EDGAR (WAOW) -- It's a valuable crop. Ginseng is used mostly for medicinal purposes and sold overseas. Farmers say it generates 20 million dollars each year across Wisconsin.
"Due to rich soil and a good climate here in Central Wisconsin we grow a superior crop," Joe Heil, an Edgar Ginseng farmer said.
But last May, a late snowfall damaged most of the money making crop.
"The roof went down on the garden and froze the plants. We lost a real big portion. Last year 40-50 percent lost, this year 60 percent plus is gone," Heil explains.
Those losses left farmers taking a big hit. And, sending the price per pound way up.
"Prices were in the mid 20s and we were producing 2-3 thousand pounds per acre. Now, this year, I had gardens that only produced 800 pounds an acre," Heil said.
Randy Peterson has been a ginseng farmer for forty years. He says he is used to the ups and downs.
"There's good years and bad years. Prices are bad, there's years with disease. You take the good with the bad, that's farming," Peterson explains.
But that positive attitude doesn't mean he hasn't felt the pinch.
"I've got a 70 percent loss, so my income is cut down. The higher prices will offset it a little bit but it won't make up.," Peterson explains.
Ginseng farmers predict they will harvest about half a million pounds of ginseng this year. That number may sound like a lot, but in the past, it has been closed to a million pounds.
But all hope isn't lost. Farmers say the damaged crop should be harvested by this year and next year, the future looks promising.
"I think we can get back on track and I'm optimistic we have a bright future ahead," Heil said.
