TOPIC: Ginseng Reality Show coming to a holler near you

I don't know Tony Coffman personally, but my uncle used to sell ginseng to him and he was always treated very fairly. Actually paid considerably more than what other dealers were offering.

Yep $550 yet would certainly be more than most would pay for wet seng. Perhaps he had a one time buyer on the show that was willing to pay such a high price for 200 lbs wet. Who knows I guess.
Latt

Up here in PA, I've never got $550 even for dry ginseng. I guess 1 good thing that I saw on the show, it is very very obvious that it is staged/scripted. I can't imagine it sticking around for more than 1 season (hopefully).

The best thing we could all do is not watch it, don't give it any ratings.

Well at least now it is documented.
A few months ago i was lambasted by Huntsman about my opinions on diggers who dig on federal land, well the first 15 minutes of this show proved beyond the shadow of a doubt what really goes on. Even though the show sucked and was riddled with inaccuracies the mentality of the hunters was an accurate portrayal in my opinion. I saw digging of 2 prongs, plants with green berries, trespassing, mis-identification of plants, At no point did i see any digger reach into his bag of stratified seed and replace what was taken. There was one part that almost brought a tear to my eye, when the brethern became worried about the poor land owners pot, my my my a friend in weed is a friend indeed. When a buyer will say on national tv, \"if you dig it, i will buy it.\" should send up a red flag to usfws to immediately pull that piece of craps dealers license. And he has no excuse for his words, he knew he was being taped and he knew people he was buying from were poaching. This show reaffirms my position that i do not want to be part of a grower/diggers association. Sorry Guys but the two just do not go together, kinda like letting the fox guard the hen-house. If anyone is truly offended by these words then good. now you know i detest poachers.

oh i almost forgot
MY Favorite Quote from \"Appalachian Outcasts\"

\"its a protected species, but I don't know why. Its a plant'

Guys I watched the 1st episode of that show and the faults with it are many it does no portray any type of respect for the ginseng the mountains or the land owners. It is very clear that the diggers are thieves and value not laws either people but self greed is overwhelming to the point of disrespect that a good steward of the Mountains would never even consider much less do. I could speak my mind concerning them but it may cause me to have to pray so I will leave my thought of that where it is just in my thoughts.

The dealer I will speak no bad thing of his person because I do not know him.
And maybe he thought this would help his business by the advertisement and exposure of it but that is far from the truth.

Let me say this.. As a experienced dealer now and a man of a lot of experience concerning wild ginseng.

If this dealer has a American Asian Market buyer/buyers and they see this show then the idea of portraying wild fresh ginseng for $500 a pound will insult them because it is a flat lie and is not true at all. This will hurt his reputation in so much that he will loose at least a part of them customers. And the offended small dealers that deal with him will be high in no# as they will feel cheated and robbed through the years and will not trust him further.

American Korean people are the largest group of consumers for fresh wild ginseng. They are honest people and they are very sincere in there use of the root. They have as much respect for the roots as we do for the plants. In so much that they bless my heart. Watch my video with MR: Oh and Jin Ho you can see there love in it. They are family people who are very close to one another. They are also good business men. They do not approve of dishonesty. A flat lie in a way like unto this will destroy there confidence in a man and they will not deal with him if they can not trust him. This show will be a disgraceful portrait to them and any one involved in it will be.

I have several Korean clients that come here and eat and drink tea with me. I have grown fond of them and they have me and it is because of trust and honesty. I have taking them to dig there first bunch of wild ginseng from far away as Korea when they have came to see me and I know that they are good people and truthful.

I have had many TV company's approach me and ask me to do similar shows as this one and I told them flat no. Some others have approached me to do a show that was not as bad as this show but it still was not honest and did change facts that can not be changed and on and on. I have e-mails and phone records of many and it was never more than conversation or a meeting and a good bye. Simply because we are what we are and we love what we are and we are very honest and we are good stewards of the Mountains and we are Gods sons and Daughters. We are not liars and we do not disrespect other people lands and we do not go into the parks and national Forrest and steal.. and that is why I have turned them away for years a long time before I became a dealer, but it got stronger after I became a well known dealer as it is now.

It was never because I did not want to share my knowledge and the big plants that I find in the wild or because I did not want to share my love and respect for all that God has giving us. It was never because I was a multi millionaire and couldn't make use of the money paid for the show/shows or at least use it for my children. It was because if I done it then it had to be done right and in the way that it should be done.

And that is like this,

To represent the true fun and joy that we have when we find a big old 4 prong the joy and happiness of seeing your son dig his biggest plant ever at 14 years of age in the pouring down rain walking them steep hills and sliding in the mud and him hollering yea lord I found him dad I finally found the big monster like you do and having so much joy that you could cry or you did cry tears of pride and joy. It is about the family heritage that you pass down to your grand daughter and grandson the look in there little eyes as they say Dad, Papaw you sure do love this don't you ? and you reply yes I do Honey and there little faces light up and you know that you have a ginseng buddy for life. My 2 year old Grandson already howls when I show him a wild ginseng plant.

