Regenerative Soil
Ever since the 2018 Farm Bill was enacted on December 20, 2018 growing Hemp has been a national craze. There was over 500,000 acres of farmland planted in the spring of 2019 compared to approximately 70,000 acres the year before. Ground that had not been farmed in decades was now for the first time feeling the plow.
Hemp growers across the country were also tilling up good established soil and placing plastic weed barriers on top of the soil. This practice degrades any living beneficial microbes and nutrients that had been established for years by the regenerative growth that takes place naturally over time.
The fact that CBD oil is the byproduct of the hemp plant and is taken orally for medical benefits Hemp farmers need to be using organic practices. Ironically, Hemp farmers have not yet embraced the full spectrum of organic farming using Regenerative soil practices.
What is Regenerative Farming?
Regenerative farming is a practice of copying mother nature by using the same principles of letting the soil rebuild itself the same way it has for thousands of years.
One simple way of Regenerative farming is no-till, which means not plowing the soil. Instead of plowing the soil, you simply plant a cover crop of a type of grass or crop that helps to enhance the soil’s microbial and nutrient value. This way the soil stays in its natural state and will continue to add a deep layer of organic matter that will feed the root system of any commercial crop without adding any synthetic petroleum fertilizers.
When the Hemp rush of 2019 started, most hemp growers were new to growing hemp outdoors. Many of the growers came from the cannabis world of growing indoors and didn’t have much knowledge when it came to regenerative farming practices. Indoor growers built and mixed their soil to perfection by taking the same beneficial elements found in outdoor soils to place it in a container, mediated the water to the exact PH, and try to mimic the environment mother nature’s intended, and yes they grew some of the best plants on earth and still do today.
Why is good to plant hemp outdoors?
The Idea behind growing Hemp outdoors is planting hemp in soil that is in its most natural state. Growing hemp in soil that has been built with natural sunlight, watered by rain that is full of major and minor ions and other nitrogenous compounds. And, let’s not forget about the benefits that birds and animals add to the soil. Allowing the hemp plant to grow in a state of bliss will only produce the highest quality CBD products nature can create. The result is pure clean hemp oil.
What's Next for Hemp Growers?
As hemp growers, we need to stay ahead of the USDA and the FDA when it comes to producing a healthy CBD oil. Whether it’s in a topical rub, gel caps, pre-rolls and smokable hemp flower using regenerative farming practices will not only naturally help our products meet the high standards of these agencies but help our environment at the same time.
