Hughes County OSU Extension Service

05/27/2026

☀️🪵 SUMMER IS HERE, 4-H FAMILIES! 🪵☀️
Looking for the ultimate mix of hands-on creativity, awesome friends, and real-world skills for your kids this summer? The Seminole & Hughes County Extension youth lineup is officially LIVE! 🎒✨
From mastering a sewing machine to earning a safety certification, we have four incredible workshops and events lined up. Check out the schedule below:
🧵 1. Junk Journaling & Sewing Day Camp (June 18 | Wewoka Office):
Double the fun, double the Free Fair entries! Spend the morning binding a custom, recycled mixed-media journal, and spend the afternoon mastering basic machine sewing to stitch a drawstring bag! ✂️🎨
🐒 2. 4-H Safari Night Lock-In! (June 26-27 | Hughes County Expo):
Wild about 4-H! This action-packed overnight features 10 youth-led workshops, games, and an evening dance! Note: Spots are strictly limited to 40 participants, so act fast! 🦁🎶
🍼 3. Babysitting 101 (June 29-30 | Wewoka Office):
Level up your childcare game! Youth will learn top-tier safety skills and earn their official Infant/Child CPR & First Aid certification—plus make some fair-ready crafts! 🩹🧸
📖 4. 4-H Record Book Day Camp (Dates TBD):
Turn your hard work into an award-winning portfolio! Learn the ins and outs of data layout and technical writing to make your project achievements shine for scholarships. 🏆📝
⚠️ HOW TO SIGN UP: ⚠️
Spaces for these camps fill up incredibly fast! Click the link below to access our all-in-one sign-up form.
👉 Register Here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/mETiWe2Zsc
(Families not currently enrolled in 4-H can find the Z-Suites enrollment link right inside the form! Don't forget to update your Z-Suites health forms before signing up!)
Got questions? Give our office a call at 405-257-5433 or 405-379-5470. We can't wait to see you there! 🍀💚
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05/15/2026

04/30/2026

Just a quick reminder that you can bring your well water samples to either office tomorrow, Hughes or Seminole County OSU Extension Service between 8 and 10 am for the free well water tests provided by OSU and the OWRB.

04/22/2026

Protecting the herd: OSU Extension tips for managing ticks and flies around cattle this spring

By Dean Ruhl

STILLWATER, Okla. – As Oklahoma enters the spring months, Dr. Jonathan Cammack, Oklahoma State University State Extension Specialist for livestock entomology and parasitology, offers tips for handling ticks and flies around cattle.

Asian longhorned ticks were first documented in the state in 2024, with confirmed cases in Craig and Mayes Counties. With ticks present in bordering states like Arkansas and Missouri, producers in the northeast corner of Oklahoma should remain vigilant.

“Sequoyah County up to Ottawa County, that range of six to eight counties in that corner of the state is where producers should be looking,” Cammack said.

But what’s so concerning about these ticks? There are several reasons, Cammack said. Asian longhorned ticks are a non-native species, meaning Oklahoma doesn’t necessarily have natural control options present in its environment.

This species also reproduces asexually through parthenogenesis, meaning females can lay eggs without the added challenge of finding a mate. This allows tick populations to explode quickly, and in states with established populations, thousands of Asian longhorned ticks can be present on a single animal.

“For this time of year, this is when we expect to see that nymphal stage that’s been hiding in the leaf litter,” Cammack said. “They start to come out, be active and look for a host animal to feed on.”
There are plenty of treatment options available. Products labeled for tick control are effective against this species. Based on published research, Cammack recommends treating animals in the spring as the most effective time. As producers prepare cattle for pasture, using a synthetic pyrethroid and spraying it onto the animal where ticks are visible is effective.

“As long as you’ve got a pyrethroid or some other product labeled for managing ticks in general, what we’ve seen from laboratory studies is that they are effective for Asian longhorned ticks,” Cammack said.

As the weather continues to warm up into the summer months, horn flies will also become a problem for cattle across the state. As Cammack explains, the southeast portion of Oklahoma is the first to begin dealing with the flies, which slowly start moving north throughout the summer.

Horn fly season usually peaks in July and August. One of the best things producers can do right now is provide animals with a feed-through insect growth regulator, which is readily available at any local feed store.

“Get a mineral block or mineral tub that’s got some sort of insect growth regulator in it,” Cammack said. “That way, the cattle are going to consume that mineral and that pesticide product is going to pass through the digestive tract and end up in the manure.”
When horn flies do arrive and lay eggs in the manure, the pesticide present in it will kill the larvae, Cammack explained.

Insecticide ear tags are another effective way to deal with horn flies. The trick is applying them at the proper time of year, Cammack explained.

“Everyone wants to do it during spring break when they’ve got the extra help that might be home from school,” he said. “That’s typically a little too early. Most ear tags are going to give about 3-4 months of control, depending on how hot it is.”

Ideally, producers should wait until the end of May or the beginning of June to maximize the benefits of the ear tags and align with the peak season.

For more area-specific recommendations for livestock pest management, Cammack said to reach out to your local county OSU Extension office.

“The Ag educator in each county is going to have great recommendations for what works in that local environment,” he said.

04/18/2026

Tag any expecting moms ❤️ lots of great info going out tomorrow 🎉

Hughes County Health Department Schedules Community Baby Shower for Saturday, April 18, 2026 🍼👨‍🍼👶

04/17/2026

Just a quick FYI

ODAFF has three Unwanted Pesticides coming up at the end of April in Sallisaw, Chandler, and Cheyenne.

