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Old 01-10-2014, 03:19 PM
 
Location: CO/UT/AZ/NM Catch me if you can!
6,926 posts, read 6,884,708 times
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It sure beats pinto beans!

According to the Cortez Journal, farmers from the Four Corners region met in Cortez last week to discuss the growing of (ahem) “industrial hemp” in SW Colorado. Said one, “If it’s economically viable and legal, I’ve got 500 acres I could start growing tomorrow.”

Colorado Plateau Growers Association representative Lu Nettleton said that transitioning pinto bean country into industrial hemp country would be successful if local growers could cultivate local seeds. He added that there are 400 wild strains of commercial hemp growing in the U.S. today.

To ensure farmers have access to local seed, Nettleton urged them to create a local co-op. If allowed to use local seed, farmers could grow the finest marijuana in the country, he added.

“Guerilla agriculture is successful, and we’re sitting on the next miracle crop in the world,” Nettleton said. “If we plant certifiable, viable hemp seeds, we can expect to yield upwards of $15,000 per acre.”

Now that’s a nice image to place in our minds, isn’t it? Dang, I could be out here in the middle of a vast “industrial hemp” field. To hell with the alfalfa! I think Colorado farmers and ranchers should jump on this opportunity to turn around Colorado’s depressed rural economy a complete 180. I bet the transition from pinto to marijuana growing would make Colorado one of the wealthiest states in the Union. Hah! Don’t tell us what to do, we’re Coloradans!

Write your state representative in favor of “industrial hemp” growing everyone and stay Mile High!

- Complete article from Cortez Journal
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Old 01-10-2014, 03:46 PM
 
26,112 posts, read 48,696,623 times
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IIRC, MJ is not the same as Hemp, the latter not being smokable as is MJ, which is a slightly different version.

Here's an excerpt: "A total of 46 varieties of hemp with low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are certified by the European Union. They have, unlike other types, a very high fiber content of 30-40%. In contrast to cannabis for medical use, varieties grown for fiber and seed have less than 0.2% THC and they are unsuitable for producing hashish and marijuana. The most important cannabinoid in industrial hemp is cannabidiol (CBD) with a proportion of 1 to 5%. Only C. sativa is suited for industrial hemp, but it also has medicinal varieties. Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var. sativa is the variety grown for industrial use, while C. sativa subsp. indica generally has poor fiber quality and is primarily used for recreational and medicinal purposes. The major difference between the two types of plants is the appearance and the amount of THC secreted .... Oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis approved for industrial hemp production produce only minute amounts of this psychoactive drug, not enough for any physical or psychological effects. Typically, hemp contains below 0.3% THC, while cultivars of Cannabis grown for recreational use can contain anywhere from 2% to over 20%."

IIRC, production of industrial Hemp was discouraged for decades by its relation to the variety used as MJ, i.e., guilt by association even though harmless. I understand the plant to have many excellent uses.
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Old 01-10-2014, 04:05 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
20,203 posts, read 14,425,887 times
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Actually from what I've read and researched, it was because of the many uses of non-intoxicating industrial hemp, and the competition this highly renewable resource posed to certain other industries, that the entire prohibition came about. The demonization of MJ the drug was just an excuse, a front for the real agenda. I can't swear it's the truth, I wasn't born yet, but I've read some pretty credible historical accounts.

Anyways, it's not truthful or responsible to act all "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" about industrial hemp. You can't smoke enough of it to get high, it's just not weed by another name. It's a whole different strain of the plant with different chemical properties, as Mike described. And since CO has gone legal on MJ, there is no need to act like we're hiding drugs in a field of industrial hemp...that was kind of the point. It's not illegal no more, we have no reason to hide anything. If a person is gonna grow some weed, they'll just do it properly.

Also, even through the prohibition of MJ and hemp in the US, even though we're not allowed to grow industrial hemp, we can and do import it, and products made from it, from countries who do. Why do you think you see all those hippies with their hemp necklaces and bracelets and such? I've seen clothing and shoes made from hemp sold quite openly in the US. You simply can't smoke your hemp canvas shoes or your braided hemp jewelry and get high.
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Old 01-10-2014, 04:08 PM
 
Location: CO/UT/AZ/NM Catch me if you can!
6,926 posts, read 6,884,708 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike from back east View Post
IIRC, MJ is not the same as Hemp, the latter not being smokable as is MJ, which is a slightly different version.

