On my Discover Wisconsin show this weekend, we head to Wausau's International Wisconsin Ginseng Festival, which is again next weekend. Marathon County grows 95% of the ginseng in the US. Highly prized in Asia, ginseng is now a very valuable export for Wisconsin - and its gives you healthy energy!
In the episode, Mariah and I explored ginseng's influence on the Wausau area. She cooks with ginseng, trying to match the flair of the chef she's with, and I whip on the gloves to dig my own root. Mariah also gets to explore Wausau's museums and sample food on the 400 Block downrtown; I get to sample ginseng-infused drinks and tour a working ginseng farm and a historic fox farm where the original growers on ginseng in the area began the tradition. We both get to stand at a major global intersection: where 45N (the theoretical halfway point of the Northern Hemisphere) and 90W, the halfway point of the Western Hemisphere.
This is fun episode where you'll also learn about this interesting and important crop. It's all on Discover Wisconsin, airing on WKOW-TV Channel 27 in Madison 6:30 tonight/Saturday night, or WITI-TV FOX 6 in Milwaukee tomorrow/Sunday at 10am! And of course, it's available right now below.
Get more details on the Wisconsin International Ginseng Festival, including select events, schedules and more, on my own StateTrunkTour.com road trip website!