Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jun 2018
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
Copyright: 2018 Lexington Herald-Leader
Contact: http://www.kentucky.com/369/
Website: http://www.kentucky.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240
Author: Janet Patton

LAURA FREEMAN'S WINCHESTER HEMP FARM OPEN SATURDAY FOR TOURS

If you'd like to know more about what modern hemp farming looks like,
the Mount Holly Farm owned by Laura Freeman will have an open-house
party on Saturday.

 From 1 to 4 p.m., you can see the newly planted hemp crop, which is
grown for grain, and see the CBD hemp crop as well. The CBD crop
provides cannabidiol oil used in a variety of products.

The farm store, Laura's Mercantile, will be open, with Laura's Hemp
Chocolates available for purchase. The party also will have samples of
the chocolates as well as hemp beer -- New Belgium's new Hemperor IPA
- -- and Kentucky Hemp Dawgs.

The event is at 3581 Schollsville Road in Winchester. The farm, which
is one of the largest organic farms in the state, also raises
livestock and soy, and specialty corn.

Freeman founded Laura's Lean Beef, a brand of antibiotic and
hormone-free beef sold in supermarkets everywhere. She began focusing
on agricultural sustainability after she sold her business in 2007-08,
eventually turning to hemp as a way to turn the Mount Folly Farm into
a carbon "sink" or absorber.

She began selling hemp chocolate wagers, truffles and bark a couple of
years ago and is starting a distillery in downtown Winchester.

At the first Kentucky Hemp Days fest in Cynthiana, Agriculture
Commissioner Ryan Quarles hailed the crop's progress and supported
full legalization a day after U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell inserted hemp
language in the Farm Bill.
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MAP posted-by: Matt