Phil Reed, first-year owner of Root River Gardens, a hemp farm nestled in the bluffs of the Root River Valley, said if it weren't for his consultant, the operation wouldn't be possible.
Reed's consultant is Luis "Lulu Magoo" Hummel, who still faces criminal charges in Fillmore County District Court of fifth-degree drug sales, felony possession of a controlled substance and gross misdemeanor fifth-degree drug. Seized items from Hummel's farm were tested and found to have over the 0.3 percent THC level, which is the psychoactive part of cannabis. A jury trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 26 for those charges.
Reed said they began to harvest in the first week of October and wrapped up in about two weeks. Hemp is a "challenging grow" that's not for everybody, said Reed.
"We've got most of the good stuff out of the field already, and are basically just chopping plants now to take in and hang," Reed said on Oct. 16. He said the hemp plants were put in the ground a little late this year, in May, but usually they would plant in April. Despite the late planting, Reed said it was a "good year" for Root River Gardens.
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