Roots & Hollers

"Roots & Hollers" takes you deep inside the world of wild American ginseng, the legendary root linking Asia to the mountainous hollers of Appalachia for centuries. Considered a cure-all, wild roots sell for thousands of dollars in Asian markets. Hunting and selling ginseng is a valuable staple across Appalachia, bringing extra cash to help make ends meet. This half-hour documentary follows two budding businessmen, Jeremy Tackett and Terry Cable, as they try their luck in the underground trade of America’s most valuable root: Ginseng.

Winner of the 2011 Excellence in Business Reporting Prize from UC Berkeley, "Roots & Hollers" reveals the challenges diggers face as they try to eke out a living from this rare and valuable plant. It also uncovers new threats to this age-old subculture as urban sprawl, over-harvesting, and strip-mining radically alters the Appalachian landscape.