Okra

[Tom]

I have a customer that lives on Silver Creek in Jacksonville who grows okra.  I was there one day at the end of the season an he gave me some. I had to stand on a step ladder to reach the pods on the top of, what must have been, 12 foot stalks.  

Today, we were talking on the phone and he said that his dad told him that the height of a stalk of okra when it first bloomed was directly proportional to the distance that you dropped the seed.  Sometimes you see plants blooming when they are only 4 inches tall.  Sometimes plants don't bloom until they are waist high.   He said "I always bend way over so they don't drop but a couple of inches."

My bowl turner friend has some corn in his garden that is beginning to grow great guns.  We had a wet spell awhile back and his garden was too wet to mess with.  He told me back then that he would plant it with a sling shot if it didn't dry up soon.  Said he could sit on the carport with seed and shoot it out there in a pretty neat row.  I think he waited on drier weather. :D :P

These old timers sure are smart.  you don't think they would put a fellow on, do you? :-/

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 The Lovely Miss Celest, who holds my attention these days, lives at her mothers boarding house. An older woman (70s?) that lives there comes from Southern Virginia. I was doing some work at the house recently and got to talk with her at length. She told me that If you smell cucumbers there is shure to be a snake around and if you hear a mourning dove before breakfast someone has died.
 She is a small woman, probably not more than 5' tall. We talked of gardening and canning, something we both enjoy. She told me that when she was a child she and 4 of her brothers and sisters would sleep across one bed.
 She gave me a jar of her peach preserves. I love peach preserves. And I promised her some black eyed peas when they come in this year.

I always enjoy talking with an older person of their experiences.

[Bibbyman]

My in-laws would work up their garden and wait for a good soaking rain.  Then they would poke the seeds or plants in the mud.  

For things like tomato plants, they would take the hoe handle and poke a hole and set the plant and gently squeeze the hole shut around it.  For seed like corn, beans, etc.  they would "string a line" and poke them in the ground along it with their finger tip.

Worked for them. 8)

[Tom]

I think a slingshot has merit when it's that wet. :D

[Texas Ranger]

ummmmm, okra, 'maters and onions all stewed tagether.  Little long sweetnin in it, some salt and pepper.  Um um um um UM.

Oh, yeah, ya can get all the advise from old folks on this board that you can handle. :

[CHARLIE]

I ain't too partial to boiled okra, but I loves fried okra. 8) Donna plants okra every year but here in Minnesota, our okra only get about 18 tall before they freeze in the Fall.

[Mark M]

I had some Okra once, it must have been boiled and was terrible, all slimy and gross. It reminded me of those DanG slimy Northern Pikes only it didn't smell fishy. Fried might be good though, at least if wouldn't slimy.

[CHARLIE]

Yep, that's why I likes my okra fried.....cause it ain't slimy. Now I loves fried Northern Pike. I do admit they are mighty slimy while cleaning them but once you zip out the 'Y' bones, cut the filet into chunks, dip 'em in egg, roll 'em in some cornmeal seasoned with salt, black pepper and a touch of cayenne pepper and then fry 'em up....they are mighty good eatin'! 8)  As good as any walleye! ;D 8)  

[EZ]

Fried pumpkin blossums, aint nothing better.
EZ

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Pickled Okra with couple of those little red peppers in for a bite.
Now that's good okra!

[DanG]

Okra is good, just about any way you can fix it.   Simplest way is to steam it. It ain't near as slimey as boiled, and you get the full flavor.  My favorite way to eat it is with butterbeans, or fresh blackeyed peas. You boil the peas or beans, with meat seasoning, of course, and add a couple handfuls of okra just before they're done, 'bout the last 30 minutes or so. It'll make you wanna slap yo' Mama. ;D

[dail_h]

   Fritters guys,slice it thin mix in a thin pancake batter fry the edges crispy  8) 8) 8) 8). course ain't no wrong way ta fix okra

[ohsoloco]

EZ, yer speakin' my language now  ;D   Get out in the garden first thing in the morning while the blossoms are still opened up real nice  

[OneWithWood]

DanG, I knew I shouldn't have skipped lunch : ;D

[DanG]

Well, I prolly shoulda skipped it. Went down to Early's Kitchen and got a go-plate...fried chicken livers and gizzards, stewed okra-tomatoes-onions, butterbeans, and cornbread. DanG plate musta weighed 5 pounds. They throw in a 24oz cup of sweet tea with the deal. $5 ;D

[OneWithWood]

Oh, great Dan.  Now I feel a whole lot better

The worst part is I probably haven't gotten any thinner for my sacrifice :

[DanG]

I haven't either. :-/ :D