You may have noticed jars or baggies of CBD hemp flower lining the shelves of your local tobacconist or headshop— it looks (and smells) just like marijuana (THC-cannabis).
So what’s the difference between CBD hemp and marijuana?
There are a few. In this post we’ll be talking about:
Botanical differences
Legality of CBD hemp vs. marijuana
Potential health benefits of CBD hemp vs. marijuana
And, the availability of both
What’s The Difference Between CBD Hemp vs. Marijuana?
The key difference between CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the effect on the user.
Unlike CBD, THC can:
Induce a euphoric-like high in its users
Trigger feelings of anxiety or paranoia
Heighten a user’s awareness
Can make user’s experience time dilation
Despite their similar appearances, CBD hemp is different from a standard marijuana plant. Marijuana buds contain the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabinoid— CBD hemp has been carefully bred to contain less than 0.3% THC by dry weight— virtually none.
Instead, CBD hemp is laden with the CBD cannabinoid, and is not psychoactive when consumed.
Due to its infancy, the line between CBD hemp vs. marijuana is yet to be set in stone. According to the 2018 Farm Bill hemp is technically any “cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC.” That limit refers to the weight of dried product. Dried cannabis containing more than that limit is considered marijuana.
CBD hemp tested under that limit is considered by the federal government to be an agricultural commodity and legal throughout the United States and its territories provided the vendor has the correct paperwork to verify the cannabinoid profiles of the product, also known as a certificate of analysis.
Marijuana is federally illegal. There are states that have legalized cannabis with higher THC content for medical use with fewer still legalizing marijuana recreational use. See them here.
CBD Hemp vs. Marijuana For Pain
While there is no definitive answer whether CBD hemp vs. marijuana is better for pain— marijuana testing has been stifled due to the FDA’s scheduling of the plant.
Many users report using CBD hemp to help manage their
Inflammation
IBS (Inflammatory bowel disease)
Migraines
Arthritis
CBD Hemp vs. Marijuana For Anxiety
Both CBD hemp and marijuana have been used to treat anxiety.
Some studies have demonstrated CBD hemp’s efficiency in reducing anxiety behaviors linked to:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Marijuana users report mixed findings when using THC to manage their anxiety. That may be because extreme doses of THC have been linked to feelings of anxiety and paranoia.
Availability of CBD Hemp vs Marijuana
Because of THC’s legal status, purchasing and shipping marijuana across state lines is still illegal.
However CBD hemp’s status as an agricultural commodity means that it can be shipped via the USPS to any state and delivered to your door, courtesy of the USPS. For more on purchasing CBD hemp, check out our store page.
As more and more smokable products come onto the market, it’s important to know about the differences between them. In this post, we’ll take a look at hempettes, CBD cigarettes, their differences, and their similarities.
What Is a Hempette?
A hempette is a shortened name for “hemp cigarette.” They are given that name because they are cigarette-shaped pre-rolls made using industrial hemp flower instead of tobacco.
Like traditional cigarettes, hempettes are generally sold in packs of 20 and are easily mass-produced using cigarette-filling machines. Unlike traditional cigarettes, hempettes contain no nicotine (unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.)
What Are Hempettes Made Of?
Hempettes are generally made of a few simples parts.
Rolling paper – Generally made of lightweight “rag fibers” like pressed flax, hemp, and rice straw.
Mouthpiece filter – Made with imitation cork paper. That traditional brown cigarette filter tip.
Hemp fill – Ground up, dried hemp material. This can include the CBD-rich flowers and fibers from the hemp plant. This type of fill is not ideal for delivering high sizable doses of CBD.
How Are Hempettes Made?
Depending on the manufacturer and scale, hempettes can be made much the same way traditional tobacco cigarettes are made.
The process starts by creating one long hempette called a “rod.” Rods are made when a spool of rolling paper multiple meters long is unrolled and filled with hemp fill. A machine then wraps the unrolled paper around the hemp fill and forms the long hempette.
Machines then slice the single rod into shorter pieces and insert filters at both ends. Each of these double filtered smaller rods is then cut in half producing two filtered hempettes.
Are Hempettes Good For You?
Hempettes are a great alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes— raw hemp fill is far less damaging and toxic than tobacco cigarettes filled with nasty additives.
That said, smoking hempettes, or anything for that matter, isn’t going to be good for your health. Combusting material will always introduce excessive heat and heated materials into your body.
Do Hempettes Get You High?
Smoking hempettes will not make you feel intoxicated.
