RAMPS!

[Muskyman]

Took a little stroll though my woods today and if those are ramps I’ve got a good load of them around my house.

[JW_Halverson]

Took a little stroll though my woods today and if those are ramps I’ve got a good load of them around my house.

Are you saying they are ramp-ant? 

[Muskyman]

I am indeed, JW.

[JW_Halverson]

I am indeed, JW.

I am insanely jealous. A local specialty shop carries sometimes in the spring but they are well north of $30/lb now. I reported on this thread earlier what I did with them.

I am not gonna lie, it was an exceptional meal folks. Exceptional indeed.

[Muskyman]

I actually read that JW, about the price they charge for them. I’ve been busy building a shed for my wife and after finishing today I was on a ladder looking into my woods and could see some so I took the wife’s little digging tool over and picked a little bunch. Don’t know how to cook them yet but I’ll be looking into that. Cleaned them up and washed them off and put them in a ziplock bag and into the fridge

[Muskyman]

I’m seeing some in my woods so, I guess it’s that time..

[JW_Halverson]

I'm so incredibly jealous. 

I got into a conversation with a young man that is a biologist specializing in fungi. He has a little business of selling wild mushrooms at the farmers market, but has been experimenting with growing varieties in his basement that are not found in this area. I asked him about ramps and he began to glow. He had lived in the mountains of West Virginia in his youth and his grandparents would take him "ramping" in the spring. He said he had sown a fair amount of seed in a few areas and had also planted several pounds of bulbs as well. He said our winters are mild enough, but having consistently moist ground is the killer. While he did not say where he had planted, he promised to stay in touch and let me know if he had any luck with getting them to take a toehold in the Black Hills.

[Strelets]

This is what is known as Ramsons, or more commonly "wild garlic", in the UK and Ireland. It is Allium ursinum, a different species from the North American Allium tricoccum, although judging by the photographs they look very similar. Four years ago I planted a patch about 4 ft x 3ft with bulbs and it is now growing very thickly, and has spread by seed into the adjoining gravel path and is growing in gaps between paving slabs. This little patch provides more than enough for us to use in salads and a variety of dishes.