Artisan preserves disappearing craft of hemp fabric weaving

By Chung Ah-young

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province — Kwon Yeon-i sweats heavily as she works on her hemp weaving loom in a small room of her traditional house in Geumsori, Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. She rapidly moves her foot on the treadle and the shuttle from left to right to "feed" the fibers on the loom to produce "andongpo," or hemp fabric. Weaving traditional hemp fabric has always been an essential part of her life, in the same way that farming was to the village where she grew up. "When I was a child, fabric was really rare. As communities were self-sufficient, we had to weave our own," Kwon said in an interview with The Korea Times. Her village is renowned for producing high-quality hemp fabric since the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), during which it was used to make the costumes for "hwarang," or flowering knights, an elite group of male youth. During the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), the fabric was used to make summer wear for commoners. In Korea, hemp, or "sambe," was one of four popular traditional textile fibers, along with cotton, ramie and silk. But the tradition of making hemp fabric started disappearing in the 1950s. Today, only elderly weavers in a few rural regions practice the tradition.  Geumsori has sandy soil, which facilitates drainage and is therefore good for cultivating hemp. Kwon, who has been weaving the fabric for more than 50 years, said she is one of the relatively younger weavers today, when most are in their 80s and 90s. "There are only a few young people in my village because many have left for the cities. Only the elderly are left behind and continue to weave hemp fabric. I am 72 and younger than the other weavers in my village," she said. Weaving used to be a typical activity in this village. Almost every household used to have a loom. Today, the number of weavers is only a third of what it used to be. She said as the process of weaving hemp fabric is laborious and complicated, and demand for the fabric is on the decline, only skillful artisans have preserved the technique. The preparation for weaving the fabric requires harvesting hemp, removing the leaves and steaming the stalks. Then, the outer layers of the stalks are peeled off and dried. "In making a strand of hemp fiber, my body and hands are crucial tools. My fingertips and nails have become worn out, as I use them to split the fiber as finely as possible and roll them on my lap to connect the ends of the threads to one another," she said. Kwon is proud of her production of high-quality hemp fabric, as it is unrivaled in terms of fineness and texture. "The hemp fabric from our village boasts beautiful shades and a soft texture. I love the resulting product," she said. There are two types of Korean hemp fabric — "andongpo," which is produced in Andong and its adjacent areas, and "musam," which is produced in different regions throughout the nation but particularly in Boseong, South Jeolla Province. Because of its durability and breathability, hemp fabric is used to make a wide range of clothing. It is popular for summer wear for farmers and the middle and lower classes, as well as for sanitary napkins. It has also been used to make mourning clothes. "Nowadays, many Chinese products are replacing andongpo. We cannot make ends meet because we can't compete with Chinese manufacturers in terms of price," she said. Kwon said as the tradition is on the verge of disappearing, she wants to pass her skills down to her daughters-in-law, who are living in downtown Andong. "My skills are becoming rare even in this hemp-weaving village, as young people are leaving. I hope that my skills will be succeeded by those of my children's generation," she said. Hemp-weaving receives less recognition than other crafts  Kwon has won more than 11 awards from the Korea Annual Traditional Handicraft Art Exhibition since 1995. "Since I got married, I have committed myself to producing high-quality hemp fabric. But there are few experts, even in the state-organized contest, who can appreciate the quality of the fabric," she said. The artisan explained that there are a slew of professors and scholars who have expertise in other crafts, such as making "hanbok," or traditional Korean clothes. But there are just a few who can appreciate the value of weaving hemp fabric, as it is regarded as simply making a kind of material rather than a craft. "All the experienced and skillful experts are the elderly who are still producing hemp fabric here. I think they are the right persons to judge the quality. But only scholars and professors judge our products. It's a pity that our traditional skills are not recognized as much as those of other crafts," she said. Making a traditional dress is wonderful work, but without excellent fabric, it would not be possible to create a great piece of textile artwork, Kwon said. Who is Kwon Yeon-i? Kwon Yeon-i was born in 1943 in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. She has been weaving hemp fabric for more than 50 years, since she was a teen. She has been living in Geumsori, Andong, since she got married. Kwon has won more than 11 awards, including participation awards, from the Korea Annual Traditional Handicraft Art Exhibition since 1995. She was named a Korea Traditional Skills Transmitter by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea in 2010. What is ‘Andongpo'? "Andongpo' refers to hemp fabric produced in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. It boasts a finer and softer texture than hemp fabric produced in other regions. Andong is renowned for producing high-quality work since the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) when the fabric was used to make the costumes for "hwarang," or flowering knights, an elite group of male youth. During the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), the fabric was used to make summer wear for commoners. In Korea, hemp was one of four popular traditional textile fibers, along with cotton, ramie and silk. But the tradition of making hemp fabric started to disappear in the 1950s. Only the elderly in a few rural regions continue to practice the tradition. Geumsori in Andong has sandy soil, which facilitates drainage and thus, is good for cultivating hemp.

