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["The Swiss community of Helvetia, West Virginia began hosting its annual ramp supper sometime between 1946-1948 (Helvetia native Ernest Hofer who has been working at the supper for at least 40 years, wasnt sure of the exact date). The event is a fundraiser, benefiting the Helvetia Community Hall Association and the Farm Womens Club. For weeks prior, volunteers, including local 4-H kids, work to wash and freeze 60 bushels of ramps, some of which are dug and donated by locals, and the rest are bought from a digger. On the Friday before the event, male volunteers gather outside to cook 400 lbs. of potatoes in iron kettles over a wood fire, while drinking homemade wine. Women volunteers work in the kitchen, cutting 300 lbs. of ham, making cornbread, cooking Navy beans, and defrosting ramps. The Helvetia Ramp Supper is always held the last Saturday in April and draws visitors from across the state and region. The dinner includes fried and fresh ramps, beans, ham, fried potatoes, applesauce, cornbread, coleslaw, drink, and dessert, which guests eat at long tables in the basement of the Helvetia Community Hall. After dinner, a square dance is held upstairs. The documentation of the Helvetia Ramp Supper is part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/Also see Emily Hilliards piece on Helvetias seasonal celebrations, including the Ramp Supper, via The Bitter Southerner: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginia and read her piece on the Ramp Supper via the West Virginia Folklife blog: https://wvfolklife.org/2016/05/27/rampfingerprints/For more information, visit: http://www.helvetiawv.com/Events/Helvetia_Ramps/Helvetia_Ramps.htm"]%

289. Table set with fresh ramps and applesauce for the Helvetia Ramp Supper

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.032.4.28.16
Title:
Table set with fresh ramps and applesauce for the Helvetia Ramp Supper
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Wild leek, Festivals, Food habits, foodways, Helvetia (W. Va.)
Location:
Randolph County (W. Va.), Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Helvetia, West Virginia, population 59, is a Swiss community nestled in a high mountain valley along the Buckhannon River in Randolph County. In the 150-plus years since its founding, the Swiss traditions practiced by Helvetians have evolved in various ways. Helvetia began hosting its annual ramp supper sometime between 1946-1948 (Helvetia native Ernest Hofer who has been working at the supper for at least 40 years, wasnt sure of the exact date). The event is a fundraiser, benefiting the Helvetia Community Hall Association and the Farm Womens Club. For weeks prior, volunteers, including local 4-H kids, work to wash and freeze 60 bushels of ramps, some of which are dug and donated by locals, and the rest are bought from a digger. On the Friday before the event, male volunteers gather outside to cook 400 lbs. of potatoes in iron kettles over a wood fire, while drinking homemade wine. Women volunteers work in the kitchen, cutting 300 lbs. of ham, making cornbread, cooking Navy beans, and defrosting ramps. The Helvetia Ramp Supper is always held the last Saturday in April and draws visitors from across the state and region. The dinner includes fried and fresh ramps, beans, ham, fried potatoes, applesauce, cornbread, coleslaw, drink, and dessert, which guests eat at long tables in the basement of the Helvetia Community Hall. After dinner, a square dance is held upstairs. The documentation of the Helvetia Ramp Supper is part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/Also see Emily Hilliards piece on Helvetias seasonal celebrations, including the Ramp Supper, via The Bitter Southerner: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginia and read her piece on the Ramp Supper via the West Virginia Folklife blog: https://wvfolklife.org/2016/05/27/rampfingerprints/For more information, visit: http://www.helvetiawv.com/Events/Helvetia_Ramps/Helvetia_Ramps.htm"]%

