TOPIC: Slowin Down

Hey there fellas, It really looks like our forum here is starting to slow down a bit doesn't it

It's almost dead. And five months is a long time to wait until new growth starts happening in the spring.

Trying to get as much taxidermy work done before I have shoulder surgery on Nov 29. So I can't spare too much time on here right now.

classicfur

Yep - expect that slowdown is normal here.

Everyone is probably hunting and just doing other stuff now.

I keep checking back to see if any news on seng prices, but even that has slowed way down.

I just posted a update from Middle TN of 720.00 and we may be selling soon.

If there is any stratified seed left after Christmas I may buy more seed and plant more, but that will probably be the end of the seng news from me for the rest of the winter.

Hope you all have a good Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year.

TNhunter

TNhunter

Plant more seeds? I think you have the Ginseng Growing Fever! If you have the fever before you have thousands of little plants popping up this coming spring, the fever will be out of control by next fall.

Your fortunate to be able to plant it for so many months. Here in maine I have to get it done by the end of Oct before the ground freezes hard.

I have to admit, it very addicting! In fact I think you can actually feel high from growing it.

Good Luck!

classicfur

Planting purchased ginseng seeds is a great fix for staying active when the digging season comes to an end. I am going to buy some more seed soon. I got 10 pounds in the ground this year and I might put in 10 lbs or more still.
I am really concerned about the things I have heard recently about wild ginseng hunting. I know you have all heard it before but I have discussed this today with a very knowledgeable person in the ginseng business and they really think it my be possible that wild ginseng hunting could become illegal in the next few years in all states.
That would not be good. It will make things worse. Demand and prices will go up and poaching will increase. So in an effort to preserve the wild ginseng plant the wild ginseng plant will be sought after by some people digging to profit off of the increase in demand and possible higher prices. Further more I firmly believe that the wild seeds planted by all of us old timers and new hunters practicing good stewardship increases the amount of new ginseng plants that will grow due to that practice. In mother nature very few seeds will survive if left to chance. By planting the seeds by hand there is a 90% chance that these wild seeds will grow into a nice plant. I know I plant up to 40 or more wild seeds per mother plant at times.
In the later part of the season I have counted up to 20 or more dried out dead seeds laying on the surface of the soil that fall at the base of the mother plant. I had found many that were cracked open by birds and mice that just had the out coating of the shell laying there. So very few seeds survive if left to germinate in mother nature.
Practicing good stewardship is the answer along with educating ginseng hunters. Making it illegal to hunt is not the answer!!!!
We must all ban together to preserve our right to hunt wild ginseng according to our current ginseng laws and regulations by state to state. So please express your concerns to your local department of natural resources whenever possible and get to know them. They are great people that love nature just as you and I do.
Secondly if you are practicing planting purchased ginseng seed, document everything and save your seed receipts. Take pictures of your planting sites from year to year. In the event wild ginseng hunting does become illegal it will be important to have this documentation so we can sell it as wild simulated and woods cultivated. I hope this never happens and I hope the multitude of the many knowledgeable ginseng hunters on this site can have some influence in protecting our ginseng heritage the right way.
Thanks,
Latt

Classicfur,

Yep - here in Middle TN we could plant seng from seed most of the winter. There will be a few days/weeks mostly in Jan, Feb timeframe where the ground will be frozen but large majority of the time it be fine for planting.

I planted 1.5 pounds of seed and was just sort of getting started good, fine tuning my method when I ran out.

Got to take a break now though. We are going to Walt Disney World on Vacation Dec 17-23 which means we have to get our Christmas shopping done early and we also have family & Church things happening, Thanksgiving, etc.

But after Christmas all of that will slow down some.

If I can get it I would like to plant another pound of seed before spring.

Then like you said - if it goes well and I see good results next spring/summer I could sure go nuts and plant a LOT more next fall/winter.

I have around 230 acres of land to work with so I am not going to be running out of 5x50' strips any time soon

TNhunter

TNhunter,classicfur, I finally found some decent priced seed and they are on the way. I was gettin a lil aggravated thinkin I was gonna have to pay way over a hundred dollars per pound when I had reserved fifteen pound at sixty five dollars. Thats alot to plant and take care of along with everything else in the ground but I'll try it and see I guess. If ya'll ever wanna take a road trip to help do some woodland weeding let me know I know I know, I won't hold my breath. Next spring post some pics of your plots and i'll do the same. We all will get this down to a science eventually.

Hillhopper t
That's a great price for seed. Were did you find seed at $65 bucks per lb. Let me know if you care to share your source.
My email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thanks,
Latt

I just sent you an email Latt

Latt, I feel the same concern about the future of hunting wild ginseng. This morning I visited with the state plant pathologist to get my seng certified and we did a lot of chatting about the whole industry. In Vermont they are talking about moving the dates ahead (now it's 8/20-10/10 and if they do change it, it would be 9/1-10/20). I personally think that it may be a good idea since the berries are ALL green until 9/1 with minimal red berries at all, and in VT you have to sell the seng during season if it is wet, which gives wet sellers another 10 days to sell. Also, There are too many people ignorant or selfish enough where they would rather collect out of season before others and end up getting half the money by poaching and not tell the state about it and be able to get the going rate.