Ginseng

[Just John]

Anyone willing to show a new guy the ins and outs of sang digging? I've looked at pics of the plant but I'm sure it's different when looking for it in the wild.

 

[doenightmare]

Check Youtube - there are tons of videos on sang diggin'.

 

[caughtinarut]

Kind of like show me where that big buck is.....people keep their 'sang honeyholes secret...and tightlipped about anything with their "sang"

 

[getaff]

Can you dig on public land or national forest?

 

[snookdoctor]

Can you dig on public land or national forest?

No.

 

[blood on the ground]

Can you dig on public land or national forest?

Yes as long as you don't get caught

 

[kmckinnie]

I ain't never been caught or checked.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Can you dig on public land or national forest?

Yes. In NC, at least, you can get a permit to dig sang on the national forest.

Finding and digging sang is just something that comes with experience. I've been doing it for forty years or so. After you get a feel for it, you can spot a sang plant a hundred yards away. If you don't have the feel for it, you can walk through a patch and never see it. It is where it is, and ain't where it ain't. It's not that uncommon, but it's not plentiful.

Sang grows best on the north and east faces of mountains and hollers-the shadiest places. Tangles of grapevines are good spots, too. And in the middle of patches of stinging nettles. This time of year, the leaves turn bright golden yellow. The berries are another giveaway once you cue in on them to the point that you ignore the Indian turnips.

Wait until the berries are ripe to start digging, and replant them. Don't dig little two-prongs and stuff. Just dig the mature three-and four-prongs.

 

[Just John]

I'm really wanting someone to show me what it exactly looks like in the wild and the types of areas it grows in, Pics and videos aren't the same as spotting it in person.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Good luck

 

[Oldstick]

As far as the NC national forests are concerned, you should binge watch the "reality" show Appalachian Outlaws before you decide.

 

[NCHillbilly]

As far as the NC national forests are concerned, you should binge watch the "reality" show Appalachian Outlaws before you decide.

That's supposedly filmed right here where I live and have dug sang all my life. And it's the biggest crock of crap I've ever seen in my life. It doesn't work like that. None of it. The diggers, the buyers, none of it. It's one of the fakest things I've ever seen.

 

[OmenHonkey]

That's supposedly filmed right here where I live and have dug sang all my life. And it's the biggest crock of crap I've ever seen in my life. It doesn't work like that. None of it. The diggers, the buyers, none of it. It's one of the fakest things I've ever seen.

NCH, I been wondering this whole time if you was the star of the show..... I guess not..

 

[natureman]

I think the best practice is to grow you own. Ginseng is easy to grow as long as you have some shade. Although it will take at least 8 years to get some decent roots. For more info follow https://www.facebook.com/groups/ginsengdiggers/

ScreenHunter_143 Aug. 08 14.00 by Natureman29, on Flickr

 

[Oldstick]

That's supposedly filmed right here where I live and have dug sang all my life. And it's the biggest crock of crap I've ever seen in my life. It doesn't work like that. None of it. The diggers, the buyers, none of it. It's one of the fakest things I've ever seen.

Yep, I love how they always had those "secret" revenge plots going on toward each other. One guy supposedly doesn't know what the other is up to, yet they have both guys talking on camera the whole time.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Yep, I love how they always had those "secret" revenge plots going on toward each other. One guy supposedly doesn't know what the other is up to, yet they have both guys talking on camera the whole time.

And how the buyers have their little posse of diggers and call them up and say "I have a big order, I need ten pounds of sang." Sang buyers just buy sang from whoever walks into their place and sells it. Then they re-sell it. I have never seen any of these rivalries or robberies or fights between people digging sang. Or people with sang "stashes" all guarding them with booby traps and stuff. And it's funny how those folks go out and dig sang and go sell it that afternoon, but it's already dry. I never sell green sang, and it takes it a couple-three weeks or more to dry. BTW, you have to fill out paperwork to sell it, too.

 

[Oldstick]

And how the buyers have their little posse of diggers and call them up and say "I have a big order, I need ten pounds of sang." Sang buyers just buy sang from whoever walks into their place and sells it. Then they re-sell it. I have never seen any of these rivalries or robberies or fights between people digging sang. Or people with sang "stashes" all guarding them with booby traps and stuff. And it's funny how those folks go out and dig sang and go sell it that afternoon, but it's already dry. I never sell green sang, and it takes it a couple-three weeks or more to dry. BTW, you have to fill out paperwork to sell it, too.

The sang "poacher" from GA has to hike and trade green sang for a wore out tire and wheel, after the locals shot out his truck his tire, then the New York Chinese "sang Mafia" comes down to the buyer to shake things up....

 

[specialk]

That's supposedly filmed right here where I live and have dug sang all my life. And it's the biggest crock of crap I've ever seen in my life. It doesn't work like that. None of it. The diggers, the buyers, none of it. It's one of the fakest things I've ever seen.

you mean thems aint real bullets?

 

[jigman29]

It's one of those things that you'll walk past and never know it. But when you get an eye for it you can be walking along and it jumps right out at you. I don't dig anymore but I still love to look for it when I am walking the woods. The shows have pretty much ruined it for us.

 

[Artfuldodger]

On the "show" they are selling it. Is there any history of the locals using it themselves for medicinal purpose?