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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"]%

13. Ramps and cornbread prepared for volunteers of the Helvetia Ramp Supper

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.028.4.28.16
Title:
Ramps and cornbread prepared for volunteers of the Helvetia Ramp Supper
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Corn bread, Food habits, Wild leek, Helvetia (W. Va.), foodways, Festivals
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"]%

14. Lunch plate of ham, ramps, potatoes, and cornbread for volunteers of the Helvetia Ramp Supper

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaRampSupper.Photo.030.4.28.16
Title:
Lunch plate of ham, ramps, potatoes, and cornbread for volunteers of the Helvetia Ramp Supper
Date:
2016-04-28
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Cooking (Potatoes), Helvetia (W. Va.), Corn bread, Food habits, foodways, Cooking (Ham), Wild leek, Festivals
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.), Randolph County (W. Va.)
["Richwood, West Virginias Feast of the Ramson was first hosted for the public in 1938. The dinner is said to have evolved from a private ramp-focused meal/stag party, organized by 13 ramp lovers. The ramp dinner menu, currently priced at $15 for adults and $7 for children, includes ramps, potatoes, white beans, bacon, ham, cornbread, sassafras tea, homemade dessert. While the dinner was held previously at Richwood High School, in 2017, the event was relocated to Cherry River Elementary School after flood waters damaged the high school the year prior. The event also features musical performances and a downtown arts and crafts show. For more on ramps, see e-WV: https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1983"]%

15. Plate with ramps, potatoes, ham, bacon, beans, and cornbread, served at the Feast of the Ramson in Richwood

Identifier:
4224.RichwoodRampFest.Photo.002.4.21.17
Title:
Plate with ramps, potatoes, ham, bacon, beans, and cornbread, served at the Feast of the Ramson in Richwood
Date:
2017-04-21
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Corn bread, Wild leek, Richwood (W. Va.), foodways, Food habits, Festivals
Location:
Richwood (W. Va.)
["Richwood, West Virginias Feast of the Ramson was first hosted for the public in 1938. The dinner is said to have evolved from a private ramp-focused meal/stag party, organized by 13 ramp lovers. The ramp dinner menu, currently priced at $15 for adults and $7 for children, includes ramps, potatoes, white beans, bacon, ham, cornbread, sassafras tea, homemade dessert. While the dinner was held previously at Richwood High School, in 2017, the event was relocated to Cherry River Elementary School after flood waters damaged the high school the year prior. The event also features musical performances and a downtown arts and crafts show. For more on ramps, see e-WV: https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1983"]%

16. Cornbread baked for Richwood's Feast of the Ramson

Identifier:
4224.RichwoodRampFest.Photo.017.4.21.17
Title:
Cornbread baked for Richwood's Feast of the Ramson
Date:
2017-04-21
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Richwood (W. Va.), Festivals, Food habits, Corn bread, Wild leek, foodways
Location:
Richwood (W. Va.)
["Richwood, West Virginias Feast of the Ramson was first hosted for the public in 1938. The dinner is said to have evolved from a private ramp-focused meal/stag party, organized by 13 ramp lovers. The ramp dinner menu, currently priced at $15 for adults and $7 for children, includes ramps, potatoes, white beans, bacon, ham, cornbread, sassafras tea, homemade dessert. While the dinner was held previously at Richwood High School, in 2017, the event was relocated to Cherry River Elementary School after flood waters damaged the high school the year prior. The event also features musical performances and a downtown arts and crafts show. For more on ramps, see e-WV: https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1983"]%

17. Dinner tray of ramps, bacon, ham, potatoes, and cornbread served at Richwood's Feast of the Ramson

Identifier:
4224.RichwoodRampFest.Photo.018.4.21.17
Title:
Dinner tray of ramps, bacon, ham, potatoes, and cornbread served at Richwood's Feast of the Ramson
Date:
2017-04-21
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Food habits, Richwood (W. Va.), Festivals, Corn bread, Wild leek, foodways
Location:
Richwood (W. Va.)