Anybody out there hunt it ? Been telling myself for years that i would like to give it a go but never have! After watching the TV show last night mountain money , im interested again. Been studying rules and regs today. Any tips on what type of terrain they thrive in? I have mostly old strip mine ground in my area!
Damp low areas. I think north facing slopes? I have done it some, not real good at it. Usually September is the time to do it.
I recently saw this on episode 4, 5, or 6 of Hillbilly Blood. One of the guys grows some on his property and has to implement some security for it because he's got a poaching problem. Until I saw this episode I had no clue how difficult it is to grow Ginseng. It never grows in the same place twice!
I use to dig a lot of 'sang and yellow root. For a new digger like you, look for the red berries until you get use to the look of the plants. When you find one you'll find more in the area. Be sure to plant the seeds from any you dig. Its rare to find it at the bottom of a ridge, that's usually where the yellow root is and if you're in yellow root you wont be in the 'sang. I doubt you'd find any on old strip mine ground, 'sang likes mature woods with little undergrowth.
Its another plant dug for the root. Not worth as much but grows much thicker. I've dug 20-30 pounds wet weight of it in a morning. The last time I sold any yellow root it was bringing in the $20 a pound range dry. Here is a pic of yellow root. http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=HN.608040951385948533&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0 Doing a little research it looks like yellow root is still going for about the same but ginseng has went up BIG TIME since the last time I've sold any. $700-800 a pound now!!
