Have a Hempy Day

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CT Hemp

Connecticut has recently launched a hemp pilot program and it is well underway. Hemp-Hemp Hoo-Ray! As of June 14, the state of Connecticut has approved 35 licenses for hemp growers, while an additional 24 applications were undergoing a review. As of today, they may have been already processed.

One of the approved applicants for the pilot program is Luis Angel Vega of Vega Holdings LLC. He was kind enough to give me a tour of his operation. So after a lovely ride through the rolling hills of Connecticut, I came upon a happy little farm called Stone Garden in the lovely town of Shelton.  Stone Garden also offers  an array of organic fruits and vegetables along with farm to table options and everything is absolutely delicious.

When I rolled into the parking lot I could see two houses and a lot of visible greenery. So I put the car in park and headed down to the hoop houses to see if I could find Luis.  And that is exactly where I found him, with his hands in the dirt.

This was 600 deep when I arrived. The picture was taken a few hours later as I was leaving.

As we walked through the greenery Luis explained how they were in the process of transferring 2500 plants. I came out on very busy day.

Luis explained the Vega Holdings LLC leases unused land from Stone Garden. He also pointed out how the company is doing everything from the ground up, directly from seed. The seeds begin in the hoop houses and as they mature the plants are then transferred out to the fields. Vega Holdings LLC comprises 10 acres in total with 1500 plants growing on each acre. You do the math, that’s a lot of Hemp. Both hoop houses will only be housing their boutique lines of hemp flower for new products in the future. So, what is all the hemp being grown in the field going to be used for? The answer: Hempcrete

Everything that is being grown outside is intended to be used in construction material. Hempcrete is a mixture of hemp fiber and lime that is used for insulation and construction purposes. Hempcrete is easier to work with than traditional mixes and acts as an insulator and moisture regulator, resulting a lightweight insulating material ideal for most climates since it combines insulation and thermal mass. It keeps you cooler when it’s hot outside as well as keeping you warmer when it’s cold outside. Plus anything you build with hempcrete will stand as long as the pyramids in Egypt (maybe not that long, but a long time anyway) and has no carbon footprint.

Boutiques and construction material, I love it. Oh… Did I mention everything is organic too? No? Well, everything is organic too.

“Obviously, the goal is to make money. But what’s the mission? What’s the drive?”, I asked.

“To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – that is to have succeeded. Ralph Waldo Emerson” replied Luis. “That’s going to be our mission statement by the way.”

With that being said… Vega Holdings LLC is well on its way to achieving their mission.

 

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