Ramp digging in the spring is considered to be a spring rite in many
parts of WVA. They are not a mushroom, actually they are from the lilly
family and probably most closely resemble a leek only much smaller. They
are dug at their best very early in the spring when they are just showing
a bit of green. You have to find them at this time by looking for the
previous years seed stalk. After one digs a mess of ramps it is tradition
to cook a pot of beans with corn bread and chow down. You can either eat
the ramps raw, sauteed with a little butter or some of the old timers
boil them. One thing for sure, if one person eats them everyone HAS to.
Many a school was cleared out by ramps being stashed behind a radiator.
joe
On 4 Jan 1996, Chuck Otte wrote:
> from Chuck Otte, Junction City, Kansas USA cotte@oznet.ksu.edu
>
> Dear Sanet-ers;
>
> From the asker of the obscure comes another good one. A young lady
> that works with my wife is from West Virginia and talks about going
> out in the spring (I think) and gathering something she calls
> "ramps". From the way she describes them they sound like some sort
> of mushroom. Can someone fill me in as to scientific name for these?
> Is "ramps" a regional name for something we all know.
>
> Thanks for any insight anyone can grant!
>
> Chuck
>
> ****************************************************************
> Chuck Otte Internet: cotte@oznet.ksu.edu
> Geary County Extension Office, PO BOX 28 913-238-4161
> Junction City, KS 66441-0028 FAX 913-238-7166
> ================================================================
>
>