290. Place setting for the Helvetia Ramp Supper in the Helvetia Community Hall

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.033.4.28.16
Title:
Place setting for the Helvetia Ramp Supper in the Helvetia Community Hall
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Wild leek, Festivals, Helvetia (W. Va.), Food habits, foodways
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["The Swiss community of Helvetia, West Virginia began hosting its annual ramp supper sometime between 1946-1948 (Helvetia native Ernest Hofer who has been working at the supper for at least 40 years, wasnt sure of the exact date). The event is a fundraiser, benefiting the Helvetia Community Hall Association and the Farm Womens Club. For weeks prior, volunteers, including local 4-H kids, work to wash and freeze 60 bushels of ramps, some of which are dug and donated by locals, and the rest are bought from a digger. On the Friday before the event, male volunteers gather outside to cook 400 lbs. of potatoes in iron kettles over a wood fire, while drinking homemade wine. Women volunteers work in the kitchen, cutting 300 lbs. of ham, making cornbread, cooking Navy beans, and defrosting ramps. The Helvetia Ramp Supper is always held the last Saturday in April and draws visitors from across the state and region. The dinner includes fried and fresh ramps, beans, ham, fried potatoes, applesauce, cornbread, coleslaw, drink, and dessert, which guests eat at long tables in the basement of the Helvetia Community Hall. After dinner, a square dance is held upstairs. The documentation of the Helvetia Ramp Supper is part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/Also see Emily Hilliards piece on Helvetias seasonal celebrations, including the Ramp Supper, via The Bitter Southerner: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginia and read her piece on the Ramp Supper via the West Virginia Folklife blog: https://wvfolklife.org/2016/05/27/rampfingerprints/For more information, visit: http://www.helvetiawv.com/Events/Helvetia_Ramps/Helvetia_Ramps.htm"]%

291. Helvetia Ramp Supper place setting with fresh ramps, applesauce, and vinegar

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.034.4.28.16
Title:
Helvetia Ramp Supper place setting with fresh ramps, applesauce, and vinegar
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
foodways, Wild leek, Festivals, Helvetia (W. Va.), Food habits
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.), Randolph County (W. Va.)
["The Swiss community of Helvetia, West Virginia began hosting its annual ramp supper sometime between 1946-1948 (Helvetia native Ernest Hofer who has been working at the supper for at least 40 years, wasnt sure of the exact date). The event is a fundraiser, benefiting the Helvetia Community Hall Association and the Farm Womens Club. For weeks prior, volunteers, including local 4-H kids, work to wash and freeze 60 bushels of ramps, some of which are dug and donated by locals, and the rest are bought from a digger. On the Friday before the event, male volunteers gather outside to cook 400 lbs. of potatoes in iron kettles over a wood fire, while drinking homemade wine. Women volunteers work in the kitchen, cutting 300 lbs. of ham, making cornbread, cooking Navy beans, and defrosting ramps. The Helvetia Ramp Supper is always held the last Saturday in April and draws visitors from across the state and region. The dinner includes fried and fresh ramps, beans, ham, fried potatoes, applesauce, cornbread, coleslaw, drink, and dessert, which guests eat at long tables in the basement of the Helvetia Community Hall. After dinner, a square dance is held upstairs. The documentation of the Helvetia Ramp Supper is part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/Also see Emily Hilliards piece on Helvetias seasonal celebrations, including the Ramp Supper, via The Bitter Southerner: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginia and read her piece on the Ramp Supper via the West Virginia Folklife blog: https://wvfolklife.org/2016/05/27/rampfingerprints/For more information, visit: http://www.helvetiawv.com/Events/Helvetia_Ramps/Helvetia_Ramps.htm"]%

