What is the difference between forest farming and wild crafting?

The two practices may produce the same products, but key differences exist between them. Forest farming is more sedentary in that it is practiced through deliberate cultivation under an established forest canopy. It requires planning, inputs, and farming activities like tilling, planting, and management. Wild crafting is more nomadic, requiring the wild crafter to search through the forest for the desired product. Consequently, finding the product, as well as the quantity of the product, is not guaranteed. 

The inputs required …

YouTube Channel Ginseng Series

Independent ginseng expert, Bob Beyfuss, explains the differences between woods-cultivated, wild-simulated and truly wild ginseng. We review the methods for cultivation and the resulting appearance and monetary values that are attached to each type of ginseng.

The forest type and the understory herbaceous layer are equally important when it comes to determining a good site to plant ginseng. The forest type will determine the proper shade levels and general soil type that will support ginseng …

Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.)


***Please note there is a downloadable version of the fact sheet as a pdf file at the end of the article.*** 


Black Cohosh  (Actaea racemosa L.)

Botanical Information

Black cohosh [formerly Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt] is a member of the Ranunculaceae family. It is a native medicinal plant found in rich hardwood forests from as far north as Maine and Ontario, south to Georgia, and west to Missouri and Indiana. In North Carolina, it can be found at elevations