The Eastern Research Station was established January 1, 1977 at the current location which is at the intersection of Highways 16 and 72 in Muskogee County.  This location affords excellent public exposure and access as well as being convenient to Oklahoma State University Faculty and Staff who provide frequent and/or daily attention to operations, maintenance, research, and educational programs.

The Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University established the Eastern Research Station for the purpose of serving the Agricultural Industry's research and education needs for that area of Oklahoma.  The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences has been given the responsibility of coordinating the station operations and the research and educational programs. Other departments, who conduct research and/or educational programs at this location, include the Departments of Animal Science, Agricultural Economics, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Education, Communications and 4-H Youth Development, and Entomology and Plant Pathology.

The Eastern Research Station is approximately 600’ above sea level and has 42" average precipitation with 78 degree F. average summer temperature and 32 degree F. average winter temperature. Detailed daily, weekly, and monthly atmospheric conditions are available from the National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, North Carolina.

The Eastern Research Station is located on 298 acres in the W. ½ of Sec. 29, T. 15 N., R. 16E. Muskogee County with coordinate of 35’ 4" N. Latitude and 95’ 46" W. Longitude. The highway location is approximately 14 miles west of Muskogee and 6 miles south of Haskell and is approximately 105 miles southeast of the Oklahoma State University Campus. The station is centrally located in the Cherokee Prairie Resource Area, which represents approximately 6.4 million acres of Eastern Oklahoma. There are approximately 2.5 million acres in Land Capability Classes I to IV which are capable of supporting intensive agricultural production. The Cherokee Prairie Resource Area has a tremendous agricultural production potential. It has been stated that this resource area has the greatest potential for increasing agricultural production in the state when compared to the other eleven Oklahoma Resource Areas. Therefore, the Eastern Research Station serves a vital role to the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the many research and educational needs of the Oklahoma Agricultural Industry.

The land area on which the Eastern Research Station was established was obtained by a lease agreement, through the late Mr. Enos Vann of the First National Bank and Trust Company of Muskogee. The Rowsey Family of Muskogee are the landowners and the original lease contract was signed January 1, 1976. However there was a one-year transition period of closing the Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station near Wainwright before becoming operational January l, l977, at the new site near Haskell.

A major effort was initiated immediately after the Eastern Research Station was established to fully develop the land area into segments that would be appropriate to conduct field research and educational programs. There was great need to carry out numerous conservation projects in an effort to stabilize the natural resources. The terrace system was adjusted, pond dams were constructed, plantings of appropriate permanent plant species were carried out, and cross fences for grazing programs were installed.

After the establishment of the Eastern Research Station, it has been common for approximately 50 research and educational studies to be conducted annually which include approximately 2500 individual treatment plots. The primary objectives of the ongoing programs have been to determine the best and most practical soil/crop management practices; best crop cultivars and varieties; best and most practical plant nutrition and soil fertility program; the best and most practical pest control program; all in an effort to solve area agricultural production problems.

Primary agricultural commodity crops and enterprises to which major research and educational programs are devoted include small grains, alfalfa, soybeans, forage legumes and forage grasses. Other major programs include soil fertility and plant nutrition, weed control, insect control, and plant disease control.

Livestock grazing studies and demonstration programs are major efforts at the Eastern Research Station. These studies have been of tremendous interest to area livestock producers. Important features of these programs have been types of livestock utilized, forage species utilized, livestock stocking rates, forage quantity and quality, appropriate fertilizer materials and application rates, and pasture management practices.

The ultimate goals for the Eastern Research Station, as established by the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University, are to increase the profitability of the farming and ranching enterprises of Eastern Oklahoma and to appropriately utilize and conserve natural resources.

Personnel who served at the Eastern Research Station:

Eastern Research Station Publications:

Research Report - Soil Survey, May 1978, T-769
Field Day, 1979, Agron. 79-1
Field Day, 1982, Agron. 82-1
Youth Field Day, 1986, Agron. 86-1
Field Day, 1986, Agron. 86-2
Field Day, 1986, Agron. 86-1
Field Day, 1991, Agron. 91-1
Field Tour, 1995, P.T. Proc., PT Vol. 7, No. 19
Field Tour, 1996, PT, Vol. 8, No. 21
Field Tour, 1997, PT, 97-29
Field Tour 2000 on-line at www.oaes.pss.okstate.edu/1haskell/index.html

Field Tour 2002, PT 2002-16 and available on-line at www.oaes.pss.okstate.edu/1haskell/index.html

The Eastern Research Station, established January 1, 1977, was the result of combining three previously established research stations that had been operated from approximately 1930 through 1976. Those stations were:

EASTERN OKLAHOMA PASTURE RESEARCH STATION
January 1, 1962 – January 1, 1977, Wainwright, Oklahoma

This station was established approximately 125 miles southeast of the Oklahoma State University Campus, approximately 15 miles southwest of Muskogee and approximately 5 miles southeast of Wainwright in Muskogee County. The Resource Area in which the station was established was the Cherokee Prairie, which is the same as that of the Eastern Research Station. There are many environmental similarities such as the soils, precipitation, temperature, native vegetation, and area agricultural utilization. The average annual precipitation is 42" with the mean summer temperature of 81 degrees F. and mean winter temperature of 42 degrees F.

The Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station was established on land areas owned by Mr. & Mrs. Harry L. (Pete) Whitaker. At various times additional small land areas for temporary and special needs were leased from Warner, Borum, and Warner Corporation. The main station owned by the Whitakers was described as: Southeast Quarter (SE 1/4) of Section thirty-two (32) and the Southwest Quarter (SW ¼) of the Southeast Quarter (SE ¼) of Section thirty-three (33), Township fourteen (14) North, Range seventeen (17) East, in Muskogee County, Oklahoma (approximately 360 acres).

The Research and Educational Programs concentrated on Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, Weed Control, Cultivar Evaluation of various primary area commodity crops, Forage Species Evaluation and Livestock Grazing studies.

Soils present on the station are in the Parsons, Dennis-Bates Soil Associations and were representative of soils found in the Cherokee Prairie Resource Area of Oklahoma as indicated on the Oklahoma Resource Area Map. Taloka Soils comprise about half of the station with Parsons, Dwight, Okemah, Choteau, Bates, Fitzhugh and Collinsville soils occurring on the other half as shown on the accompanying Detailed Soil Map. These soils were generally low in nitrogen and available phosphorus and are acidic in reaction. Therefore in many cases crops responded to applications of nitrogen, phosphorus, and agricultural lime. These soils under the existing climatic conditions and with an appropriate plant nutrition program were particularly sited for pasture and forage production. Detailed station soil descriptions are found in the "Soil Survey of Muskogee County, Oklahoma," United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The station soils map included in this report is found in the detailed soil survey publication "Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Processed Series, P-567, May, 1967"

Personnel who served at the Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station:

Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station Publications:

Forage Crop Variety Trials, 1964, P-506
Sorghum Variety, 1964, P-513
Field Day Report, 1964
Field Day Report, 1965
Pasture Management, 1966, P-530
Wheat Variety Test, 1966, P-558
Progress Report, 1967
Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station Soil Survey, 1967, P-567
Pasture Management, 1968, P-583
Progress Report, 1968, P-584
Progress Report, 1969, P-611
Progress Report, 1970, P-637
Field Day Progress Report, 1971, P646
Field Day, 1972, P-672
Research Report, 1973, P-686
Progress Report, 1974, P-705
Research Report, 1975, P-715

SOUTHEASTERN SOIL IMPROVEMENT STATION (1930-1968)

The Southeastern Soil Improvement Station was initiated in 1930 approximately 2.5 miles north of Heavener, Oklahoma with Mr. Harry Cobb serving as Foreman. The 110 acre land area was acquired by the Heavener Chamber of Commerce and leased to Oklahoma A & M College for the purpose of conducting agricultural research. The primary objective being to solve production problems facing Southeastern Oklahoma Agricultural Industry. The initial primary research programs were the measurement of water runoff from pasture and cropland areas, determine existing level of soil nutrients, determine necessary fertilizer treatments, and the testing of Forage/Pasture studies.

The first research program initiated was that of proper utilization of terraces and other structures in an effort to reduce and control soil erosion. Soon after the terrace research program was implemented it was realized that maintaining appropriate soil fertility levels was vital for profitable forage and crop production. At that point numerous soil fertility studies were initiated in an effort to determine the most practical and efficient plant nutrient program to maximize economic profits for forage and crop production. These research programs resulted in many guidelines that could be recommended to farmers and ranchers for soil fertility maintenance and profitable forage and crop production. Significant portions of the land area in the Southeastern Oklahoma were utilized for pasture production therefore forages variety testing and soil fertilization studies were major efforts at this location.

In the 1940’s and 1950’s it was reported in some of the field day reports that soils of the Southern Ozark resource area had lost an estimated 43% of their organic matter and 38% of their nitrogen since it was brought under cultivation. Due to heavy rainfall, they had been leached of the acid-neutralizing elements until more than 75% of the areas were acidic and needed agricultural limestone necessary for producing lime-loving crops such as sweet clover, alfalfa and other legumes. Between 60 and 75% of the soils in the area were reported to be deficient in phosphorus for profitable yields. It was also reported that approximately 80% of the soils in the area were potassium deficient. From these early studies it was determined that lime and phosphorus were necessary to produce legumes for a nitrogen source for producing grasses for forage and grazing purposes. It was also determined that nitrogen applications were necessary on areas where non-legumes crops were produced such as cotton or grasses. If legumes had been previously produced on these areas the amount of nitrogen required could be reduced because of the nitrogen fixation capability of the legumes. Therefore benefits were observed when a legume was included in a crop rotation program.

