Fortunately, in times of crop failures or the grasshopper invasion, a native plant saved the day for many. Ginseng was found to be abundant in the area. Whole families hunted the woods for it, for which five or six cents a pound was paid by buyers in drying sheds at Wayzata and Excelsior and later at Rockford. The dried roots were shipped from St. Paul to China where they were highly prized for medicinal or ceremonial purposes and favored for seasoning foods.
