American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, is an herb native to the Aralia family. It is found in cool, moist forest areas of eastern deciduous forests. For this reason, restrictions have been imposed on wild ginseng root. So the question is not „Can you pick wild ginseng“, it`s more should you? If you decide that you can look for ginseng, the next question is how to choose wild ginseng? You cannot harvest ginseng on land owned or managed by MDC. A ginseng plant does not produce seeds until it is about five years old. By taking only mature plants and planting their seeds, you will help ensure that ginseng continues to thrive in the areas where it is collected. In addition, ginseng seedlings do not produce roots of high commercial value. The roots of larger, older plants are more valuable and contain a higher concentration of ginsenosides, the main ingredient that gives ginseng its medicinal properties. All this means that harvesting wild ginseng takes time. When the roots are harvested, it takes a long time before another root crop is ready.
In addition, there is the small problem that there is a lack of plants that grow for eight to ten years to produce large roots. Denham says the biggest risk to wild ginseng is poaching of public and private lands without proper regeneration methods. „People think it`s a way to get rich quickly,“ he says, and provenance is difficult to prove in the trading system because ginseng harvesters protect their sources. Beyfuss believes ginseng has value and potential as a cash crop in New York City, especially with a resurgence of cultivation and harvesting over the past 25 years. American ginseng is a plant native to North America that grows in the forests of the East. Originally used by Native Americans, ginseng root has a number of medicinal uses. It is particularly important in traditional Chinese medicine, and the majority of roots harvested in the United States are exported to China and Hong Kong. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that wild ginseng is a $27 million per year industry. According to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, the annual wholesale value of American ginseng was $26.9 million in 2014. Some ginseng sold for up to $1,400 per pound, and there was a 40% annual increase in ginseng exported to China, the largest foreign market for American ginseng. It is also illegal to harvest wild ginseng too early. The plant must be five years old or older and have at least three separate stems, which can be a measure of age before it is ready for harvest. Most of this ginseng is dried and sold for herbal medicine, but more and more green (or freshly harvested) ginseng has entered the market, Denham says. Four hundred pounds of ginseng is a small crop, while a large harvest would double that number. Considering that 1 pound of dried ginseng can include up to 120 plant roots, the amount of ginseng that will come from New York forests is an impressive number. There are many reasons why you may consider harvesting wild American ginseng.
Ginseng root can be sold at a good price, and it is notoriously difficult to grow, so harvesting in the wild is common. But the harvesting of American ginseng is controversial and regulated by law. Know the rules before going on ginseng hunting. Missouri wild and cultured ginseng must be certified by MDC: Known for its medicinal uses, ginseng is valued for its health benefits such as lowering blood sugar, increasing energy, reducing stress, and treating diabetes. „We see a lot of addicts digging ginseng because it has little overhead. They go out and find it easily, then turn around and use it to buy their drugs,“ he says. The ginseng trader registration provides MDC with important information about the annual harvest of Missouri wild ginseng. Now that we have established that you can pick wild ginseng, provided that the rules and regulations are followed, the only question that remains is how to pick the roots.
Wild ginseng is picked with a garden fork. Dig around the plant and gently lift it off the ground. Be careful. The highest prices go to the intact roots. Others use ginseng for its culinary benefits, especially in Korean culture. Jinah Kim, owner of Sunhee`s Farm and Kitchen in Troy, said, „Ginseng root is a long-standing traditional ingredient in Korean cuisine.“ Her mother, a Korean immigrant who runs Sunhee`s kitchen, recently prepared a chicken porridge and rice recipe that used 1-year-old raw ginseng root grown by Kim`s father. So, can you harvest ginseng on your property or on public land? It depends on where you live. There are 19 states that allow wild ginseng harvesting for export: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Very similar to Asian ginseng, American ginseng has been harvested and used medicinally for thousands of years. Roots have been studied by modern researchers, and there is evidence that they have these benefits: reducing inflammation, improving brain function, treating erectile dysfunction, boosting the immune system, and reducing fatigue. As the state works to prevent ginseng extinction, harvesters must also replant the seeds of the harvested plant. The law states that they must plant these seeds at the time of harvest at the place of harvest. As scrap metal continues to drop, Brooks says many criminals are now pursuing ginseng because of its rising price. The legal season for harvesting wild ginseng in New York State is underway and continues until November 30, after a start date of September 1. According to Jason Denham, who oversees the ginseng harvest for the Department of Environmental Conservation, this year`s wild forage crop is expected to be several hundred pounds. The most sought-after ginseng roots are older roots that are larger. Asian buyers prefer not only older roots, but also those that are strangely forked, blunt but pointed, white and firm. While the roots can be harvested after five years, the most desirable are eight to ten years old.
While it is legal to harvest or grow ginseng in your own garden, it is the increase in illegal harvesting that puts wild ginseng in danger of extinction. In the past week alone, Brooks says he`s made three separate stops for people who harvest the plant illegally. The most recent came over the weekend, when he arrested someone who had harvested the precious plant without permission on private property. James Brooks, Senior Conservation Officer at the FIDGV, has been with the ministry for 15 years. He says he`s seen a big spike in illegal harvesting, especially in recent years, thanks to social media, YouTube videos and TV shows detailing the illegal ginseng harvest. Never harvest before contacting a broker or buyer, unless the ginseng is for personal, non-profit use. These brokers must meet certain conditions in order to sell the product. Also talk to someone from the Department of Natural Resource Conservation before harvesting. A license may also be required to sell wild ginseng. Illegal ginseng harvesting is a first-class offense and the extra costs associated with harvesting can add up quickly.
Harvesting on private property can result in trespassing charges. Protected lands, such as a national forest, can incur federal fees. The theft can also be accused of stealing the plant. Digging up wild ginseng worth more than two hundred dollars leads to crimes. Ginseng grows wild in the Appalachians and if you know what you`re looking for, it can be easy to find. A collection season from September to December was introduced in 1985. This harvest season does not mean that wild ginseng can be harvested. Plants must have at least three compound or three-branched leaves.
The law also states that the seeds must be replanted in the place where the roots were harvested. Harvesting is prohibited in forests and state or national parks. WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Appalachian police are learning more about ginseng as the Department of Inland Hunting and Fisheries draws attention to illegal harvesting. Denham says the Catskill Mountain area is a well-known source of high-quality ginseng and equates the reason with the importance of terroir in winemaking; The soil and climate in which ginseng is grown affects the final product, and the Catskills produce exceptional ginseng that is sought after around the world.