We have been growing hemp in North Devon for 8 years, trying many different varieties of seed and methods of harvesting until we had one that tastes delicious. We are now the largest producers of hempseed in the UK. Hemp is a traditional crop in this part of the world - in the time of Elizabeth I every farmer grew an acre of hemp.
Although from the same family as cannabis, hemp cannot get you high. The seed variety we grow contains less than 0.02% T.H.C. (tetrahydrocannabolis), the stuff that makes you talk rubbish. So, although it won’t make you high, it should make you feel GOOD.
The way we produce hemp is a process both exceptionally beneficial to the environment and non-wasteful. We plant the new seasons hemp in late spring, so it establishes quickly to compete naturally with weeds. This avoids the use of pesticides and herbicides. The hemp plant also provides a great habitat for wildlife and is an excellent carbon sequestor.
In the autumn the leaves drop from the plant to the ground, which return nutrients to the soil and allow us to harvest the seed. Once the seed is harvested the stalk of the hemp plant is collected for its fibre and used in the manufacture of, amongst other things, BMW car doors. The stubble left behind provides food for birds as well as avoiding erosion on cultivated land in the wettest months. Nothing is wasted.
