Fire Ants and Turnip Greens (not together of course)

Turnip greens

cornbread dressing
(I didn't take the above pictures, I googled them.)

We went out and picked a mess of greens from the garden early this afternoon. We came in with a small basket full of young, mixed, turnip, radish, and mustard greens. I let them soak awhile before washing them, then threw 'em into my big stock pot with a couple pints of water, salt, and a little fatback for seasoning. Being young and tender, it didn't take them very long at all to wilt down for some mighty fine eatin'.

I also made some chicken and fine southern cornbread dressing (those living above the Mason-Dixon line might call it stuffing).

I did a little experimenting with the chick and dressing this time though, I made the whole kit and caboodle in my electric skillet. It turned out really well and I didn't have to heat up the kitchen with a hot oven.

(click photo to enlarge)

Here's a close-up of Miss Beans riding on the combine yesterday. PopPop said she didn't miss a thing during her ride and loved every minute of it.

Small fire ant mound (click to enlarge)

The farm down there is being overrun with fire ant condos. James usually digs in their mounds a bit, then burns them when he has time because they're devilishly mean little creatures. One of the workers unknowingly stood on a mound one day and they absolutely covered the lower part of his body, stinging the entire time. James said Guadalupe came out of his clothes and boots that day, right there on the turn row, and didn't care WHO saw his business.

A gently disturbed fire ant mound. (click)
James knocked the very top off of the mound to show us how quickly these little devils will swarm and attack. In seconds there were millions of them pouring out of the mound.

Fire ants stings aren't normally lethal to humans unless they're allergic to them, but they're at least as painful as a wasp or bee sting. They have been known to overcome other insects and small animals and sting them to death.

We made the Beans stay in the truck in her car seat so she wouldn't get close.