Backyard Ginseng in Transylvania County – All Things Appalachia speaker series

Program Description

Ginseng has a long and rich history here in the Appalachian Mountains. Some of the most high quality ginseng in the world comes from this area. Today it represents an opportunity for woodland owners to create new revenue streams and support native plant populations. In this presentation we’ll take a look at planting, care, sales, and medicinal value of ginseng here in Transylvania County.

Presenter Bio

Bart Renner, a local Cooperative Extension Agent, works with private landowners on a wide variety of issues, including farm and garden production issues, home horticulture questions, and increasingly with homeowners who want to make the most out of forested land. NC State (the organization backing the Cooperative Extension) has been working with woodland botanicals and medicinal herbs for years in response to increasing demand. Renner and colleagues have worked to create research-based information on production issues, harvest, and post-harvest processing of woodland botanicals to support the growing market for herbal supplements.  

Renner earned a Bachelor of Science at Ball State University in Muncie, IN where he was focused on forestry and wildlife biology. He then spent three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador where he gained experience in environmental education, community development, and telling jokes in Spanish (he was a popular guest at kid’s birthday parties). After a few farm and production related internships, Renner earned a Master of Science in the Crop Science Department at NC State University and discovered that a career in Extension was a great way to tie together all of his passions.

All Things Appalachia is a monthly program series at the Transylvania County Library exploring the people, natural world, culture, and history of the southern Appalachian region.  Presenters include experts in the fields of history, ecology, outdoor recreation, and more.   The programs are on the first Thursday evening of most months at 6:30 pm in the Rogow Room.  Each program lasts approximately one hour. These free programs are supported by the Friends of the Library