Ginseng collecting & Gravestone rubbings
September/Ocbotber 2007
Q: I’m interested in collecting ginseng. What do I need to know before I take to the woods?
A: Harvesting in Indiana is legal only from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, each year.
In Indiana, ginseng cannot be legally harvested on state or federal property. Digging for ginseng on private property without permission of the landowner is also illegal, and, by law, is theft.
To be harvested legally, a ginseng plant must have at least three prongs and a fruiting stalk. The root must also have at least four internodes and bud-scale scars. Fruits must be replanted in the immediate area to help maintain the population.
There are approximately 30 ginseng dealers in Indiana to whom ginseng can be sold. A list can be obtained through the DNR Division of Nature Preserves.
Finally, the best way to learn more is through a current harvester, as this practice is traditionally passed on from generation to generation. Keep in mind that ginseng harvesting can be tough work. A yield of a pound requires 300 to 400 roots.
Please contact Nature Preserves at cfloyd@dnr.IN.gov or call (317) 232-4052, for more information.
Q: I want to do a rubbing of a gravestone. Is that legal in Indiana?
A: Indiana state law does not regulate this activity, but some cemeteries might have rules against it to protect the stones. How would such a rule protect tombstones? Despite the fact that tombstones are “rocks,” the material is not always stable, nor is it invincible. Some stones go through a process called sugaring. When this happens, tiny granules of the stone will actually rub off, effectively losing bits of the stone. If someone rubs the stone, these tiny grains can flake away.
If you want to take home a memory of your ancestor’s grave, or you cannot read the inscription that well, you might think a rubbing will make both possible. Rubbings can damage the gravestone, but there is another technique that can do an even a better job, without affecting the stone.
You might need two people to do this. Take a squirt bottle filled with water, and a mirror with you. Spritz the stone until it glistens. Shine sunlight onto the stone with the mirror. Take a photo of the stone. If you use a digital camera, you’ll know right away if you got the perfect shot. If you didn’t, keep adjusting the angle of the light until the inscription is clear. With this simple technique you get your lasting photo of the information and also protect the gravestone.
Ginseng harvesting is protected by law. (above right). Tombstone located in the Greenwood Cemetery (above left).