Lawmakers approve letting colleges study industrial hemp

Source: timesunion.com

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada lawmakers have approved a measure that would allow colleges or the state agriculture department to grow industrial hemp.

Assembly members voted unanimously on Friday to approve SB305. The measure already passed the Senate and now heads to Gov. Brian Sandoval for approval.

Democratic Sen. Tick Segerblom is sponsoring the measure, which would allow governmental bodies to cultivate industrial hemp for agricultural or research purposes.

The bill was amended to remove language allowing private growers to cultivate hemp, and to clarify that the product can't be used as a drug. The state agriculture department cautioned in a fiscal note that Nevada's climate isn't ideal for growing hemp.

Industrial hemp differs from medical or recreational marijuana plants in THC content and appearance. Industrial cannabis products include things like hemp yarn.

Oregon Hemp Works

Source: oregonhempworks.com



Our Story:
Oregon Hemp Works was established in 2009 with the idea to make a high quality handmade soap. A year was spent researching this ancient art form that's nearly 5,000 years old before we started creating our own hand-crafted soaps in a makeshift mold in Oregon City, Oregon. We have since perfected this combination of science, chemistry, and alchemy. Now we are producing top quality soaps with custom-made molds for a unique design and shape. OHW has become the leader in hand-made hemp soap. 

Our product line has expanded to lotions and massage oils that come in matching scents along with Mudd Mask. Complimenting this naturally appealing line of hemp products is Merry Hempsters Lip Balms; another Oregon based hemp company. All of the products we make and offer are based around the hemp plant.


Our Ingredients:

Olive Oil (Olea Europaea): Natural moisturizer, retains moisture, soothes and nurtures the skin, used for psoriasis, mild, doesn’t clog pores, creates a stable lather, conditioning. Olive Oil attracts external moisture to your skin, helping to keep skin soft and supple and still allows normal functions of the skin (such as sweating, shedding of dead skin and releasing sebum) to take place. Traditionally "Castile" soap was made using only olive oil, but the term has loosened now to include soaps that have olive oil as a major proportion of the oils in them. It is good for rheumatic conditions and inflamed skin and a mild antibacterial agent.

Coconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera): Contributes to: soap hardness, fluffy lather. Coconut oil makes soaps lather beautifully. It creates a very hard that lathers well even in very hard water and even in sea water. Coconut oil is light and not greasy and is resistant to spoiling and rancidity. Used in skin care formulations, coconut oil is emollient, moisturizing, conditioning and protecting to the skin. for dry, itchy, sensitive skin and will not clog pores. It’s been known to prevent dry or flakey skin and preventing wrinkles and aging skin. Also used to speed the healing process.

Palm Oil (Elaeis Guineensis): Helps add to soap hardness, stable lather, conditioning, and silky feel. Palm oil makes a hard bar that cleans well and is also mild. It is a good substitute for animal tallow in all-vegetable soaps. Palm oil is processed from the flesh of the fruit of tropical oil palm plants. This oil is solid at cool temperatures, becomes slushy at warm temperatures and a golden, clear liquid at higher temperatures. Contains large amounts of vitamin E.

Hemp Oil (Cannabis Sativa): Hempseed oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). One of the few sources of GLA, an EFA that resembles sebum, the natural lubricant in the skin and hair. GLA may also help treat psoriasis, eczema, dandruff, and other skin issues. Contributes to a stable lather, conditioning, silky feel, softer soap, fluffy lather. Fresh hemp seed oil has a green color which becomes lighter with age. It is rich with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids and is excellent for nourishing all skin and hair needs. This oil has the lowest amount of saturated fatty acids and the highest amount of the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acids).

