[November 30, 2018]

Based on the Section 7606 of the Federal Government’s 2014 Farm Bill, in 2015 the state of Tennessee removed industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana in the state’s criminal code, facilitating the establishment of an industrial hemp program.  In 2017, we (Green Owl Farmacy) applied for both the industrial hemp growers and processor licenses which were issued in April of 2018. In our first year, starting in mid-April, we grew 4 different types of industrial hemp from clones and one type from seed. To put it mildly, we didn’t do very well, but we learned a lot about cloning, fertilizer & nutrients, mites, caterpillars, fungus, watering schedules, record keeping, cost management, time management, and other aspects of growing hemp in Tennessee. Industrial hemp was one of the core crops for North America, ending in the early 20th century when the crop became politicized and forbidden to Americans for medicinal use. The many health benefits to humans and other mammals are being reinforced by renewed clinical studies of this marvelous plant. There are also many industrial uses for cannabis.  We are glad to be a part of this movement.

[November 22, 2018]

A couple of years ago, I built a small 5-gallon compost tea maker. I was going to buy one that I saw at a Mother Earth News Fair, but it cost a couple of hundred bucks and there didn’t seem to be any need for something elaborate to agitate and aerate water and compost. I “designed” and built my own compost tea pot and have used it to make many good batches of compost tea. Here are some pictures of my tea pot.