Hi! And welcome to Teen Scene, October column in ENID MONTHLY. Wow. I cannot believe 2023 is almost over, congrats on making it this far. The month of October brings some of our favorite things! Fall, Halloween, pumpkins (my personal favorite), nice weather, fun dates, and so much more. For this month I would like to share all of my favorite things about fall and what I love doing and include my favorite cookie recipe for this pumpkin season. LET’S GO!!
If you know me well, you know that my favorite scents and flavors of EVERYTHING is Pumpkin and Vanilla. I especially love Pumpkin Candles. My grandma also owns a pumpkin patch outside of town that is so fun to walk around and see all of the different shapes, sizes, and colors of the pumpkins. Sometimes I’ll go and help her when it gets really busy. Carving Pumpkins is definitely not my strong suit, but it is really fun to dig out all of the guts and then bake the seeds for a little snack. For cross-country season, October has the best weather for our meets. The Oklahoma State Cross-Country meet also takes place in October making the month even better since this is our biggest race of the season, and we are trying to make it as a team this year and have a really good chance!
I know people argue about what age you should stop trick or treating but I personally do not think you are ever too old. Even if it’s you going with your family and watching your little sibling go up and get candy, I would still consider it trick or treating. Every year my mom, dad, little sister, and I (and sometimes stepdad) go trick or treating together in my neighborhood and then eat pizza after. It is always really fun, especially in our neighborhood of Indian Hills. There are people EVERYWHERE!
I also really like baking during the fall. Here is my favorite pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe from Chelsweets!! I hope you enjoy them if you make ‘em!! https://chelsweets.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-cookies/
Thank you for reading this month’s article!! I hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear about your favorite things to do in October so let me know at tweensceneenid@gmail.com. Also, if you have any comments, questions, or ideas for upcoming articles email me for that too!! I hope you all have a Happy Halloween and an amazing October! See you next month!!
October is National Pitbull Awareness Month, and the ESPCA Dog Team has been turning up the charm and spotlighting what they lovingly call “Block-Headed” Beauties and Beaus. They’ve been hard at work debunking myths about the breed and showing how fun, friendly, and family-oriented these adoptable babies are.
Brick is one “Block-Head” at the shelter with some Labrador Retriever mixed in. He loves playing in the water and, after some rain, was allowed to splash in the giant puddles close to the shelter with one of ESPCA’s volunteer dog walkers. Meet Brick today!
October is Black Cat Awareness Month, and the ESPCA Cat Team has started highlighting some of these sleek beauties. Black kitties often get a bad wrap because of superstitions, but the ESPCA black kitties are here to change those hearts and minds. Some super sweet and friendly cats are just waiting to be an addition to your family.
BISSELL’s Fall National Empty the Shelters reduced-fee adoption event continues until October 15th. You can bring a spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped pet home for $50 from the ESPCA campus or one of our offsite adoption events.
Please consider opening your heart and home to a shelter pet!
The ESPCA Garage Sale benefiting the animals is October 20th and 21st from 8 AM until 5 PM at 2818 W. Walnut in Enid. It will be another big sale run by ESPCA volunteers with unique finds and many nice holiday items. Past garage sale earnings have purchased much-needed storage, special walking harnesses, and other essentials around the shelter. Supporting the animals by shopping at the sale is a fun way to help the animals.
The ESPCA Trunk or Treat at Jacksons of Enid will be on October 28th from 11 AM until 3 PM. This event helps bring awareness to the adoptable pets at the ESPCA. You can participate in the fun by calling Coraline at the ESPCA office at 580-233-1325.
Northern Oklahoma College Enid is hosting a Northern Encounter recruiting event on Wednesday, Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at the NOC Enid Campus.
There will be door prizes, free SWAG, campus tour, meetings with faculty/staff, and a drawing for tuition waivers.
According to Vice President for Enid Jeremy Hise, this event will be student-centered with prospective students hearing from NOC Enid students as well as faculty, staff, and administrators.
Prospective students will rotate among a number of locations on the Enid campus including the Mabee Center, Bivins Chapel, Mackie Planetarium, Nursing Skills Lab, and the Gantz Center.
