Ramp dig

[relic nut]

Went on our annual Ramp digging trip to the mountains this weekend and had a blast. Ate way too much. Thought I would get to detect a little but the rains moved in Saturday so I didn't go. I took a few pictures with the drone and hope you enjoy. Thanks for looking.

 

[releventchair]

It is officially spring there!
Congrats on a great tradition outing.

 

[Tedyoh]

Nothing worse than cleaning those things.....i have acres of them in the woods behind my house.....try taking the whole leek, leaf and all, beer batter and deep frying.....best onion rings ever!

 

[Tpmetal]

Yeah i got 12 acres filled to the brim of them here. Perfect time of year to pick before they get to strong in flavor

 

[Loco-Digger]

Wow relic nut you don't let the dust settle do ya? Bet ya'll had a real good time. That food looks tasty. Sorry to here about the rain and no detecting.

 

[relic nut]

Thanks LD. Wish you guys would have been there.

Wow relic nut you don't let the dust settle do ya? Bet ya'll had a real good time. That food looks tasty. Sorry to here about the rain and no detecting.

 

[huntsman53]

Dang man, you got me craving a good mess of ramps to go with a big plate of pinto beans, corn bread and fried taters! I haven't had any ramps since moving back home from West Virginia with my job in 1994. They banned ramp digging in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park many years ago for us natives because the ramps were becoming over harvested and endangered. I have heard there are a few places in the mountains North and South of the GSMNP that you can find some patches but they are few and far between due to over harvesting for the Ramp Festival in Newport, Tennessee (formerly in Cosby). I think the ramps for the festival now come from West Virginia and/or Virginia. It is held May 11th this year and although I have missed every one of them so far, I believe I will make it this year.

 

[Plumbata]

Awesome, looks like a lot of fun! I learned about the gastronomically legendary wild leek when I lived in Ohio, and after a bit of searching found some patches from which I harvested some seeds and dug some good clusters for transplanting at the family property in central Illinois. I had read that they used to be rather abundant in Illinois and that the name "Chicago" was borrowed from the native word for the plant, but had never managed to find any native populations. Perhaps a few centuries of human activity wiped them out? Anyway, the October 2014 transplants took and now I have several small but healthy patches residing near a wooded stream (quite close to a patch of Ginseng, incidentally). Hopefully with time they will expand to the point that they can be harvested and relished without fear of interfering with my "species re-introduction" scheme. They really are an interesting and tasty plant, pretty flowers and seed-heads too.

 

[Carolina Tom]

That looks like a great time, for sure. And I bet you guys ate a ton of food! I bet some beers got drank too. Glad to see that you gents had a good time.

 

[Dr. Witty]

DJI Phantom?

 

[relic nut]

DJI Phantom?

Yes, Phantom 3

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Looks like a great time, thank you for sharing!

 

[relic nut]

One or two [emoji41]

That looks like a great time, for sure. And I bet you guys ate a ton of food! I bet some beers got drank too. Glad to see that you gents had a good time.

 

[relic nut]

Found these this evening. I love spring time in the mountains!

 

[devldog]

Now that's how you go relic hunting. Glad yhall' had a good time. Maybe the weather will be more favorable for you next time out.

 

[pa plateau hiker]

I can tell you all are from the south. Here in Penna we call them leeks. I must cordially disagree on one thing. They are stronger flavored when they are young. As they mature later in the season, the flavor gets milder. I'm done digging mine now for that reason.

 

[relic nut]

I like the younger ones best. I also think they are milder. I have a friend who pickles the big ones, and they are great fixed that way. I also like to freeze some for later. They're not as good as fresh ones but better than waiting all year for more.

I can tell you all are from the south. Here in Penna we call them leeks. I must cordially disagree on one thing. They are stronger flavored when they are young. As they mature later in the season, the flavor gets milder. I'm done digging mine now for that reason.