BOUGHT IT AND HIS FLOWER

BEDS LOVE IT.

>> SUPPOSEDLY IT DOES NOT

ATTRACT BEATLES, BUGS,

TERMITES, AND THE STUFF LIKE

THAT.

>> Reporter: THE LONG NEEDLES

SHINE IN THE SUN AND IN THE

WIND.

THEN THEY LET GO, LEAVING A

TREASURE INTO THE SHADOWS.