They will learn about academic options, scholarships, financial aid, student employment, extra-curricular activities, tutoring, and residential housing.
Anyone interested in more information can contact NOC’s Enrollment and Recruitment Office at 580.548.2275. The NOC Enid campus is located at 100 S. University.
Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.
NOCserves nearly 4,000 students through the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater. Of these students about 80% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 75% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.
For more information about Northern Oklahoma College please call (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at www.noc.edu.
Hey everyone! For those of you who don’t recognize me, my name’s Blake, and I’m the Advertising Director and Coeditor for Enid Monthly. It’s finally October, and that means fall is here! In my opinion, fall is the best time of year. The temperatures start dropping, the trees start changing colors, and, best of all, sweaters and hoodies can finally be brought out. With all of the enjoyable things fall brings, it also brings harder times for the animals here in Enid who are left out on the streets. And that’s what makes this month’s cover story so appurtenant. The shelters are filling up, and there’s still more animals coming in. Keep these fur babies in mind when you retire to the comfort of your home at the end of the day, and, if possible, please lend a helping hand! Adopt, foster, donate, or share the posts trying to give them a second chance. Anything and everything helps!
OKLAHOMA CITY (September 27, 2023) — Shape Your Future, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), is observing two important days in October: National Child Health Day on Oct. 2 and National Walk and Roll to School Day on Oct. 4.
“Celebrating and promoting the health of children in Oklahoma improves health for generations,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “Both days serve as reminders that the whole community has a part to play in promoting healthy lifestyles to younger Oklahomans. TSET offers resources so families, educators and communities can partner together to help children get plenty of physical activity.”
Celebrate National Child Health Day with these activities:
Kids need 60 minutes of daily physical activity, while adults need 30. Take advantage of the fall weather and enjoy time outside with your kids. Jump rope competitions, family walks with the dog or simply playing at your neighborhood parks are great ways to get active together. Need more inspiration? Check out this list of family-friendly ways to get moving!
Set aside time in the kitchen to have your kids help you prepare a delicious and healthy meal with hidden veggies.
Plan an event for your community. Follow these nine steps to get you started on planning a successful and safe Walk & Roll to School Day.
Accompany your child on the way to school.
Wear bright colored clothing for increased visibility.
For more resources, tips and ideas on living healthy for all Oklahomans, visit ShapeYourFutureOK.com.
Shape Your Future (SYF) is a community health education intervention that encourages Oklahomans to eat better, move more and be tobacco free. SYF strives to educate parents, teachers, caregivers and all Oklahomans on how to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Find more information online at ShapeYourFutureOK.com.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research, and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET.
It’s official! Enid Pride will be happening again on Saturday October 7th, 2023, from 12-6pm on the Courthouse Lawn.
Enid Pride will celebrate the diversity in our community with live entertainment and speakers from the community.
The event plans to provide our community with a family-friendly celebration that promotes understanding, education, and is appropriate for people of all ages, including children. While we gather together we will build relationships by demonstrating our commitment to pursue excellence, create unity, and be of service to all members of our community.
Like all of our program areas, while Enid Pride is hosted by Enid LGBTQ+ Coalition, the event itself is geared to be welcoming to and attended by the public. The Coalition estimates that Enid Pride attracts up to 1,000 visitors annually from across the region. Enid Pride is run by an all-volunteer committee and funded by sponsorships and donations, for Enid LGBT Coalition, an IRS approved not-for-profit organization. Enid Pride is a not-for-profit event and does not support any paid staff.
This is an all-ages event with free admission, filled with music, entertainment, speakers, vendors, pride merchandise, and so much more! Help us paint the town with pride, together!
-The Enid Pride Afterparty invites you all!!!!! After we celebrate with Pride, we’re headed over to Jezebel’s Backroom. to keep the party going! This is an 18+ event. Tickets available at https://ticketstripe.com/events/1036967 .You won’t want to miss this beautiful show, so spread the word and bring all your family and friends. The After Party is hosted by Dutchesz Gemini and has performances from many of the current Kings and Queens of Oklahoma.