In addition to the research programs for soil conservation and soil fertility there were eventually a number of studies initiated on many crops such as caster beans, corn, cotton, cowpeas, oats, rye, mungbeans, peanuts, sorghum (forage, grain, and syrup), sunflowers, many forage legumes and grasses. Crop research programs included variety trials for area adaptation as well as looking at many new crops and varieties that had not been previously utilized in the area.

The station was located in portions of N ½ - NW ¼; Section 7; T 5N; R 26E; and NE ¼; Section 12 located east of K.C.S. Railroad; T 5N; Range 25E; LeFlore County, Oklahoma. At a later time, about 1954, the Bureau of Land Management donated 20 acres of E ½; NW 1/4; NE 1/4; Section 12; T5N; R 26E to Oklahoma A & M Collage for the purpose of conducting Agricultural Research.

The annual growing season in the area is approximately 220 days with an average annual precipitation of approximately 50 inches. Detailed weather information can be located in the Climatological Data for Oklahoma available from the National Climatic Data Center, Room 120, 151 Patton Avenue, Asheville, North Carolina. 28801-5001

The Department of Agronomy, Oklahoma State University described soils present on the Southeastern Soil Improvement Station in detail in a Processed Series Publication, P-323, June 1959. The Detailed Soil Survey Map of this publication is included in that report. Soil descriptions of this area are also described in the Soil Survey of LeFlore County, Oklahoma, United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, and the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.

Many observations and results of research studies and trials were reported in the reports distributed at field days that were conducted from time to time from the late 1940’s to early 1960’s. Many of these reports contained information that was helpful to farmers and ranchers of the area at that time.

Personnel of record that served at the Southeast Soil Improvement Station, Heavener are as follows:

SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA PASTURE
FERTILITY EXPERIMENT STATION,
1945-1961, Coalgate, Oklahoma

This research station was located six miles northeast of Coalgate, Oklahoma within the west central portion of Coal County, Oklahoma. The soil associations of the four land types of the 280-acre main station were typical for the extensive soil areas utilized for beef cattle production within eastern and central Oklahoma. About half of the main station land area was originally a blackjack and post oak forested area of sloping, light textured, shallow, well-drained soil. Most of the area had been cleared and used for cultivated crops but abandoned from cultivation many years before the station was established in 1945. The other half of the station was of prairie land that had been farmed for some 60 years prior to abandonment. An area of alluvial bottomland that had never been cleared for cultivation was located between the forested and prairie land types.

The initial pasture grazing experiments utilized yearlong Hereford steers allotted to permanent pasture paddocks established on each of the four land types. Common bermudagrass, weeping lovegrass, and a variety of clovers and lespedeza were established with lime and soil fertility treatments. An additional 300-acre pasture experimental area was established in 1948 to evaluate cow-calf production within two similar 150-acre areas comparing unimproved and improved pasture productivity on the four land types within these areas.

Small, intensive, detailed nursery study areas were located on each of the land types to evaluate numerous promising forage species, differential soil fertility treatment, and herbicide effectiveness.

The main station pasture areas were revised in 1953 to split the initial nine paddocks into paired pastures for improved statistical evaluation with differential culture treatments utilizing paired pasture and paired grazing steers.

The principal soil types within the four land types on both the main station and the 300 acre cow-calf area included Dennis silt loam representative of the extensive Eastern Oklahoma Prairie; Collinsville stony loam representative of the shallow cross-timbers region; Parsons silty loam, a claypan planosol and Verdigris silt loam, an alluvial, bottomland soil. This information was reported in Process Series P323, June 1, 1959, Department of Agronomy, and Oklahoma State University.

Results of the initial studies were reported by H. J. Harper, W. C. Elder, and B. Ross for pasture productivity of beef gains per acre, gains per head and seasonal gains and losses. Although variable as influenced by rainfall and climate effects, the impressive double and triple productivity of improved pastures with moderate expenditure and practical applied soil management practices contributed greatly for improved livestock production within the state.

Progress was continued with an emphasis on improved bermudagrass strains and perennial cool season grass-legume studies for winter grazing in 1952 by J. Q. Lynd, W. C. Eldor, and R. Totusek.

The station was discontinued for transfer of equipment and personnel to the newly established Eastern Oklahoma Pasture Research Station in Muskogee County.

Mr. E. E. (Eldon) Miller served as Farm Laborer (1945-1950) and as Farm Foreman (1950-1961) at the Oklahoma Pasture Fertility Experiment Station, Colgate, which was the entire time it was in operation. He then transferred to the newly established Oklahoma Pasture Research Station, Muskogee County and served until December 31, 1969.

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