To be considered hemp and not marijuana, smokable hemp must contain less than 0.3% THC by dry weight. Instead of feeling “high” as you might with traditional marijuana, you might feel much more relaxed or chilled out due to the CBD present in smokable hemp.
What Is a CBD Cigarette?
CBD cigarettes can refer to a few different things. During this piece’s initial writing, CBD cigarettes were a stand-in, albeit an uncommon one, for CBD pre-rolls.
CBD Cigarettes (pre-rolls) were made with higher-quality fill, higher CBD content, and therefore were generally more expensive than hempette products.
More recently, the name “CBD Cigarette” has increasingly been used to describe what you might traditionally call a hempette— we’ll call that an industry growing pain. For the remainder of this piece though, whenever we refer to CBD Cigarettes, we’ll be referring to CBD pre-rolls.
What Are CBD Cigarettes Made Of?
CBD Cigarettes are made of a few parts.
Pre-rolled paper cones – Generally made of 100% pure hemp fiber. You can buy these yourself from brick-and-mortar or online headshops by the box.
Mouthpiece – This part is more often than not built into the pre-rolled paper cone and is a thicker piece of hemp-pressed cardstock rolled into an m-pattern.
CBD flower fill – Ground up, cured hemp flower material. Because hemp flowers are where a lot of the hemp plant’s CBD (and sometimes moisture) is stored, this fill can be too sticky for effective rolling. Humidity and temperature control are a must when manufacturing CBD cigarettes.
How Are CBD Cigarettes Made?
Unlike hempettes, CBD cigarette manufacturing will look different depending on the company.
At Sunset Lake CBD, we create our CBD pre-roll lineup with the use of a mechanical fill machine. Paper cones are fitted into slots by hand, filled and packed with the help of a machine, pulled and inspected by hand, and then folded closed by hand.
The entire process and multiple touchpoints ensure that each pre-roll is the best it can be.
Do CBD Cigarettes Get You High?
Smoking CBD cigarettes will not make you feel “high” or intoxicated.
To be considered hemp and not marijuana, smokable hemp must contain less than 0.3% THC by dry weight. Instead of feeling “high” as you might with traditional marijuana, you might feel much more relaxed or chilled out due to the CBD.
CBD is a naturally-occurring, non-psychoactive cannabinoid. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…”
CBD Cigarettes are also a great alternative for folks looking to quit traditional tobacco cigarettes. Users report that the CBD inside helps mellow them out, while the act of smoking helps them ramp down on their nicotine addiction rather than going cold-turkey.
Hempettes vs. CBD Cigarettes
More seasoned smokers might be able to tell the difference between hempettes and CBD cigarettes, but we may be able to help fill in some gaps.
CBD Content – CBD cigarettes (pre-rolls) contain higher levels of CBD than hempettes. This is mainly due to the quality of the fill. Hempettes contain all parts of the hemp plant— stalk, leaves, and flower. While this helps create a highly-smokable, homogenized blend it isn’t as potent as CBD cigarettes’ exclusively hemp-flower fill.
Shape – Hempettes look much like traditional cigarettes while CBD cigarettes look more like cones or joints.
Price – Because of the more expensive fill and labor required to make CBD cigarettes, they are, per unit, more expensive than hempettes.
Material – CBD cigarettes contain mostly hemp flower and are made of mostly hemp. Hempettes on the other hand contain more parts of the hemp plant and are made with non-hemp paper.
CBD Pre Rolls From Sunset Lake CBD
Sunset Lake CBD produces hand-crafted, pesticide-free CBD cigarettes. We offer affordable packs of five prerolls…
Vermont’s Recreational Cannabis bill doesn’t go far enough says Sunset Lake CBD
Burlington, VT – A local CBD hemp company announces its frustration with S.54, an act relating to the regulation of cannabis, citing concerns that the bill does little with regards to justice.
“We’re for legalization and regulation, but exacting justice for those impacted by our failed drug war has to be part of the initial push,” said Sam Bellavance, Founder of Sunset Lake CBD. “Kudos to lawmakers specifically prioritizing women and minority-owned cannabis businesses, but their failure to expand last year’s expungement laws to include sale and distribution of marijuana is disappointing.”
The bill, as passed by the Vermont state senate includes a list of seven priorities to be considered by the Cannabis Control Board when considering applicants for state licensing.
“The fact that the priorities are just that: priorities not codified in the bill— I just don’t think this bill is enough,” said T.J. Anania, operations manager of Sunset Lake CBD. “I think it’s a good start and a workable bill, but the social justice aspects aren’t nearly fleshed out enough.”