April 28 Sequoyah County Fairgrounds
464101 E 1070 Road, Sallisaw, OK 74955

April 29 Lincoln County Fairgrounds
1023 W. 15th, Chandler, OK 74834

April 30 Roger Mills County Fairgrounds
300 Fair Barn Rd. Cheyenne, OK 73628

The collections will run from 8 am to 1 pm at all locations.
More information such as flyers and transportation tips is available on the Unwanted Pesticide Disposal website at https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/pesticide-safety-education/unwanted-pesticide-disposal-program/index.html.

Please take advantage of this opportunity if needed, or pass this information along to anyone that could use this program funded by ODAFF.

The next collections will occur sometime in the Fall of 2026.

04/17/2026

AgricultHER conference returns to Wilburton on June 5

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State University Extension will host its annual AgricultHER Women in Ag Conferenceon June 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Eastern Oklahoma State College Student Union Ballroom in Wilburton.

The conference is geared toward women of all experience levels involved in agriculture across the state. The registrationdeadline is May 21, and the conference costs $35. Lunch will be provided. Hands-on workshops and demonstrations featuring agricultural professionals and producers will be shared during the one-day conference.

“We hope attendees walk away with practical knowledge and skills that are truly relevant to their lives,” said Crystal Shipman, OSU Extension director for Latimer County. “We recognize that women in agriculture often approach tasks differently than men, and that’s a strength. Our sessions are designed with that in mind, offering methods that work for women in real-world farm and ranch settings.”

Session topics this year include farm-fresh butter-making, greenhouse management, meat safety and handling, small-animal hoof trimming, w**d identification and much more.

Entering its fourth year, the AgricultHER conference has made a massive impact across the state. A way to connect rural women with value education, resources and networking opportunities, past participants reported a 108% increase in knowledge about workshop topics, and 96% said they planned to implement something they learned in their operations.

“Watching women lift each other up never gets old,” Shipman said. “That energy is something special every single year.”
The program is geared toward seasoned producers, individuals beginning to work in agriculture or those interested in the industry. This year’s keynote speaker, Sheri Glazier, the Dirt Road Dietitian, will focus on health and safety on family farms, tying directly into the conference’s mission.

“We want every woman to leave feeling better equipped, not just for their operation, but for their family, too,” Shipman said.
The conference is designed specifically for busy, rural women who may be unable to travel and attend conferences in big cities, Shipman said. The event has a “come as you are” atmosphere, with no pressure or pretense, allowing attendees to feel comfortable being themselves.

“AgricultHER helps break down that barrier by making those connections feel approachable and comfortable,” Shipman said. “We want every woman to leave knowing she has a network of experts she can confidently reach out to for help when she needs it.”

04/15/2026

This is going to be such a great opportunity, even if you don't show, come sharpen your horsemanship skills!🤍🍀

04/14/2026

Free Well Water Testing!
Private well water is unregulated meaning well owners are responsible for testing and maintaining their household drinking water. Oklahoma State University Extension, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University and OWRC is partnering to host a fourteen county free well water testing event in Southeast Oklahoma.
Participants, including those who do not live in the counties, can bring their well water to any of the 14 locations to get it tested.
Learn more here: https://bit.ly/40yfBed

03/25/2026

Oklahoma Grazing School valuable for new and experienced producers
By Dean Ruhl
STILLWATER, Okla. – For Oklahoma’s 4.6 million head of cattle, forage is crucial for maintenance and production.
While sustainable grazing practices are beneficial to producers, many lack access to practical, research-based, regional-specific training. That’s a problem Oklahoma State University Extension is helping to solve with the inaugural Oklahoma Grazing School workshop this spring.
This two-day workshop will be held May 11-12 at the OSU Wes Watkins Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Lane. The course – co-designed by Extension specialists, researchers, local conservation district personnel and experienced ranchers – hopes to bridge the gap for local producers.
“This school will provide attendees essential education on forage management, fencing, water systems, soil health and fertility which improve operational sustainability,” said Michael Trammell, OSU Extension specialist for area agronomy. “By implementing research-based sustainable practices, producers can reduce operational costs and improve overall livestock performance.”
Registration is now open and is limited to the first 50 registrants. The fee is $250, with no refunds after May 1. Registration may be transferred if participants are unable to attend. Course materials, a grazing stick, two lunches, a dinner and breaks are included with registration.
Key topics discussed will include:
• Grazing basics and grazer’s math
• Grazing system design
• Forage selection, establishment and pasture renovation
• Soil health and fertility
• Electric fencing and water delivery systems
• Forage quantity estimates and carrying capacity determination
• Matching livestock with forage resources
• Economics of grazing systems
• Integrating technology
• Mixed species grazing
Classroom instruction, field demonstrations and peer-to-peer learning will be blended throughout the course. Producers of any experience level are encouraged to attend. The school also serves as continuing education for agricultural and Extension professionals seeking to better support the clientele they serve.

“New producers would benefit from learning the basics of grazing and forage management, while experienced ranchers may look to refine and update their practices,” Trammell said.

For additional information, contact Trammell via email at [email protected] or by phone at 580-332-7011.

OSU Extension uses research-based information to help all Oklahomans solve local issues and concerns, promote leadership and manage resources wisely throughout the state's 77 counties. Most information is available at little to no cost.