Bishop utilizes organic growing practices, like this tub of earthworms, to make a nutrient rich compost for his plants.
Bishop was pleased with the successful sprouting rate in this tray of hemp seedlings.
the program provided by TDA. Texas’s
program was approved by the United State
Department of Agriculture in January of this
year, and TDA began accepting applications
for licenses to grow hemp mid-March. Some
states, like Arizona, got started as early as
May of 2018.
With limited infrastructure resources,
Bishop is starting small. It’s most important
for him to get his feet wet and just see what
the process is like, from navigating the
regulatory process to weeding out the best
varieties to grow in the high desert of Big
Bend.
This year’s goals are to finish his
greenhouse and water catchment system and
get to know the plant. He chose seeds from
the list of state approved options and is
already noticing which varieties fare better
than others on hot days. His first harvest is
expected around October.
Bishop plans to grow a few crops
throughout the year but may end up sitting
out the hottest part of the summer season.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how this
works,” he said.
Once he transplants his nursery seedlings
to his field in Alpine, he dreams of integrating
his existing apiary. He believes that honey
produced from hemp nectar will be a premium
product.
Much of his plans center around personal,
rather than commercial, use, until he figures
out where he can scale up. Yet his “garden”
is still subject to stringent regulation. Anyone
who wants to get involved in Texas hemp,
from farmers to processors and resellers,
must pass a background check and submit to
randomized inspection of their business or
fields. There are several licenses and permits
required, including for anyone who wishes to
transport hemp in any form.
The licensing process was not particularly
prohibitive at the scale Kevin is working on,
he noted. It only cost $100 per license or
permit and added up to just a few hundred
dollars in such fees so far. Testing the plants
for THC content will create additional
expenses.
Two weeks before harvest, plants must be
tested by state-approved labs to guarantee
THC content is at or below the legal limit.
This is the first year of the hemp program in
Texas, and TDA will likely receive lots of
feedback on what works and doesn’t. Next
year may see some changes with the many
guidelines governing this new industry.
Bishop is excited about the possibilities
despite the intense level of scrutiny involved.
“If I could help friends with Parkinson’s and
Lyme’s disease and make building materials
in the process, it would be a dream come true.
I think this is going to work. I know what not
to do,” he said. To find out more about the
state hemp program, visit
www.texasagriculture.gov.
Cenizo
Summer 2020
9