TOPIC: Ginseng Reality Show coming to a holler near you

I have sent a link to this post to some of the NC State educatiors, and hope that perhpas they will respond somehow as well. also, am writing the \"hosts\" at A&E about it, a similar letter to the one that Latt wrote.

We should discuss this further after the show airs on 01/09, yes?

This a copy of the letter I wrote to A&E's CEO:

Good Afternoon Programing Editors--

I request that you forward this email to Ms. Nancy Dubuc, your new CEO.

My name is Ray Whitaker, and I am a moderator on a national Ginsing Website, called\" Wildgrown.com.\" Our web community discusses the growing, harvest, and disbursement of the Appalacian crop you are about to release a new Reality TV servies on.

I am writing you in an effort to demonstrate our concerns about the immenant release of your show. As a group, we have some real concerns about the representation of our industry, and future ramifications that your show may indeed have.

In the trailer you show for the upcoming show, the characters seem rather lawless, distrespectful of each other, and bent on ill-gotton gains. As a rule, our industry is much further from that portrayal. While there are in-fact poachers of legally grown ginseng, and this is a problem that we all face with trepidation.. This is not the average individual who involves themselves with Ginseng.

Further, the plant we are sheparding and farming in the mountains is already on the Endangered Species list in many states. Those of us that are replanting Ginseng thru-out the applacians and beyond , are making a real effort to re-establish a plant whose naive populations have been decimated over the last 300 years by poor husbandry, over-harvesting, and destruction of habitiat.

If your show does not address this component of our Ginseng industry, then I suggust that you may not be representing it to the public in an informed way. I have real concerns that your TV series may do far more harm to the endangered North American Ginseng that you realize.

I would be happoy to discuss this with you at any time, I can be reached by return email... where we can set up a phone/video conversation to discuss these issues further.

I look forward to your reply,
Sincerely, Ray Whitaker

===================================

I sincerely hope that this will get some sort of response from A&E

Way to go Whit!
Latt

Whitjr,

Can you please post, or private message me the name(s) and address(s) where you sent your letter to? I would like to send one, very similar to yours, as well. I believe if many of us send letters/e-mails that are POLITE, informed, well written, and to the point as you have done, we may be able to get the content of the show changed or pulled all together.

Thank you for speaking up!

-Mills

Mills Ginseng,
I like your line of thinking about as many people voicing their opinion as much as possible.

However, in my opinion they will not pull the show if it has ratings and generates income for them no matter what we say.

The best we can hope for in my opinion is for the producers to include someone like Billy, Bob Beyfuss, Eric Burkhart, Scott Persons or someone like them that would emphasize the
importance of practicing good
stewardship of the woods.

This is assuming all the film is not already in the can. If it is not ,perhaps they would look at that angle and it may filmed and added to what the show has to offer for those of us that care about ginseng across the country.

Just my thoughts,
Thanks,
Latt

I agree Latt. Whether it is good interest or bad that produce ratings, ratings are ratings for them.

Hillhopper

Fellows,
I certainly appreciate everyone's comments so far on this subject, but if we learned anything at all from the dust up over the \"Duck Dynasty outrage\"; it was that, \"money speaks\". All the emails, calls, and letters to this company will just be a drop in the bucket when comparing them to normal customers who view that network. What will get their attention in a hurry is to contact sponsor's of the show and let them know where your business is not going to go if they support this type of presentation to the viewing public. That will get their attention in a big way, and letting them know that if your potential business is damaged from reckless promotion on the network's part that it could lead to legal action. Nothing talks like money, or lack of it.

Hugh

The outcome of this show will not be good for sang period. These cable, newpaper head hunters are leeches. I've been ask by quite a few about morel mushroom hunting. I think they troll the blogs and forums look for people that know the subject well and don't let up. Youtube is used by them as well. It's amazing what these folks can find out about a person! It's LIKE SELLING YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL. They are slick BEWARE!

I think that voicing our opinion may produce a variable result. I felt complelled to write, however I have little illusion that there will be a profundly effective result. Once a TV network has poured it's resources into a production, they are committed. It's possible that we as a group of letter-writers may get them to shift gears a bit.... and that is what my intention is.

It's not likely that they are going to pull this show, IMHO.

Mills - YGM.

Hey guys, it's been a long time since I've logged in, although I've been reading your posts.

I am also worried about lack of education that the show will promote. Now there will be get-rich-quick people, trespassing in the woods, digging up babies, and killing a good amount of plants in the wild. Add to it, there will be quick digging money hungry people who damage roots and root hairs when getting them out of the ground, and they will be upset when they try to sell their roots and don't get a good price. The list goes on and on. Sadly, I cannot foresee anything good coming from this show.