TOPIC: Scheduled price drop a scare tactic aimed at diggers?

Is there any sign of the market falling out?

Mark

I'm all about making a profit while doing something that I truely enjoy however, I don't find joy in \"giving\" my profits away. Everyone wants to make a profit and that's understandable but, it won't come at my expense. I have a set amount that I want for my 7 lbs of sang and IF it reachs that price this year I will unload it. If not I will keep it since it doesn't cost me a penny to store it. I don't \"have\" to have my sang money and since I don't I can simply hang onto it until the day comes that the market reaches the price that I want. The scare tactic does not bother me in the least.

I know this is a touchy subject and a very sensitive topic to many. I too used to dig a lot of ginseng to sell. It was exciting and I enjoyed every minute of it. However, I haven't dug ginseng to sell for over 15 years now. I still dig it in season and transplant some to safer spots. I manage it, observe it and enjoy it. I still have many spots where I have left it alone and still observe it growing wild in it's original location too. No huge patches but some may have 10 to 20 plants per location. I do have one wild spot with about 75 plants in it and they are all 4 prongs in the 25 to 40 year old range.

It is hard for me to dig a beautiful 4 prong and to end it's life cycle. I have almost become a ginseng conservationist in some sense. Don't get me wrong thou. I have no problem with anyone that digs mature ginseng in season.

Seasoned ginseng diggers that plant all the seeds from the berry wad are insuring the future survival of our favorite majestic wild plant. So one mature plant may perish when dug but many new ginseng babies will grow due to the digger planting the seeds/berries.

Far more seeds will survive when planted by the experienced digger than if the seeds are left to mother nature to fall off and germinate.

I do know this thou. When planting wild seeds/berries it is best to move away from the mother plants hole that was created when the root was dug. Also it is best to space the seeds out by at least a foot apart or more. Many of the nutrients and minerals in the soil are used up in the area by the mother plant. So moving the seeds a good 2 to 3 feet away from the hole is best.

I know many of you already do this and you are able to dig in the areas already dug in the past by managing the digs and allowing time for the seng babies to grow up. By managing your spots this way you have created a good rotation of your wild crop to enjoy for years to come.

Good thing about all this is if you enjoy the dig and do not mind getting a good price and you are happy then sell. If you want to hold on to your roots for a better possible price then that is your choice to do as well. All and all it comes down to what makes you happy.
Latt

Well I sold my' Ginseng today because for me it was time as I will have a lot on my plate for the next month or so and did not know whether I would be able to get to it later! The price I received was based on $625 a pound as the Buyer locked it in when I talked to him on Tuesday. He stated that his Buyer said that Exporters/Importers were saying that they had all the Ginseng they need right now and were dropping prices here back to $550 a pound. In my opinion and take it just as that (no more or no less), I believe that they (Exporters/Importers) want to get the Ginseng at lower prices and put out this information just to do so! Is this the so-called \"scare tactic\", who knows! Although the harvest seems to have been better than expected due to the drought, I doubt seriously that supply has exceeded demand. Some of you might want to sell now if you are worried about a significant drop in prices and I would not blame you if you did! However, I still believe that prices will peak again in late November to mid December but who knows what these folks have up their' sleeves. I will keep my' fingers crossed for everyone that decides to wait this lull out and hope that prices peak for you well above what they have been the last week.


Frank

I am not going to participate in the debate. However, I have gotten a lot of calls asking about price. I have been asking everyone how much ginseng they have and if they are digging more this year than last.

...very few tell me they are digging less, and most of those for reasons unrelated to draught. And most of them tell me they are actually digging more. I know there are drought issues in some areas...but apparently not in most of Ohio.

Ky. prices are at $500 to $550 right now in most areas.

What are other states paying?

I don't keep track of what everyone is paying, but the few I talk to are around $650-$700. These are Ohio prices and seem to be holding steady for the moment.

From what I've heard it has just been TN and KY so far that there has been any price reduction.

Sold mine yesterday. Wanted to sell before the election. Got $700

If hubby could get that much,I think he would sell....six lbs. from the hills of eastern Ky.