Ok dufebutts ... I need an edumakation.

I went to an estate sale this morning and while digging through a bunch of file cabinets in the home office, I ran across a ton of "root" that looked like ginger. I asked someone working the sale what it was and they "confirmed" it ... sorta ... they also THOUGHT it was ginger. I wondered why it would be in the office and not the kitchen, but I didn't think much of it. Then as I dug deeper through some drawers in a filing cabinet, I ran across a drawer full of newspaper and magazine articles (prolly 20-30 of them) about the people who used to live there (now deceased). They were experts on ... and growers of ... high quality ginseng! I don't know squat about ginseng, but I do know it's kinda valuable and people get arrested for harvesting the stuff in the woods. Ok ... that's about my total knowledge about the stuff.

I then asked the people putting on the sale how much they wanted for the ... ummm, ginger root. They said, "How 'bout two bucks?" So I snatched it up. Now I'm kicking myself in the butt for not reading through a couple of those articles and jotting down the names of these "experts in their field" so I could do a Google search and learn a bit about them. It also may give me a clue to just what KIND of ginseng this stuff is.

Anyway, I have a big Ziplok bag (1/2 gal?) of dry root and a jar (1/2 gal?) of a coupl'a HUGE roots in, what I assume is, water. (clear liquid anyway)

Can anybody tell me what I have here? Can I sell it? I just got home and haven't had time to research it, but I did a quick scan and there is some offered on eBay ... some for super big-time bucks, and some for not so super big-time bucks. How do I identify this stuff? I would assume if they were "experts in their field" ... it's most likely the "good stuff".

Any guidance? Should I get excited ... or should I yawn?

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I'm speaking in general terms here. Meaning that it may vary from state to state. I expect you can sell it. Fur Fish Game publishes what ginseng sells for by the pound in every issue. I doubt they would publish it, if you couldn't sell it. As for who buys it, I have no idea, but the Asian think it is the end-all of aphrodisiacs. Koreans love the stuff and judging by how crowded that little country is, perhaps there's something to that aphrodisiac claim.

Here this might help.
http://www.wildgrown.com/index.php/Table/Ginseng-Laws/

I learned that it is considered endangered and falls under CITES classification.

Thanks B/S. I guess I have a bunch of studying to do. I'm buried right now, been at estate sales all day and had 5 eBay sales this morning. Trying to get everything packaged and shipped by 5:30. Looks like I'll be learning a few things this weekend. Sure hope I'm not stuck with this stuff. :(

Looks like you got educated by an educator!

Here in VA most scrap yards buy it. Metal, roots, and furs.

Grind some up and smoke it. You can tell us what happens. You might get stoned and lucky at the same time. You could make a tidy profit right here at The Dead Pecker Social Club if it works.

That looks very much like Ginseng. I don't know the ins and outs of cultivated but I have to get a license to dig it wild. Cultivated is less valuable but the wild stuff is selling for around $900 a pound dry. You have a substantial chunk of change there.

Hidey-Hole, I have a Chinese friend and sent him pics. He said it's most DEFINITELY ginseng (I had no doubt really). I've been pretty busy and will be hitting estate sales again today, then Lynn and I are going to dinner in Tampa tonight, so my "study time" has been limited. I do see where wild brings more than cultivated (although they BOTH bring good money), but how the "F" can you tell wild from cultivated by looking at it? None of this stuff was labeled, so I have no clue of it's history or origin.

NOT that I would try it, but what keeps people from labeling cultivated as wild? And it even seems to vary in value from state to state ... how does one tell Kentucky ginseng from North Carolina ginseng? Heck, some of this stuff is bringing $100/ounce on The Bay!

Man, I have a zillion questions and have no clue how to market this stuff. I guess I could just throw it up on The Bay and explain how I procured it, start an auction and simply let the market establish it's value. Heck, there's no way I can lose my $2.00! ;)

Of course, that brings up a whole 'nuther issue. Shipping the dry stuff is a no-brainer, but how do I ship the "fresh". I don't think I can mail a jug of liquid. Archer used to dig this stuff up in the woods and sell it ... I wonder if that dufe ever lurks here anymore?

He and I text all the time. Im sure he would help you with it. If you need his cell let me know. Like I told you yesterday on text that is some major dollars here in NC.

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I haven't talked to Gary in many, many months. I have all his "old" numbers ... has anything changed lately? I'll send him a text later and see if I get a response out'ta that worthless ol' dufe! ;)

Here in Ohio the ginseng is highly regulated, it's worth some good money, people that harvest it are required tooo plant the berries from the plant. You might want too check out the Ohio DNR web site on it!

I showed this to a guy here in camp and he said a friend of his in Mt View spends the winter gathering it in the hills and makes good money all winter selling it. But he said he has to sell it dry and it loses much weight. About $900 a pound dry.

I read the side effects on Wikipedia and decided to pass.

Does it make your bedonka limp??? ;)

I dang sho don't want any !!! ;)

Why all the regulations on ginseng? You have to have license and permits, you can only harvest it certain months, lots of forestry department involvement. Why? It's a root for crying out loud. Each state has a bunch of bs laws on it.

I was thinking when we were up fishing with Terry and John we saw some ginseng hunters,or maybe I dreamed that. It was somewhere! Whoever I was with said it could be a good living!

BKB

Okay.. 1st. the reason it is highly regulated, the Chinese think it makes their dicks hard (and has many other alleged medicinal qualities) It is 1) very particular in where and under what conditions it can survive. 2) which makes it rare 3) which makes it valuable. Takes approximately 3 pounds wet to make one pound dry.

As far as telling wild from cultivated: your first clue would be the size of the root. Cultivated tends to be much larger. Because cultivated grows much faster, it also tends to be "smoother". Most and buyer will be able to tell at a glance. As far as marketing, you are much better off to sell dry.

I used to sell to Buckhorn out of Richland Center Wisconsin. The old boy I dealt with was Frank Pachmyer but he passed away. I know they are still in business but have no clue as to the integrity of the people there now.

Ginseng buyers are generally honest... just like fur buyers, timber buyers, horse traders and used car salesmen. Keep one hand over your billfold and the other over your asshole.

Thanks Hidey-hole. The bagged (dry) stuff is smaller root, so maybe I can assume it's wild. (maybe?) The fresh root is HUGE (I think there are only two roots in that jar). I'll assume they are cultivated. This couple were supposedly expert growers and grew quality ginseng ... but at the same time, studied ALL ginseng and wrote articles on the stuff. Dang! I wish I'd thought to jot down their names. ;(