CBD is here to stay! The growth of the CBD industry since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill is jaw-dropping, to say the least. In a 2020 Single Care study, one-third of Americans surveyed said that they had tried CBD products.
While CBD has found its way into countless products, from coffee to dog treats, many Americans don’t know that the active ingredient, CBD, comes from hemp flower— a nearly identical flower to federally-illegal marijuana flower.
Intrigued? We thought so! In this post, we’ll talk about what hemp flower is, where it comes from, how hemp is different from marijuana, and more…
CBD hemp flower, sometimes referred to as hemp buds, are the flowers of female hemp plants. As a female hemp plant enters the flowering stage of its lifecycle, it diverts energy away from growing taller to producing sticky, trichome-covered flowers to catch airborne hemp pollen.
Trichomes are like nature’s velcro— they catch pollen out of the air and deter would-be predators with their pungent smell and bitter taste. Trichomes are also where CBD and other phytocannabinoids are created and stored.
Hemp flowers that catch airborne pollen stop producing large amounts of cannabinoids and end up producing seeds. Female hemp plants that are never pollinated make more trichomes and end up creating more sought-after cannabinoids. The hemp flowers that we smoke and extract CBD from come from unpollinated female hemp plants.
What Is A Hemp Flower Defined As In The 2018 Farm Bill?
According to an official USDA memo, hemp is defined as cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC and can no longer included on the DEA’s schedule I controlled substance list.1 The Farm Bill also says that hemp and hemp derivatives as defined by the bill are considered to be agricultural commodities and are allowed to cross state lines.
Some states, like Idaho and Texas, have since banned the sale of smokable hemp flower in-state. But that can’t stop entities like the United States Postal Service from delivering hemp and hemp flower to residential addresses in that state.2
A single molecule of CBD (C21H30O2)
What Is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol, a phytocannabinoid produced by hemp plants. CBD is not psychoactive and won’t make you feel high when you smoke or ingest it.
As of this writing, there aren’t many FDA-backed studies on CBD’s effects on humans, though there is an FDA-approved drug, Epidiolex, that’s derived from CBD oil that’s used to manage rare forms of epilepsy. 3
Hemp flower and marijuana are not legally the same things. While they are both flowers of the Cannabis Sativa— look, smell, and smoke the same; the effects you get from smoking each couldn’t be more different.
What Does Hemp Flower Do?
A lot of the physiological science about consuming hemp flower is still in the early stages— though that’s what happens when a substance is placed on the schedule I list for so long— we stunt research.
(This writer is a little salty about it)
There is a growing online community of hemp flower users, smokers, bakers, and extractors that are amassing a treasure trove of personal experience with hemp flower. Many of these users report that CBD hemp flower helps them manage a range of issues and symptoms like,
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has so far only approved Epidiolex to manage rare forms of epilepsy, they are hesitant to allow companies to make claims about CBD hemp flower because its effects are under-researched. 3
Does CBD Hemp Flower Get You High?
This is a great question. Hemp flower is supposed to only contain trace amounts of THC. The legal definition of hemp is that it “contains no more than 0.3% of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol by dry weight,” meaning that one gram of dried flower should contain no more than 3mg of delta-9 THC.
To put that in perspective, a standard king-sized one-gram joint of hemp shouldn’t contain more than 3mg of delta-9 THC. Some states have also further defined hemp as containing no more than 1% of total THC by dry weight— 10mg in our example— an important distinction we’ll break down in just a sec.
The total THC rules have been introduced in a handful of states and there’s a movement to add this to the federal definition. That’s because the Farm Bill definition of hemp is written so specifically, that folks in the cannabis and hemp industry have found countless workarounds in order to sell higher-THC flowers online.
Delta-8 THC flower is one such example. Delta-8 THC is not a cannabinoid that commonly appears in nature though it does induce the same psychoactive effects as delta-9 THC. Delta-8 hemp flower producers first must wash pure CBD isolate in an acetate acid bath to make delta-8 THC distillate which they then spray over hemp flower.
Another high-THC flower you may find online is called THCa flower. THCa is short for delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol acid, is the acidic precursor molecule to delta-9 THC. When you buy recreational marijuana, you’re buying THCa-rich flower and converting the THCa into active THC when you decarboxylate it with heat via smoking it. By marketing THCa flower as a “hemp flower,” cultivators have found a very semantic work around the spirit of the 2018 Farm Bill.
If the total THC rule is put into effect, both delta-8 (and other novel forms of THC) flower and THCa flower would be considered marijuana and banned from cross-state sales.
