Filthy Riches

Making a living off the land is tough, but for some, they wouldn’t have it any other way. For eel fisherman Ray, this means battling fast-moving river currents and constantly rebuilding his eel weir in preparation for the annual eel migration on the Delaware River. For Billy and his sons, surviving off the land means hunting in the dense Appalachian Mountains for prized ginseng root. The Taylors have their first big order of the season, but they must first survive an encounter with a venomous snake in order to dig up the ginseng. Bloodworm hunters Andy and Jim race against the incoming tide to dig for worms in the mudflats of Maine, all the while avoiding waist-deep, quicksand-like mud pits. And burl hunters Greg and Albert are searching for box elder burls, but have only a day to drag the burls from a canyon before the sun sets.

On the Delaware River, eel fisherman Ray faces a huge lightning storm as he paddles to his weir. In Oregon, Greg and Albert struggle to remove a 1,500-pound burl from the side of a steep, craggy hill. Across the country in Maine, bloodworm diggers Jim and Andy get into a heated battle with two other diggers who are trying to invade their turf. And in the woods of Michigan, Chris and Levena are trying to find mushrooms that have not been damaged by recent heavy rains.

On the icy mudflats of Maine, Jim and Andy decide to share a valuable mudflat with two rookie worm diggers and pass on their expertise while still making a paycheck. In the mountains of Kentucky, ginseng hunter Billy receives a big order that could be worth $12,000. In Napa, Calif., burlers Greg and Albert take a big gamble purchasing a walnut burl. On the Delaware River, Ray has more than just eels on his mind. He must hurry to repair his pet emu's fence or risk losing it to a predator.

In Michigan forests, Chris and Levena are racing against the clock to fill an order of prized wild mushrooms. In Maine, Jim and Andy battle clam diggers over digging territory. Meanwhile, in Chico, Calif., Greg and Al take a huge risk and purchase an old tree with a large burl that may be infested with fungus, but may also bring them a big paycheck. Finally, on the Delaware River, Ray is not catching as many eels as he should and suspects someone — or something — is stealing his eel catch.

In the great American wild, there's cold hard cash just waiting to be found. In the mountains of Appalachia, Billy Taylor and his sons have just received an online order for 8-pounds of wild ginseng. In the forests of Michigan, mushroom hunters Chris Matherly and Levena Holmes call on the help of local experts to fill a 150-pound order for Hen of the Woods and Chicken of the Woods mushrooms. On the Delaware River, eel fisherman Ray Turner has to split his time between repairing a hole in his weir and finishing an order for 200 smoked trout. In Martinez, California, burl hunters Al DeSilva and Herb Deliz have only two days to fill their largest order of the season. The work is tough, but for the men and women who work the land everyday, it is all worth it.

Billy hunts for wild ginseng in the mountains of Kentucky; Jim and Andy work hard to preserve their reputation as diggers; Chris and Levena camp out while hunting for mushrooms; and Al and Greg remove a madrone burl in Oregon.

Albert travels to California to collect several burls; Ray races to catch 50 pounds of eels in a day; Jim and Andy scout for new worm-digging territories; and Billy needs help fulfilling a large ginseng order.

Al locates a pepperwood burl; Billy rushes to fill an order before the deadline is up; Ray's eel weir becomes jammed, leaving him unable to fish; and Jim spends his birthday on the mudflats with Andy digging worms.