Friday, January 30, 2026
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I Quit

By
Lee Pitts
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lee pitts

Dear Mr. and Mrs. America,

I’m not going to apologize because I broke the “woke” rules again or may have “misgendered” you in referring to you as Mr. or Mrs. The fact is, I just don’t care any more about being politically correct or woke. If this angers or shocks you, so be it.

This letter is to inform you that I’m handing in my letter of resignation from American society, effective immediately. I’m not giving six weeks notice because I simply can’t stand one more minute of all the lunacy going on in our country today. I’ve resigned myself to think that all hope is lost and our current course of self-destruction is, in their words, “not sustainable.”

So go ahead and condemn me in a letter to the editor, say something bad about me on your Facebook page, give me a bad rating on Yelp or “cancel” me altogether. I DON’T CARE.

If I had a kid today I’d think twice about sending he or she to a public school where instead of teaching the kids their ABC’s, teachers are educating them about LGBTQIA’s. Nor will I unlearn the basics of the birds and the bees. I will always believe there are only two sexes and no matter how hard a man tries to be a woman, he will never give birth to a baby. Guys, I’m sorry if this upsets you so much your tears make your mascara run. Frankly, I don’t care if you want to dress up like it’s Halloween every day. That’s your problem but if you ask me it’s way past time you should go back in the closet.

I’m tired of being called a racist simply because I made the comment to my buddies at the coffee shop that “blacks are taking over.” What I was actually referring to was Black Angus cattle dominating today’s cattle industry so might I suggest to the eavesdropper who scolded me that she might be a lot happier if she’d quit looking for reasons to hate me because I’m white and a male. If that’s a problem, get over it because I’m not apologizing or attempting to become a female.

I don’t care what the government says, I will never pay reparations to black people who never were slaves unless I get paid by the Indians who made slaves of the white people they kidnapped. I don’t judge people by the color of their skin and you should quit judging me by my cowboy hat.

I turned off the radio a long time ago and couldn’t name one single song that 50 Cent or Snoop Dogg raps or Taylor Swift sings. And while we’re on the subject, I refuse to be swayed to vote for some idiot just because a celebrity, who doesn’t have the brains of a lobotomized sheep, endorses them.

It’s been years since I’ve been in a theatre, not because of COVID but because Hollywood hasn’t produced anything I’d pay ten cents to watch, let alone $10. That’s the same reason I don’t download movies, belong to Netflix or pay for a single streaming service. I quit watching network television years ago because in every sitcom, movie or the news there was an attempt to brainwash me. If I wanted to be indoctrinated I’d go back to grammar school.

I’ve grown sick and tired watching misfits turn our schools into shooting galleries; of seeing illegal immigrants put up in four star hotels while our Vietnam veterans sleep in tents in sanctuary cities; and listening to climate change hacks who say that offshore oil wells are evil while offshore windmill farms will be our salvation. I can’t tell any more if people walking down the street talking to themselves are crazy or are talking on their telephone that’s permanently attached to their ear like an extra appendage.

Life has become too crazy so I’m dropping out and becoming a full-time hermit. I’m hunkering down and having as little human interaction as possible because I can’t bear one more minute of watching this once great country being destroyed from within by weirdos, whack jobs, nut cases and fruitcakes. So, to those preaching that cow farts will cause the end of our civilization I say, “We can only hope so.”

Long live the cow!

Wild Game Week

By
Debbie Dance Uhrig
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As I start the column talking about ‘wild game’, I will quote myself! Wild game is going to taste different in every state and nation depending upon the surrounding environment. Some of you will remember my repetitive story about when I first moved to the Ozarks, I couldn’t differentiate between catfish and bass, at times. Why? The waters here are much different than those in Northeast Missouri, where I grew up. Likewise; venison is going to taste a great deal different in the Ozarks than they will in Northeast Missouri. In my hometown area ,the deer are eating left over corn from the fields. In the Ozarks they are enjoying lots of wild brushes, acorns, these deer are also called ‘mule deer’ by some. These are probably the most significant things to keep in mind when it comes to ‘all’ wild game.

