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| WELCOME
TO VIRTUAL TOUR |
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Destination:
KOREAN GINSENG FARM
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By
Audrey
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Hi
and welcome to Korea. I'll be your tour guide today as we cross oceans,
continents, and borders into a different culture to introduce to you,
in a more intimate manner, the interesting facts that make Korea unique.
On our first trip today, we'll take a look at the most expensive herb
in the world, Korean ginseng. It is not only expensive, but also difficult
to cultivate. Hence, the expensive price tag. Let's visit the ginseng
farm for a little chat session with Mr. Kim.
| Audrey: |
Good
day, Mr. Kim. I've brought some visitors here today. We're all keen
to learn more about ginseng. Perhaps you could start by giving us
a brief background on the herb? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Ah…yes,
of course. The Korean ginseng is actually a herb tonic used for over
2000 years in oriental countries. Reputed to be a mysterious medicine
among people, the Korean ginseng is believed to be a tonic and prevention
against various diseases. However, it is not regarded as a direct
curing medicine. Its scientific name is Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer.
Of course, it's better known as the Korean ginseng. |
| Audrey: |
Where
can we find this natural ginseng? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Natural
ginseng are mostly found in the Far East region, which includes the
Korean peninsula and places under the temperate zone of the Northern
Hemisphere. As we're blessed with the optimal climate for growing
ginseng, Korea has the reputation for being a mass producer and supplier
of quality ginseng to the world today. |
| Audrey: |
No
doubt about that. In fact, we've heard that Korean ginseng has the
ability to strengthen one's immune system, lower high blood pressure,
and purify the blood from toxin. Could you tell us more? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Well,
old Chinese medicinal textbooks stated that Korean ginseng provides
tonic advantages to the viscera such as the heart, lungs, digestive
organs, liver, and kidneys. The Koreans also believe that ginseng
has the capability to quiet one's spirits, 'establish' souls, expel
fears, brighten eyes, open minds, and improve understanding. If taken
for a sufficient amount of time, it will boost energy and prolong
one's life span. |
| Audrey: |
Wow…this
is very interesting. Do you have anything else to add to that? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Definitely.
The benefits of ginseng can fill a book or should I say books? It
is so good that it can normalize stress conditions, stimulate intestinal
digestion, and increase physical and mental stamina. It is especially
beneficial to those who are not in the best of physical conditions,
those who lack vigor, those weakened by a disease or operation, and
those whose hands and feet are always cold. For women, the Korean
ginseng is best taken during and after pregnancy. And of course, diabetics,
cancer sufferers and anemic patients would benefit greatly from the
Korean ginseng. |
| Audrey: |
What
a discovery! I never knew that the Korean ginseng could offer so many
advantages. Isn't it great that its benefits have been extended to
other cities in the world? |
| Everyone: |
Yeah!!! |
| Audrey: |
Mr.
Kim, perhaps you could now tell us how it's cultivated? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
 Of
course. The cultivation of ginseng is actually quite different from
other crops. Once it is cultivated, it cannot be re-cultivated in
the same field for 15 years. The field must be carefully selected
as the outcome depends on the nature of the soil and land. Korean
ginseng is so popular that the field soil is prepared two years
by tilling the soils repeatedly with fresh leaves such as oak.
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| Mr.
Kim: |
Seedlings
are also grown in specially prepared nursery bed soil. Korean ginseng
must be grown under the shade without any application of chemical
fertilizer. In short, ginseng cultivation is a structural farming
that maintains the traditional organic farming practice. The direction
of ridge is set by a compass to face northeast. It is important to
cultivate the roots to its fullest capacity yet maintain a balance
between the rhizome head, main root, and lateral roots. |
| Audrey: |
What
does that mean? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
 It
refers to the shape of the ginseng. The Korean ginseng has a root
system, which includes the rhizome head, main root and lateral roots.
These three elements are where numerous fine roots develop. On the
whole, the Korean ginseng has such a balanced shape that it resembles
a human body. Let me show you what I mean…
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| Audrey: |
Ah…no
wonder it's also called the 'man root'. |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Yes,
you are right. |
| Audrey: |
Well,
it's sure difficult to cultivate ginseng. |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Do
you want to know the various growth stages of the Korean ginseng? |
| Audrey: |
Yes,
please. I'm sure all of us here would be glad to obtain first hand
information. |
| Mr.
Kim: |
OK…
The shape of the ginseng changes as the root develops. In the first
year, the main root develops with 30 to 40 lateral roots. These
roots either fall off or are cut off while transplanting the following
year. After transplantation in the second year, the lateral roots
are re-grown. In the third year, the elongation of the main root
and the number of lateral roots should both be growing well in length
and volume.
The
main root grows only in volume, thus forming the characteristic
shape of Korean ginseng. A six-year-old ginseng has a 7 to 10 cm
long main root and a diameter of 2 to 3 cm, with several lateral
roots and a large rhizome head. This type of ginseng is used for
making red ginseng. Its total length is about 34 cm and weigh between
40 to 120 g. In some cases, it can even weigh up to 300 g. It is
not good for roots to grow more than 7 years. If it does, the roots
would appear 'retarded' and ill shaped with woody skin. A higher
rate of cavity or 'inside-white' will also occur after processing.
Korean
ginseng is different from other ginseng cultivated in China, Japan,
and North America. It takes as long as 6 years to cultivate Korean
ginseng. In terms of ginsenoside, the Korean ginseng contains 22
kinds of ginsenoside while the others contain 8 to 9 types. Moreover,
it contains anti-aging substances such as anti-oxidant and an insulin-like
substance, which are not found in other types of ginseng. One need
not fear poisoning or drug dependency effects like those often caused
by others. Besides, its effects are always remedial. With the coming
of modern science, many scientists have started investigating the
effect of ginseng for the past two decades and it can now be proven
that Korean ginseng is effective in several different ways.
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| Audrey: |
Hmm…
interesting. By the way, how many types of ginseng are there? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
There
are two types. White Ginseng and Red Ginseng. |
| Audrey: |
And
what's the difference between these two? |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Well,
the White Ginseng is naturally dried and is free from all manufacturing
processes. On the other hand, the Red Ginseng is processed from White
Ginseng. This is done by creating new components for the new ginseng
while enhancing the effectiveness of the existing ones. Hence, Red
Ginseng contains more beneficial components than White Ginseng. The
latter also causes minor side effects such as headache and gastric
disturbances. |
| Audrey: |
After
listening to your description of the Korean ginseng, we now understand
why the herb is so expensive. |
| Mr.
Kim: |
Indeed,
it is rather expensive. But you can get them from suppliers who charge
a reasonable price for it. And they come in different forms, such
as extracted concentrate or capsules and granulated tea. Do look around
while you're in Korea. |
| Audrey: |
We
sure would, Mr. Kim. Well, thank you so much for your time. It was
definitely an eye-opening experience. |
| Mr.
Kim: |
You're
most welcome. I'm sure you'll find the Korean ginseng a true rarity
with a strong list of advantages. |
That's
all for now. Thanks for joining me on WELCOME TO VIRTUAL TOUR.
Do keep a lookout for new postings.
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