TOPIC: Watched American Outlaw? Your thoughts?

Hello strong prong and thanks for coming on and introducing yourself. Unfortunately part of being a tv icon is the critics. You shouldn't take any of it personally ,although I probably would as well. I personally enjoyed the show because I know how these shows work and it was about ginseng.. I will watch it again I'm sure. I just hope it doesn't entice some people to break any federal laws or trespass on private property, but people have always done what they will do. It's a fun show and good luck on your future endeavors.

wildspirit44 wrote:

Hello strong prong and thanks for coming on and introducing yourself. Unfortunately part of being a tv icon is the critics. I wouldn't take any of it personally if I were you, although I probably would as well. I personally enjoyed the show because I know how these shows work and it was about ginseng.. I will watch it again I'm sure. I just hope it doesn't entice some people to break any federal laws or trespass on private property, but people have always done what they will do. It's a fun show and good luck on your future endeavors.

I agree! If you are willing to take and have a part as an Actor or extra in a TV Show or Movie for whatever reason, you must be willing to accept the criticism that you and/or the show will get. Big TV and Film Actors get it every day.


Frank

Tony (Strong Prong),

Since I don't believe that anyone else gave criticism to the Ginseng Buyers/Dealers, I can only assume that your post was directed at me! I am sorry that you feel that I directed the criticism towards you and even though I did not name any names, I guess it is apparent to anyone watching the Show. I have had great communications with you on Wildgrown, have a lot of respect for you due to your opinions on Ginseng issues and because your family has been buying Ginseng for a really long time and that your family knew some of the great Ginseng Buyers/Dealers that I knew when I lived in West Virginia. I don't have a problem with you as a person or as a Ginseng Buyer/Dealer but I have issue that you would ever allow the folks from the History Channel to depict you paying $550 or even $300 a pound for green Ginseng roots so early in the season! To do so, is making Ginseng theft (poaching) more enticing to anyone wanting to make a lot of money fast without regards to the Laws and to Property Owners. In effect, if you are showing on film/camera that you are paying $300 to $550 a pound for green Ginseng roots, you are basically stating to those in the previous sentence, that dried Ginseng roots can fetch somewhere between (Corrected $900 and $1,650 a pound just after the start of digging season and much more down the road into season). You are in the business of buying and selling Ginseng roots and because you do so, it is inherently your responsiblity to set the record straight and insure that this false information (prices) does not make to air to the world!

As far as my comment on Ginseng Buyers/Dealers poaching on another Buyer's/Dealer's location or on their' customers. The other Ginseng Buyer/Dealer (can't remember his name but he was from Roncerverte, WV) was depicted towards the end of the pilot as poaching your' dissatisfied customers in the general vicinity of your' location. I have seen Ginseng Buyers/Dealers like this before and detest them. As a matter of fact, I commented some time ago on Wildgrown about such an encounter that I had with one of these low-lifes when I lived in Elkins. This happened when Red Nutter could not setup on the Beverly Four Lane in Elkins because he was at his wife's bedside at the hospital and who was dying of Cancer. Another Ginseng Buyer/Dealer from Belington setup in Red's spot and was offering much less for Ginseng roots and especially to individuals such as myself that had less than a pound of dried Ginseng. After some very terse word exchange and stating that I would ratther flush my' Ginseng roots down the toliet before I would sell them to him, he proceded to follow me to my' car and actually grabbed my' car's door in an attempt to continue the argument. At this point, I pulled my' Buck 119 knife and told him to remove his' hand from my car's door or he would pull back a bloody stub. I am sorry if you bore some of the brunt of my critism but seeing a Ginseng Buyer/Dealer poach from a fellow Buyer/Dealer, just set my' blood to boiling! I detest these type of folks and everything they think they stand for or think they want to accomplish.


Frank

Hey guys- I would encourage everyone to take 10 deep breaths... A and relax.

Having said that , many of us here are passionate about what we are doing. Some of us are very protective, hence the strong opinions and equally strong conversations.

When those of us feel threatened by the show.... I would also encourage all of us to, well, not use an electronic forum to \"flame\" others because they are not in the room face to face. Make sense?

Many of the members here know that a new Episode of Appalachian Outlaws will air tonight on the History Channel. Many of us (myself included) see/view this new Reality TV Show as a threat to the Ginseng Plant that we all love and to our way of life. It doesn't matter if you just dig, dig and plant (practice good Stewardship), just grow and/or buy and sell Ginseng, we all have some interest in it and worry of the effects that this new Show will have/cause on us and the plant. Due to this, there has been some very spirited discussions in some of the postings on the subject. In light of this, if any of you watch this new Episode (and I am sure many will!) and it triggers anger and passion in you, I ask that we each take time to calm down, take a few extra breaths and be civil to any of the other members in your postings/responses. While we may not agree with other's take on the Show, we all should respect other member's opinions and feelings!

