Tulsa County OSU Extension Center

We had a BLAST last week with the 4-H on Route 66 program: watch this highlight from KOTV - News On 6 to see our pollinator gardens 7 hear about our awesome 4-H'ers!

13-year-old helps beautify Tulsa's Route 66 with pollinator garden A 13-year-old Tulsa gardener is helping celebrate the Route 66 Centennial by designing a new pollinator garden outside Fire Station 66. Through a partnership with Oklahoma 4-H and a Keep Oklahoma Beautiful grant, Nick Berry spent months researching and selecting native plants that will attract bees....

Summer Produce Safety

Before You Bite: Summer Produce Safety
Nothing says summer like fresh strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet corn. Whether you're shopping at a farmers market, roadside stand, grocery store, or picking produce from your own garden, fresh fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice—but they still need to be handled safely.
Many people assume produce is safe to eat straight from the package or garden. However, fruits and vegetables can carry harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria from soil, water, animals, or handling during harvest and transportation. Food safety experts recommend washing all produce under cool running water before eating, cutting, or cooking—even if you plan to peel it later. Soap, bleach, or commercial produce washes are NOT recommended.
This year, food safety experts are also reminding consumers to be cautious with pre-cut produce. Once fruits and vegetables are sliced, they become more vulnerable to contamination and bacterial growth. Items such as cantaloupe, leafy greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers may be safer when purchased whole and prepared at home.
Orange Cup Tips:
• Wash produce under running water before eating.
• Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.
• Use clean cutting boards and knives.
• Refrigerate cut fruits and vegetables within 2 hours.
• Keep produce separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Stay informed about food recalls by checking FDA and USDA recall alerts regularly.
A few extra minutes spent washing and storing produce properly can help keep your family healthy all summer long!
The Bottom Line: Fresh produce is one of the best things you can put on your plate—but a quick rinse and proper storage can make it even safer.
Sources:
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) – Food Safety & Recalls
• Foodsafety.gov – Recalls & Outbreaks
• Food Safety Experts, Real Simple (May 2026)
• Food Safety Expert Interview, EatingWell (May 2026)

New World screwworm has been confirmed in Texas, making awareness and early detection more important than ever for livestock owners, veterinarians and animal health professionals.

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is monitoring the situation and has information available for Oklahoma producers.
🔗: https://ag.ok.gov/new-world-screwworm-confirmed-in-texas/

Find New World screwworm resources and educational materials from OSU Extension.
🔗: https://screwworm.okstate.edu

🚗🌼 Kickin’ up excitement on the Mother Road! 🌼🚗

We’ve been keeping an exciting secret… and we’re FINALLY ready to share it! 🎉

County Extension Ag/4-H Educator Hannah Hough and Northeast District Ag Literacy/STEM 4-H Educator Kylie Nicholson were honored to receive a grant from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and Keep Route 66 Beautiful and, along with a generous donation from the Oldies 'n Goodies Car Club, to create something special along Historic Route 66 during the Route 66 Centennial Celebration year! 🛣️✨

So… where are we planting roots? 🌱
Right at the historic Tulsa Fire Station 66 on Route 66!

Our Tulsa County 4-H members, volunteers, and educators are rolling up their sleeves this week to install beautiful native pollinator flower beds that will:
🐝 Support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
🌼 Add long-lasting beauty to the station and Route 66 corridor
🌱 Be low-maintenance and environmentally friendly
❤️ Serve as a meaningful community service project

These gardens are more than flowers — they’re a hands-on learning opportunity for youth to discover horticulture, pollinators, stewardship, and the importance of giving back to the community through service, kindness, and beautification.