The other factors will differ from one deer hunter to another. I’m going to hit upon some of the most significant, which will render the cook the best outcome on meat quality. Let’s start with the take down. Try for a clean hit, since I’m not a hunter, I have reached into my knowledge and consulted a couple of close friends who are strong game enthusiasts. You need to know exactly where to ‘aim’ because you want a humane, quick take. Jump ahead, let’s pretend you got your deer. Sometimes you will find a difference in the quality of meat in a buck versus a doe. If one is going to be more tender it will most likely be the doe. But that’s not a guarantee either.

The quicker the field dressing occurs, the better outcome for the meat quality. I’ve seen people hang the kill to field dress and I’ve viewed it done right on the ground. My dad always loved it if he took a kill near a stream, because he would rinse the animal before bringing it back to town. Another factor to consider when you are field dressing is the careful removal of the urine bag. Several hunters indicate the breaking of the urine sac will likely taint the meat, so use care in removing it. I’m not going to discuss the importance of a a good knife, In this column I’m trying to focus on the best meat outcome

for the person preparing the meat.

In years past, and I mean more than 10-15, we haven’t had weather cold enough to leave a deer hanging in a tree, to cool out and drain overnight. Presently we find most skinning the deer and packing the meat into quarters and placing it on ice for 2-3 days. This would be the aging process. It’s during this time that we will see the break down of some of the fibrous tissue, which is good.

Remember if there is an outer fat layer be sure and trim it before cooking the meat, The fat tends to absorb the ‘gamey’ taste much more readily than the meat. Venison, and most wild game is one place you don’t want to overcook the meat. Keep the meat thermometer handy, overcooked meat will be very tough. Remember this meat is very lean compared to ‘beef’. The deer are eating various natural products in the wild, dogwood, elderberry, blackberry briers, sassafras, hawthorn and viburnum, which can grow into a small shrub or small tree. Viburnum was originally used for its’ medicinal purposes. Not only are the deer eating health food products they are also extremely active, versus a cow who is pretty sedentary, thus more fat.

After the meat has aged for your desired time period it’s time to get ready to process. This lays in the hand of hunter and the desired cuts they are seeking. Personally; I’d can some so I don’t use up all my freezer space. There are many methods of thought on how to handle the meat and keeping it from tasting ‘gamey’. Many still use the milk soak, in fact my good friend, Bonnie, soaks all her fresh fish in milk before preparing it. Also the implementation of good spices and marinates can enhance the meat outcome, my preference is to brine the meat. Remember this meat is extremely lean with low fat content. If I’m grilling pork loins, you can bet I’ll be brining it before the cooking begins. I use the same approach with chicken breasts and such. It really tenderizes the meat quite nicely. It also seals

the molecules keeping the meat juicy. If the use of the salt brine bothers you ,be sure and rinse the meat before cooking.

I’ve promised my family I’m going to give venison another try this year. I’ve eaten buffalo, elk, emu, ostrich, beef, pork and poultry, but venison has never been one of my favorites. What is my favorite? Buffalo without a doubt. I want to thank several good hunting friends, the Kim Fleer Family in my hometown of Lewistown, Missouri and Paul Chambers here in Kimberling City. Monica and Kim hooked me up with my classmate, Kathy Minear, Livesay for this easy loin recipe. Paul discussed variances with me in meat preparations. If I were making Kathy’s dish I think I’d prepare the rice dish from last week and very small Brussel sprouts or root vegetables. This time of year a fresh apple salad or fried apples sounds good too.

Let the hunt begin. Simply yours, The Covered Dish.

This recipe is from Kathy Minear Livesay, experienced cook and wild game expert.

Venison Loins, (Backstraps)

We keep the loins (backstraps). We marinate the loin in Italian dressing for several hours, then wrap in bacon and grill on low heat, turning often to crisp the bacon. The temperature to remove the meat is 130-135 for rare 140-145 for medium.