292. Homemade desserts for the Helvetia Ramp Supper, 1 of 2

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.035.4.28.16
Title:
Homemade desserts for the Helvetia Ramp Supper, 1 of 2
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Wild leek, Cake, foodways, Helvetia (W. Va.), Festivals, Bakers, Food habits
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["The Swiss community of Helvetia, West Virginia began hosting its annual ramp supper sometime between 1946-1948 (Helvetia native Ernest Hofer who has been working at the supper for at least 40 years, wasnt sure of the exact date). The event is a fundraiser, benefiting the Helvetia Community Hall Association and the Farm Womens Club. For weeks prior, volunteers, including local 4-H kids, work to wash and freeze 60 bushels of ramps, some of which are dug and donated by locals, and the rest are bought from a digger. On the Friday before the event, male volunteers gather outside to cook 400 lbs. of potatoes in iron kettles over a wood fire, while drinking homemade wine. Women volunteers work in the kitchen, cutting 300 lbs. of ham, making cornbread, cooking Navy beans, and defrosting ramps. The Helvetia Ramp Supper is always held the last Saturday in April and draws visitors from across the state and region. The dinner includes fried and fresh ramps, beans, ham, fried potatoes, applesauce, cornbread, coleslaw, drink, and dessert, which guests eat at long tables in the basement of the Helvetia Community Hall. After dinner, a square dance is held upstairs. The documentation of the Helvetia Ramp Supper is part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/Also see Emily Hilliards piece on Helvetias seasonal celebrations, including the Ramp Supper, via The Bitter Southerner: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginia and read her piece on the Ramp Supper via the West Virginia Folklife blog: https://wvfolklife.org/2016/05/27/rampfingerprints/For more information, visit: http://www.helvetiawv.com/Events/Helvetia_Ramps/Helvetia_Ramps.htm"]%

293. Homemade desserts for the Helvetia Ramp Supper, 2 of 2

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.036.4.28.16
Title:
Homemade desserts for the Helvetia Ramp Supper, 2 of 2
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Helvetia (W. Va.), Cake, Food habits, Festivals, Wild leek, Bakers, foodways
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)

Listen to Audio

294. Oral history of Leenie Hobbie

Identifier:
4224.HobbieLeenie.AudioInt.3.27.18
Title:
Oral history of Leenie Hobbie
Date:
2018-03-27
Creator:
Hobbie, Leenie
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
foodways, Forage plants, Herbs--Therapeutic use, Herbs--Utilization, Herb products, Herb gardening, Food habits, Herbalists
Location:
Hampshire County (W. Va.)
["Leenie Hobbie (b. December 28, 1960, Alexandria, VA) is an herbalist in Kirby (Rio post office box) in Hampshire County, West Virginia. Hobbie has been a family herbalist for over 30 years, originally learning the tradition from her grandmother, who used both garden-grown and wild harvested plants at her home in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia. She has studied with acclaimed herbalists across the country and has taught the tradition within her community in Hampshire County. Hobbie is a 2020-2021 participant in the West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, teaching traditional Appalachian herbalism to apprentice Jon Falcone.See the West Virginia Folklife Program's profile of Leenie Hobbie and Jon Falcone: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/10/26/2020-folklife-apprenticeship-feature-leenie-hobbie-jon-falcone-traditional-appalachian-herbalism/"]%

295. Transcript of oral history of Leenie Hobbie

Identifier:
4224.HobbieLeenie.IntTranscript.3.27.18
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Leenie Hobbie
Date:
2018-03-27
Creator:
Hobbie, Leenie
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
foodways, Herb gardening, Herbalists, Food habits, Herb products, Forage plants, Herbs--Utilization, Herbs--Therapeutic use
Location:
Hampshire County (W. Va.)
["Ernest Hofer, born in Helvetia in 1950, is from a family with deep roots in Helvetia. His grandfather was the first baby boy born in the community in the 1870s. Aside from serving in Vietnam for two years, Hofer has lived in Helvetia his entire life. Hofer recently retired from working in the mines, and has worked at the Pickens [Helvetias neighboring town] Ramp Supper for forty-two years, and the Helvetia Ramp Supper for twenty-five. He is treasurer of the Helvetia Community Hall Association and is a member of the Pickens Volunteer Fire Department. He retired from working in the mines earlier this year.People aren't going to tell you where the ramp patch isthat's a well-kept secret and I'm not tellin' you where mine's at! And a lot of the property has been closed to ramp-digging due to the lumber companies, leasing the property. Which...has hurt the ramp suppers a lot. So, you just can't dig 'em. This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted with foodways practitioners in Helvetia, West Virginia, as part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

