Columns

As easy as 1-2-3? There’s no such thing as a lowmaintenance landscape in Louisiana, but these steps can lighten the burden

Picture this: a lush landscape brimming with plants that stay attractive year-round without you, the gardener, having to lift a finger. There’s no grass to cut, and weeds are kept at bay through clever use of groundcovers and hardscaping. Sounds great, right?

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a low-maintenance landscape like this is virtually impossible to achieve in Louisiana. Our warm, wet climate and long growing season promote explosive weed growth. Even desirable plants can quickly outgrow their appointed spaces.

Take A Break!

The Rock band R.E.M. had a song with this refrain, “Take a break Driver 8, you’ve been on this trip too long.” One or my favorites by them with a great melody, great guitar work, poetic but is very enigmatic Some critics say that the train Driver 8 is on symbolizes hopes and dreams while others say the verses are only stream of consciousness or imagery passing by as the trains moves. No one agrees on what the song really means but I still find some of the lyrics so appropriate at times.

Most of the historical buffs in our area are very familiar with the April 8, 1864 Battle of Mansfield when the much larger Union Army under Gen Nathaniel Banks was soundly defeated by the Confederate Army of Louisiana’s Gen. Richard Taylor. Equally as well know is the Battle of Pleasant Hill, which was the second battle that also occurred in DeSoto Parish. Both battles were part of the Union Army’s Red River Campaign to capture Shreveport (then capital of La.) with the intent to further invade Texas.

Little is known is that a third battle took place in DeSoto at Blair’s Landing which was the portion of the Blair Plantation in Natchitoches Parish that fronted Bayou Pierre. This was one of the largest boat landings along the Bayou since it served not only the large plantations on the east side of the Bayou but also the communities of Pleasant Hill and Pelican and the area around southern DeSoto Parish.

Espinache’? — Toot Toot!

What?! Well, the recipe in this column is actually a very tasty and easy to make casserole — IF — you like Spinach. And, I have a great recipe that I want to tell you about but let’s talk a little about that green grim childhood horror called Spinach. Historians think it originally was brought to the Mediterranean Rim from Central Persia in the 14th century. It became very popular there for its reported restorative powers (Spinach actually has nine different vitamins and minerals in it!) and was spread into France where they called it ‘Espinache’. The French are famous for Spinach based dishes and the one featured today, Spinach & Artichoke Pasta, does sound kinda Gallic but I guess in France it would be called Alcachofa e’ Espinache’, oui?

“He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Proverbs 29:1) The book of Hebrews warns, “Harden not your hearts”. (3:8) Evangelist Tommy Phelps told the story about as a deacon who would check himself into the hospital in his town when the church had scheduled a Revival meeting. He did not want to go, in fact, he was opposed to the meeting. He had done this for nine years in a row!

Blackened ChickenTenders

A few years ago before I learned the “Thick Black Iron Pot” trick of frying Catfish up right I used to coat the fillets with Tabasco Sauce and dust them in the prepared cornmeal mixture and bake them in the oven. They were very close to the fried fish I loved and we ate them at least once a week so when I saw Alison Roman’s recipe for Baked Tenders I knew I had to try them.

A continuat ion of “Old DeSoto and Mansfield” will be the theme this week. Many of our citizens never realized there was a gunpowder factory in Mansfield located on Franklin St. It was a successful factory that made powder for shotgun shells and dynamite. The DuPont Company bought up the smaller plants like the one in Mansfield to get a monopoly on the business.

During the depression years a program was developed under F.D.R. to put men to work. The Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) was formed. The program built the old swimming pool in Mansfield and the old Mansfield High School brick Gymnasium. Several other schools in the parish got gyms; however, they were made of wood.

A continuat ion of “Old DeSoto and Mansfield” will be the theme this week. Many of our citizens never realized there was a gunpowder factory in Mansfield located on Franklin St. It was a successful factory that made powder for shotgun shells and dynamite. The DuPont Company bought up the smaller plants like the one in Mansfield to get a monopoly on the business.

During the depression years a program was developed under F.D.R. to put men to work. The Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) was formed. The program built the old swimming pool in Mansfield and the old Mansfield High School brick Gymnasium. Several other schools in the parish got gyms; however, they were made of wood.

From Tree To Table: A Guide To Growing Pecans In Louisiana

There’s nothing quite like pecans. With their rich, buttery flavor, these nuts are a staple of Louisiana culture and cuisine.

If you’d like to produce your own pecans, November through March is an ideal time to plant these trees. There are a few considerations to take into account first.

“Our main limitation to pecan production, especially in the residential setting, is a disease called pecan scab,” said Michael Polozola, LSU AgCenter fruit and nut specialist. “The varieties I like to recommend for residential settings are the ones that have innate disease resistance.”

Scab causes black spots and streaks on pecan husks, and nuts from affected trees do not fill in well. If you’ve ever noticed an older pecan tree that no longer yields good-quality nuts — or produces none at all — scab is likely the culprit.

Mushroom Rice

Growing up back in the Fifties my young parents were members of a couple’s bridge club here in town. They met once a month on Saturday at a member’s home and rotated so that everyone had a chance to host. Of course the competition was intense on entrees and desserts and stuff and when it was my parents turn my Mother pulled out her cookbooks and came up with some pretty darn good things. Two that I remember well were Shrimp Harpin that was a kinda cream sauce sherry infused dish over noodles and another was her Mushroom Rice.