Castor Oil (Ricinus Communis): Contributes to: fluffy lather, stable lather, conditioning, moisturizing, softer soap. Castor oil is unique in being almost entirely composed of ricinoleic fatty acid, found in no other oils and possessing a high affinity for water molecules. This makes it an excellent humectant, attracting and holding moisture to the skin. This oil is rich in fatty acids, and very soothing/lubricating to the skin.

Oatmeal Helps restore the body’s PH. Nourishes the skin and offers a mild exfoliating property. Moisturizes skin. It helps relieve skin irritations, reduce inflammation, and help to heal rashes or sunburns.

Our Mission

The promoting of the most versatile crop in the world is why we started OHW. To let the world know the truth on this hidden treasure. Cannabis (hemp) could replace all petroleum, tree, and cotton products and create safer and higher quality alternatives to their counterpart. Always offering quality hemp-based products to help promote the use of this forgotten plant that helped shape this country and humanity.

Visit our Store: oregonhempworks.com/store/

Post-Petroleum Design and The Future of Sustainable Materials

By Patrick Sisson
Source: curbed.com


Cork is extremely renewable, regenerating itself every nine years; in the 
hands of New York designer Daniel Michalik, it's also the raw material for 
the Cortica chaise lounge. Image courtesy of Daniel Michalik.

Five billion; that's not a population statistic, that is the amount of plastic, in tons, that currently exists on this Earth, according to George Elvin, author of Post-Petroleum Design (Routledge). If photos of trash circling in gyres around the Pacific doesn't alarm you, the related environmental costs of unearthing oil should raise questions about the sustainability of using this material for the built environment. According to Elvin, whose new book gathers case studies and stories of material science innovators, our dependence on the synthetic substance will wane as designers and architects invent new bio-plastics, engineer sustainable substances or rediscover new ways to work with old materials. We spoke with Elvin, who also runs Gone Studio and teaches architecture at Ball State University in Indiana, about five materials being used in new ways to help bring about a more sustainable future.

Cork
"The sustainable harvesting of cork is like shearing sheep; it grows back every nine years. Look at something like the Cortica chaise lounge by Daniel Michalik. It's basically a huge rectangle of cork, eight-by-three-by-one feet, and he's routed these curves into alternating patterns that create a serpentine shape. It's striking and simple, and he's mastered new techniques that really show what cork is capable of."

Werner Aisslinger's Hemp Chair for Moroso. Courtesy Moroso.

Hemp
"It may sound surprising, but Lotus, the high-end British car company, is using hybrid hemp to make the body panels of their cars. They started using is for interior fabrics. It's a very interesting material. Look at how Werner Aisslinger is using it to create chairs. He worked with BASF chemicals to create an eco-safe chemical binder, and made hardshell chairs through thermoforming."

The ArboSkin pavilion at the University of Stuttgart is made from 388 biodegradable bioplastic panels. Image courtesy of University of Stuttgart Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design.

Bioplastics 
"There are some very interesting trends towards bioplastics and 100% plant-based plastics. What you see on the market now is not really 100% plant-based. It's still likely somewhat petroleum based; all-plant plastic has issues with durability and clarity, since it will break down or yellow over time. But many are using bio-resins and finding ways to make bio-plastic stronger. Every year, University of Stuttgart students do an engineering project fabricated out of bio-plastics. In 2013, they built the ArboSkin Pavilion completely from bioplastics. It used 388 unique, pyramidal plastic panels, a great example of custom fabrication."

The building blocks of the Hy-Fi Tower installation at New York's Museum of Modern Art were grown from Ecovative's Mushroom Material. Image courtesy of Ecovative Design; photo by Susan Shafer.

Ecovative
"You'll see a lot more building material from this company, which "grows" bricks and other substances from mushrooms and natural materials. They can make bricks, like the ones used at the HyFi tower at MoMA last year, or insulation, and coating the material in resin makes for very interesting furniture. I think it's innovative and promising, and you'll see a lot more applications from them in the future."

The Tameida Office Building in Zurich by Shigeru Ban utilized cutting-edge timber construction.

