Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: Jug Onions

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Alan Brant <castoriver AT juno.com>
  • To: market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Jug Onions
  • Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 15:31:16 -0600




On Fri, 10 Mar 2000 21:50:17 -0600 Marie Kamphefner <kampy AT netins.net>
writes:
> <snip>
> On Thursday, just before my help decided that digging holes for new
> fruit
> trees with a shovel wasn't in his job description, he was talking
> about jug
> onions. He asked me if I had ever heard of them. "They're from
> West
> Virginia," he said. "Long, kind of reddish and real hot."
> <snip>
>
> Hi Leigh!
>
> My metaphysical friends are always telling me that there is no such
> thing
> as coincidence. But, it's strange, don't you think, that my
> grandfather's
> people on my mom's side came from West Virginia. I understand
> that's where
> they landed when they came from Ireland. They're the ones who had
> the
> onions.
> Now, all I have to do is find someone in West Virginia who has the
> onions
> Marie in Missouri

Marie,

If your lost onion is the one from West Virginia it is also called the
wild leek or ramp. My family in West Virginia were avid ramp eaters but
we always collected them in early spring from the wild. It is true that
some people have been kicked out of school for coming to school with them
on their breath.

The plant we ate is Allium burdickii (A. tricoccum) which is native to
North America (ne US and adjacent Canada west to N. Dakota and Missouri),
yes it occurs in MO. These are small leeks with wide flat leaves (15 -
35 mm wide). The bulbs are small, 1.5 - 4 cm long and are sometimes have
reddish purple coloration.

If this is your "onion" you may be able to get it from some of the native
plant nurseries here in MO. A couple of places to ask would be Midwestern
Wildflowers (in or near Jefferson City) or Hamilton Seed Co. (not sure
where they are located).

Alan in MO




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page