Kathy has utilized brining in this process and the bacon is bringing back the moisture content and additional flavor for the meat. Personally; I think everyone will like the simplicity of this recipe. At one time there was a high-end restaurant in Fort Leavenworth that catered to the officers at the Fort. Rumor had it that the key to their wonderful steaks was to soak them in Italian dressing prior to grilling.

Sights and Sounds from Beneath a Deer Stand

By
Steve Gilliland
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So, I woke up this morning to the strangest sound. It’s like a constant “pattering” sound of some sort on the roof. Oh wait, it’s raining, almost forgot what that sounded like! As I sat here contemplating this week’s column, the soothing sound of the rain and the dark morning brought back memories of this deer hunt years ago on a morning just like this.

Naturally, after the driest summer on record, it started to rain when deer hunting and trapping seasons arrived. It had rained most of Friday night and was still drizzling at the crack of dawn Saturday morn. Ever the macho deer hunter, I still crawled from beneath my electric blanket at zero dark thirty to brave the elements. The problem was that either a lengthy drive or a long walk was required to get to all our stand spots but one, and after the amount of rain we had gotten, walking was the only option. Again, being the macho deer hunter, I’m not against a bit of an early morning walk, but I know each boot would have accumulated five pounds of mud and I’d have been soaked once I arrived. so, I drove to that one stand where I could park in an old farm yard and walk just behind the buildings to a nice raised stand built from an old fuel tank support. That took care of the mud part, but it was still raining, so instead of setting on top, I crawled beneath the floor of the raised blind and got comfortable in a camp chair.

The floor of the stand was about two feet above me and not totally water tight, but an occasional drip sure trumped sitting in the rain. We’d always heard a pair of great horned owls at this old farmstead, and that morning I also got to watch them as they wound down from a nights hunting and geared up to snooze the day away. The first owl sat on a power pole a couple hundred yards in front of me and called to its mate that I could hear but not yet see. Soon the mate silently flew to the top of a tall cedar so that they were just a stone’s throw away from each other. I had no idea which owl was the male and which was the female, but the calls were very different. Both calls used the same number of syllables, but one call was higher pitched like a woman’s alto tone, and the other was more of a baritone pitch. After awhile, one owl flew off, then the other and the woods was quiet again except for the slow staccato of the drizzling rain and the “plop” made by the occasional drop dripping through the “roof” onto my vinyl vest.

Then came the blackbirds; probably numbering into the tens of thousands, the flying horde actually made a low, muffled roar like the wind blowing through the trees. They landed in the wheat some ways away, but like waves in a living sea of black lapping against the shore, the huge swarm was constantly on the move. Birds from one end would fly up and move to a different spot so that the assemblage appeared to crawl slowly across the field like a giant ameba. Once in the air again, the monstrous flock swirled and twirled like a Kansas twister marching across the plains.

In the distance I began again to hear a muffled roar like the wind slowly picking up. “Was it more blackbirds” I wondered? No, this time it was a rain shower as it crawled across the field. The drone became louder and louder until it encompassed the deer stand and the occasional drip became a constant stream. I waited it out and when it had subsided some, I put my hood up and headed for the dry safety of the pickup.

Maybe these sorts of things seem to you like odd topics to write about, but not to me. I know I get so caught up and focused on shooting the deer or catching the fish that I totally miss everything around me. So, the next time you’re sitting in a deer stand or rocking with the waves on a boat in the lake, concentrate on seeing things you usually miss, then close your eyes for awhile and just listen to nature around you and learn to experience God’s marvelous creation in its entirety. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at [email protected]

Aggie Wish List

By
Milo Yield
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Thayne Cozart
Milo Yield

Web: www.miloyield.com

Hardly a day goes by that there isn’t scientific news somewhere about a new advancement in genetic manipulation. For instance, recent news said that scientists are genetically modifying pigs so their internal organs can be successfully transplanted into needy humans.

The seed industry has for years used genetic manipulation to create new seeds that offer improvements in crop growth, yields and quality.