Wood
"Of all the organic materials out there, wood is so versatile, and can be sustainably managed and harvested. What's new is that milling techniques are changing. With precise CNC (computer numerical control) or laser cutting methods, you can create precision joinery and can do almost anything. Only master craftsman used to be able to do this stuff, and now anybody can. We're seeing structural timber being used for bigger and more complicated structures, since you can precisely set completed joints via the computer, and more and more people being very experimental with the material, especially when it comes to furniture. The flip side is, it's changes what a craftsperson is; what does it mean to be one when everybody has access to this technology?"

Post-Petroleum Design is out now via Routledge.

Hops, Hemp, and Homebrew

By William Gardner
Source: timesunion.com

Hello again! It has been a while since my last blog but I will surely make up for it with this entry. I have a ton to talk about so let’s get rolling.

Hops!

The hop yard is alive and thriving. The previous two springs have been much warmer than usual and we got used to starting in the field around St. Patrick’s Day. This year we saw a return to more seasonable temps and were not able to get working until late April. Spring work included harvesting larch poles for our new Sorachi Ace row, cleaning up the hills from winter, harvesting rhizomes, and this year we added a new kind of spring harvest. This year we harvested the hop shoots which are the initial 6”-8” of growth that would typically be cut back to encourage more vigorous bines to emerge. These initial shoots are often referred to as “Bull Shoots” and are hollow and fragile. It’s best to cut them down once your hops are established (2^nd or 3^rd year). Generally we would simply discard them but decided this year to harvest and try our hand at making pickled hop shoots.

By coincidence, we were contacted by the Executive Chef at One Six Five restaurant at the Normanside Country Club who was inquiring if we had any hop shoots for sale.  The chef had cooked on the west coast where the usage of hop shoots is quite prevalent and he has some real experience preparing them. We were fascinated by this and agreed to provide him with shoots harvested at HopRidge Farms.  We are waiting to hear back from him as to what he prepared and how they tasted.

As mentioned above, harvesting hop rhizomes is another big springtime activity. The hop “crown” is the heart of the plant. Long roots travel perpendicular to the ground out from the crown to establish a water and nutrient collection system and also to grow additional hop bines. They are the rhizomes. Only a rhizome can turn into a crown and produce more bines. Rhizomes can travel 6-7 feet, so to keep the focus of the crown on 4-5 bines and keep order in the hop yard it’s encouraged to draw a 2-foot radius around your crown and cut back/harvest anything outside this zone. If planted, a rhizome will become a crown once established, usually within two years, and shoot off its own rhizomes.  Many farms sell the rhizomes as harvested but we like to pot them and get them growing before sale. This way the root system can establish itself, hopefully ensuring it will grow.

Beer!

In my last blog I mentioned I would have some exciting info on brewing with a unique ingredient.  I was approached by a gentleman from the American Seed and Oil Company to develop a beer with Hemp Seed.  Hemp farming is now legal in Vermont and they were hoping to serve this beer at an event they were planning. Never one to back down from a challenge, I started my own research. Turns out hemp seeds are, pound for pound, one of the most nutritious things you can eat. They are packed with protein and fiber as well as a blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. This was great to learn but how could I use them in a beer (and was it legal to do so)?

After a ton of reading and some phone calls, I learned it was legal if I used sterile hemp seeds that were provided by a company who has the proper permitting to sell them. They are often used in such foods as granola bars and oatmeal for added nutritional benefits. Once that hurdle was jumped, I wanted to know what sort of flavor profile they would produce. Turns out several breweries have brewed with hemp seeds in the past. The best descriptors I could find were nuttiness, creamy, and a citrus-like twang. Taking all the info obtained I decided to give it a whirl and created an American Brown Ale dubbed “BURNT!”

The recipe was comprised of the following malts: Pale, Crystal 60, Victory, Chocolate, Oats, and Honey. Since I heard of the citrus twang flavor I decided to use all Citra hops and go for a more hoppy brown (hence the American Brown Ale style). I gently roasted 50 pounds of Organic/Sterile Hemp seeds and included them in the mash. All went well with the brew and I had a nice fermentation as well. I decided to dry hop the batch to add a wonderful aroma and went with one of my favorite blend of hops – Falconer’s Flight. The statistics for the beer came out to 6.4% ABV with around 40 IBUs and it was very well received. I really liked how it turned out with a pleasant nuttiness along with rich creaminess. The only thing missing in my mind was the hop presence. I decided I would brew another batch with the hemp seed but I would up the hops and make it more of a hoppy brown.  This batch was called “Hemp n’ Hoppy” and was even more delicious than the first. If you are looking for a cool experimental ingredient for your next batch give hemp seed a try. I got them from nuts.com and feel free to send me any questions you may have as I’m happy to help.