Is Hemp Flower Safe?
For the purpose of this section, hemp flower will refer to CBD-rich hemp flower that contains no more than 1% of total THC.
CBD has been found to be non-toxic to humans, even in cases of extreme dosing.8 No fatalities have been attributed to CBD ingestion. The World Health Organization in a 2017 memo, said that “CBD exhibits no effects indicative of abuse or dependence potential.”10 CBD is neither toxic nor is it habit-forming, though it does have some side effects.
CBD hemp flower can also interact with certain medications. If you are taking medications, you should consult with a health professional before using CBD hemp flower.
Are There Benefits To Smoking Hemp Flower?
Let’s preface this section by saying that smoking anything, hemp or otherwise is inherently risky. That said, smoking hemp flower does present some key benefits.
Increased Bioavailability
Smoking hemp flower and inhaling the vaporized CBD will actually increase its bioavailability, a term that refers to a substance’s ability to be absorbed and used by the body. [11]
Faster Than Other Methods
One of the most noticeable effects of smoking hemp flower is the speed at which its CBD enters your bloodstream. When you inhale vaporized CBD it comes in contact with your lung’s network of capillaries almost immediately and can reach peak concentration in your bloodstream in just three minutes.12
In addition to smoking hemp flower or hemp pre-rolls, there are plenty of other ways that you can use hemp flower and unlock the CBD inside.
Vaporize Your Hemp Flower
Vaporizing hemp flower is a lot like smoking hemp flower, but without the combustion and nasty ash. A lot of people prefer vaping to smoking for a number of reasons like smell, ease, and health.
Bake Your Hemp Flower Into CBD Edibles
You can turn your CBD hemp flower into any number of tasty homemade treats that will be sure to help you relax and melt into the couch at the end of a long day. A number of people prefer edibles to smoking hemp flower because of the duration of effects, convenience, and taste— who doesn’t love a good cookie?
In fact, we have plenty of blogs to help you get started making edibles at home!
If you don’t want to smoke hemp flower and instead want to use the CBD inside for another project, you can do so using either ethanol or some form of fat, like coconut oil. Extracts can be used in tons of products like tinctures, topicals, and even candy!
Tumble Your Hemp Flower For Kief
Kief is the term for the collection of trichomes that can break off cannabis flower— hemp or marijuana. Generally, kief is more potent than the flower it’s sifted from and can be used to enhance your smoking, vaping, or baking experience.
Is CBD Hemp Flower Legal?
This blog post is not and should not be considered legal advice. We are publishing this in the state of Vermont for purely informational purposes. If you have any questions about your state and hemp, please contact a LOCAL attorney.
According to the2018 Farm Bill, hemp is “cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC.”13 and is no longer included on the DEA’s schedule I controlled substances list. Hemp is now considered by the federal government to be an agricultural commodity and certain products, like CBD hemp flower and products derived from the hemp plant, are considered federally legal.
Aside from hemp flower cultivation, the processing, sale, and transportation of CBD hemp flower products are also legal. (Provided your vendor has the right paperwork!)
Can You Buy CBD Hemp Flower Online?
You can buy and have CBD-rich hemp flower online delivered directly to your door or P.O. box by the United States Postal Service. As of right now, states can’t interfere with legal interstate commerce. But before you buy any hemp flower online, you should equip yourself as a buyer. Because the world of online hemp is unregulated and there are some bad actors out there.
Before you buy any hemp flower online, you should look for that product’s corresponding test results. Sometimes called “batch tests” or “certificate of analysis,” these documents should tell you exactly what’s in your CBD hemp flower. That includes cannabinoids, terpenes, any heavy metals, and residual pesticides.
For your health and safety, you should only buy hemp flower grown in the United States. All hemp cultivators and most vendors are required to hold a USDA hemp program license.
This license isn’t just for your benefit though. It can also be helpful if any United States Postal Inspection Service member decides to pull your package because it smells like cannabis.
Here Are the Best Places to Buy Vermont CBD Flower
Vermont CBD has burst onto the scene in the last few years, showing up in health food supplements, boutique lotions, and even in artisan pet treats. It’s everywhere!
But not all CBD is the same. For unmatched quality and the best places to buy Vermont CBD flower, look no further.
Is it legal to buy Vermont CBD flower?
According to the 2018 Farm Bill, in which cannabis plants with a delta 9-THC concentration of less than 0.3% are considered to be industrial hemp and a legal agricultural commodity.