Here's an excerpt: "A total of 46 varieties of hemp with low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are certified by the European Union. They have, unlike other types, a very high fiber content of 30-40%. In contrast to cannabis for medical use, varieties grown for fiber and seed have less than 0.2% THC and they are unsuitable for producing hashish and marijuana. The most important cannabinoid in industrial hemp is cannabidiol (CBD) with a proportion of 1 to 5%. Only C. sativa is suited for industrial hemp, but it also has medicinal varieties. Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var. sativa is the variety grown for industrial use, while C. sativa subsp. indica generally has poor fiber quality and is primarily used for recreational and medicinal purposes. The major difference between the two types of plants is the appearance and the amount of THC secreted .... Oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis approved for industrial hemp production produce only minute amounts of this psychoactive drug, not enough for any physical or psychological effects. Typically, hemp contains below 0.3% THC, while cultivars of Cannabis grown for recreational use can contain anywhere from 2% to over 20%."

IIRC, production of industrial Hemp was discouraged for decades by its relation to the variety used as MJ, i.e., guilt by association even though harmless. I understand the plant to have many excellent uses.
All of the above is true enough. My Grandpappy grew hemp for the war effort back in the WWII era. The US government in those days asked farmers to grow hemp as a part of their patriotic duties. But times have changed. Notice that SW Colorado farmers are talking about four HUNDRED possible strains of marijuana spp - not a mere fourty-six. Local co-ops are given much more slack when it comes to growing local, "heirloom" varieties of standard crops. Thus, Mr Nettleton's thoughts on growing "guerilla" marijuana strains has actual merit. A few changes here and there in Colorado state law could make Nettleton's idea quite viable and realistic - Colorado could make this change easily enough and all of us would benefit from it.

My new landlord and I are seriously discussing putting in a crop.
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Old 01-10-2014, 04:22 PM
 
8,317 posts, read 29,357,988 times
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I have no issue with industrial hemp. It has many industrial uses, including still being one of the strongest rope materials. (Old timers referred to smoking MJ as "smoking rope" because of the relationship between MJ and hemp.)

The only issue with growing hemp (or anything else) in southwestern Colorado is the drought. Without the snow Gods smiling on us, it will all be an academic discussion pretty soon. The dryland farms of southwest Colorado (around Dove Creek) don't get significant rain until late June to mid-July when the Southwest Monsoon kicks in. Until then, the plants have to rely on carryover soil moisture from the winter. Right now, there essentially isn't any carryover moisture in the soil. Irrigation water is also going to be in really short supply unless this winter turns around real quick.
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Old 01-10-2014, 05:15 PM
 
26,112 posts, read 48,696,623 times
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IIRC the WW-2 usage of Hemp included many things, and rope as Jazz points out, as the amount of cargo ships went sky high and they couldn't spare steel to make chains as well as the lack of fibers from foreign sources as much of that was cut off during the war. I believe ocean cargo ships still tie up with ropes.

I hope our farmers put their land to good use and make some money at it.
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Old 01-10-2014, 05:23 PM
 
2,491 posts, read 2,663,807 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzlover View Post
I have no issue with industrial hemp. It has many industrial uses, including still being one of the strongest rope materials. (Old timers referred to smoking MJ as "smoking rope" because of the relationship between MJ and hemp.)

The only issue with growing hemp (or anything else) in southwestern Colorado is the drought. Without the snow Gods smiling on us, it will all be an academic discussion pretty soon. The dryland farms of southwest Colorado (around Dove Creek) don't get significant rain until late June to mid-July when the Southwest Monsoon kicks in. Until then, the plants have to rely on carryover soil moisture from the winter. Right now, there essentially isn't any carryover moisture in the soil. Irrigation water is also going to be in really short supply unless this winter turns around real quick.
Not an expert, but my understanding is industrial hemp takes a lot less water than pinto beans and cattle feed crops which are typically grown in Colorado.
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Old 01-10-2014, 05:29 PM
 
49 posts, read 79,240 times
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I was shocked to hear that the U.S.A. can't grow rope. Its illegal so we have to import it.... doesnt make sense.
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Old 01-10-2014, 05:31 PM
 
49 posts, read 79,240 times
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It'd good to see that change, because plastic rope sucks ,.
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Old 01-10-2014, 05:48 PM
 
Location: Southwestern, USA, now.
21,020 posts, read 19,189,987 times
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Makes me wish I was a farmer with land.
Good for them...it's sorta like winning the lottery, but with some work.
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