According to American Humane, there are an estimated 3-4 million animals waiting to be saved from the shelters. (Editor’s note: some estimates place this number at more than 6.5 million. For more information, visit Shocking Pet Adoption Statistics And Figures (worldanimalfoundation.org)) Here in Enid, we have a few places/organizations that do all they can to help the animals in town, and each organization makes its own efforts to try and help animals who are looking for their forever home. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals helps promote and sponsor Adopt a Shelter Dog Month every October, and they do so in an effort to help dogs get the second chance they deserve.
Shelter dogs include many different types of dogs for many different reasons. Whether the dog was an owner surrender, mistreated and abused, abandoned, or lost, many of them tend to end up at the shelters. Organizations like the ESPCA do everything they can to ensure that those dogs find themselves a forever home, and places like the Enid Animal Shelter do all they can to enforce the laws of Enid and keep the animals and people of Enid safe. With that being said, these organizations can only do so much, and there’s a reason October is recognized as Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. According to National Today, “No one knows the exact number of dogs that find safe harbor and temporary housing in community animal shelters each year. But these shelters are the last hope for an estimated 3.3 – 4.5 million misunderstood, unwanted, abused, or neglected dogs in need of a fresh start with a compassionate human friend.” These shelters and organizations are often dogs’ last chance at a life they deserve.
American Humane states, “Be a hero this month and adopt a dog from your local shelter or rescue group. You’ll be saving his or her life and greatly improving your own as dogs are amazing, supportive, and heroic companions.” Dogs can make such an impact on the lives of those they love, and that alone is reason enough to want your own special companion. Whether you want an emotional support dog, a service dog, or just a friend to wag their tail when you come home, a dog will add so much to your life. There’s a reason they say a dog is a man’s best friend, and that’s because they are loyal, and they love you unconditionally. In addition to their unconditional love, there are many other reasons why people should get a dog. The Animal Health Foundation lists 8 reasons why people should own an animal, which are more physical activity, less stress, lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart attacks, alleviation of depression, allergy prevention, low blood sugar detection, and less risk of stroke. Giving a dog a second chance and rescuing them from a shelter can improve your overall physical health in addition to giving you a new best friend and purpose.
In order to get a better understanding of just how relevant Adopt a Shelter Dog Month is, we spoke with the ESPCA and EAS, and we also spoke to a couple of community members who’ve actually adopted and saved a shelter dog to get their input and experiences.
Vickie Grantz is the director of the ESPCA, which is a local non-profit that works with lost, abandoned, and unwanted animals in the Enid area. Their website states, “Our mission is to provide compassionate care to companion animals awaiting adoption” and, “Our vision is to end pet overpopulation and create a community of responsible pet ownership.” The ESPCA offers many programs and resources to help better the lives of the animals in Enid. Whether you’re looking to adopt, spay or neuter your animal, or even just for some extra help with feeding your animal, the ESPCA has you covered! They offer a low-cost spay and neuter program for dogs and cats in an effort to foster responsible pet ownership and help keep future dogs off the streets and out of the shelters. They also have a pet food pantry, which helps keep families together by providing food assistance for those difficult times in life. They also have a Rescue Wagon that helps transport animals to their forever homes, and they offer a free spay/neuter and microchip voucher when you adopt from the EAS. They do all of this to not only help you and your fur baby, but it also helps better the future of Enid, animals of Enid, and shelters in Enid. If you’re interested in being a hero and adopting a dog today, visit enidspca.org for more information! You can find their adoption applications online, and you can find ways to help, whether that be volunteering or donating. To start your process, stop by the ESPCA or visit their website to see what dogs are awaiting their forever home. Once you’ve found a dog you’re interested in, fill out their adoption application. Filling out an application starts a conversation. You’ll then be presented with the option to meet the animal you’re inquiring about, and their mission is to ensure a good match for both you and your potential pet. After all, these dogs deserve a forever home, not a temporary home that’ll eventually land them back in a shelter. So, before you consider adopting and rescuing, be sure you know what you’re getting into. Dogs are amazing and bring so much love into your life, but they’re also dependent on you for their needs and well-being. The bottom line is that pets are more than a Christmas present, so don’t adopt unless you’re willing to provide them with a home and love for the rest of their life.
