OSU Vegetable Growing and Marketing Field Day July 30 in Coal County
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Anyone wanting to learn about growing and marketing fresh vegetables should plan now to attend the July 30 Vegetable Growing and Marketing Field Day in Lehigh, approximately five miles south of Coalgate on Highway 3.
The 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. field day will take place at the Choctaw Nation Tribal Field, located at 113 W. 10th St. in Lehigh. The event is a cooperative partnership between the Choctaw Nation and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. The field day is free and open to the public.
“Participants will take part in a tour of vegetable plantings, alternative growing methods and pest management demonstrations,” said Jim Shrefler, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension area horticulture specialist. “There also will be an educational session on marketing methods and opportunities for producing vegetables as a business venture.”
A light meal will be provided free-of-charge at noon, and will include fresh vegetables and other local favorites. Although the field day is free, participants are asked to preregister by contacting the Bryan County Extension Office at 580-924-5312.
“Knowing how many people to expect greatly aids our planning and helps ensure participants get the most beneficial experience possible from attending the field day,” Shrefler said.
Jeffrey Roebuck of Choctaw Nation added participants not only will get to hear from and interact with vegetable production experts, they also will be able to speak with other vegetable growers who may be in situations similar to their own, and possibly gain insights from those experiences as well.
“The Choctaw Nation feels it’s important to provide top-quality demonstration workshops and meetings, a number of which have been in partnership with OSU Cooperative Extension, such as the July 30 field day,” Roebuck said. “It’s cooperative projects such as this that build a sense of community and help improve the quality of people’s lives by showing what is possible and bringing expertise to those in the region. Think of the field day as one-stop shopping: you get what you need in one go.”
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma comprises 10.5 counties in the southeastern section of the state. Additional information about the tribal nation’s culture, history, programs and events is available online at https://www.choctawnation.com.
The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service is one of two state agencies administered by OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and is a key part of the university’s state and federally mandated teaching, research and Extension land-grant mission.
MEDIA CONTACT: Donald Stotts | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-4079 | donald.stotts@okstate.edu