Wild-simulated ginseng as a microbusiness
The trouble with farming as a microbusiness is that
you'll most likely end up earning less than minimum wage.
However, there is one crop that might pay enough to fit our
microbusiness model. No, not marijuana --- ginseng.
If you live in the
eastern U.S., either up north or in the mountains, you might want to
put in a patch of this wild herb as a long term source of
revenue. Seeds are pricy --- around $100 per pound --- and you
won't be able to harvest the roots for six to twelve years. But
when you do, you'll likely see at least a ten times return on your
investment. Last year, I noticed that ginseng roots were going
for as much as $600 per dry pound, which equates to about $2 per
root. If every one of the 7,000 seeds in your pound matured and
sold at that rate, you would see a profit of $13,900.
Although you can plant
ginseng in your garden, cultivation in tilled soil will result in lower
quality roots. Instead, find a north-facing slope covered with
mature hardwoods like Sugar Maple, Beech, or Tulip-trees and plant the
seeds directly into the forest soil in the fall. First rake back
the leaf litter, scatter the pre-stratified seeds, and then put the
leaves back on top. You'll see three-leafleted seedlings the
first year, and the more familiar five-leafleted plants in later
years. After a few years, the plants will begin to bloom, at
which point you can gather the seeds, stratify them by planting them in
the ground for a year in a box of sand, then expand your patch.
You won't need to do any other work on your ginseng planting until the
time comes to dig the roots.
If growing ginseng sounds too
good to be true, it probably is. In areas with high deer
populations, you could see every one of your plants disappear down a
deer's gullet unless you install a fence (or maybe one of our deer deterrents?) Ginseng
poachers are more likely to get your crop, though. I put in a
patch of ginseng five years ago, but when I went up to check on it last
year, the soil was disturbed and the plants were gone. I suspect
one of my hunting neighbors stumbled across the patch and made out like
a bandit. (In the neighbor's defense, he probably didn't realize
the herbs were planted or that I even knew what ginseng is. "Senging" has been an
Appalachian source of revenue for centuries.)
Despite the dangers,
ginseng-growing might be a good retirement plan for some of you,
especially if you live in an area where deer and 'seng hunters are less
of a problem. Wouldn't it be nice to have your retirement fund
growing on the hillside behind the house instead of in a bank?
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