Hemp, also known as industrial hemp, is a cannabis or marijuana plant cultivar used for industrial purposes. However, it could also be used to produce a variety of items. This is because hemp, like bamboo, is among the quickest plants to grow on the planet.
Hemp seeds are a good source of iron and are high in protein. Raw, processed food, dried sprout powder, or sprouting are options.
Additionally, hemp seeds could be ground into a fluid and used in cooking or drinks like milk and herbal infusions. Hemp oil, more commonly known as CBD oil, is made from the seeds of the marijuana plant and contains many unsaturated fatty acids.
Making an Income by Growing Hemp
2019 will not be the first for Illinois growers to produce hemp. In the 2018 planting period, the government endorsed two study permits for cultivating industrial hemp, probably the first time since World War II that Illinois authorized people to plant the product in a row crop environment.
Self-funded growers in Mason and Warren districts conducted a study on cultivating hemp for CBD oil extraction under the supervision of Western Illinois University.
According to Win Phippen, head of WIU’s Alternative Crops Research Program, Cannabidiol, obtained from the plant’s blossom and gets a massive price, unlike soybeans and corn, is the reason 80% of growers are interested in hemp.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of more than 100 cannabinoids in marijuana plant strains. Hemp-derived CBD is defined as any CBD product with a THC content of less than 0.3%.
The two outdoor hemp growers in 2018 could grow far larger plants by cultivating the crop outdoors rather than in a facility or greenhouses, where every 21 medical marijuana producers in the state now generate due to security restrictions.
According to Phippen, they cultivate hemp around 4 to 5 feet between crops when growing CBD, so it now appears more like Christmas tree farming than any other. Coincidentally, the plants also grow to be the height of a Christmas tree.
He claims that the distance exacerbates the effects of winds, especially at the Mason County site, situated on sandy, flat land surrounded by soybeans. That July, the said area experienced a lot of rain and strong winds. Because of this, everything was shattered. He claims that they did not harvest a single thing from the plants. After all, it was useless once buried in the ground.
On Warren County grower Andy Huston’s third of an acre, the hemp reached 6-8 feet in height by the end of September after being planted in mid-June. It was sheltered from heavy winds because it was planted in a valley. Early in the season, extra moisture aided stand establishment.
Some states, like Illinois, cultivate hemp products such as CBD oil for growing and selling. This is made possible because of a research permit. According to some researchers, selling CBD would significantly increase profits than crops like soybeans and corn.
Although they are some risk factors when growing hemp, such as strong winds that might destroy the plants, it is crucial to plan everything first and choose a good location for your farm.