FARMINGTON – The Farmington Farmer’s Market welcomed a new vendor last season, offering something slightly different in the world of local/organic products. LoveGrown Hemp offers MOFGA-certified hemp products that range from tinctures to tea to infused honey, all with the purpose of holistic healing.
Haywood found her way to the healing properties of hemp after helping her partner through a long struggle with prescribed medication as the result of a severe accident. The dark time of his addiction nearly tore them apart completely, Haywood said, until they began replacing the pills with the CBD-rich hemp flower.
“The world of cannabis was brand new to me. I had only smoked marijuana a couple times in college, experimental only, I had never really gotten into it,” Haywood said.
Haywood began helping her partner out with growing the medical marijuana at their home. With her green thumb, the plants began to thrive, and the two became licensed caregivers.
From there LoveGrown Hemp grew, and now offers not only CBD products that are proven to relieve anxiety and pain, but also one on one consultations, and support for other hemp farmers in the state. Haywood works closely with doctors to prescribe products based on a client’s needs- the complete opposite of her former job as a contracts negotiator for pharmaceutical companies where she basically helped prescribe client needs for the product that would pay the most money.
Haywood studied biology and chemistry at the University of Maine at Farmington. She had planned to be a biology teacher, but ended up disliking the profession once she got into the classroom. From there she apprenticed as a dessert and lunch chef at the Homestead, doing as much gardening as possible in her free time.
“It just suddenly all came together. Growing plants, working with people, herbalism, healing…I left my job in 2012 and I haven’t worked for anyone else ever since,” she said.
This is the third year that LoveGrown has been an official “seeds in the ground” business, and the market is rapidly expanding. As one of the first hemp growers in the state, and still one of only 10 who are offering “crop to drop” products, Haywood has been instrumental in helping other farmers get off the ground. The business provides seeds to other farmers, and even offers room under their umbrella organization- all in the name of providing high quality products to customers, Haywood said.
“CBD/hemp products are extremely unregulated. The government hasn’t really come in on it yet. It’s been hard to find a way forward, but I’m confident we found it,” she said.
Many people get confused when talking about the differences between CBD and THC- the chemical compound that results in the “high” feeling of consuming marijuana. While they are both cannabinoids, the results of ingesting are dramatically different. Haywood likened them to different dog breeds- same species, drastically different characteristics.
One of the biggest differences between the two is CBD’s potent anti-inflammatory effect. Anxiety, Haywood said, is just inflammation of the brain. When someone ingests CBD it can provide mental clarity, focus and more energy.
“The biggest thing I want people to know is to source locally. With no state or federal regulations, it’s important to trust your source. Are you going to trust a product made in Las Vegas more than one made in Maine? Probably not,” Haywood said.
For more information about LoveGrown Hemp, click here.
This is a long time coming. I honestly am truly excited about the possibilities for Maine’s economy and future healthy growth. Hemp is such a viable crop beyond the scope of its medicinal properties, there will be many positive changes in our world because of its growing acceptance.
Hemp is a plant with thousands of uses. Thank goodness for the Farm Bill
Thanks to the Amber Kapiloff and to the Daily Bulldog for helping to spread the word about the newly-unfolding world of hemp and CBD-rich products in Maine. There are so many opportunities for all all to explore together. Our gratitude runs deep for all our clients and customers – thank-you for supporting our local MOFGA-certified farm!
Erica and Jack
http://www.lovegrownhemp.com
“growing acceptance”. dopers around the world unite.
@ridiculous. This has nothing to do with dope. It is CBD you should do some research before the you start commenting on something you obviously know nothing about. CBD has many benefits to health without being stoned way more than ANY pharmaceutical.
Ridiculous, your comment is ridiculous.
@ridiculous: It’s hemp. The most ridiculous thing about it is that it was outlawed from industrial use in the first place.
@ lovegrown: seems like you are at the forefront of a budding Maine industry. Western mountain innovation is alive and well, way to go!
” they began replacing the pills with the CBD-rich hemp flower” I don’t want to say someone is misrepresenting their product but CBD is only found in trace amounts in hemp, typically less than 25 parts per million, compared to up to 15% when extracted from Cannabis flower. Precisely why hemp oil is legal to buy online and CBD oil is not. CBD is still a schedule drug in America. I hope people looking to use such products for health issues understand that hemp oil and CBD oil are NOT one in the same.
it’s sad that some narrow minded people make comments about something they know nothing about, and the comment about “dopers” is proof of this.. they judge without bothering to do the research on the product. there are a great many benefits to using the oils, the creams, etc, that has nothing to do with people getting “stoned” or high..
You need to do some research. In September of last year, the DEA, with approval from the FDA moved CBD products to a class 5 drug, opening the door for those of us seeking pain relief without the “getting stoned” effect or without having to be addicted to narcotics. You can walk into a dispensary that has hemp based products without a “pot card” and without having to be on any list. I was a non believer until I started doing my own research. I now sleep better and have experienced SIGNIFICANT relief from years and years of back issues after surgery. I don’t smoke pot, and don’t want to, and I don’t intend to be on anyone’s watch list. But I will tell people of my own experience and direct them to do their OWN research, rather than just spout off unknown non facts.
I said CBD is a schedule drug, its is. You say it moved to a “class” V? There is no such thing as drug classes. Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to make drugs are classified into five schedules. The DEA approved Epidiolex and Epidiolex only as schedule V. The federal government still considers all other cannabis-derived CBD products schedule I. As for the reason why you can go into dispensaries and buy hemp products without a “pot card” refer to my original post. If you believe your hemp oil is giving you benefit from the CBD it contains, you’re sadly mistaken, but I’m glad its having a positive placebo effect. Just imagine how amazing you would feel from true CBD oil.