Allen Elder is the Supervisor for the EAS, and we sat down with him to further discuss adopting shelter dogs. To start the adoption process at the EAS, stop by to see what dogs are available, or visit their Facebook page, which is Adopt-A-Pet (ENID Animal Shelter), as they post their animals daily. When you adopt an animal from the EAS, you’ll receive a voucher for spay/neutering, shots, and a microchip, and it’ll all be free. The EAS and the ESPCA work together on those vouchers to encourage adoptions and keep your fur babies healthy. There are no prerequisites or inspections required when adopting. Allen says, “We just want you to take a dog and save its life.” The animals are first come, first serve, and the EAS’s main goal is for you to save an animal. However, their main mission is to uphold and enforce the animal laws of Enid, which protects citizens and animals. Throughout the week, you can stop by to look at animals and adopt them from 10:00am-6:00pm, and on the weekends, their hours are 12:00pm-3:00pm. The EAS also takes volunteers and donations, so if you’re unable to adopt, you can still help!
After interviewing the shelters here in Enid, we decided to sit down and interview a couple of people who’ve actually adopted from the shelters in Enid. We interviewed Cari Mattox, and Cari adopted Dunkin and Gunner from the ESPCA. She decided to rescue/adopt because she saw the shelters continuously filling up, and she realized shelter dogs desperately need homes. They adopted Dunkin when he was a few months old, and Cari later adopted Gunner. Gunner had been in the shelter for almost a year after his previous owner passed away. She said, “I kept seeing him posted on the ESPCA Facebook page, and every time I saw him, my heart ached for him. You could just see how much life his sweet 6-year-old self still had and how badly he wanted to give it to the right person.” When they began the adoption process with Gunner, they set up a meet and greet for them to meet Gunner and for Dunkin to meet Gunner, and she said, “by the time our meet and greet was over, we knew he was coming home with us.” She continued with, “he is by far the best dog I have ever had the privilege to love.” They recently celebrated Gunner’s 7th birthday, and she says he’s thriving. She goes on to say, “Both of our dogs that we adopted at the ESPCA have different personalities, but they both deserved a second chance, and we are so thankful we could give that to them. I truly believe that we needed them just as much as they needed us.” Cari said that the staff at the ESPCA was amazing, and she goes on to say “The staff at the ESPCA will always be family to our dogs. They gave them what they needed until we got them.” Cari’s advice for future adopters is, “Give the animals time to adjust to you and your home. Do not give up on them within a day, week, or month of bringing them to your home. It takes time for them to feel safe and secure, so give it to them, and you’ll have the best pet/best friend you could ever hope for.”
We also sat down with Keith Holsten from K/H Financial. Keith stumbled upon a post from the ESPCA on his page about a Great Pyrenees they currently had up for adoption. They decided to go and have a meet and greet, and that’s how they ended up with Jasper Parker James Holston, also known as Parker the Barker. You may have seen him around town at places like Settlers Brewing Company or at K/H Financial as he’s there to greet anyone who walks in. Jasper and Keith are now next to inseparable. Keith says, “After 2 days, he just made himself at home. He always comes to bed at night and sleeps through the night, and then he gets up at 6:30am when the suns coming up ready to go to work.” Keith mentions that some people may have misconceptions about shelter dogs, whether it’s that they’re aggressive, have issues, or are dangerous, but he says that’s not always the case. He said, “I feel like, in most rescue cases, they will adapt to their new environment.” When it comes to those misconceptions many have about dogs, Keith says he feels the opposite about shelter dogs. He says, “I feel like rescue dogs seem to inherently be more appreciative and loving because of their situation.” In reference to Jasper, he goes on to say that, “It’s been wonderful. I didn’t know that I wanted or needed a dog. He’s sweet to everybody in our family, but he chose me as his person for some crazy reason. It’s amazing – we’re not even deserving of their affection. I don’t know that I deserve that, but that’s what he gives me.” Because of Jasper, Keith and his business have begun donating to the ESPCA. His business has 5 causes that they regularly give to, and the ESPCA is one of those causes. Keith’s advice to future adopters is to, “Make sure your committed because it’s a big life decision. And it’s important to interact with the animal before you get them, and one of the coolest things about the ESPCA is that they provide that environment.”
