Ramps/wild leeks

[kvaughn]

I know this may seem a little early but spring isnt that far away. I found the ramp motherlode last spring and am going back this year. My question being-Has any one dehydrated/pickled/frozen/dried any of these little odiferous,tasty things? Details?Thanx--KV

 

[hollowdweller]

No but I have eaten them prepared in those ways.

www.kingofstink.com


(my pal Anita #1 site)- be sure to check her link that says mail order has links to dried and pickled.

My wife and I are planning an overnighter to eat some ramps in late Mar early Apr.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Thought you could use a couple of pictures to brighten up the thread.

Doc

 

[August West]

My assumption, and yes, I know the true meaning of the word, would be that pretty much anyway you would prepare a spring onion, a ramp would work equally well. Chris

 

[Mentor]

Nice photos, Doc! That reminds me of one of my favourite paths on the Bruce. I'm looking forward to my first 'harvesting hike' this spring.

I haven't tried pickling or canning leeks before. Every time I contemplate doing something fancy with them, they somehow wander into my skillet and wind up in a stir fry instead.

Best,

- Mike

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Nice photos, Doc! That reminds me of one of my favourite paths on the Bruce. I'm looking forward to my first 'harvesting hike' this spring.

I haven't tried pickling or canning leeks before. Every time I contemplate doing something fancy with them, they somehow wander into my skillet and wind up in a stir fry instead.

Best,

- Mike

Thanks Mike. It's really a stone's throw off the Bruce, IIRC.

Doc

 

[Mistwalker]

Thought you could use a couple of pictures to brighten up the thread.

Doc

So, can you cut the greens off of them and string them up to dry like onions?

.

 

[myright]

Hey Doc - is that a Hori Hori? How do you like it?

 

[DOC-CANADA]

So, can you cut the greens off of them and string them up to dry like onions?

.

Hey mistwalker, I haven't tried that. Maybe somebody else........?

Hey Doc - is that a Hori Hori? How do you like it?

Hey myright,

I haven't used it an awful lot, but so far, I really like it. At one point, I considered a Tac Tool for foraging (a la Karen Hood in one of her Cave Cooking videos), but I think the Hori Hori was a much better choice.

It's very rugged - not much chance of bending/breaking when prying up a root, the saw like edge is good for cutting through roots. It's a bit more expensive than a trowel, but much more effective.

Doc

 

[hollowdweller]

Apparently here in Appalachia ramps were so highly prized that women would often trade sexual favors for woodsmen to reveal they very productive patches were.

I have often heard old timers say

"I grabbed a "ramp ho" and headed to the woods"

 

[tonym]

Ooh Leeks! I found a nice area for them as well last spring! Maybe we're talking about the same spot KVaughn

 

[forager]

I know this may seem a little early but spring isnt that far away. I found the ramp motherlode last spring and am going back this year. My question being-Has any one dehydrated/pickled/frozen/dried any of these little odiferous,tasty things? Details?Thanx--KV

I have dehydrated ramps with great success I have a simple 5 tray electric dehydrator. Wash them, cut off the greens (cook and eat them later), pat them dry, cut the bulb in half and put them in the dehydrator. Keep an eye on them and put them in glass jars to store. Usually less than 24 hours will get them dry for me but depending on the size up to 36 hours. You could also string them but it would take a little longer. Good luck and have fun this spring :thumbup:

I like to crush them up and make a ramp powder for cooking and I also will grind some and mix it with sea salt for a delicious ramp salt. I use about 25-35% by volume ramp to salt

Here's a few pics to get those spring juices flowing

 

[Mistwalker]

Hey mistwalker, I haven't tried that. Maybe somebody else........?

Doc

Thanks Doc,

I'm pretty sure i know where a patch or two is, I'll give it a try myself this spring if I'm right. I've bookmarked this thread for all of the great pic to aid in identification...I'm studying them now.

Apparently here in Appalachia ramps were so highly prized that women would often trade sexual favors for woodsmen to reveal they very productive patches were.

I have often heard old timers say....

Lmao...that's funny!

 

[John G]

This thread is making me hungry. With all the snow we have night now, spring feels like a long time away.

 

[hollowdweller]

Forager,

That one pic with the morels and ramps and the shed is a classic:thumbup:

I usually find morels here on my land (near Huntington WV) but I have to go to the mountains to find the ramps.

Where are you in OH? One time I was hiking along the Miami River there in OH at John Bryan State Park in April and the place was polluted with ramps. Growing everywhere. Also saw a really cool bee tree there right by the trail one time:thumbup:

 

[forager]

Forager,

That one pic with the morels and ramps and the shed is a classic:thumbup:

Thanks. I found those last spring

I usually find morels here on my land (near Huntington WV) but I have to go to the mountains to find the ramps.

Where are you in OH? One time I was hiking along the Miami River there in OH at John Bryan State Park in April and the place was polluted with ramps. Growing everywhere. Also saw a really cool bee tree there right by the trail one time:thumbup:

I'm in NE Ohio near Akron. I have two different locations that I go to within half an hour from me that literally have tons of ramps and usually a good haul of morels. The morels are tough to find sometimes :grumpy: It all depends on how many people have been there first

I also have some property in southern Ohio a little north of Marietta that are just loaded with morels but no ramps. A few years ago I harvested a few thousand ramp seeds and sowed them in an area near my cabin. This year I should be able to judiciously harvest a few ramps there

Only about 6 more weeks until I start looking for morels