Four Generations of Wisconsin Farming
From dairy to ginseng, one family's dedication to quality
From Dairy to Ginseng: A Family's Journey
In Edgar, Wisconsin—a town of just 1,400 people—the Heil family has been farming for four generations. Most people here raise dairy cattle. We did too, for decades.
But 30 years ago, Joe Heil and his father saw something different in this land. They made a bet on ginseng.
The Hard Years
The first years were hard. Unpredictable weather. Learning a crop that takes four years before you see any harvest. Building everything from scratch.
But we learned. We persisted. We became one of the largest ginseng operations in the United States—250,000-300,000 pounds of roots each year.
Size isn't what matters to us. Quality is.
The Only One
We're the only ginseng producer authorized to use the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin seal—the mark of authentic, premium Wisconsin-grown American ginseng.
Joe served as president of that board for 14 years. He helped write the standards that define quality for the entire industry.
When we say we're committed to quality, it's not marketing. Joe literally wrote the rules.
Meet the Team
Joe Heil
Owner & 3rd Generation Ginseng Farmer
"I walk these fields every day. I check the shade cloth, examine the soil, watch the plants. This isn't a corporate operation run from an office somewhere. We're here, farming."
Anne Buntrock
Operations Manager
"I work for somebody that I truly respect and admire. The way Joe cares about his employees makes me care about this job more."
Our Process: 4 Years in Every Root
Year 1: The Beginning
Seeds collected from our own 4-year plants. Stratified (cold storage) for one year before planting.
Years 2-3: Growth
Under shade cloth, mimicking forest conditions. Careful monitoring, protection from disease and weather.
Year 4: Harvest
After the first frost, roots are carefully dug by hand. Four years of work in every root.
Processing
Washed, dried, sorted, tested, and packaged in our facility. From our soil to your door.
Four years of growth culminate in premium Wisconsin ginseng roots.
Each root represents years of careful attention, patient cultivation, and dedication to quality. When you hold our ginseng, you're holding the result of a process that can't be rushed—only perfected.
Why Wisconsin?
95% of American ginseng comes from Wisconsin
The Perfect Soil
Glaciers carved this land thousands of years ago, leaving sandy loam soil that ginseng loves. Rich enough to feed roots for four years, loose enough for them to grow deep.
The Perfect Climate
Harsh winters trigger the chemical processes that make ginseng potent. Moderate summers provide ideal growing conditions. Nature doesn't rush this. Neither do we.
100+ Years of Knowledge
Wisconsin farmers have grown ginseng commercially since the early 1900s. That accumulated knowledge matters. Every season brings decisions that affect whether you'll have a crop in four years or nothing at all.
Every root we sell, we grew ourselves.
Every step—from planting to harvest to drying—happens here, under our watch.
No middlemen. No mystery about where your ginseng comes from.
Joe still walks the fields every day.
This is a family farm, and the family is still here, still farming.
We're honored to share our ginseng with you.
Visit Our Farm
Heil Ginseng
1313 S 3rd Ave
Edgar, WI 54426
📞 (715) 352-7200
✉️ support@heilginseng.com
Compliance: compliance@heilginseng.com