Some of the world's best ginseng comes from Ontario's former tobacco fields
Join chef Ricardo Larrivée as he explores how the ginseng plant is grown, harvested and exported.
The best ginseng starts with the right soil and expert farmers.
Did you know that the ginseng plant is native to Ontario and Quebec?
On its own, Ontario's Norfolk County produces most of the world's North American ginseng, over two million kilograms of which are shipped to China, Taiwan and Singapore.
What started out as a niche market has grown into a thriving industry. Farmer Remi Van de Slyke has been growing ginseng since 1993. Despite the complicated harvesting process he, like a lot of farmers from the region, switched from tobacco to ginseng farming, and is now reaping the benefits.
Join chef Ricardo Larrivée as he explores how this delicate plant is grown, harvested and exported.