Posted by Dave on August 17, 2010
by Laurie Avocado
Hemp and marijuana have been so closely related and even referred to interchangeably for so long that the cousins have become a nuisance to each other. For hemp advocates any association with marijuana activists is the kiss of death. State level attempts to legalize industrial hemp have been killed when lobbyists were discovered to have connections across the cannabis isle.
The key distinguishing characteristic between hemp and marijuana, both from the genus and species cannabis sativa L., is the percentage of THC, the psychoactive ingredient. The generally accepted requirement for industrial hemp is 1% THC or less while marijuana contains at least 3% and sometimes 15% or higher. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on May 19, 2010
Hemp held the same precious value for the early Mormon pioneers that it should today, with its multiple uses for fabrics, rope and food (plus much more that we know about now that the Mormons most likely did not). The Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society hosted one of their annual exhibitions in 1860 awarding prizes to farmers for several crops, including hemp. Prizes from 1$ to 5$ were also given out for manufactured farming equipment designed to improve the harvesting and processing of hemp. All of this was recorded in a Deseret News article from January 21st, of 1928.
Brigham Young first gave the challenge to the Mormon people in 1847 to spread out through the area and see which key crops the church could maintain and grow in the arid climate. The Saints tried cotton, flax, corn, wool, hemp and even a brief experiment in silk. Hemp was reported to have grown best in the southeast and the Wasatch Valley.
It doesn’t appear that the Utah Saints grew great amounts of hemp and the experiment had certainly ended by the time the tax act of 1937 was issued. None the less it was proven that hemp could compete with most crops in Utah and even succeed above and beyond some staples. Ironic and sad that the United States eventually outlawed a crop and material that even the Nation of Deseret valued. One hundred and fifty years later we are finally celebrating Hemp History Week in an effort to bring the crop back. Visit Vote Hemp for more info.
Posted by Dave on April 7, 2010
If, like me, you have perused the source material available on-line in regards to hemp usage and economic potential, then you have no doubt come across articles by Lynn Osburn. Lynn Osburn, writing in the early nineties, appears to be the source for around 75% of what current bloggers are saying about hemp and its magical powers and awesome potential. If I don’t find Lynn’s name, then I find sentences that are direct quotes (plagiarized apparently. Oh hempies, where is the shame?)
I don’t know about you, but I would like to know more about the genius behind the modern hemp movement. Besides I have questions like, “Why is noone currently following through with or continuing to build on Osburn’s work from 17 years ago?” And more importantly, “What the frick happened to this guy?” (He is apparently a guy.) Well, this is what I have found so far. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on March 7, 2010
It is probably not a new revelation to most of you that hemp once grew tall and proud throughout many regions of the United States. Before bored advocated of Prohibition teamed up with politicians and others seeking to push mostly Mexican immigrants back South of the Border during the rise toward the Great Depression and eventually leading to the “Reefer Madness” era, hemp was widely grown and used for dozens of applications in the U.S. including paints, cosmetics, fabrics and foods.
It seems, after many years of difficult struggle, groups such as the Hemp Industries Association and Vote Hemp might finally be gathering the momentum to bring hemp back into the mainstream of American society. These two organizations are teaming up this Spring to bring us Hemp History Week, May 17th-23rd. This is not the same thing as, “Smoke a Doobie, Attention Deficit Day,” or “Bake a Ganja Brownie for your Favorite Earth Sprite Day.” WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on September 29, 2009
America’s farmland has long been under siege by suburban development. This is nothing new. What is new is that a cease-fire has been called in most parts of the nation. And a conversation is developing about how to move into this new window of opportunity in a manner that not only restores the balance between urban demand and farm supply, but also helps to reenergize our failing economy heavily dependent on the construction industry.
This summer, Reburbia, a suburban design competition, was held by Inhabitat and Dwell Magazine. The competition set out to gather creative and imaginative ideas on how to go about re-visioning the American suburban sprawl that will almost certainly become our suburban wasteland without intervention. Several of the ideas were great, but one in particular caught my eye. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on July 18, 2009
Coop has just come closer to home for those in the SLC downtown area. And I, for one, feel it is a happy trend. Urban and fringe agricultural areas all over the U.S. have been seeing an increase in small artisan farming operations teaming up with each other to provide convenient store fronts to locals. Salt Lake City has now joined in the game.
Rico Locals has opened up on 800 S. and 500 E., SLC. The founding vendors include empanadas, cheese, beef, a goat dairy, eggs, lamb, and Rico Brand mexican stuffs. Not too shabby. And I have to say that I really hope this sort of Urban farming and cooperative trend takes off. I sometimes wake in a cold sweat thinking about small, artisan farms being gobbled up by large, industrialized tenant farming outfits. I just don’t think that anyone can care better for the sustainability of farm lands than a small generational farm supported by local customers and a local market. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on July 1, 2009
There are urban farmers, guerilla gardeners and tree-strip ripping going on like crazy all over the U.S. (or at least mention of it on the blogosphere). But is all of this edible green mayhem really helping us become more sustainable?
How many gardens out there end up being weed factories full of overripe and splitting produce, sipping on wasted water and allowing moisture to evaporate away into the ether? In other words, are most of us into gardening more in spirit than in actuality? And if so, do the spiritual benefits of readjusting our Chi with a spade in our hand really worth the waste of time, energy, soil nutrients and water?
Let’s look at some plus and minuses. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on June 6, 2009
Although bland at first glance, hemp’s most important role may very well end up as a part of our diet. Hemp is a monster when it comes to proteins and essential fatty acids (EFA’s). These two things are the reason we should all be growing hemp in our backyard gardens. (Note to DEA: I don’t have hemp in my backyard garden. I don’t even garden, or have a yard. I promise.)
Many may disagree about whether the earth is in the midst of a food crisis or overall shortage. If we all played nice, mabye everyone could have enough (fat chance). We do know that in the U.S. we are losing farms, farmers and farm land. But, there is much less disagreement that we suffer globally from a food distribution crisis. Certainly portions of the earth surface lack sufficient food stuffs to feed the people that live there. And seeing how lack of vital resources like food can cause mayhem and destruction of life that ultimately reaches even us lazy Americans on our couches, we should probably care that others lack food. Enter hemp, stage right.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on May 21, 2009
You might have heard it by now, but cotton is the devil. I know, I know. I am one of cotton’s evil minions. I am wearing the touch and feel of cotton right now! It is the fabric of our lives. I know.
But that doesn’t make it right. I am in the process of trying to cut my steady dependance on the stuff even thought I come from a family of cotton farmers (on the one side. But don’t worry, we’ve moved on to petroleum products for our fortune. Oh crap! That’s tomorrow’s blog.) WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on May 20, 2009
Farmers have had a rough row to hoe for a while now, and unfortunately the economic downturn is not helping them. Another 90,000 farmers are expected to sell the farm during the next decade at a time when we need to be producing more food than ever. Many are promoting new genetically altered and engineered crops and larger industrialized farm conglomerates as the answer to step up the world’s food supplies. Pardon my lack of French, but this seems like a dumbass solution to me. Past attempts to step up industrialized farming without appropriate wisdom and sense has lead to such smash hits as “Welcome to the Dust Bowl.” WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