This means that CBD hemp flower, and other products derived from hemp plants are legal to sell (with some exceptions) and ship within the United States.
Keeping it local: Buy Vermont CBD in Vermont!
If you really want to keep your dollar local, consider buying your Vermont CBD products right here in Vermont!
This can get tricky. As CBD products, in general, are still relatively new. Many consumers are forced to take online vendors at their word when it comes to the quality of their products.
Do your research!
If you are going to buy Vermont CBD online, look into:
How was the CBD hemp grown? – What conditions are the fields in? Did the farmer use any pesticides on their products?
Can you reach the company/farmer? – You should be able to find an email or contact form on the seller’s website. Not doing so would be a big red flag.
Test Results! – Does the vendor prominently offer third-party test results of their Vermont CBD on their website? These results should give you some insight into their products CBD content, THC percentage, and tell you if there are any heavy metals or other toxins in their product.
At Sunset Lake CBD, we take pride in our fields and our farm. We will also openly provide you with any and all rounds of testing we’ve conducted on our premium Vermont CBD hemp flower.
Any questions can be directed to our contact page, and we will respond as quickly as possible.
For first-timers, the idea of buying hemp flower online may seem a bit sketchy. They might be thinking: is this even allowed? What’s the catch?
Don’t worry, if you feel the same, you’re not alone. Many people reach out to us here at Sunset Lake CBD and ask us how selling hemp flower online is legal.
That’s why we’ve decided to put together this post. Hopefully, by its conclusion you’ll know:
About the legality of buying hemp flower online
How we’re allowed to ship hemp flower via the USPS and other participating carriers
And, how to find the best, most reputable hemp flower eCommerce vendors
Is It Legal To Buy Hemp Flower Online?
Absolutely! You can buy hemp flower online as well as other CBD products, provided that the CBD is derived from hemp as defined by the 2018 Farm Bill, and not from cannabis containing more than 0.3% THC by dry weight.
Cannabis plants that do contain more than 0.3% THC by dry weight would be legally considered marijuana and are not covered under the 2018 Farm Bill.
According to the 2018 Farm Bill, cannabis plants with less than 0.3% THC by dry weight are industrial hemp and can be shipped anywhere via the United States Postal Service (and other participating private carriers.)
Judge James Gilbert ruled as such in the KAB vs. United States Postal Service when he declared that products like CBD oils and edibles derived from hemp, and yes that includes hemp flower, are allowed to be shipped via the postal service.
Be advised though that federal legislation enacted in April 2021, called the “Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act,” has effectively banned the online sale and shipment of e-cigarettes, vaping devices, and vape cartridges. This includes both CBD and delta-8 THC cartridges.
When You Buy Hemp Flower Online…
If you’re considering buying hemp flower online, you should do your research on your potential vendor.
Try to find retailers who:
Include Receipts
Receipts that list the contents of your CBD and hemp shipments are required by the United States Postal Service. Vendors know this and should at the very least be on top of this requirement.
Include Their Grower’s Licence
Like the receipt above, vendors should include their hemp program growing license should they have one. This is for the benefit of the United States Postal Inspection Service— think mail police. If they pull aside your package for whatever reason, this document along with the receipt should prompt them to get your order on its way with no further hassle.
Include Certificates Of Analysis
Like a receipt, every vendor who sells CBD online should provide you with test results that tell you exactly what’s in your product. These documents may have varying titles like “Quality testing,” “batch testing,” or “certificate of analysis.”
Where Should You Buy Hemp Flower Online?
Plenty of farms and vendors sell hemp flower online, but you’ll want to do some cursory research on a vendor’s “About Us” page and look into a few things, like:
How Was The Hemp Flower Grown?
Only buy hemp flower that was grown in the United States without the use of harmful pesticides. Make sure that when you buy hemp flower online, you’re doing so from farmers who embrace sustainable farming practices like integrated pest management and no- or low-till farming.
Is The Farm Vertically Integrated?
Be on the lookout for vendors that also produce their own flower. These hybrid farms can both attest to the quality of their hemp flower and sell their flower at a much more reasonable price than their competitors.
Does your vendor readily provide certificates of analysis? If not, that’s a red flag. Certificates of analysis certify your product’s CBD content, THC content, and any other chemicals present in their flower. Don’t buy hemp flower online without seeing these results!
I am sitting in front of, just outside the milking parlor and farm office on dusty cobweb covered bench. As I write our first blog post the farm puppy, Nicky, is sitting on my lap begging to be pet. She is a slice of respite from farm chores and brings us all smiles during the long fall days. It is harvest time after a long season’s worth of hard work finally coming to bear. After several long months it is time to reap what we have sown.
