Okmulgee County Conservation District
The Okmulgee County Conservation District has applications available for those interested in applying for conservation cost share assistance. The application period for Locally Led Cost Share Program Year 13 began on September 8, 2011 and will continue until October 14, 2011. This program has conservation practices available that can ease the severity of future droughts. Such practices are pond construction, water tanks, water wells, brush and pest management, pasture and hay planting, range planting, and nutrient management.
“Our area producers will welcome the opportunity to create more watering facilities or water storage,” said Dwane Thompson, chair of the Okmulgee County Conservation District. “When we get more rain again, these practices will help prepare for future dry spells.”
Practices that help reduce soil erosion during wetter periods are also included in the Conservation Cost-Share Program. Those practices are terraces, grassed waterways, diversions, critical area planting and grade stabilization structures.
Producers are urged to submit their applications as soon as possible to avoid the last minute rush in October.
Applications may be obtained by visiting the office of the Okmulgee County Conservation District at 719 E. 8th Street, Suite B, Okmulgee, OK. For electronic copy (e-mail) call 918-756-8111 or e-mail OkmulgeeCCD@conservation.ok.gov.
Southern Mansion hosts Natural Resource Day
May 17, 2011 - Clarence “Bake” and Millie Baker and the Okmulgee County Conservation District teamed up to offer a natural resource day to the youth of
The natural resource day consisted of educational presentations that showed the students the importance and benefits of good soil and water stewardship practices. Cheryl Cheadle, the state director of the Oklahoma Blue Thumb Program of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission demonstrated the importance of keeping the
Darrin Lumpkin, president of the Okmulgee County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and Mike LeGrand of the Okmulgee Bow Hunter’s Association demonstrated how preservation and management of natural resources allows the enjoyment of hobbies such as hunting and fishing. Paula Bennett of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers instructed the students on ways to stay safe around bodies of water.
Melodie Reader and June Marshall of the Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative taught the students how to make seed pots out of old newspapers while teaching them about hummingbirds and hummingbird gardens. Richard Baker and Lori Jones of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discussed fire and wildfire management and Scott Grant of the Tulsa County Conservation District conducted bug collecting and discussed the importance of insects in an ecosystem.
Middle school students from Beggs,
The Okmulgee County Conservation District provides many opportunities for students to participate in such events. Rhnea Stoy, the coordinator for the Southern Mansion Natural Resource Day also coordinates all the educational outreach efforts for the conservation district. If you are an educator and are interested in participating in some of the educational programs of the conservation district you may contact Rhnea at 918-756-8111. Oklahoma NRCS Announces Funding to Enhance Innovative Approaches to Conservation in Oklahoma Conservation Innovation Grants Applications due May 31, 2011 May 6, 2011 - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationist Ronald Goedecke announced today the availability of approximately $150,000 in fiscal year 2011, to fund projects designed to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies through its state level Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) in fiscal year 2011. "The state level CIG program will provide opportunities for producers and organizations that might not have competed effectively at the national level," Goedecke said. "These individuals and organizations can provide valuable assistance to NRCS and Oklahoma’s agricultural producers by demonstrating innovative technologies that can put conservation on the land." NRCS will use these competitive grants to seek creative solutions to assist producers with emerging and traditional agricultural and natural resource issues. These emerging issues include energy conservation, specialty crops, and new methods of tackling climate change. The grants also will fund solutions to improve water, soil and air quality, improve nutrient management, and enhance wildlife habitat. NRCS administers CIG, a component of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). It provides competitive grants to federally-recognized Indian tribes, state and local units of governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals. CIG funds one-to-three year projects that targets innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations. The maximum federal contribution for each project is $75,000 at the state level. The funding will be used to address six subcategories: Productivity and Environmental Health of Pastureland Soil Quality Priority Landscapes Energy Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Nutrient Management Goedecke encourages beginning farmers and ranchers, limited resource farmers or ranchers, Indian tribes or community-based organizations that service these groups, to apply for grants. Applicants are to submit full proposals to Larry Wright, NRCS, 1505 N. Glenn English, Cordell, OK 73632, by close of business Friday, May 31, 2011. All CIG projects must include agricultural producers who meet EQIP eligibility requirements. For more information about the EQIP eligibility requirements, please visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip. Information about the CIG announcement of program funding can be found on the Oklahoma website http://www.ok.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig/state_cig.html By Clay Pope April 18, 2011 Oklahoma is once again facing a major drought. Articles in The Oklahoman and other news outlets have described the last four months as drier than any similar period since the Dust Bowl. Every day it seems there's another drought-related story: wildfires, potential crop failures, no rain. Everything except massive dust storms. Why? The answer: the farmers and ranchers of We've all heard about the Dust Bowl — extreme drought, soil from the southern Plains blowing all the way to the East Coast, massive “dusters” turning midday to night. Surely this year, now identified as one of the driest in Back during the “dirty '30s,” the government decided it would be better to work with producers instead of against them. Using the open hand of friendship in the form of free technical assistance and financial help in the form of cost-share dollars (helping pay part of the cost of making improvements to the land, the producer then pays the rest) instead of the iron fist of government regulation, the U.S. and state governments worked with producers to turn back the tide of dust. Landowners responded by forming conservation districts and adopting new ways of managing the land, including new tillage practices, experimenting with new crops and by planting marginal land to native or improved grasses. The results of this partnership? Well, look outside. We should be proud of these accomplishments, but there's more to do. We must stay vigilant and not repeat the mistakes of the past. The state and federal governments must maintain their commitment to conserving our natural resources and properly fund conservation. Cuts currently being proposed to NRCS in Washington should be carefully examined to make sure we aren't setting ourselves up for a repeat of past problems during this time of tight federal budgets. We should also recognize that we have new challenges such as water quality concerns and the spread of invasive species like the eastern red cedar, challenges that can be addressed the same way we attacked the Dust Bowl — through voluntary, locally led means. By working together we can conserve our natural resources without new regulations. Voluntary, locally led conservation works. If you don't believe it, look outside. Do you see a dust storm on the horizon? If not, thank an agriculture producer. Pope is executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts. ***************************************************************************************** Plants offered are strawberries, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, rhubarb, horseradish and asparagus. To place an order or to obtain information on specific varieties and prices contact Rhnea Stoy at the Okmulgee County Conservation District at 918-756-8111 or e-mail at
*****************************************************************************************
No dust storms? Thank an agriculture producer
******************************************************************************************
******************************************************************************************