The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-07-02
tFrom the Iowa Homestead.1
Picking Greens.
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. soULE.

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|
/ "Oh, dear, me am so tred-it seems
as though I should drop down and die" an,
the portly Mrs. Grey sat down her basket il
the porch and took off her sunbonnet ant
famed herself violently with it.
"Why, what in the world is the matte
Mrs. Grey, said l, as came in from th'
garden with dish pan full Of green's
"You look tired almost to DEATH"
swell, reckon I am. It seems as though
| never should catch q long breath again"
'But what's the matter What hav,
you been doing to tire you so ?"
"Why I've been out picking green's
You sec we are all dreadful fond of them
father, myself and the children, and w,
hain't had mess yet this spring, 'caus,
Mr.. Grey, he don't get any time to do sucf
chores, and the biggest boys 60 to school
and the leasqones amt no account yet, ant
50 I've been trying ever since it quit show
ering to get out and get us some, but
hain't made it out, till to-day, and reckon
they'll be the last We'll get this season, fol
I'm about used up"
"But how did you get SO tired Mrs Grey
Why, Pvejust been out picking some fol
dinner-see what nice mess have--and
| don't feel at all out Of sorts. Where did
you 60 for yours ''
"Oh, dear me, don't know hardly. Blu,
| reckon I've waded into every slough
hole that's within three miles of this cabin
had to take my shoes and stockings right of
for l couldn't possibly get at them any 9th
er way"
Sand what did you pick ?" I never
thought of going on the prairies for greens,
though I've been out occasionally in pas
lures "down east"
"Why, nothing but cow slops (she meant
cow slips.'O "I've got good lot finally,
but / am afraid some of them are too old
for they broke off rather tough. Do you
like them p
Not much. Not at ALL might say un.
less they're mixed with something else
they are too bitter for my TASTE"
"Wall, they are rather bitter, but then
. body in this new country must do the
best they can."
"And | have, Mrs. Grey. just see what
nice lot of green's I've picked" and
showed my pan, half full of tender crispy
mustard, and the other half young turnip
tops.
"Why, dear me, but them does look nice
Where did you get them O.
"Why, raised them in my garden. 1t
if by far the best aud cheapest way to get
green's it's no trouble to pick them then
1t don't take but few minutes and then
you are sure they're nice. These you see
only need washing enough to get the little
dirt off that sticks around the foot of the
stem. Two good rinsings. and they'll be
clean."
'But don't they take up an awful sight of
roomf Iaon't believe my old man would
be willing for me to have them growing in
onrs.
III think he would-a good deal sooner,
too, than to see you out wading sloughs all
forenoon for cowslips. Now listen. just
one foot north of my peas, ] have several
rows of them sixty feet long. sowcd a
row of mustard seed, the white and black
mixed tho white, think is the best for
green's, but hadn't enough Of it this year !;
and then just one toot north of that SOW
ed a row of turnip seed, nothing but our
common white turnp, for had no other,
and those two rows will give me all the
green's l shall want in my family of six
When my beetsge slittle larger ! shall
pull few of them and mix them in with
with the mustard and turnip tops, for after
all, boiled tops and bottoms, are the best
and sweetest green's. So yed see they don't
take but little room after all so little, that
anybody in this wide prairie land, can af.
ford to have green's in their garden. II
had only known you were fond of them, /
could have sent you mess long ago. As
il is you'd better let me send one of the
boys up now to pick some for you, to mix