Suburban Homesteader Conference to teach self-sufficiency at The Well

Jan. 31—Suburban homesteaders plan to come together for a one-day event where they will learn how to make the most of their space.

The 2024 Beyond the Backyard Conference, hosted by the Cleveland County Oklahoma State Extension Office, will take place Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at The Well, and registration is due on Friday, Feb. 2.

Attendees will have the chance to learn about drip irrigation, soap making, container gardening, growing spring grains and food preservation, among other things.

Bradley Secraw, agriculture educator, said the purpose of the conference is to help people from suburban, urban, and even rural backgrounds become a little more self-sufficient.

"A lot of people are a little bit more nervous about food security," Secraw said. "They want to know where our food comes from and that kind of thing."

He will be teaching people how to grow different grains in tight spaces, including corn, sorghum, field corn and rice.

"If you got a quarter of an acre and you want to grow some wheat or corn, there will be some scale issues," Secraw said. "There are some things that are just a little different because we don't have big pieces of equipment. Sometimes, we may have to go back to the way people used to do things to process grain on a very small scale."

Courtney DeKalb-Myers, horticulture educator, will be teaching attendees about container gardens.

"Anyone with a backyard can maximize their efficiency by using containers," DeKalb-Myers said. "They are also helpful for individuals who struggle bending down or have mobility challenges."

She said some plants grow better in containers than directly in the soil.

"With containers, you have more control over the soil or media you put into them. It can be easier to work with than our Cleveland County red clay," DeKalb-Myers said.

Container garden plants include cherry tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, and peppers.

"I have lived in a rental home where I was not supposed to tear up the backyard," she said. "Being in that position, you can use container gardening and still produce healthy nutritious food for yourself and your family."

Christi Evans, assistant extension specialist for nutritional sciences will come from Stillwater to teach about canning. She previously worked at the Cleveland County location as a family and consumer sciences educator.

Secraw said Evans will talk about how to can, as well as how to can safely. He said some people watch TikTok videos or other internet sources to learn about how to can, and many have become sick from it. In some of the videos, influencers can by boiling jars or placing them in a hot dishwasher.

"You'd like to think people are reading books from mason jar companies for information, but many would rather go to the internet and find an influencer and follow them, which may not be appropriate information," Secraw said.

He said when canning foods with low acid, like vegetables, it is necessary to use a pressure canner, and that the Extension will test pressure gauges for free.

"Someone once brought in an old pressure canner that did not have a dial gauge on it, so you couldn't even tell what the pressure level was," he said. "Even if you are off by a few pounds, something can go wrong, and that can be the difference between having a safe product and an unsafe product."

Josh Campbell, Oklahoma City Extension educator, will talk about drip irrigation.

"Drip irrigation is an efficient way to water your crops, and it is great because you can put a timer on it and not have to water it, which can be a commitment," DeKalb-Myers said.

Registration is $30 and includes lunch and snacks. Those interested can register by calling 405-321-4774. Payment must be made in person, as the Extension doesn't accept credit cards.

"We just need a headcount by Friday so we can make sure to have the right amount of supplies. If people want to pay next week, that's fine," DeKalb-Myers said.

Brian King covers education and politics for The Transcript. Reach him at bking@normantranscript.com.