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["Tony Coffman is the owner of Coffmans Metals, LLC in Birch River, West Virginia, which specializing in the buying and selling of ginseng and other wild herbs and roots, scrap metal, recyclables, and furs. A licensed ginseng dealer, Coffman began digging ginseng when he was a teenager for extra pocket money. Coffman inherited the business in 1987 from his grandfather Guy Coffman.These photos and related interviews were conducted in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festivals 2020 festival program on American ginseng. Learn more: https://festival.si.edu/blog/west-virginia-ginseng-trade"]%

13. Metal ginseng sculpture and signs at Coffman's Metals in Birch River

Identifier:
4224.CoffmansMetalsGinseng.Photo.017.9.15.19
Title:
Metal ginseng sculpture and signs at Coffman's Metals in Birch River
Date:
2019-09-15
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
American ginseng, American ginseng industry, Metal sculpture, American, Painted signs and signboards
Location:
Nicholas County (W. Va.), Birch River (W. Va.)
["For the past 6 years, Sandy Mashburn (b. January 20th, 1954, Albertville, AL) and her husband Tommy Mashburn come to West Virginia for 3 months from August-October to hunt root, including ginseng, may apple, yellow root, and black cohosh. They sell the foraged root and other plant parts to Tony Coffman at Coffmans Metals in Birch River, West Virginia. In this short interview, Sandy speaks about how they first started coming to West Virginia, her husbands digging hobby, how the price of ginseng has changed, and more.This interview and other materials were collected in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festivals 2020 festival program on American ginseng. Learn more: https://festival.si.edu/blog/west-virginia-ginseng-trade"]%

14. Sandy Mashburn at Coffman's Metals after selling several pounds of ginseng, yellow root, and may apple to Tony Coffman

Identifier:
4224.MashburnSandy.Photo.001.9.15.19
Title:
Sandy Mashburn at Coffman's Metals after selling several pounds of ginseng, yellow root, and may apple to Tony Coffman
Date:
2019-09-15
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
American ginseng industry, American ginseng, Forage plants, Herbs--Utilization
Location:
Birch River (W. Va.)
["For the past 6 years, Sandy Mashburn (b. January 20th, 1954, Albertville, AL) and her husband Tommy Mashburn come to West Virginia for 3 months from August-October to hunt root, including ginseng, may apple, yellow root, and black cohosh. They sell the foraged root and other plant parts to Tony Coffman at Coffmans Metals in Birch River, West Virginia. In this short interview, Sandy speaks about how they first started coming to West Virginia, her husbands digging hobby, how the price of ginseng has changed, and more.This interview and other materials were collected in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festivals 2020 festival program on American ginseng. Learn more: https://festival.si.edu/blog/west-virginia-ginseng-trade"]%

15. Portrait of Sandy Mashburn

Identifier:
4224.MashburnSandy.Photo.002.9.15.19
Title:
Portrait of Sandy Mashburn
Date:
2019-09-15
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
American ginseng, Forage plants, American ginseng industry
Location:
Birch River (W. Va.)