Likewise, the meat animal sector of agriculture has for years been doing genetic manipulation through cloning, embryo transplants, disease prevention, new crossbreds, etc.

All the above discussion about aggie genetic manipulations got me to thinking about an “Aggie Wish List” for still newer genetic manipulations that could solve some big and persistent problems for crop and livestock production.

Through a process called “CRISPR gene editing,” scientists can often clip and splice specific-trait genes from one organism to another. So, I’m advocating to use CRISPR technology to achieve my Aggie Wish List. Here’s the list of problems I’m talking about and my suggested genetic solutions.

• Eastern Redcedar invasion: Cedar trees are overtaking many productive farm and ranch lands. The trees are ugly, virtually worthless, nutritionally-void, rapidly-spreading, fire-fostering, water-sucking landscape parasites.

I want science to solve this problem by splicing highly-nutritious alfalfa genes into cedar trees, thereby making the cedar needles as palatable and nutritious as alfalfa hay. Just think about seeing cattle herds, sheep flocks, even deer herds fighting to devour cedar trees.

And, scientists can go one step further and splice genes for giraffe long legs and long necks into meat goats so those new edible critters can graze on the tops of cedar trees. My suggested name for the new meat animal is the Giroat.

Why, with this new technology, within a decade pastures throughout the land will be more productive and profitable.

• Sericea lespedeza and Caucasian Bluestem: These two aggressively invasive plants are endangering the highly productive rangelands of the Flint Hills. Cattle will scarcely touch sericea. It’s hopelessly expensive eradicate with herbicides. Caucasian Bluestem, likewise, is almost inedible for cattle. It replaces the nutritious native rangeland grasses like big and little bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, and side-oats gramma.

So, scientists could partially fulfill my Aggie Wish List by splicing the nutrition genes and nitrogen-fixing genes of red clover into sericea. Then grazers would prefer it. The new grass would provide nitrogen for the soil, too. To improve Caucasian Bluestem, I request that the genes for eastern gama grass, which cattle love, be spliced into the plants. With just those suggested improvements, the invasive species encroachment into the Flint Hills would be solved.

• Cockleburs, pigweed and bindweed: These three immensely costly, absolutely worthless weeds are chronically impossible to eliminate from U.S. crop fields. So, solving that problem is high on my Aggie Wish List. Genetic manipulation can come to the rescue.How about scientists splice the cocklebur gene for easy growth in any soil, and the pigweed genes for prolificacy and abundant yields, and the bindweed gene for persistency and deep-rooted drought resistance into our standard grain crops of wheat, corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum? That way all those crops immediately become more prolific and profitable.

Then they splice the weak genes from a mamby-pamby plant like an orchid — that’s about impossible to keep alive — into the three worthless weeds. That way within one growing season under harsh field conditions, the miserable three weeds will wither and die out forever.

• Johnsongrass: Johnsongrass, which should be the state grass of Oklahoma, is a persistent nuisance grass that thrives in fields, fence-lines and road ditches. However, it is highly prolific and hardy, but not very nutritious for grazing. So, on my Aggie Wish List is having the best traits of sugar cane spliced into Johnsongrass. That way cattlemen have a new, easy-to-propagate, highly nutritious grass for their cattle.

• Crabgrass and Foxtail: Folks trying to have presentable lawns have been fighting crabgrass and foxtail forever. Both nuisance grasses are annuals, ugly, drought resistant, and highly efficient seed producers. So, gene spicing to the rescue on my Aggie Wish List.

The gene-manipulators should splice the genes for lovely green color and nice texture from Kentucky bluegrass and the genes for drought resistance and aggressive growth in bermudagrass and splice them into the crabgrass and foxtail. The world would end up with a wonderfully green, fine-textured, drought-resistant lawn grass. And a new market would open up. I suggest naming the new grass Perfecto.

***

The last item on my Aggie Wish List has nuthin’ to do with genetics, but everything to do with the profitability of the nation’s farms and ranches. That item is commodity price.

