Columns
Amanda Mendez is the publisher and editor-in-chief at Howell County News. She and her husband, Ron, have owned the newspaper since 2019. She is an enthusiast of all things Ozarks and old-fashioned.
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As we drove into town to start our day...
If you’ve lived in Missouri more than five minutes, I’m sure you already know something about our wild grapes: tiny, seedy, and often hard to reach. That’s if the wildlife don’t beat you to them! Despite these challenges, they remain one of the favorite wild edibles in our state. Their deeply...
Amanda Mendez is the publisher and editor-in-chief at Howell County News. She and her husband, Ron, have owned the newspaper since 2019. She is an enthusiast of all things Ozarks and old-fashioned.
Facebook friends of mine will recognize the first part of this story. At the risk of...
Along with poke sallet, sassafras tea, wild grape juice and persimmon cookies, wild plum jelly is one of the beloved tastes of my childhood. Just the memory of the sweet tart flavor of plum jelly makes my mouth water! I have fond memories of making jelly with my dad in our little house in the...
Haggai 1:9 "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because My house is in ruins, while every one of you runs to your own home."
Despite all the current problems with deteriorating foreign relations...
Long summer days now memories
For leaves are turning now.
A tapestry of pastel hues,
Adorning twig and bough.
Still the elderberry though
Hangs ripe upon the bush,
A final flourish, a luscious gift,
Before winter's coming hush.
--Gary Smith
Although I fight to hang on to...
You can find edible wild food anywhere there is dirt, water and sunshine. While I enjoy my rich rural surroundings, urban settings are not devoid of flavorful fare. This week, I was in Indiana for my daughter’s wedding. We stayed in a delightful B&B with lots of large trees along a busy...
What food is high protein, low carb, low calorie, rich in antioxidants, helps reduce inflammation, kill cancer cells, control blood sugar, help prevent heart disease, and is completely free? Chicken of the Woods! While most mushrooms are small and are therefore used as an appetizer, side, or...
With a broad, white head of delicate flowers and a pungent scent, yarrow is now dotting the late summer landscape with its beauty. The flowers can also be found in shades of pink or yellow. Its lacy, fern-like leaves have long been prepared like spinach, but the uses for this cosmopolitan herb...
Down in the mullein meadow
The lusty thistle springs,
The butterflies go criss-cross,
The lonesome catbird sings,
But where the sunshine lingers,
And merry breezes come
To gather pungent perfumes
From the mullein-stalks a-bloom.
--Jean Blewett, 1922
A prince among...