The Hay Wrap Take Back Project began in fall 2023 as a way to prevent hay wrap and twine from getting tangled in equipment, fencing, and grass across the county.

The project encourages students to collect the wrap to win a prize for their school, and is continuing for its second year.

Hay wrap is a type of netting around hay bales, which protects them from moisture and makes them easier to handle. Cherokee County District 1 Grants and Special Projects Coordinator Kelly Blair-Campbell said hay wrap is lightweight but strong.

“It is often not disposed of properly and finds it way to roadside right-of-way areas. It the spring, countless clumps of net wrap become hidden in the grass,” Blair-Campbell said. “When the county goes to mow those areas, the net wrap becomes entangled in the county roadside maintenance equipment, which costs the county taxpayer in repair costs and lost production, as it takes hours to remove the product from mowers, tractors, trailers and trucks.”

Blair-Campbell came up with the idea to hold a contest and partner with local schools to collect hay wrap to help prevent it from becoming litter on roadways or in fields. In its inaugural year, District 1 County Commissioner Bobby “Cub” Whitewater said, 13,500 pounds of hay wrap were collected.

“I would like to say that I really appreciate the support from our local farmers, schools and community members for getting involved and making our first year a huge success,” Whitewater said. “Our goal this year is to beat last year’s total.”

Schools started collecting hay wrap and hay twine Oct. 1, and the last day students can bring in wrap will be March 31, 2025. Sponsors for this year’s contest include the Cherokee County Commissioners, Cherokee County Farm Bureau, and Tama Farm Grown Solutions.

The contest is open to all Cherokee County schools, which are competing for prize funds of up to $1,000, according to Blair-Campbell. A total of $3,000 will be split among the top five schools: first prize, $1,000; second, $800; third, $600; fourth, $400; and fifth, $200. Hay wrap will be weighed by the county commissioners’ crew during the first week of April.

“We love participating in anything that helps the community, teaches great citizenship to our students and teaches them to take care of our world,” said Tahlequah Public Schools Superintendent Tanya Jones said.

Cherokee Elementary Principal Marissa McCoy said it is important to collect hay wrap so animals cannot get tangled in it.

“We teach our students what hay wrap is and what it is used for,” McCoy said. “We also explain to them that by collecting it, they are keeping our town clean and wild animals safe. It is important to keep our county clean.”

McCoy anticipates most hay wrap will come in over the winter, but said Cherokee students have had fun participating in the contest.

“Farmers and ranchers feed more hay in the winter,” McCoy said.

Hulbert ag teacher Grant Cleary said each bale of hay can have 6-9 yards of wrap with a width of roughly 5 feet. He said another reason to collect hay wrap is to prevent fire risk in barns.

“Over a few months, this can really add up in sheer volume of wrap. Farmers usually do not throw much away, saving it in case they need it later,” Cleary said. “Somehow this has led to large pileups in barns and sheds in the area, with twine being a petroleum product creating a higher fire risk for any structure.”

Aside from their school or program getting money, students can learn the value of environmentalism and understand the importance in picking up after themselves, Cleary said.

“Furthermore, it also engages students with those family members and neighbors who have extra wrap and need a place to take it,” Cleary said. “Students knowing their community and those who are in it should be, and is, an important part of a student’s well-rounded education.”

During the Dec. 3 meeting, Cherokee County Commissioners approved a District 1 resolution to provide roll-off bins at various schools for the Hay Wrap Take Back contest this year, and a trailer capable of moving the bins. Whitewater said these were funded by a $48,000 Department of Environmental Quality grant, which was awarded last year, with a $12,000 match from District 1.

“The process is pretty simple. Once people know where the dropoff is, many come and bring wrap almost weekly,” Cleary said. “As for students, many ask ‘why do we have these bins,’ and it is a great moment to have a discussion with students about agriculture.”