Screening of the Award Winning Documentary 'Gasland' Aug 19 with the film maker, Josh Fox, in person.

Thursday, August 19, 7:00pm at the University of Arkansas Continuing Education Center Global Campus
2 East Center Street, Fayetteville, AR

A donation of $5+ is suggested.

LIMITED SEATING

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters, OMNI Center, Ozark Highlands
Group of the Sierra Club

Huoma Today [LaFourche Parish, Louisiana]

July 15, 2010

Why Louisiana’s ecosystems should sue BP
By Thomas Linzey, Guest Columnist

For months, BP’s oil spill has dominated the news.

The blame game between the government and the corporation began mere minutes after the Deepwater Horizon explosion — the corporation blaming the regulators, the regulators blaming the corporation.

Been there, done that.

The only exceptional thing about the finger-pointing is that it isn’t exceptional at all.

A common sight along roadside ditches, as well as in carefully tended residential flower gardens, is the Day Lily, known to the botanist as (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus).

This time of year one can see along roadsides, in and on both public and private lands, a beautiful wildflower, commonly called Yucca, Adam's Needles, or Spanish Bayonet. It is Yucca filamentosa L. and every single part of the plant is said to be useful.

Long, green sword-like leaves 12-32" in length, 1-3.5" wide, comprise most of the green portion, while the flower stalk arises centrally, erupting in a tall and beautiful display of large white blossoms having plenty roomy for a bumblebee. The plant may reach 4-5' in height.

Growing one's own lettuce at home is relatively easy. This year our garden hosted three varieties of absolutely delicious and beautiful lettuces.

Forellenschluss is a hardy one that has survived, uncovered, the entire winter, when a late summer or fall planting was made so that the plants reached an edible stage by September or October. It has beautiful burgundy swirls throughout each leaf.

A truly delicious wild green, similar in taste to spinach or lambsquarter, was pointed out by a neighbor who has eaten it in season for as long as he can remember. It is called Shawnee. It is cooked in the same manner as spinach or lambsquarter, and the main difference in taste is more of a texture, as it is "grainier" than the other two, yet still delicious steamed with a little butter or olive oil.

One of the most delicious foods this writer knows is Lambsquarter, Chenopodium album L. This tasty green is related to spinach, beets, and Swiss chard, and compared to spinach, this one is tastier in the opinion of many.