TOPIC: Upcoming Ginseng Workshops in NY

Three Ginseng Workshops in New York will be conducted this fall by Bob Beyfuss, a retired Cornell University Agroforestry professional with extensive knowledge and experience as a ginseng educator. The first workshop will be from 10 AM to 12:30 PM on September 10 at the Agroforestry Resource Center in Acra (Greene County), NY. Contact person is Marilyn Wyman at (518) 622-9820 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The second workshop will be from 1 PM to 4 PM on September 17 at the Philmont Library, Philmont (Columbia County), New York. Contact person is Jean Giblette, Owner Highfalls Gardens, at (518) 672-7365 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The third workshop will be from 10 AM to 12:30 PM on October 8 at the Chenango County office of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Binghamton, NY. The contact person is Laura Biasillo at (607) 584-5007 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The workshops are designed to teach individuals how to get started growing American ginseng on forested land. It will cover basic ginseng botany, economics of ginseng production, site selection criteria, harvesting and marketing. It is aimed at landowners who are looking for alternative forest income opportunities as well as individuals who are interested in growing small quantities of ginseng for personal use. Seeds and seedlings will be available for purchase.

can anyone come and sell roots and seed,or do they have to be amember of some club or assn.just asking

anyone may attend if they preregister but the workshops usually fill up quickly. I sell seeds and rootlets at these classes so I really don't want others to do so

Hey Bob,
Since we got ya on here... if you wanted to make $50,000 in 7 years if the root brought $500 per pound then how many pound of seed would ya plant?

Thanks,
Hillhopper

Hey guys, if you have any chance to go to this workshop I highly recommend it. The workshop Bob Beyfuss gave here in Virginia this spring was amazing. He gave lots and lots of time for questions and discussion. Go to it!

I am not aware of any agricultural activity as risky as growing ginseng. Anticipating $50,000 in income from growing ginseng is a bit like expecting to win the lottery. Now, having said that disclaimer.
At $500 a dry pound (a price I have never seen for 7 year old wild simulated ginseng unless it was well mixed with older root and looked wild) assuming 200 roots per pound which are bigger than average 7 year old WS, you need to grow 100 pounds dry weight or 20,000 roots. To get 20,000 roots in a WS system I would plant 200,000 seed, about 25 to 30 pounds.
Realistically, I would plant no more than five to ten pounds per year for 5 years straight and wait ten years for the first harvest.
I keep waiting for the supply of good quality woods grown, or wild simulated root to push down the price of presumed wild but that does not seem to be happening. Buyers are recognizing WS and paying far less than it is worth.

Bob,
That is well said. I've been planting ginseng for 15 years.That is stratified and been digging some of it over the past 5 years. It is just now turning a profit. I replant my seed and still buy 4 to 5 lbs. per year. Yes ginseng is finicky and by no means a sure thing. I would advise anyone to do a lot of research and getting thier feet wet before diving in!