But we didn’t stop there… 👀

We’re turning this project into a full-throttle, fun-packed “4-H on Route 66” 2-day day camp! 🚘🌻

Campers will:
🛣️ Explore the history and culture of Route 66
🐝 Learn all about pollinators and native plants
🎨 Create Route 66 & pollinator-themed County Fair projects
🏛️ Tour the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, OK
🌼 Help bring these pollinator gardens to life

You could say we’re putting the “petal to the metal” this summer! 🌸💨

We can’t WAIT to share the finished gardens, camp highlights, and all the memories made along the way. Stay tuned as Tulsa County 4-H cruises into a summer full of service, learning, blooms, and Route 66 fun! 🌻🚗✨

Youth Livestock Judging Clinic

We are once again hosting the Northeast District Livestock Judging Clinic on June 25, 2026, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. This will be a great day of learning the basics of livestock judging, evaluating a few classes, and learning fundamentals of giving reasons. Registration will be through Microsoft Forms (link below).

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=HclpKknoNE6iMM34sn4ZZLPA-haaCx1IvzaEKtzdq3tUMzlIQ1ozTVk1WEpWSE5KOUM4RE1ZUzNNVS4u&route=shorturl

Please enjoy the next issue of Tulsa Co. Ag News!

Volume 3, Issue 6 Tulsa Co Ag News | PDF to Flipbook Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

🌾 Hello, June! 🌾

Summer is officially knocking on the door here in Northeast Oklahoma, and June is a BIG management month for pasture, hay, and cattle operations. While we’re all hoping for timely rains and growing grass, now is the time to stay proactive instead of reactive. ☀️🐄

A few June management reminders from OSU Extension:

✅ Scout pastures for summer w**ds before they become a bigger issue. Thistles, johnsongrass, broomw**d, and other invasive w**ds can quickly compete with valuable forage. Early identification and proper control timing matters!

✅ Monitor pasture conditions closely. Overgrazing during hot, dry periods can weaken stands and open the door for w**d pressure later in the season. Leaving adequate stubble height helps protect root systems and retain moisture.

✅ Keep an eye on drought stress. Even with spring moisture, Oklahoma weather can change fast. Watch forage growth, stock water availability, and body condition scores on cattle as temperatures rise.

✅ Hay season is underway! Before baling, check fields for w**d pressure, fertility needs, and equipment readiness. Quality hay starts long before it hits the baler.

✅ Evaluate stocking rates and grazing rotation plans now — not after pastures are already stressed. Good grazing management in June can make a major difference later this summer.

OSU Extension also recommends soil testing and forage testing as valuable tools for making cost-effective fertilizer and feeding decisions throughout the year.

Here’s to safe haying, healthy cattle, green grass, and hopefully a little rain in the forecast for all of Oklahoma agriculture this June! 🌦️🚜🌱

Enjoy this beautiful picture of an Oklahoma pasture with Indian paintbrush by OSU photographer, Mitchell Alcala

Mindful Conversations: Using Mindfulness in Talking with Aging Loved Ones" https://extension.okstate.edu/.../mindful-conversations.

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation and felt lost? Maybe your mind was wandering. And at times, we might feel that the person we're trying to talk to isn't paying attention. To converse and be respectful, people need to "be present" and pay attention to each other. Life is full of distractions, our cell phones being one of the biggest.

Being mindful is the act of self-awareness in any given moment, even pausing in the middle of a situation to pay attention to how you feel, what is happening around you, and the entire situation.

The OSU Extension fact sheet "Mindful Conversations: Using Mindfulness in Talking with Aging Loved Ones" https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/mindful-conversations-using-mindfulness-in-talking-with-aging-loved-ones provides easy steps, tips, and explanations on how to have mindful conversations. The steps include listening, nonverbal cues, and speaking.

Communication is a two-way street. Conversations with aging loved ones is very important and extra attention may be needed. Practice mindful communication and remember to put the person before their diagnosis. Words have power!

The Science of Journaling

Journaling isn't just writing — it's a way to actually understand what's going on in your head and express yourself. Words, doodles, whatever works for you. No rules, no grades. Journaling has real benefits for your mental health! People who journal can manage their stress better and can better understand their own emotions. Writing about our feelings can help with problem-solving and clarity. If you aren’t sure where to start, you can try one of these.

-Copy down lyrics or a quote and write about what it means to you

-Tell the story of a hard thing you got through

-Write about one person or thing that you are grateful for

-Draw how you are feeling. You don’t have to use words to use a journal.