Extension

You get some peculiar phone calls at the OSU Extension office. Though the longer you work at a county extension office peculiar calls become less peculiar and more common.

 

“I need some cotton seed!”, Jim Treat hollered as I picked up the phone. “Jim this is the Kay County OSU Extension Office we don’t sell cotton seed, or any type of seed.” I replied to him. Turns out Jim was calling the right place. He knew Kay County was probably the closest county to him that grew a significant amount of cotton and figured the office would know someone who had just a little bit of seed that he could use to plant in his garden.

 

Jim mentioned to Shannon Mallory, Kay County OSU Agriculture Educator, that he has been growing a small plot of cotton for decades near the curb of his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His supply of cotton seed had run out. Shannon contacted Curtis and David Vap, local row crop producers, and asked if they had any cotton seed they could spare. Shannon then picked it up and dropped it off at a local business that Jim was familiar with to pick up later.

 

"Looks like it did well, better than ours!" said Curtis Vap after seeing the photo, “but I guess he could irrigate his.”

 

Jim sent the photo of the mature cotton and a note to the Kay County office on December 14th.

 

Shannon—

 

Thank you so much for your help--- The kids are enjoying picking the cotton--lots of cars stop---unload the family and pick and visit the patch.

I told you this before---my original intent was so let the kids see where their shirts came from and quickly found out their Moms and Dads didn’t know either.  Some thought it grew on trees and others thought it came from Dillard’s.

 

Everyone likes to decorate with cotton---new fad---I love it. So much appreciate to you and the Vaps---you guys made it happen.

 

Peace, Jim

 

The Kay County OSU Extension Office and all university extension offices rely on cooperators to educate and reach as many citizens as possible. Cooperators like Jim Treat and the Vap family are invaluable to the cause.

 

If you'd like to visit Jim's cotton patch in Tulsa it's just off the curb. He does ask that you visit only during the daytime, but he's glad to educate you.

 

Jim Treat

2825 East 35th Place

Tulsa, OK 74105

Google Maps link