296. Transcript of oral history of Ernest Hofer

Identifier:
4224.HoferErnest.IntTranscript.4.30.16
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Ernest Hofer
Date:
2016-04-30
Creator:
Hofer, Ernest
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Coal mines and mining, Wine and wine making--United States, Wild leek, Veterans, Helvetia (W. Va.), foodways, 4-H clubs, Cooking, Swiss, Food habits
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Buddy B's is a market and deli serving hot dogs, located at 6083 Sissonville Dr. in Sissonville, WV.This is part of a collection of materials documenting West Virginia hot dogs and hot dog joints. For more, see the West Virginia hot dog blog: http://wvhotdogblog.blogspot.com/ and Emily Hilliard's piece, \"Slaw Abiding Citizens: A Quest for the West Virginia Hot Dog\" published in the Southern Foodways Alliance's journal Gravy. https://www.southernfoodways.org/slaw-abiding-citizens-a-quest-for-the-west-virginia-hot-dog/"]%

297. Two hot dogs with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions from Buddy B's in Sissonville

Identifier:
4224.HotDogTour.Photo.002.6.10.16
Title:
Two hot dogs with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions from Buddy B's in Sissonville
Date:
2016-06-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Cooking (Frankfurters), Food habits, foodways, Hot dog stands
Location:
Sissonville (W. Va.)
["Buddy B's is a market and deli serving hot dogs, located at 6083 Sissonville Dr. in Sissonville, WV.This is part of a collection of materials documenting West Virginia hot dogs and hot dog joints. For more, see the West Virginia hot dog blog: http://wvhotdogblog.blogspot.com/ and Emily Hilliard's piece, \"Slaw Abiding Citizens: A Quest for the West Virginia Hot Dog\" published in the Southern Foodways Alliance's journal Gravy. https://www.southernfoodways.org/slaw-abiding-citizens-a-quest-for-the-west-virginia-hot-dog/"]%

298. Hot dogs and peanuts from Buddy B's in Sissonville

Identifier:
4224.HotDogTour.Photo.003.6.10.16
Title:
Hot dogs and peanuts from Buddy B's in Sissonville
Date:
2016-06-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Hot dog stands, Restaurants--United States, Cooking (Frankfurters), foodways, Food habits
Location:
Sissonville (W. Va.)
["Buddy B's is a market and deli serving hot dogs, located at 6083 Sissonville Dr. in Sissonville, WV.This is part of a collection of materials documenting West Virginia hot dogs and hot dog joints. For more, see the West Virginia hot dog blog: http://wvhotdogblog.blogspot.com/ and Emily Hilliard's piece, \"Slaw Abiding Citizens: A Quest for the West Virginia Hot Dog\" published in the Southern Foodways Alliance's journal Gravy. https://www.southernfoodways.org/slaw-abiding-citizens-a-quest-for-the-west-virginia-hot-dog/"]%

299. Writer and illustrator Emily Wallace eating a Buddy B's hot dog

Identifier:
4224.HotDogTour.Photo.004.6.10.16
Title:
Writer and illustrator Emily Wallace eating a Buddy B's hot dog
Date:
2016-06-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
foodways, Cooking (Frankfurters), Restaurants--United States, Food habits, Hot dog stands
Location:
Sissonville (W. Va.)
["From 1953-2018, Skeenies was a beloved hot dog stand, owned and operated by the Skeens family in Sissonville, West Virginia.This is part of a collection of materials documenting West Virginia hot dogs and hot dog joints. For more, see the West Virginia hot dog blog: http://wvhotdogblog.blogspot.com/ and Emily Hilliard's piece, \"Slaw Abiding Citizens: A Quest for the West Virginia Hot Dog\" published in the Southern Foodways Alliance's journal Gravy. https://www.southernfoodways.org/slaw-abiding-citizens-a-quest-for-the-west-virginia-hot-dog/"]%

300. Hot dog with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions from Skeenies in Sissonville

Identifier:
4224.HotDogTour.Photo.005.6.10.16
Title:
Hot dog with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions from Skeenies in Sissonville
Date:
2016-06-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
foodways, Hot dog stands, Cooking (Frankfurters), Restaurants--United States, Food habits
Location:
Sissonville (W. Va.)