swyman wrote: ↑Mon. Dec. 23, 2019 2:51 am
Funny you mention that, I have been researching like crazy and went to an 8 hour seminar a few weeks ago. In reading all the hardships involved I have decided NOT to plant it. There are just to many unknowns and 2 of the biggest concerns for me is drying and selling. 1500-2000 plants per acre and to grow for oil you need to treat it like marijuana and dry the plant. I could probably dry maybe 2 acres in my shop but then I don't have the proper equipment to provide the environment to properly dry the plants. The cost is just more than I am willing to chance. Cost per acre to plant is around $10-12k then added cost for the drying equipment. If all that goes as planned we run into the fact that there is just not enough processors at the moment and processing equipment will bury you over $100k if you wanted to go that route then you would have to have the finances to purchase the product from farmers. Plus the bodies you would need to cut, hang, buck, and package. Just way to much risk for me to take and to many ways to fail. My buddy is going to lease my ground for a year and do it but I want no part. I wish him well but I predict it will be a disaster. Also seems that there will be a lot of farmers in the state jumping on the hemp train next year so the market will be flooded and processors will be slim....for now. I'm sure that will change as the industry takes off but need time for more equipment to be developed and seed companies to be able to produce a guaranteed product. They have feminized seeds but still are not guaranteed plus they need to stay under the current THC level of .03%. I have read that Kentucky was successful in raising the THC level to 1% and there are groups in Michigan lobbing to get that changed here which would help a lot.
I helped plant 50acres of business venture hemp farm for cbd. Super labor intensive since everything is essentially planted by hand with seedlings. We had a 4 row planter but it still requires 4 on the planter, driver, 2 people to walk behind and check plating depth and missed plants. Then you have irrigation... Miles of driptape, pumps, fertilizer injectors, etc. Our plants came from NC in a conditioned box trailer first order was 100k seedlings. Subsequent deliveries of 300k seedlings. $1/ea. Plants grew well then its time to harvest. Tried mechanized harvesting but it was met with challenges so it was loppers, haywagon and lots of help. After that you need a llace to dry like u mentioned, ended up installing 5 dry sheds fed with 1000gal tanks of propane to dry. Then on to stripping the buds and bailing into seed sacks, more time. After that you need to clean up 300miles of drip tape and 4miles of layflat. Oh and you need to find someone to buy all of that hemp of which the market is currently saturated... Good times
