Use

Organic hemp seeds are suitable for the production of high-quality oil. The pure seeds are increasingly used for food purposes. Like other grains, they are also used in cereals and bars, as an additive in bakery products and enrich vegetable dishes. Hemp chocolate is becoming a big seller due to its advantages. Organic hemp seeds are caramelized to sweet or baked to salty snack. Together with the flower flour, organic hemp seeds are a popular composition for stimulating teas.

Production

Useful hemp is grown as an annual plant. The herbaceous shrub grows up to 5 m high as fibre hemp and up to 3 m high as pure grain. The hand-shaped leaves of all varieties have a sawn edge. Female flowers have a spherical ovary in which the seeds ripen by the end of summer.

Grain hemp thrives especially well at altitudes of up to 500 m. Depending on the region, the seeds are brought into the soil from April to May. Hemp belongs to the cold germ family, it is insensitive to light frost during germination. However, heat is required for later growth. The grain varieties are sown in a further row spacing so that the seeds can ripen all around.

Nutrient-rich, humus soils are suitable for commercial cultivation. It should be deep, the hemp does not tolerate waterlogging. Thanks to its strong tap root, which is 1.5 m long on average, useful hemp can also absorb water from deeper levels. This usually regulates the large water requirement in a natural way.

Origin

Hemp has been used since ancient times. Hemp fibres found in a cave in Georgia are estimated to be around 30,000 years old. Evidence comes from China that hemp has been cultivated for about 6000 years. Until the recent past hemp was in demand as raw material for fibres, for hemp seeds, for oil production and as natural medicine. At the beginning of the 20th century, starting from America, only the intoxicating effects of hemp containing THC were considered. As a result, the entire cultivation of hemp was banned in more and more countries. Only gradually were these bans relaxed again by the individual authorities. We obtain our hemp seeds from certified organic and sustainably managed farms.

Sustainability

In many cases hemp is cultivated in double use, fibres and seeds are harvested equally. Crop rotations with hemp have an advantageous effect on the post-cultures. It suppresses weeds so that no seed is sown here. Its roots loosen the soil, the green mass has a positive effect on the soil ferments. In addition, neither the use of herbicides nor other pesticides is necessary for organic hemp cultivation.

Harvest

Pure fibre hemp is harvested when the male flowers have reached their peak. However, if these plants are also used for grain production, seed ripeness is waited for. Grain hemp is harvested from September to October using special combine harvesters.

Flavor

Peeled hemp is mildly nutty, unpeeled more savory in taste.

Yield

After China, France ranks second in hemp seed production. It supplies about 5000 tons of oleaginous seeds annually.

Special feature

The cultivation of hemp is regulated by law. Only varieties approved in the EU and certified seed can be used for cultivation in the relevant countries. The THC content may not exceed 0.2 % in most EU countries. The cultivation of useful hemp and hemp grown for fibre must be notified to the competent authorities.