Sunset Lake CBD is in Alburgh, VT. The Alburgh tongue, the proper geographic feature is akin to a peninsula which protrudes south from Quebec into the northern waters of Lake Champlain. To our east is the Missisquoi Bay and on clear days one may see Jay Peak in the distance. On the west, towards the sunset, are the headwaters of Saint Richelieu river. One could canoe from the farm to Montreal and even the ocean under the right circumstances. Easier than that, a short drive north would bring text messages from Canadian cell service providers describing the new roaming coverage rates.
As we endeavor on our first hemp harvest there are many items to reflect upon from a year of growing hemp in Vermont, both for the plants and ourselves. The whole process started in early April with the construction of a greenhouse. It was purchased from an organic vegetable farmer in upstate New York. The team had to deconstruct the greenhouse onsite, carefully strap it to a flatbed trailer and drive it up to Alburgh for reassembly. The simple steel, wooden, and plastic structure is over a 100’ long and 25’ wide. The plastic is torn and repaired with duct tape in innumerable spots, but ultimately did the job. All of our 16,000 hemp plants were started from seed in the greenhouse. It was good to us.
All plants are started from seed in the greenhouse. We used specialized hemp potting soil in four inch and one inch pots. We carefully placed every seed in the pots by hand like an assembly line. One person would walk down the greenhouse tables poking half inch holes in the most soil like a someone using an old typewriter. It is important to have the correct depth of soil for the seed to breakthrough and begin life. Seeds were placed in the thimble sized holes and gently cover with soil and pressed upon. After several days of daily watering and maintaining warm and dry air temperatures the seeds broke through their temporary earthly graves and sprouted up, reaching towards the sun. Germination rates were amazing and we all exhaled a sigh of relief the first day we saw hundreds of tiny green sprouts in their pots. The plants never looked back.
While they sat in the greenhouse we prepped the fields for transplanting. This is a labor intensive process with several steps. First is roto-tilling the field several times to mechanically loosen up and turn over the soil. This is in preparation for implementing our weed control and irrigation systems. It is the same system used in organic vegetable farms that lays drip irrigation tubing underneath black weed-barrier plastic. This lets us efficiently water the plants in the field as well as using absolutely zero herbicides for weed control. Picture the red and white of an American flag where the wheel tracks are the white and the black plastic is the red stripe. Our 12 acre field had dozens of these long black plastic rows which could each accommodate hundreds of plants.
After several weeks of growth we moved onto transplanting. A vegetable transplanter is a piece of equipment towed behind a small tractor. There are several key components. First, and most visual, is a 100 gallon translucent yellow water tank that sits perched on top of the metal frame. Underneath the tank are tubes running into a hollow spoked water wheel. This item is towed over the black plastic rows and the water flows from the tank, into the wheel and they the spokes of the wheel puncture the black plastic. There are two small seats attached to the back of the transplanter where the farmers sit and place the plants into these freshly poked holes. Our first plants went in on June 8 and we barely finished at 10pm on June 30th.
June, July, August, were great months of vegetative growth for our ladies. Amazing soil, plenty of sunshine, and adequate irrigation and we have some monster plants. The three foot spacing we had for some of our earlier plants turned out to be insufficient in some places. We anticipated four foot, one pound plants with some breathing room for light and airflow in between them. We ended up with five foot (and taller) several pound plants that are more like a wind breaking hedge row than a hemp piece. However, with painstaking pruning and weed whacking we made the best of the situation and they continued to thrive.
There are two main products that come off of the farm. First is our trimmed flower, this product only comes from the fullest and most mature parts of our hemp colas. These buds have the highest CBD content, terpene profile, and flavor. The best plants are carefully selected by our hemp specialists. The CBD biomass is what is dried and processed to add to other products. While there are several methods for extraction the most common is a cold ethanol bath extraction. Using our local processing partners we can create a high CBD crude oil. Roughly 1000 pounds of biomass will yield 10 gallons of this crude. We like to think of it as similar to the maple sap to maple sugar process! Another high-quality product from Vermont farmers.
We feel grateful for the position we find ourselves in. Farming like any other entrepreneurial activity brings long days and big risks. Simply the fact we sit on an enormous crop of hemp is cause for celebration. Only half of the battle is over. It is essential to cross the finish line with efficiency and high standards for a well priced and premium Vermont hemp product. Growing hemp in Vermont has proven to be a unique challenge, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.
