Photo via Springdale Farm
Peter and Bernadette Seely of Springdale Farm (W7065 Silver Spring Lane, Plymouth) are known for their certified organic produce. Growing a hemp crop wasn’t on their radar until one of their farm employees, Nick Cooper, asked the couple if they would consider growing hemp that could be turned into cannabidiol (CBD) oil for his startup company, Mason Jar Organics.
“We heard it was legal to grow cannabis in Wisconsin as long as the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content was below .3%,” Peter says, yet he wasn’t eager to add hemp to their crops without first having a market for it. “Without somebody requesting it, and not knowing what to do with it if we did grow it, we would have had not have considered it if Nick had not requested us to grow high quality hemp that he could process into CBD oil.”
Springdale Farm became a licensed hemp grower from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection in 2019. Peter says he and the farm staff experimented with several strains that might work well in Wisconsin’s climate, including wife, relief now, and several strains known as cherry. They grew hemp on three acres the first year. Last season, they grew on one and a half acres.
The hemp plants were started in a special growing chamber. “One thing we tried last year was light depravation, where you control the amount of light and encourage the hemp to flower at a different rate than it would normally,” Peter explains. “There are different tricks to growing it inside that you can use.”
The plants were then moved to the greenhouses, which allow for better control of the environment for the young plants. “Just like with vegetables, if you can protect the plants and baby them a little, they’ll produce better for you,” Peter says. From the greenhouses, the plants went into the fields. Hoop houses helped protect the plants during Wisconsin’s unpredictable spring/early summer weather.
In addition to growing hemp for Cooper, Springdale Farm’s hemp also went to Panaceacanna, a wholesale extraction startup in West Allis. Peter notes that Wisconsin farmers have created a surplus of hemp grown for CBD. “There’s more crude oil available to processors than needed, so the market is not exceptionally good now. But that can change in a minute if big processors start to include CBD oil in various medicinal of food products,” Peter observes.
On Feb. 4, 2021, U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) introduced the Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act, which would provide a clear legal pathway for hemp-derived CBD and other non-intoxicating hemp ingredients to be lawfully marketed as dietary supplements. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), who represents Wisconsin's Sixth District where Plymouth is located, was an original cosponsor of the legislation.
Organic Hemp Products Added to Community Supported Agriculture Boxes
Peter worked with Wauwatosa-based hemp processor HempJuus to formulate Springdale Farm’s line of CBD tinctures, dog treats and muscle cream. They’ve got unflavored, mint or cinnamon flavored tinctures, along with dog treats and muscle cream. HempJuus uses a cold pressed method, which Peter says is unique to the industry. “Almost all of the processors use various techniques that involve heat somewhere along the line,” he says.
HempJuus’ website describes the cold-pressed method as, “very similar to fresh squeezed orange juice. We take the hemp plant, and nothing but the hemp plant, and put it through a small press/juicer.”
Peter emphasizes that everything on the farm—including hemp—is raised with organic principles. Their products are 100% certified organic. “That means two things for us—one, that we’re not introducing potentially toxic materials to our crops, whether it’s fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides or fungicides that are potentially damaging to human health or to soil health. Two, we’re doing things to make our soil as healthy as possible, and that would involve adding minerals if our soil is deficient in them.”
Springdale Farm’s produce and hemp is certified organic through the United States Department of Agriculture. The CBD line is available as an add-on to Springdale Farm’s community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, or it can be purchased online.
For more information, visit springdalefarm.com.
