Ramps! (Edible Native Mountain Leek)

What's that floatin' in my zodiac glasses, you ask?!? It's the most coveted, prized, celebrated, and hidden native onion plant of the Appalachian Mountains! Technically it's actually a leek, but my gawd it doesn't taste like one - it's a pungent, savory, delicious flavor that may just blow all other onions out the water. When I found these ramps being sold on the side of the road on HWY 209 (Duckett's down in Crabtree) I was ecstatic, because I had not yet found any growing in my little forest -
I was told they need shade but also a slightly open area to propagate, so i walked around till I intuitively felt I had hit good spots under a canopy of trees but with plenty space to grow.
The soil was dark under the leaves, rich, and fluffy - I dug a hole a couple inches down (4 inches or so) and placed 3 bulbs together in each hole. (You can place each one separately also.)

I chose spots where many other native plants are already thriving - this is a good way to know that the soil is right for the ramps.
The most fun part was when I bought these on the roadside the local people who ran the produce place told me "Nobody ever tells anyone else where their ramp patch is, so if you plant these don't ever tell anyone where you planted them..."

I won't tell. But next year when they grow if ya'll ask me for some I will definitely share! :)
Xoxoxo

Creating A Sustainable Dream Part 3

Do ya remember this drawing I did back in November, a sketch of my sustainable dream? I drew it on a tax record for some random land on HWY 209 in Hot Springs and made a list above the drawing of things I wished for... asked for? Required?... in order to make myself a totally eco minded, organic, animal friendly, surrounded by wildlife home. Now look at the cabin below that I found for sale...
Even the porch with the overhang, and stove pipe for the wood stove coming out the roof is in the exact place I drew it - the windows are too. And the shape, the size, and the house is raised off the ground. The roof pitch is in the direction I drew it too, to hold a loft which this cabin does have. Plus it's off HWY 209 in Hot Springs just like the tax record I drew on. But what is even freakier.... there really is a pond near the cabin just like in the drawing!!! So I am going to share my secret wish list with ya'll, and compare each item to what this place has::: The wish is on the left side, and the reality is on the right side!

1. 10 acres or more --- 8 acres (surrounded by other large wooded properties)
2. Variety of land type, wooded, flat, sloping, steep --- all of the above
3. Pure drinking water, creek, spring, pond --- all of the above!!!
4. Sustainable & stable lifestyle --- um, check (fish in pond, get chickens, gardening with ease)
5. Open space for donkey and chickens --- there is an overgorwn cleared spot... nothing the donkey, chickens, me and a goat can't fix.
6. House, old cabin, or place to build a cabin --- rustic cabin 600 sq ft.
7. under $100,000 --- asking price $99,000
8. Organic gardening area big enough to feed myself --- see #5
9. Adjoins nice eco neighbors --- yeah, Llama and sheep farms next door
10. Easy access for getting groceries brought to me, social life --- this one is so-so... ? Who wants to bring me groceries or come for a visit... :)
11. Good dirt --- check, the area is like one giant pure forest with nearly no development for miles and miles
12. Safe for MCS --- yep.
If I can get this close to my list for a house I am thinking I should go ahead and start drawing pictures of myself holding giant wads of cash $$$, winning lotto tickets, with giant abundant gardens all around me. :) Oh, and driving a car again!

Xoxoxoxo