By: Madeleine Balestrier
Trying to figure out where to buy sustainable and natural CBD oil is like playing a game of Where’s Waldo – it takes time to comb through the various companies and businesses that you can trust for your CBD needs, especially as the industry continues to grow.
When looking for a CBD product for stress, anxiety or other health and wellness needs, keep in mind that not all products are created equal.
You’re probably asking why, and so are we, but it’s essentially all about companies capitalizing on the legalization of hemp and the failure of the FDA to impose regulations on hemp products.
Right now it’s the wild west in the CBD sector, and the FDA and Congress need to sheriff up.
And why is this an issue for consumers?
“Without clearly defined regulations, no one knows for sure how much CBD is in products available on the market, or how safely the chemical compound is being manufactured and incorporated into them,” Washington Post journalist William Wan said in this article.
So how can you trust you’re supporting the businesses and products that truly care about your individualized cannabis journey?
Do your research and follow the breadcrumbs, or in this case, the little green nugs to the source of hemp because it’s not always clear where the hemp used to make CBD oil is actually coming from.
“Charbonneau, the editor of the cannabis magazine, advises online shoppers to start by visiting companies’ “About” pages on their websites and reading up on them with an eye for information about their farm, where the product is coming from, and who is growing the plant,” Elemental journalist Laura Entis said in Your Guide to Legit CBD.
Treat CBD like food, read labels and when possible buy, source and support local y’all.
Or even better, let Miss Marijuana do the work for you! We’re here for all things green and clean.
And we’re especially here for Luce Farm.
Luce Farm is a collective group of hemp farmers “with a shared passion and respect for natural living, herbal alternatives and environmental sustainability.”
In 2016, Rebecca and Joe Pimentel accepted the challenge and responsibility to restore the 200-year old Luce Farm homestead in Stockbridge, Vermont. From there, they raised their children, dogs and hemp on their farm’s “hillside, fed naturally by the sun and freshwater streams.”
And it’s not just Magical Mystery Tour nostalgia, Luce Farm truly cares about the cannabis experience and it’s growing community!
They only use organic practices all the way from germination to extraction. So what does that mean?
“To extract the cannabinoids from the plants, we utilize the Supercritical CO2 extraction method; a natural, pure and environmentally friendly process that retains the essential vitamins, minerals, Omega fatty acids and terpenes that naturally occur in hemp,” says the founders at Luce Farm.
And they get a little help from their friends – sunlight, natural spring irrigation and a dash of poultry and goat manure.
As they continue to grow and develop their sustainable hemp homestead, they’re focusing on the value of quality over quantity. This year Luce Farm is dedicating themselves to only growing the BaOx strain because it centralizes their focus on the quality and terpenes of this specific strain.
Luce Farm’s attention and care for the cannabis craft has led them to their first inspection to become organic certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. It’s not only the year of the pig, but also the year that any hemp farm in Vermont will be recognized as certified for CBD production!
They hope to continue to learn from this practice to ensure the highest quality products from full-spectrum hemp extract to hemp-infused coconut oil and hemp-infused honey. Their blog also gives all the details on what product is best for you and your experience and how to incorporate it into your life!
But a product is only as strong as the foundation producing it, and Luce Farm practices what they preach in every facet of the company from farming and manufacturing to marketing and operations. I can’t help but wonder if that’s because Luce Farm is led by a majority of women – 75% to be exact. Girl power amirite?!
And the good vibes don’t stop there. Through their recently launched Luce Farm Collective, Luce Farm hopes to unite local farmers who are committed to producing small-scale sustainable and organic hemp crops. This initiative aims to join the local community together and grow “high quality, cannabinoid- and terpene-rich hemp in Vermont’s verdant hills. The hemp grown throughout the Collective will be extracted and used in all Luce Farm Wellness products.” So I think we’re all officially moving to Vermont now, right?
Cannabis or not, Luce Farm’s sustainable and encompassing standard for high quality products that consumers can trust is #goals.
Madeleine Balestrier is a writer who covers cannabis culture and new trends in the cannabis community.
-Created in partnership with Luce Farm