From October 1st to October 15th, the adoption fee at the ESPCA is being reduced to $50 thanks to the Empty The Shelters Program! The Bissel Pet Foundation exists to assist animal welfare organizations, and their Empty The Shelters Program has moved over 140,000 pets into forever homes. Saving a pup and providing them with a forever home has never been easier, so please take the time to check out the shelters website’s and help a fur baby today. Even if you can’t adopt, you can foster, volunteer, or donate – anything helps! In addition to volunteering and donating, you can also share these organizations Facebook posts and pages. Vickie states, “If you share that, then you’re opening up a new window for the amount of people who are going to see that animal and possibly think about them. And we ask you to do that because it’s actually life and death for these animals.” Even if you can’t adopt or give much, you can still make a difference by simply spreading the word.
Happy almost fall time folks! If you are like me, you are looking forward to a little bit cooler weather. What does cooler weather bring? Hunting!
Were you aware Enid has its very own firearm/accessory shop? Evandale Firearms LLC is the newest store in Northwest OK. The owner’s goal is to bring a new buying experience to the firearms industry. Having many accounts with manufacturers means they can special order almost anything the customer wants.
“This is a part-time business that was brought on by the enjoyment I get from target shooting. I got my first pro marksmen award when I was around 10. I went hunting quite a bit with family and friends, and while I have lost the taste for wild game, I still like to collect and shoot firearms. That is where it becomes a sport. The challenge of hitting the bullseye with every shot,” says the owner, Robert Bangs.
In just another month as his logo says, “Sport-Hunting-Law Enforcement”, they will support our police and sheriffs, and any other law enforcement that provides our safety by putting their life on the line every day. For this reason, Evandale wants to supply them with the best equipment possible. Unlike the big box stores, they can provide services to customers big box stores cannot do. They take trade-ins, will do transfers between online shops or between your friend or family member and yourself.
In the near future, Evandale will again expand and will bring the customer the ability to purchase silencers and fully automatic guns. They sell guns for sporting, hunting, and law enforcement, but also sell them for self-defense. While a concealed carry license is no longer required in Oklahoma, they highly suggest you get it anyway. They can assist you in getting your license and assist in gun safety/practice as well. Go check them out!
After a season where Enid High Football went 5-5 in the regular season and won it’s first playoff game in years, it is no surprise that expectations for the football season are high, and first-year head coach Cameron Conder doesn’t shy away from those expectations. “We have proven that we can compete with the teams that we should be able to compete with,” said Conder, “we know we have some teams on our schedule we should be able to beat, and then we want to compete with those bigger teams. And we are getting there.”
As part of being able to compete with the bigger programs, Conder focuses on a specific culture he wants to see at Enid High, “We don’t talk about other teams, that’s a big key to us, we have to worry about ourselves.” And for Enid, that has to start with effort. “Every championship team I have been a part of as a player or coach always had better effort than our opposition. And we have really sold that mantra of Effortville starting at Selby stadium. If we are going to be successful, we have to give the greatest effort every day.”
That team effort started this summer with summer pride. “We had 36 guys that were 100% with summer pride. We have really put an emphasis on the fact that if you show up, you get better. I’m a big rewards guy, so I made a deal with the players and the athletic department that if they were 100% in the summer, they’d get their name on their jersey. The kids have really taken to that and showed out. Next year is really going to be interesting to see how that improves. We also had 80-90 each day which we have never seen those kinds of numbers,” said Conder.
As far as this season goes, it’s still early, but Conder knows he has some big shoes to fill with the graduation of leading rusher Luke Rauh (now at Air Force) and leading receiver Tykie Andrews (at Oklahoma State). “Losing a 2,000 yard rusher and a 1,500 yard receiver is tough, and we gotta find a way to replace them,” said Conder, “and we will probably replace them with numbers. We will spread the ball around and hand the ball off to several guys. We have some talent, but we are inexperienced. Guys like Carmello Washington, Tyson Kennedy and Zaire Allen collectively have the talent to collectively replace what we lost. At running back Blake Fuksa will get his shot to shine and we have some other underclassmen that will get some opportunities, too. We are building with youth, and that means the future looks bright.”
