TOPIC: Favorite Root Ever

Latt I can not speak for dealers in all states but 1 pound of nothing but bulby root if other was going for 500 a pound would be worth at least 100 dollors more.Remember that it is hard to get 1 pound of nothing but dry bulby root in a deal and not take to much of the bulby out of the whole lot and cause the whole lot to be worth less it is sort of a win-loose unless you just find alot of bulby root then it is a win-win.In my area we have a good share of bulby but not enough to sell a pound of it seperate,but some areas could do it not far from me actualy within 75 miles of me in 2 directions the overall amount of bulby in a lot is more than directly here where i am at.Hope that helps bro: but there is no doubght that in the dry market 1 pound of all bublby is woth more than 1 pound of mix.

Billy.


Latt wrote:

Fellas,
I remember digging \"fat and bulby\" roots like that in the spot back in the late 70's. I remember the fella I sold them to saying that he would get a great price for them when he sold them. I was a teenager and didn't know I could have gotten a better price for them verses regular sang. So he kind of took advantage of my ignorance at that time. These were all really old slow growing roots that had been in the ground for 40 years and more in a woods with heavy canopy. I remember that many times a new growth neck with many curls would shoot off the main growth neck and so on. Many times one root would have 3 or more long growth necks with many curls and at the end were \"fat and bulby\" roots.

If regular seng is going for $500 per pound lets say, then how much would a lb of \"fat and bulby\" roots go for as shown in TNhunters pic above?
Thanks,
Latt

Lat I got $160 more per pound for those big roots I posted. I've sinse been offered a lot more than that if I get some again for fresh green roots. You've got to find a way to cut out the middle man!

On those bulby roots...

I just sold them mixed in with all of the other roots I collected that year.

I never have picked any out separate and tried to get a different price.

That was just a couple years ago when the price went up in the 700.00/lb range and that is what we sold ours for that year. 700.00 and I was sure happy with that.

I had a good lot of seng that year and those no doubt added to the overall quality.

PS... heading out scouting this morning... going to get in at least a couple hours.

Hopefully will have a few pics to post when I get back.

You all have a good Saturday !

TNhunter

Maya you got a realy good sale on those big roots and im sure that with the kind of seng that you dig that your overall lot was still very good all thouh you took those big ones out.

When you can do that it makes it better,for example now me as a dealer I would rather have those big roots that you are speaking of than the ball roots and for a pd of root that big i would pay more than 100 extra a pd also,but rather they are bulby or big is both realy good so long as it doesnt hurt the overall sell of your roots.

Me and you are amoung the few that have good enough digging all season to come out with a good overall sale even if we take a few of the roots like that out,but not everyone has that good of seng in there areas.

I knew a guy that seperated his last season and when he went to sell the lot no one would buy it including me because he had hurt the overall crop to much and the left over of about 4 pounds was all slack I felt sory for him,but I couldnt resale it and come out.

I think that the guys in my area that know me like me as there dealer the way that they do because when they bring me there entire lot I know how to do it and help them and not hurt it to where it hurts the main lot of weight.

In short I go over it and pay them for there real good root as if it where brought to me seperated and then pay them for what is left for the going price and then add that amount together for them and once we have the total I buy it.I then pour the two sets of roots back together and I still have the same lot untouched from that digger.
This way it doesent hurt me when I go to sell to my buyer either.

I have had many in the past two seasons to tell me that I am the only dealer that has ever done that for them.I had another dealer not to far from me in my area to actualy call me and tell me that I didnt need to do that,but I told him that he should buy his root from his diggers and I would buy my root from my diggers,but I wasent rude to him just let him know that this is my business and I will run it the way that I want to.

Being a digger myself for many years makes me know and understand what we go through as diggers and even though we love what we do any way it isent fair for us not to make a fair share of the prophet from our haul of the ginseng.

The guy that I mentioned that hurt his lot to bad to buy I exsplained that to him and he told me that from now on he would just bring his lot to me,and that realy will be better for him.I wish that all diggers could find a dealer in there area that is fair with them like that.I have friends in Tn: & Va: that wanted me to get license in there states for this very reason.If you can find the right buyer guys you want have to cut out the middle man,but everyone is not that fair or honest,but I wish all of my fellow diggers the very best price for there ginseng every single season.

Billy.


maya wrote:

Lat I got $160 more per pound for those big roots I posted. I've sinse been offered a lot more than that if I get some again for fresh green roots. You've got to find a way to cut out the middle man!

Did a lot of walking this morning, and it was nice and cool early - sort of felt like fall a little.

Did not find a lot of seng, and nothing real big, but did find a few and marked them with my GPS.

I was on a big tract of land that I own with my brother and sister (792 acres) looking around this morning.

Plan to take my boy back to that area and squirrel hunt a little and harvest what I found today. I think I will just let him find them (help him out a little) and get him started digging a little too. He is 11 years old now.

Here is a pic of one that I found that was a little interesting. Not real big or pretty, and looks like the June dry/heat caused it not to set any berries either.

But it is two 3 prongs and they both come out of the same spot, side by side.

I bet that is a double top root. I found a couple of those last year out there on that same property.

TNhunter

Yes that is exactly how it is for me Billy. Last year I got a premium price because I take the time to dig the seng right, all or most all hair roots in tact. I also don't dig much of anything under 15 years. I sold some for a buddy, but he got $100 less per pound as they were a little younger and beat up some, no hair root. My average roots up here will normally be about 80-90 roots per pound. I know some other states are looking at 100 plus roots per pound.

Now those real big ones had been sold for above and beyond that. I've got someone that is offering at least $1500 wet and they will be sold seperately than the rest! He will also pay seperately for roots over 50 years old.

Post a pic of that root when you dig it TN, should be interesting!

TN,
Glad to hear your family has that much acreage. It sure makes it nice about your seng and deer hunting. Also how you harvest your timber.
Your son will never forget his first days seng hunting with you as both my sons never forgot me taking them and I remember my dad taking me when I was young.
I'd say that plant has one root and two tops( NICE).

Maya,
You do have exceptionally nice big quality roots in your area. It's a pleasure to see them.
It's hard for ginseng to grow very old around here in Ky. where I live due to timber cutting every 15 years. And let me tell you they all know ginseng. So about the time seng is making a come back they cut again and so on.

rootman

Very nice my friend I always look forward to seeing your picks.

maya wrote:

Yes that is exactly how it is for me Billy. Last year I got a premium price because I take the time to dig the seng right, all or most all hair roots in tact. I also don't dig much of anything under 15 years. I sold some for a buddy, but he got $100 less per pound as they were a little younger and beat up some, no hair root. My average roots up here will normally be about 80-90 roots per pound. I know some other states are looking at 100 plus roots per pound.

Now those real big ones had been sold for above and beyond that. I've got someone that is offering at least $1500 wet and they will be sold seperately than the rest! He will also pay seperately for roots over 50 years old.

That will be a good root i do believe tn.

TNhunter wrote:

Did a lot of walking this morning, and it was nice and cool early - sort of felt like fall a little.

Did not find a lot of seng, and nothing real big, but did find a few and marked them with my GPS.

I was on a big tract of land that I own with my brother and sister (792 acres) looking around this morning.

Plan to take my boy back to that area and squirrel hunt a little and harvest what I found today. I think I will just let him find them (help him out a little) and get him started digging a little too. He is 11 years old now.

Here is a pic of one that I found that was a little interesting. Not real big or pretty, and looks like the June dry/heat caused it not to set any berries either.

But it is two 3 prongs and they both come out of the same spot, side by side.

I bet that is a double top root. I found a couple of those last year out there on that same property.

TNhunter