TOPIC: "Amending rules in Vermont"

The state Ag dept just sent out a letter of their intentions to amend the rules here...

They are proposing to change to a $20 permit, previously free. No surprise there, they want to raise taxes on everything in this socialist state!

Changing harvest period from August 20th - Oct 10th, to Sept. 1 - Oct31. I can't agree with this at all. Most all of the plants I get to have red berries and if you find plants still upright at the end of Oct., I'd be surprised. Totally foolish. I know this is not the case for you in southern states but not up here.

Increase the minimum age for certification of roots from 5 to 10 years. I love this rule. If you want to increase and sustain the plant in the wild this is the way to do it imo. Plus you'll be selling better quality root. I don't harvest until they are 15-20 at least anyways.

Any other Vters have any thoughts?

I'm with ya maya. I don't dig half the three prongs I find due to I can tell by the stem they are small roots. I wouldn't have a problem with the ten year rule at all. As far as the licensing fee goes.... At least it's not $250 like down here in TN, now that's a crock of crap.

Hillhopper

Maya and Hillhopper

I've always believed in a ten year age limit and that is still a very young plant, especially in the wild.

rootman

Is that for a dealers license or diggers Hillhopper? Ya, either way it's nuts!

To me the goal is to keep plants/roots sustained in the wild. Well you just need to make it illegal to posses anything less then ten years vs 5 and you'll have a lot more in the wild. You'll also have a lot more seed being planted. What's the average berries you see on a 5 yo plant 3 maybe 4?It's got to be at least double that for 10, that's why I wait til 15-20.That will do a lot more than moving the start date back 10 days imo. I'm not even sure I'm going to dig this year, my back is still in bad shape.

Hey Maya, its good to hear from you. Sorry that your still suffering from that fall. I hope that the back continues to get better for you. I'd be all for that 10 year age limit too guys. I'd planned on letting my plots grow to at least that age before harvesting anyways....

Some wild sim growers may strongly object to a law like this though....

Maya
I missread your post. That price is for a Dealer's license. I cant believe they would charge that for digger's permit.... Absurd!! You still have some time before digging season, hopefully you can mend enough to dig some root this year.

Hillhopper

Thanks guys, I'm getting better but not back to full strength yet. Getting on my knees or working hunched over on my apple trees really bothers me. I can work for and hour or so. but then need a break. No way I'll be traipsing all over the mountains and then get down and dig for long.

5prong, wouldn't wild sim guys understand that they could get more money for older roots? I don't get it. They are shooting themselves in the foot digging 5 yo plants imo.

Maya,

They changed our opening from Aug 15 to Sept 1 here in TN last year and I think that was a good call for us.

Aug 15 many still have green berries, but by Sept 1 most are red.

There is no age requirement here in TN though... has to be a 3 prong, but no age specified.

I have found roots though that did not look to be 10 years old (based on root neck) but were on nice size 3 and 4 prongers and had 1.0-1.5 oz roots.

In the image below the 4 smallish roots (top right) were all in the 20+ age range... They were found in deep shade in regular wood on a north facing hillside.

The much larger roots (with short root necks) were found on a east facing bluff where they were getting a lot of morning sun, and growing in soil that was probably loaded with calcium (rock chip filled stuff). They all looked to be quite young to me.

They were legal to dig here, but if you had a 10 year age rule - guess you would have had to plant those back ?

That would be tough - No ?

PS - hope you do get well enough to get out and dig some this year.

TNhunter

TNhunter, sure would be hard to leave those nice roots behind if they changed the age to 10 years. I think the size of the berry pod has as much to do with good growing conditions than age.

Maya, The wild sim would be worth more at 10 years rather than 5, but you never know when a person might need to dig them earlier due to disease, moles, need money, etc. I just hate the thought of the government telling us how old our plants have to be at harvest, after we buy the seeds and do all the work it really shouldnt be decided by them. I really hope you get back to full health soon and be able to enjoy the senging soon.

Lenno

Ya I know what your saying guys, but to tell ya the truth I do bury roots like that back up quit often. Like I said in another thread we don't have the big groups of plants that you do down south. I think it would be good to give them more time up here so theoretically more berries get in the ground. I'm sure the long winters and cold temps have something to do with it. I know some of the dealers get pissed when these guys come in with tiny young roots.

As I said before I'm sure down south you have a lot of green berries at the end of August but not up here especially in the mountains. Down low in the valleys we might see a few green ones, but not much. I don't like government going nuts on things and making tons of rules either but this is just a change, not new ones.