Every year the U.S. spends vast sums of money to improve crop and livestock productivity. And, admittedly, progress is made incrementally. But, sadly, history shows that increases in productivity have minor correlation to profitability. One day’s downturn on the commodity boards of trade can wipe out all the profitability made from decades of productivity gains.

So, it’s clear the real progress to be made in profitability is to improve commodity prices. But, I’ve yet to see an economic research project with the stated goal of improving prices. Increasing ag exports has proven unreliable for improving profits. Increasing domestic use to improve price is equally spotty.

Nope, the answer to aggie profitability lies in national policy. And, I’ve yet to see a thin research dime spent trying to find and enact a national farm commodity price policy.

***

So, I admit, all the items on my Aggie Wish List are fantastical and doomed from the start.

Wish lists are seldom every fulfilled. But, that doesn’t keep me from wishing.

***

Finally, I got a real good soaking rain. Good for my newly-planted lawn. Bad for my shop under construction. Gotta take the bad with the good.

***

My words of wisdom for this week are: “We’ve turned back our clocks to standard time. The election is over. Now America needs to turn back to a time of standard politics.”

Have a good ‘un.

Easy Rice Casserole

By
Debbie Dance Uhrig
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OK, so; the big wild game column is on its’ way, but the rice side dish is the prelude. Usually I steer clear of canned soups, but in this recipe, it makes an outstanding rice dish, that goes in the oven. The only thing that has ever deterred me in any fashion with this recipe is the fact that it doesn’t double extremely well. If you do need more of the rice dish than what one recipe makes, be sure and give yourself plenty of time to get the double batch done.

I have always felt wild game was accompanied nicely with not only a ‘wild’ rice dish but also with dressings full of sage, sausage, fruit and nuts. I am not a ‘huge’ fan of venison, but I grew up on dishes of smothered rabbit and squirrel. It was quite funny one Thanksgiving, when I procured fresh rabbit for my mother, Betty. We didn’t eat it for the big dinner, but I did serve it a couple days later. The rabbit was farm raised and I had never seen such a huge bunnie! The other fun part was the fact that I didn’t have a recipe for smothered rabbit, in fact I had never made it before. Like many of you I went back in my memory to watching my mother and grandmother preparing it in the kitchen. Basically I took off from there. The only difference was the fact I like a little dry sherry or white wine in my smothered rabbit. It enhances the onions and mushrooms that go inside my reduction sauce. Mom never cooked it all the way on top of the stove, it was only a good browning, and then with the meat removed I deglazed the skillet and moved forward with a wine or sherry based cream sauce.

If we can get the temperature to drop a little more all of us will feel like a rice dish and wild game.

Bouncing back to the wild rice dish. Do remember you can always prepare your own ‘soup base’ for this recipe and not use the store bought. Rice could also be made the day before the dinner and simply reheated just before the meal. The butter amount could also be altered if the richness is not to your liking.

A regular steak or pork chop would suit the rice nicely. Throw in soft hot rolls and a delicious salad and the meal is complete. I could even handle the recipe with a chicken or fish main entree. If it’s fall . reach for a pumpkin or gingerbread parfait, for an easy yet delicious dessert. Pumpkin pie is one of the easiest pies out there, give that a try too.

I’m thinking about November presently. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and it will be the first without my dad at the table. He loved my holiday dinners, and cooking for him was one of my greatest joys. I knew if my dishes impressed his palate they would be a success.

Time to wrap up the column and complete a few things before bed. Have a dandy weekend, and productive week. Simply Yours, The Covered Dish.

Wild Rice Casserole

½ cup long grain rice, rinsed

½ cup wild rice, rinsed

1 can beef broth soup, 11.5 ounces

1 can French onion soup, 11.5 ounces

1 stick of butter

8 ounces mushroom pieces

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bake in greased 2 quart baking dish with a lid, covered for one hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Serves

4-6 persons.

Our first year of marriage we enjoyed this on Christmas Day, with small sauteed Brussel sprouts and steaks. We shared the meal with George and Sharon Short, at their first home in Platte City, Missouri. Wish we could do that day over again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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