iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

wild simulated ginseng farming?

Started by jueston, January 05, 2012, 08:39:06 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jueston

I was wondering if anyone on here planted and harvested ginseng in there woodlots, I have been reading a little about it.  it naturally grows in the shade of a forest which means to me it's a good way to get a little income while waiting for the trees to mature. I keep reading that I can get $500/lb for forest grown ginseng and it takes 10 years to get mature roots but the seeds can be gathered and sold after 5 years....
I was just wondering whether anyone on the forum has experience with this, it seems a little too good to be true, I mean that is a long time to wait for your profits, but that seems like a good profit margin...

SPIKER

I bought seeds 2 different times and have yet to see a plant.  both times the seeds were stratified when bought and planted in well prepared beds.   I spent something like 100 bucks in seeds and bed prep...

it does grown wild here too but not found any on my place or any period yet...   

mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

WDH

I am not sure if it can be domesticated.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ibbob

20+ years ago the previous owner sowed a couple hundred pounds of seeds throughout the woods.  Today there are a couple little patches where it has done well and a few plants scattered here and there.  Nowhere near enough for me to make a buck even with nothing invested.  On the farm next door he set up a few acres with screens on posts and grew it right up till he went bankrupt...  It can be cultivated but it forms differently and has less value than wild root. 

Bob

ibseeker

I planted 2,000 seeds two years ago but so far haven't seen anything. I picked a north facing slope with fairly heavy canopy, more oak than was ideal but that was the best site I had. If you can get it growing successfully then the next big challenge it to keep from having it stolen. My neighbors had a nice patch growing only to have it all stolen.
I'm hoping this will turn out better than my pecan/hazelnut planting project...
Chuck
worn out poulan, Stihl 250SC, old machete and a bag of clues with a hole in the bottom

Ron Wenrich

Quote from: WDH on January 05, 2012, 10:37:33 PM
I am not sure if it can be domesticated.

Sure it can.  I was in an area doing utility pole inspection.  There were a lot of folks that had small beds of ginseng in their backyards.  They cover them with snow fence to keep them well shaded. 

The guy I was working with from the area grew ginseng.  He said that he would take his root stock to an airport where there was a buyer waiting, usually Oriental.  They would weigh it out on a scale, then reach into a briefcase and pay you in cash.  Just like any other drug deal.  Domestic was less than wild grown, but it took about half the time to grow the domestic stock. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Shotgun

The U.S. Dept. of Interior needs to be involved for export.  Big problems if they're not involved.  Big problem translates to $$$$$$.
Joined The Forestry Forum 5 days before 9/11.

SwampDonkey

It was tried up here by a few woodlot owners a few years ago. It fizzled. It reminded me of these schemes to sell a book, the seller of the seed profited but the grower's dreams were not realized. ;) Same with the Canada Yew, it rarely grew in any quantity on a site and wasn't much per pound.

Doesn't grow wild in NB, but it does in southern NS.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Autocar

The little bit I have been around it your not going to get rich . It takes alot of roots to make a pound once it is dried. When I was a kid I got interested in it a pile of dried roots didn't weigh much but was interesting to learn about it.
Bill

trapper

Ginseng farming is big business around Wausau, WI  You see many large fields of it under shade cloth cover.
Marv
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

Thank You Sponsors!