Mistletoe Hunting, With a 12-Gauge Shotgun

The pecan tree in his front yard was dripping with mistletoe, so he invited us to take a shot. Theresa took the gun from its case, and snapped it together with her eyes shut.

Mistletoe grows in pecan, oak and apple trees across the country.

She aimed at branches more than 50 feet in the air and hit them with ease. After seven shots, the hunt was over; Theresa had bagged enough mistletoe to keep the town kissing through the New Year.

It was curious to me that such a romantic plant required such a violent harvest. But perhaps that's just my Yankee bias showing. Guns don't always mean bloodshed, sometimes they're just the best way to get the job done.

If you would like your own fresh mistletoe, without the trip to North Carolina (though I can vouch for the local hospitality), you can purchase it online. Try Smiley Park Mistletoe or More Kisses Mistletoe).