The Plot:
Whoever controls the ginseng, controls the mountains. People will steal it, risk jail time and even their lives to get their hands on it. Over-harvesting in Asia has increased demand, pushing prices to an all-time high, and people are rushing to cash in. It so happens the Appalachian Mountains have just the right elevation, rainfall and mineral-rich soil to produce the best wild ginseng in the world, but it’s only legal for digging from the end of summer until the first frost. To prevent over-harvesting in the U.S., some states have started regulating where it’s legal to pull ginseng, which has made territorial lines even blurrier than before. And with ginseng fever heating up, outsiders are creeping in on local’s territory to find it, causing massive turf wars over this heavily revered root.
Appalachian Outlaws follows a set of unique characters in their quest to acquire and fight for this plant that affords many their livelihood. From diggers to growers to middlemen, every day is a matter of survival in a trade where people will do just about anything to get their hands on this rare root.
This post was last modified on September 6, 2016 11:03 pm