Craft of Beer Home Brew Challenge

I am super excited to announce the First Annual Craft of Beer Home Brew Challenge.  We are looking for the best home brewers in the area to compete in Bennington, VT for the opportunity to brew their beer at Madison Brewing Company this fall. I will work with the winning homebrewer to develop a 3.5 Barrel batch of their beer to be available on tap at Madison Brewing Co. If you’re interested I highly recommend you register ASAP as slots are filling fast. Here is the official press release:

Are you are a home brewer or enjoy sampling fresh, local, home brewed beer?  Then plan to join us for The First Annual Craft of Beer Home Brew Challenge and street festival on August 1, 2015 from noon to 4pm. A section of County Street in Bennington will be closed for this unique event. Enjoy a street fair atmosphere with live bands, delicious food trucks, and of course the best home brewed beer in the area! Events will be spread throughout County Street so you can sample beer, shop, and enjoy all that the Four Corners North has to offer! This is a family friendly event and there will be homemade root beer available.

If you are a home brewer and would like to enter the Challenge please go towww.craftofbeer.weebly.com and register now. There is a $10 registration fee and is limited to the first 50 home brewers who register. This will be a “Best of Show” competition voted on by those in attendance. Admission to the street festival is free and $15 if you would like unlimited sampling of the home brewed beer. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event and will include a sampling glass. Please visitwww.craftofbeer.weebly.com for additional information.

Hemp raises angst from BOCC

By Chris Frost
Source: lamarledger.com

County ordinance remains under examination, perception of residents concerns Buxton-Andrade

Scott Brase and Wilma Trujillo added a differnt perspective about industrial hemp during the May 19, Prowers County Commissioners meeting. (Chris Frost / Lamar Ledger)

CSU Extension Agent Wilma Trujillo and Farm Service Agency County Executive Director Scott Brase visited the Prowers County Commissioners May 19, and offered their opinions about agricultural Hemp in Prowers County.

Hemp has been making headlines in Otero County as the economic development group has announced an agreement that includes an aggressive incentive package to bring game changing development to La Junta, including up to 200 new jobs in the next 24 months.

County Attorney John Lefferdink has been researching the item and said a commercial application is available to bring hemp into the area.

County Attorney John Lefferdink reviewed the hemp application process with the Prowers County Commissioners during their May 19 meeting. (Chris Frost / Lamar Ledger)

"In Colorado you can get registered for research and development or commercial growth," he said. "Under federal law, as I understand it, under the 2014 farm bill the federal government did permit hemp growing for research and development only."

In Colorado they added commercial growth, which is a question whether it's legal under federal law.

"I don't think it is legal," he said. "Anyway if you want to get in the business this is what it takes."

The application is cost-effective, he said, and costs $500 plus $5 per acre of hemp.

"The biggest operator is Mr. Loflin in Baca County who I think has three sections of hemp," he said.

Commissioner Henry Schnabel wanted to know If raising hemp would put a farm out of compliance with other programs.

"It does not," Brase said. "In the new farm bill there are provisions there and I have the national notice here that it does not throw you out."

You can't participate in a program with the crop (hemp) but it does not take a farm out of compliance.

"We're asking that you certify that crop just like a normal crop," he said. "We do have codes for that now."

The exception is the farm loan.

"There are still some questions about whether it will throw you out of eligibility because you are taking revenue from that crop," he said. "As of now, with limited knowledge because Washington D.C. is still looking at it, they probably aren't call your loans if you are making payments on it."

Hemp can grow in Prowers County.

"We have well-drained soils and the PH," Trujillo said. "The only thing we don't have is the moisture. It's going to be the same as corn or Milo."

The crop suffers in drought conditions, she said, and doesn't do well in high temperatures.

Commissioner Wendy Buxton-Andrade noted that sandy soils do not provide the best growing conditions, but Trujillo said they could fertilize the ground and reiterated that it would grow much like corn and wheat.

"It's just like any other crop," she said.

