Any "Prune Pickers" in WNC? (Asheville, Tar Heel: employment, to buy)

[garth]

Just curious . . . If you know what a "Prune Picker" is, then the question makes sense. If you have no idea what it is, then you likely wouldn't be one anyway. Sorry.

So, I'm originally a "Prune Picker" from the southern part of the "Prune Picker" region. Are there any other "Prune Pickers" around the greater A'ville area?

[queenofbavaria]

ok, tell me what a 'prune picker' is ! I might be one and JUST DON't know !!



I love to make plum cake (with italian plums and streusel ... does that count ?)

[garth]

Sorry QofB. Since you're originally from the BRD, you aren't a "Prune Picker." It's a term for someone native to a certain part of the country that goes back to the depression era. Once folks have a chance to see the thread, I'll make it clear if there's no response.

[Ody]

QofB that dates back pre WW11, here is a hint as to where it comes from by Horris Grealey " Go west young man go west"
My grandfarther would ask me " wanna go pick prunes and be a prune picker" lol lol.
I will let Garth reveal the answer

[WNCbadwolf]

According to the Urban Dictionary Prune Picker means:
A Montana slang term for someone from California. Used in a derogatory sense. Many people from California do not know that Prunes are dried plums. You pick a plum.

[garth]

Thanks WNCbadwolf for the internet search, although it's not entirely accurate. In fact, "Montana" has nothing to do with it.

In spite of "urban dictionary," it is a term for native Californians that took form in the depression years and grew in popularity into the war years as Ody described. It was coined by the migrants from the hard-hit areas of the country who moved to California for employment opportunities.

When people from the Midwest and South found work in California, it appeard to them that the native Californians didn't know anything about agriculture, so much so that they didn't know "prunes" were not picked from the trees. Plums were picked and then dried into prunes. Hence, they named the native Californians, "Prune Pickers."

So, a "Prune Picker" is a Native Californian, not just someone from California. "Someone" from California would include a large portion of the State that were originally from somewhere else like, Oklahoma, Iowa, Arkansas and even NC. Those "someones" wouldn't be "Prune Pickers."

Now that the cat is out of the bag, the question can be formed as: Are there any native Californians around the area of WNC?

Although I would be interested in hearing from any SoCal-type Californians, of course it would be nice to wave "hi" to any NoCal and CentCal expatriots too.

[WNCbadwolf]

Native North Carolinians (born & raised in the state) are known as Tar Heels, To us Tar Heels anyone born outside of the south is a Yankee, To the people born outside the south, those of us who are native to WNC (born & raised in the mtns) are known as hillbillies, rednecks & sometimes white trash or trailer trash

[Ody]

Ok Badwolf, here is one for you/// with out looking any thing up ( no googling for info ).
Where does the term Carpetbagger come from and what does it mean and about what time period was it coined.
ody

[WNCbadwolf]

thats an easy one, it came from after the civil war when wealthy Yankee business men would come to the south offering to buy out plantations & small business, profiteers basically. They would typically carry a a large bag made from area rugs. Hence the term Carpetbaggers.

Most self respecting southerns knows what a carpetbagger is, if they don't then they have to be either 1 or 2 generations removed from the north.

[Ody]

I said no googling,// there is one 17th centry word (from old England that you used to give a complete answer, shame on you
Do they still exist in the Asheville area or WNC ? how can one tell a carpetbagger
DM me your answer if you like
ody