We do not tell them to get ready to run because you are stealing from some poor guy that has worked his tail off to grow a crop, we tell them to never do that, we tell them not to lie about the value or the worth of this thing that you love so much, not to act like a thug that will kill some one else over something that is so good and precious.

My God this world is so messed up that it can not see the joy and the good of even the simplest and best things that God has giving his people to love and they must make a mock of even these things in the name of Money for Filthy Lucre and gain.

I will never let my Family my Friends my Customers my Grandchildren consider me a thief a liar or a crook for no amount of money or any thing else.

The show that I have spoke to you all about that I am involved in is nothing like that because I have never trusted any one in TV to talk to them until I met the man that I am now dealing with and he came to my house himself ( the owner )and assured me that our show would not be taking out of the truth and that I would see everything before it aired. The truth is being weary of these very things why would I even let something be recorded to decide that I didn't want it to be a possible episode. Why not say no to that right there right then ? and then there is never nothing to worry about. The truth is it is there business to come up with ideas to air and they love what you are doing but they do not know any thing about it. They do not realize that a idea could in fact be a bad idea you have got to tell them that. The true Producer wants the show to be good and not bad, just like a true wild ginseng hunter is a good steward so you have to find the good one. Sometimes you have got to show them that a bad idea can not work but you will also be very surprised at some of the good ideas they can come up with by following a long and getting to understand better who and what you are and why you are that way. I truly like the crew that works with me and I think highly of the Producer & Vice President and his lead man. That I am afraid is what was lacking in the show that just aired Appalachian Outlaws.

I can not yet say much about it but our show but it is nothing like this garbage.

I will let you know more when I can.

Billy.

K_duce wrote:

Well at least now it is documented.
A few months ago i was lambasted by Huntsman about my opinions on diggers who dig on federal land, well the first 15 minutes of this show proved beyond the shadow of a doubt what really goes on. Even though the show sucked and was riddled with inaccuracies the mentality of the hunters was an accurate portrayal in my opinion. I saw digging of 2 prongs, plants with green berries, trespassing, mis-identification of plants, At no point did i see any digger reach into his bag of stratified seed and replace what was taken. There was one part that almost brought a tear to my eye, when the brethern became worried about the poor land owners pot, my my my a friend in weed is a friend indeed. When a buyer will say on national tv, \"if you dig it, i will buy it.\" should send up a red flag to usfws to immediately pull that piece of craps dealers license. And he has no excuse for his words, he knew he was being taped and he knew people he was buying from were poaching. This show reaffirms my position that i do not want to be part of a grower/diggers association. Sorry Guys but the two just do not go together, kinda like letting the fox guard the hen-house. If anyone is truly offended by these words then good. now you know i detest poachers.

Kduce,

I certainly hope you will reconsider that postion.

The Grower's & Digger's Association is just forming. Nothing is set in stone yet. However, I don't think anyone who has expressed an interest thus far disagrees with your anger at the illegal and unethical behavior you highlight. In fact, I would suggest we agree with you.

I know personally, the reason I believe the association is necessary is to keep items like this TV show from influencing administrators who have no other information or method to obtain credible information, from taking this garbage as factual.

We certainly need strong voices like yours in the creating of a standard of ethics for growers and diggers who want to be part of this association.

As a matter of fact Maya, Coffman is a member of this site, and posted here this past season. Did anyone even get 300 per lb in WV at the start of the season?


maya wrote:

Well, I watched the first show, clearly just made up! There's no way that was real.Just happened that way? No!. Hollywierd at its best. At the end the one buyer just happens to be out in the parking lot of the other buyer....Bull hockey! Hope those boys got paid good for this.

Anyone know this Coffman character? Don't sell to him or the other guy, they're giving us a big ole black eye!!!

I did like looking at the plants though!

K-Duce posted a quote from this show....

Hilarious.... When I saw that on the show, I was half expecting that guy to say something like \"I don't know why people want this stuff!\"

Billy wrote:

It is greed for one thing or another that leads to utter downfall of any thing even to the good man if he is not careful and a man sure needs to weigh every matter out before he decides the matter is right or wrong. Unfortunately the reality TV show owners have no scales or a thought to weigh and find any balance all they see with is greedy eyes,Neither values or integrity matter to them concerning there fellow man. It is up to the cast members that makes the deal with the TV. show owners whether the show is good or bad because the reality TV. owners do not care for any thing but ratings and money and they will pump a man who cares not with any thing he will let them pump him with, but if a man does not agree with these blown up ideas then the show can be a good thing and educational and teach respect and love for the Mountains it is really a matter of decision This world is not my home and never will be, but I have got to pass through it because that is the Lords will, if a man has hope in this old world or in a lot of people in it then he will be miserable but hope in the good things that God has allowed to be in this world is a very good hope and people like us have just got to share the good seeds in a world of bad seeds and those that are good will enjoy. One thing is certain to me no matter how much bad is done I will continue to try and do good and wild ginseng hunting and the Mountains are very good I will not let those who are bad destroy what is good to me.

Amen brother Billy! Very well stated with a lot of heartfelt sentiment!


Frank