Buxton-Andrade asked if there was any way the county could reassure its constituents that hemp is growing and not a large amount of marijuana.

"If they (constituents) drive by a field that has been tested and it's a hemp plant compared to a marijuana plant," she said. "I want to make sure that we have precautionary measures in place, to reassure our people that we aren't having big old marijuana grows."

Trujillo said there is no physical difference between the two plants.

"Chemically you have the capacity to make a difference between the two of them," she said. "It's the concentration on the THC."

When someone plants hemp you have to notify the department of agriculture.

"When you harvest you also have to notify the department of agriculture," she said. "They have to send samples to the department of agriculture and they will test it."

There is no clear guideline if an inspector visits the grow operation.

"What they are saying is we don't have the money," she said.

The inspection cost is $35 per hour which does not take into account the travel time.

"It's expensive," she said.

Brase said most marijuana grows are indoors.

"The hemp is predominantly outdoors and the two don't want to cross paths," he said. "It will cross-pollinate."

If they do cross pollinate, the crop is ruined from both sides.

"Then it lowers the THC in the marijuana and raises them in the hemp," he said.

Buxton-Andrade said there is a new operation in Fort Lupton that will create hemp products with crops from Canada.

"I look at some information that the University of Kentucky has put together and to be profitable they recommend to go into the seed production route," Trujillo said. "In Canada they don't have the right technology to process the fiber that is profitable. "

With that said, it doesn't mean that someone isn't going to try.

"Whatever the technology is in Canada and China, that's the technology the U.S., is going to look into and maybe improve that," she said.

Commissioner Ron Cook said hemp is not allowed in Prowers County and the current ordinance would have to be changed.

"There is a question about that," Lefferdink said. "It's exclusively regulated by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, so if you want to grow it you have to get a permit."

The county does not have a regulatory roll.

"If you look at the fiber it is better for the community maybe at that sense, but I'm just looking at me going out there and planting hemp. What's the advantage of it," Schnabel said.

To him, it "smacks" of the same attributes of growing medical marijuana to get recreational marijuana.

"This smacks of the same thing," he said. "Let's have hemp so we can get marijuana," he said.

Based on feedback from Otero County, Brase said hemp is valued highly because of the hand labor involved.

"It will all be hand-planted, weeded and harvested," he said. "To me, that tells me there is a lot of dollars involved. There's gotta be an end result there to make those producers take the risk."

Cook said the voters have already spoken about Where the county should go.

"It's a hard decision when there are jobs at stake,' he said.

Lefferdink said that under the law, there is a specific difference between marijuana and hemp.

"Hemp is defined as .3 of 1 percent maximum THC," he said. "As long as you don't exceed that limit it's not considered marijuana."

Lefferdink said in his opinion the county is not prohibiting people from growing the crop.

"I think La Junta beat us to the punch and they developed a very lucrative incentive package," he said.

Lefferdink said he will review the ordinance.

Chris Frost: 719-336-2266, editor@lamarledger.com

Hemp History Week coming up

By Diego Flammini
Source: farms.com

In an effort to raise awareness about hemp and its place as a sustainable, versatile and profitable agricultural product, the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) and Vote Hemp are putting together the 6^th annual Hemp History Week, set to take place from June 1^st – 7^th, 2015.

The weeklong celebration, whose theme is “Sow the Seed” will highlight the many different industries that can benefit from hemp crops including manufacturing and cooking.

It will also highlight the spring planting and progress in the states that already allow large-scale hemp farms.

One of, and perhaps the main issue affecting hemp’s place as an agricultural commodity is that it’s closely associated with marijuana.

Here are some things that set hemp apart from marijuana:

• While both marijuana and hemp are classified as the Cannabis sativa, hemp is taller and has less than 0.3% of THC, the chemical responsible for the effects of marijuana.
• When hemp is grown and harvested on a large scale and used for things like oil, wax, soap, rope and paper, it can be classified as agricultural or industrial hemp.

According to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, retail sales of all hemp-based products in the United States could be worth approximately $300 million per year.

In 1938, Popular Mechanics deemed hemp the new billion-dollar crop.

Currently there are 13 states in the US that allow for commercial hemp farming: California, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

Tell us your thoughts about Hemp History Week and the events taking place. If you’re a hemp farmer, what are some of the myths that need to be dispelled surrounding hemp?