From: jfurr@vtssi.vt.EDU (Joel Furr)
Newsgroups: alt.appalachian
Subject: from the alt.appalachian archive (Ginseng hunting)
Date: 25 Aug 92 18:19:27 GMT
Organization: The Ohio State University Department of Computer and Information Science

Subject: Ginseng 
From: hix@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Michael Hicks) 
Keywords: Ginseng, Appalachia 
Date: 6 Jun 92 00:41:22 GMT 
Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service

I noticed one of the folklore topics of the group is ginsenging.

Ginsenging is a wonderful business, and I can't resist making a
few comments on what I know of it.

Ginseng root has been, and still is, popular as a medicinal
plant.  The Chinese have used it since God knows when, and there
has long been a market for it in the U.S.

We used to dig the roots both for a little bit of money for
Christmas presents and for the enjoyment of wandering around in
the woods.  Now in West Va. (I'm from Summers Co.) there is a
legal "season" for digging, but we used to dig from early Summer
until the leaves died off in the fall.

The top of the plant has a number of branches (prongs) depending
on its age.  Three prongs are fairly common; the two and one
prongs are young stock that should always be left to mature.
Finding a 4, 5, or even a six prong was good luck.

Our hunting was based on a tradition of using ginseng as a sort
of renewable resource.  Places I 'sanged twenty years ago still
have a good supply, because we left the young plants to grow. 
Unfortunately, many people have dug every plant they find,
leaving nothing.  Ginseng is largely extinct in many areas of
Appalachia due to stupidity and simple greed.  We posted the
family land, and tried to control access.  Those who snuck in to
hunt or 'sang without permission were referred to as  "Tres-
passin' sonsabitches".

The roots were washed using a soft toothbrush, or by 'sloshing
the roots around in a washpan until the soil was removed. Then
the roots would be spread out to dry.  Once completely dried, the
roots were boxed up and shipped off to a 'sang company.  There
was some slight variation in pricing from company to company, but
you could always get more by shipping than by selling to a
middleman.

The 'sang hoe was a specialized tool to dig the roots.  Forms of
the hoe vary, but it was usually a very miniature mattock and was
often made by someone handy with metal.  Some folks favored a
screwdriver for digging, and using a pointed stick for digging
was also common practice.

The north side of hills and deep, lush hollows were the best
places to look.  South-facing mountainsides were often drier and
less likely to grow good plants.  The ginseng plant has a dis-
tinct  shade of green leaf; the leaf shape and color were easy to
spot with practice.

'Sanging could be done alone, but it was pleasant to spend the
day in the woods with a friend.  Having a good dog for company
also made the trip more enjoyable.

The beauty of the forest in the morning, the unexpected showers
and dripping leaves, the smell of good earth on the hands - these
things made 'sanging more than just a matter of digging roots.

I remember spending a day in the woods with an old friend, then
up in his 70's.  We walked and dug sang.  He carried a half pint
of vodka in the back pocket of his bib overalls.  Every hour or
two we would wander close together.  He would pull out his
bottle, say "Yessir, ye want a little drink?"  I'd say that yes I
did.  We'd take a snort.  He would light up his cigar; I would
refresh my chew of tobacco, and having fueled our addictions, we
would wander slowly apart, around the green hillside, 'sanging.

Given the endangered condition of ginseng throughout Appalachia,
I really hope that fewer and fewer people will take up  ginseng-
ing, or even be able to recognize the plant.  Things gone are
gone forever.  If you do go ginsenging, please always leave the
one and two prongs.