Hemp Harvest 2024
The big moment has arrived: the first hemp flowers are reaching the peak of ripeness and it’s time to begin the harvest. We’re about 2 weeks early this year, which is great as the weather can turn treacherous in October. Been quite a stretch of fair, dry weather since Labor Day, which helps ripen the flowers (but after 3 weeks of virtually no rain things are starting to get pretty dry here–had to irrigate the past couple weeks).
This year’s plants are a bit smaller than previous years but with larger flowers. Not sure what accounts for that except perhaps abundant sunny weather this fall, since it’s the same soil and we’re using the same organic/regenerative farming techniques as always.
We harvest just before dawn because that’s when the terpenes are strongest. This morning there were stars sprinkled overhead and a quarter moon hanging over Bald Mountain bathing everything in a soft mellow glow. The silence was sublime. Great way to start the day.
The harvest happens in stages as the individual hemp plants ripen at different times, which is a good thing because it helps stagger the work (don’t think we could manage it otherwise!). We cut the plant at the base then immediately hang it upside down in the processing area by the drying shed. Once the sun comes up, we remove individual branches, do what’s known in the trade as a “wet trim” (removing most of the leaves), followed by a quick gentle rinse in water to remove any residual dust or pollen, and hang the branches outdoors in the shade for the day. Late in the afternoon the flowers get hung from the rafters of the drying shed, where they stay for about 7-10 days. Then the flowers are removed from the stems, hand-trimmed, and placed in glass jars to cure.
I’m thankful for another productive growing season with good weather and no pest or disease issues. Perhaps we’re lucky here, but the longer I grow hemp the more I’m convinced that putting 100% effort into growing strong, vibrant, healthy plants is the best defense against pests and disease. It really comes down to taking good care of the soil which in turn keeps the hemp happy!
It’s tremendously gratifying to see all the months of work pay off in these beautiful fragrant flowers. Highlight of the year.
