By Dr. Ming Tao Jiang | October 8, 2026
Life has a way of coming full circle.
Forty-seven years ago, I was an undergraduate student in China. Back then, there was no internet. To learn English, I would tune in night after night to the crackling shortwave frequencies of Voice of America (VOA). I listened sentence by sentence, writing down and memorizing one word at a time.
Never in my wildest dreams could that young student have imagined that, nearly five decades later, the Voice of America crew would travel to central Wisconsin to film an interview at my own ginseng farm.
From a Shortwave Radio in China to a Ginseng Farm in Wisconsin
This week, the VOA feature program “On the Road with Kennedy” visited Marathon Ginseng Gardens in Wisconsin.
When most Americans think of Wisconsin agriculture, three things come to mind: dairy and cheese, cranberries, and craft beer. Yet many people—even within the United States—are surprised to learn that central Wisconsin produces some of the most prized, high-potency American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) in the world.
Kennedy and the VOA crew walked through our shaded gardens, filming the four-year growth cycle of the roots, inspecting the rich glaciated soil, and discussing the heritage of cultivation in Marathon County. We talked about farming practices, the plant’s 240-year export history, and my own journey bridging botanical agriculture with biomedical science.
The Irony: Teaching English to VOA
The interview was originally set to be conducted entirely in Chinese.
However, as our conversation moved deeper into the biochemistry, ginsenoside profiles, and clinical research behind American ginseng, I found myself instinctively reaching for medical terminology that is simply more precise and established in English.
Before long, I was explaining complex pharmacological concepts entirely in English.
We both burst out laughing when the irony set in:
Forty-seven years ago, I listened intently to VOA to learn English. Today, VOA was in my Wisconsin field listening to me explain plant medicine in English.
A 47-year journey, captured in a single afternoon.
A 242-Year Bridge Across the Pacific
American ginseng itself represents a profound bridge between East and West. In 1784, the American merchant ship Empress of China set sail from New York Harbor carrying wild American ginseng to Canton, marking the very beginning of trade between the newly formed United States and China.
For nearly two and a half centuries, this native North American woodland herb has traveled across the Pacific to become an essential pillar of Eastern herbal wellness traditions.
Standing in the fields with the VOA production crew, that history felt very alive: an American broadcast network telling the story of an American crop to audiences across both continents.
From the Farm to the Kitchen Table
Once the cameras stopped rolling, our conversation naturally moved from the fields to the kitchen.
To give the crew a true taste of Wisconsin harvest hospitality, I served my signature dish: Slow-Simmered American Ginseng Silky Chicken Soup.
From the soil to the science, from shortwave radio to modern digital broadcasting, and from a classroom in China to a harvest in Wisconsin—sometimes life takes you far enough that when you finally look back, you realize you've walked a complete, beautiful circle.
Ready to Experience Authentic Wisconsin Ginseng?
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Featured Recipe: Pair fresh or dried whole roots with heritage poultry and goji berries for an energizing autumn broth.
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Explore Our Harvest: View our 100% Wisconsin-grown, lab-tested root selections, slices, and pure extract powders directly from our gardens.