The Okie Legacy

Great Grasshopper Gala
(Gala At Fair Valley)

The residing Mayor and City Commissioner of this unincorporated little Oklahoma grazing range known as Fair Valley are again in the process of holding their "2nd Annual Great Grasshopper Gala" for the Fair Valley inhabitants. BUT... This time the Mayor was well armed and waiting for the pesky young critters.

Again the Locustidae (or Acrididae) and Tettigoniidae with long hind legs gathered from origins unknown in the Summer of 1999 for the second "Fair Valley Great Grasshopper Festival". They were feasting on fresh, Fair Valley vegetation of potatoes and tomatoes put up by the locals and their associates.

The Gala's menu consisted of a variety of vegetarian delicacies planted each spring by the Whitney's & Associates within the 'Camp Ground Gardens'. Some of the vegetation included was the luscious, leafy leaves of the new red, white, and sweet potatoes; several tantalizing love fruits (or tomato vines); and a variety of succulent delicacies.

No one wished to comment concerning to origins of Mr. and Mrs. Locustidae and their relatives. So the origins are still unknown at this time for these Gorging Grasshoppers that have chosen to hold their annual Festival and Reunion on Fair Valley's Finest vegetation for the entire Summer Celebration of 1999 . Only to be interrupted by the monthly baptismal of newly vegetarian growth in the Fair Valley Garden.

In an earlier conversation between the Mayor and the Judge, the Judge had this to report, "We are still contemplating harvesting the gangly gorged grasshoppers and marketing them as Fair Valley's Finest Chocolate Covered Grasshoppers and perhaps extending the Locustidae crop to a FREE-for-ALL-Pick-Yur-Own Bait Shoppe."

The Mayor had only this comment to say about that, "I'm ready for the critters this year! I've surprised a bunch of the young hooligans already and have taken steps to surprise some more."

The long hind legs of the Tettiigoniidae hopped in from miles around for the "2nd Great Grasshopper Festival & Reunion" to be held at Fair Valley since the Dust Bowl days of the late 1920's and early 1930's.

According to the Oklahoma State Agriculture Web Site, "Summer is the time to control grasshoppers. Producers should not wait until they are winged and large, when control is difficult or impossible."

You can read about the Scientific Classification at "Scientific Classification... Grasshoppers belong to the group of order Othoptera. The grasshopper is the common name for any winged Othopteran insect that have their hind legs adapted for jumping."

Prairie Grasshoppers... According to Dr. Charles Bomar, "Insects are an important component of a functioning prairie. They range in size and beauty from the butterflies and bees that pollinate the showy flowers that we love so well, to the minute springtails that are responsible for nutrient cycling of that precious prairie soil."

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