We (the Moderators) don't like to have to warn Members about the content in their' postings or even edit or delete postings but will do so if the content is inappropriate and a clear violation of the Forum's Rules. Futhermore, if things were to really get out of hand, Threads may have to be \"Locked\" or at the worst, deleted entirely from the forums. We ask, hope for and appreciate everyones cooperation to keep things civil!

Thanks!


Frank

I wish we could all pull our monies and resources together to make a true show about ginseng. The people we have just on this forum could make the show what it truly should be. I could watch the likes of Billy and TNHUNTER all day.

indian turnip is not ginseng just because it has prongs and berries. some mighty small trees for such open woods. IF i carried my ginseng in a plastic bag i wouldnt keep it ten feet and if someone whent to grab mine id shoot them on the spot.Too bad hollywood never bothered to do a little research maybe they could have made the show entertaining and informative at the same time at the lest the show should be required to include a long disclaimer .

Appalachian Outlaws is a total joke!!! guy comes walking out of woods with a little plastic bag of green ginseng and they say its worth $4,000 hahaha... what a staged fricken joke of a show!!!! We had two paper bags of dry sheng and that was 5lbs dry and worth 5k at record high prices this year.. Highest price hsu was paid in his lifetime. He is largest and most world renown ginseng dealer!

ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE EVERYONE OF THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO FEEL THE WRATH OF ALL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE GINSENG MARKET. BELOW IS A HINT FROM THE FWS, I HAVE SOURCES THAT ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE FIXING TO COME DOWN ON THESE CLOWNS LIKE A BAG OF WET HAMMERS. I SENSE TONYS EMIPIRE IS CRUMBLING AND THE GENERAL IS GOING TO SUFFER A REDUCTION IN RANK

The History Channel ( www.history.com/ ) aired a new program called ‘Appalachian Outlaws’ on January 9, 2014, with two more episodes scheduled for Jan. 16th and 22nd, about a group of American ginseng diggers and buyers. Many members of the MPWG listserve have reported that the program glorifies illegal harvest of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) by showing diggers blatantly trespassing on public and private lands and harvesting under-age ginseng plants. Additionally, the United Plant Savers and the American Herbal Products Association have publicly come out against the program.




State regulations for the harvest and buying of wild American ginseng are designed to ensure that ginseng roots are legally and sustainable harvested. The harvest of ginseng plants that are too young (plants with fewer than 3 compound leaves/prongs and under 5 years of age), plants with green fruits, and harvesting too many plants, could wipe out wild American ginseng and lead to the collapse of this multi-million dollar industry.




Poaching ginseng from public and private property should not be encouraged and it is illegal punishable by State and Federal laws. Protected lands where ginseng harvest is not permitted, such as State lands, National Parks and some U.S. Forest Service lands, provide necessary refugia which helps to safeguard the long-term survival of this species into the future. The right to own land is one of the most valued rights of Americans, poaching ginseng from private property deprives the rightful landowner income from their lands.




Last week, when we learned of the program, we, the U.S., Fish and Wildlife Service, contacted the History Channel about the program and sent them relevant information about the State/Federal management of American ginseng, and our key messages were posted on the program’s website at: www.history.com/shows/appalachian-outlaw...ticles/ginseng-facts . We hope to expand our involvement with the History Channel to urge them to incorporate information about the importance of sustainable and legal harvest, and that there are responsible diggers that practice and encourage good stewardship harvest of wild American ginseng.




The parent company of the History Channel is AE Network. Feedback on the program can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Or to A&E Television Networks, 235 East 45th Street, New York, New York 10017; or phone or fax the network at: 212-210-1400 (phone) or 212-210-9016 (fax).




To learn more about the legal harvest and trade of American ginseng, please visit: www.fws.gov/international/plants/american-ginseng.html ; www.ahpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=154 , and contact your State agency that manages ginseng.


_______________________________________________
PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/list...lantconservation.org

To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with
the word \"unsubscribe\" in the subject line.

Disclaimer
Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc. reflects
ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The information
contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or
question. All medical and other healthcare information that is discussed on this
list should be carefully reviewed by the individual reader and their qualified
healthcare professional. Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions
of the Plant Conservation Alliance.

K_duce,

Thanks for posting this important information! I believe that most of us here on Wildgrown will be relieved to know that the associations and agencies with power are against this new Reality Show and are ready to do something about it's continuation. They truly see it for what it is and that it is a sham ridden with false facts and that it promotes theft of Ginseng from private, State and Federal lands by airing scenes after scene of poachers supposedly poaching from these afore mentioned lands.

I hope that everyone member here will contact A&E at the email address provided or telephone number and voice their displeasure with the Show! I also hope that the members will also pass this information on to their friends and family members, so that they can do the same!


Frank