Because they don’t have experienced stars at those key positions, especially running back, the offense will look a little different this year. “We are going to play a little bit different brand of football this season. We are going to vary our tempos from very fast to way slowed down, and we are going to spread the ball out, and that includes getting the ball to the running backs. That will alleviate the pressure on the offensive line and hopefully get our athletes in space,” said Conder. In high school football, changing faces are inevitable, but effort can be controlled. Regardless of who’s on the field, expect the Enid High team to be giving it all they can, if Conder has anything to say about it.
“A good plan, violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week” –General George S. Patton.
Or, as paraphrased – A good plan, well-executed now equals success. That goes for many things in life, including gardening. Successful garden planning helps ensure lovely, healthy gardens and includes research, record-keeping, execution, and debriefing.
Fall is the perfect time to plan your garden for next year. Do your research by finding plants that work for your area. Look around at what kinds of plants are successful in your neighbor’s gardens. Identify the plants have you had success with in your gardens. If there are plants you would rather have that haven’t been successful, find out if your soil needs adjustment. You may be in a high clay content area or in a sandy area or in a loamy soil area. Call the OSU extension office for a guide on how to take a soil sample and have it tested. With the results you can amend your soil to the optimum balance for your desired plants.
Secondly, map your gardening areas. Note shady areas, slope of the land, water sources, and even wind paths. This helps to design your garden spaces. Again, OSU Extension Office can guide you in how to optimally design your gardens. If you already have vegetable or floral perennial plants that do well where they are located, plan around these plants. Mapping does not need to be pretty. If you like sketching on the back of a napkin, so be it. If you like high tech, there are lots wonderful mapping apps out there. One of my favorite is Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner. You can purchase it or use the 7 day trial. By purchasing the Garden Planner, you can download it to multiple devices, plus it has reminders for planting suggestions, color coded system to rotate your crops to avoid depleting soil nutrients, and it copies you garden layout from year to year so you do not have to remember where you planted those daffodil bulbs last year. Whether you use an app or a journal, making a plan saves you lots of time and money.
Journal your garden. Keep track of weather conditions, pests that attack and when, fertilizing and weed control applications, garden traffic flow. Take notes of what grows and what does not. Jot down when you divide bulbs in the fall and where you plant them or who you give them to. Keep a calendar of what you have planted and when in your journal. Both Old Farmer’s Almanac and OSU Extension office have wonderful planting calendars available to print out on line. For our area, I recommend the OSU Extension Office fact sheet over the Old Farmer’s Almanac simply because we are in a niche area with special needs and circumstances between gardening zones.
September through November execute your plan. Amend your soil based on test results. Plant bulbs for blooms next spring and summer. Trim most trees and shrubs. Map where and what kind of perennials and annuals you plan to plant for spring/summer texture, color, and height. Start perusing garden catalogs for ideas. Most garden companies will send you free catalogs. Collect seeds from your current plants like zinnias, dahlias, Shasta daisies, marigolds/calendulas, brown-eyed Susans/rudibekia, sun flowers, and various fruits and vegetables like peppers, various squashes, melons and pumpkins. Rinse well and allow them to dry out. Save them in labeled paper envelopes for planting next year. Also, share with friends. A great holiday gift is a homemade garden in a card. More about that in December. Take advantage of end of year seed sales. Most seeds keep for several years before losing their viability. Start a budget based on costs in the seed catalogs and online pricing for gardening tools. Start purchasing gardening tools for the spring to defray all at once expenses in the spring. If you decide to have major construction done for a garden such as masonry raised beds or major tree removal, plan for these costs ahead by getting estimates. Sometimes you can save money by having work done out of season.
Right now is a great time to start journaling your gardens. Remember what grew, where in your garden, and what struggles you encountered over the spring and summer. Journaling does not need to be an everyday chore. Debriefing includes noting your successes and how that happened so you can duplicate it in your garden for years to come. The best thing about plans is they can be adapted based on those successes. For more gardening tips, check out OSU Extension fact sheets online at https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/ or stop by the OSU Extension office at 316 E. Oxford, Enid, near the Garfield County Fairgrounds.
