All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Ginseng season 2022 has begun

CHARLESTON, W.VA. — Ginseng harvest season is now open and will continue through Wednesday, November 30.

Observing the legal season and regulations helps preserve Appalachia’s endangered wild ginseng.

Harvesting pulls up the ginseng root, ending the plant’s ability to replace itself with new generations. To help the herb’s last seeds grow, the hunter must by law plant them at the site where the root was taken.

Before the plant can be legally harvested, ginseng must be at least five years old and its seed-bearing berries bright red. The slow-growing plant needs to mature for at least five years to reproduce. The plant’s age can be determined by looking at the base of the plant stem, where bud scars occur. A five-year-old ginseng root will have at least four scars.

The diggers must have written permission to dig on private property.

No ginseng may be taken from West Virginia state forests, state parks or other state-owned land.

Ginsengers must have a current forest service permit to dig and collect from national forest lands. Hunters should contact the national forest office in their area regarding ginseng permits and regulations.

At present, national forests based in West Virginia still allow ginseng hunters who have purchased current permits to dig on designated national forest lands.

This year, other national forests have found their ginseng populations too depleted to allow sustainable harvesting. The U.S. Forest Service announced that in 2021, no ginseng permits will be issued for North Carolina’s Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests and the Cherokee National Forest. The herb’s decline is attributed to poaching, overharvesting, and harvesting without planting seeds to produce a new crop.

Diggers have until March 31, 2023, to sell their ginseng to a registered West Virginia ginseng dealer or to have roots weight-receipted at one of the West Virginia Division of Forestry weigh stations.

Regulations prohibit possession of ginseng roots from April 1 through Aug. 31 without a weight-receipt from the Division of Forestry. A weight receipt is a record of the ginseng dug during the current year and the individual who wants to hold it over to the next digging/buying season.

The law requires all diggers to provide a government-issued photo identification to sell ginseng to a registered dealer. Fines range from $500 up to $1,000 for a first offense and $1,000 up to $2,000 for multiple offenses.

Details on ginseng are available on the Division of Forestry website, https://wvforestry.com/ginseng-program/.

The site includes how to identify mature ginseng plants, rules for harvesting and resources such as lists of West Virginia ginseng dealers and weigh stations.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Moon Flower opens first satellite store at Delmonte Market in Elkins

Moon Flower Hemp, a woman-owned craft cannabis shop, is opening its first satellite location inside Elkins’s Delmonte Market, offering exclusive products, infused drinks, educational support and special perks for early customers.

Buckhannon Community Theatre’s ‘The Lion King Kids’ set to roar at Colonial Arts Center this weekend

Buckhannon Community Theatre will present Disney’s The Lion King Kids on June 20 and 21 at the Colonial Arts Center, showcasing young local talent in a family-friendly production directed by Ella McNeish.

Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board Agenda: June 26, 2025

The City of Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board has released the agenda for its upcoming June 26, 2025, meeting.

B-U’s Landon Marple earns All-State baseball honors

Buckhannon-Upshur senior Landon Marple, who led his team in multiple offensive categories, was named to the West Virginia Sports Writers Association Class AAAA All-State Baseball Team as an Honorable Mention.

WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Kelly Povroznik earns certification in integrative and functional nutrition

Kelly Povroznik, Director of Food and Nutrition Services at WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, has earned certification as an Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner, bringing advanced holistic nutrition expertise to her patients and community.

Upshur County Sheriff Mike Coffman says numerous community complaints led to vape shop raids

Community complaints about Upshur County vape shops selling to minors prompted a months-long investigation that led to multi-agency raids, seizure of $500,000 in illegal products, and an ongoing probe with arrests likely.

Buckhannon Banter: Get the local lowdown for June 19, 2025

Argo Books is launching a community co-op, the Upshur County Library has won a grant for new computer classes, Meals on Wheels needs volunteers, and Fish Hawk Acres has resumed ‘grab & go’ service but paused breakfast.

Weese family legacy burns bright as Brandon coaches Flame 304 to new growth

Brandon Weese is continuing his family’s Buckhannon-Upshur basketball legacy by coaching the Flame 304 girls travel team, which now features players from multiple counties and emphasizes both athletic and personal growth.

Upshur County pool splashes back from repairs, continues busy summer with activities, parties and night swims

After a multi-day closure for repairs, the Upshur County Pool is reopening with a packed summer schedule featuring lessons, parties, night swims, and new event packages, positioning it for one of its busiest seasons yet.