Let’s talk about hemp, baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be.
Lets talk about hemp!
Just a little homage to Salt-N-Pepa, yep I am that old.
First – let’s set the record straight – hemp is not going to get anyone high. It’s not an illegal substance, no one is going to jail. It’s a plant with many beneficial uses, and that’s it.
Specifically, lets talk about industrial hemp. It is part of the Cannabis sativa family, but it was cultivated specifically for industrial applications. It’s the hemp that is used in the textile industry to make fabrics and rope. It can (and should again) be used to make paper. It has many uses and once upon a time, it was an agricultural mainstay in the US. In fact, during the 1700’s it was grown by the likes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and it was a mandatory requirement for colonists to grow hemp in Jamestown, VA!
Picture an acre of hemp. Now picture an acre of trees. Which one yields more product? Which one can be regrown faster? Hemp for the win!
We love hemp, and we utilize it in three different ways at Moon Blossom Farm.
Number one:
We use hemp bedding for our chickens and ducks. If you’ve never tried hemp bedding, I highly suggest that you give it a try!
- It’s super absorbent – and can absorb up to 4X it’s weight in moisture.
- There is literally zero odor in bedding that has been, for lack of a better term, “well used” by our birds.
- It’s practically dust free!
- And it biodegrades at a much quicker rate than wood-based beddings like pine. Which leads me to…
Number two:
We add our used hemp bedding to our compost bins. After it ages out and decomposes, we are left with a nutrient dense compost for our growing areas! This eliminates the need for any fertilizers because our chickens and ducks make it for us!
Number three:
My personal favorite – I use hemp seed oil in my soap recipe.
Disclaimer: I do not make any claims regarding the properties of my soap. I am simply providing an educational article explaining the beneficial properties of hemp seed oil as a stand alone oil. Do your own research and come to your own conclusions. My soap is soap, nothing more.
Now that we have that out of the way…hemp seed oil is what’s known as a dry oil. Have you ever put an oil on your skin and it left behind a greasy residue? A dry oil doesn’t do that. It absorbs into the skin rather quickly, which can help moisturize the skin.
It’s chock full of Vitamin E and other antioxidants that are good for the skin.
It has been used by some to soothe skin discomfort from conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
It has amazing benefits for the skin. I’m barely skimming the surface, but this post is getting long. If you’re still reading, thanks!
Aside from all of the skin-loving properties of hemp seed oil, another important reason I include it in my signature soap recipe is the fact that is one of the most sustainably produced oils in the world. And you can’t make soap without oil so…
Unlike palm oil, there is no deforestation or habitat destruction required to grow hemp.
Hemp can be grown in North America, so it has a much smaller carbon footprint than imported oils.
Hemp is a major carbon sequestration crop.
Growing hemp regenerates the soil.
There you have it, my rambling post about my love of hemp. But before I go, I want to leave you with another oldie but goodie – recognize this one?
Hemp is natural, hemp is good. Not everybody does loves it, but everybody should.
Anyone else out there old enough to figure that one out? Why do I keep correlating hemp with old pop songs about the deed? I have no idea but thanks for sticking with me!!
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