Greenfield Groves is a vertically structured telehealth, technology and consumer goods company that separates itself from the pack by providing transparency in its farming, extracting, manufacturing practices. The Company does this through our Greenfield Grows division and 2019 was a very successfully farming season. Established in 2018, Greenfield Grows keenly focuses on modernized green farming practices, with sustainability always at the forefront of our decision making. The farm we operate is located on a 25 acre parcel in Phoenix, Oregon of Jackson County which is referenced as the “Napa Valley” for adaptogens, hemp-derived cannabinoids and other therapeutical botanicals due to the climate, soil, and ideal growing conditions.
Beginning of Greenfield Grows
Back in 2018, Lindsay Giguiere, Founder and CEO of Greenfield Groves, decided that she wanted to develop her own formulations for various products and make superior ingredients with the highest efficacy, but knew that she couldn’t accomplish this successfully, without vertical integration – she needed her own agribusiness if she wanted to satisfy her longterm aspirations. Through strategic partnering and specific land selection, she and Josh White were able to onboard specialists in cultivar genetics, planting, cultivation, sustainable operations, and processing logistics ensure that the Team was set-up for a successful 2019 -2020 harvest and extraction.
2019 Hemp Farming Outlook and Weather Conditions
Interestingly enough, and somewhat surprising, 2019 was setting up to be a record-breaking year for farming, especially when it came to hemp.
- Licensed acres for hemp farming in the United States reached 511,452 acres in 2019, up from 78,176 acres in 2018, which equates to a 554+% year-over-year growth
- 16,877 state growers’ licenses for hemp were issued in 2019, compared to 3,546 in 2018, which equates to a 374+% year-over-year growth
- 34 states have licensed hemp cultivation, with more expected to follow
In the January 2019 interview of Michael Bowman, Founding chair of the National Hemp Association, he says “Production in 2019 will be limited by seed supply, but we could see 100,000 to 200,000 acres. The 2018 Farm Bill is the dawn of a new era, but we need infrastructure, education, and genetics.” His forecast of 100,000 to 200,000 acres was significantly less than the actual 511,452 acres reported to be licensed for hemp farming.
However, this optimistic outlook came prior to Mother Nature’s weather conditions for the season. Early snowfall in the Western states impacted the Colorado region forcing many farmers to harvest early. Even those farmers who did act fast still expect to lose a portion of their crop. An October article by MJBizDaily.com interviewed one of the largest cannabis growers in Colorado, Los Sueños Farms, who cited that they were only able to harvest approximately 50% of their outdoor grow before the snow storms hit. Colorado growers weren’t the only ones impacted by unexpectedly bad weather. Central Oregon farmers had hail storms and frigid temperatures that impacted the grow. Southern Oregon however, where Greenfield Grows operates in its optimal climate conditions, bared minimal weather conditions and had no negative impact to its final yield metrics.
Greenfield Grows Harvesting
Harvesting time in Southern Oregon is a small window, typically 2-4 weeks before what is considered “rainy season” to complete our methodical processing practices of:
- Combined flower and biomass harvesting for maximize crop yield
- Careful bucking and stripping
- Humidity controlled drying of the flower
- Careful terpene extraction
- Proper storage and conditioning for transport to extraction facility
The combination of experience, optimal weather conditions and a dedicated team allowed for a successful harvest for Greenfield Grows resulting in a yield of 50,000+ pounds of premium, organically grown, and hand harvested hemp for extraction into oil to be used in the various consumer brands that Greenfield Groves offers to the end consumer user.
Certificate of Analysis and Compliance Testing
The following Certificate of Analysis reports were taken at different times, from different storage bags of our 2019 -2020 harvest. Greenfield Groves partnered with MW Labs in Southern Oregon to perform both pre-harvest and post-harvest potency testing, along with Brightside Scientific in California, to perform the full-panel testing.
The THC % result varies from sack to sack, test to test, however much of the testing came in at 0.2% overall THC making it well below the compliant level and qualified for international distribution. The CBD % consistently came in above average at around 11% with total cannabinoids over 13%.
Additional Certifications
In addition to the certification of analysis, Greenfield Groves has been granted or is the process of completing certification from several industry and sustainability certifications including:
The Leaping Bunny Program is the gold-standard in cruelty-free certification for personal care and household goods companies. Certification by the Leaping Bunny Program signifies no animal testing in cosmetic and household products.
Eco-certification is where an independent agency (governmental, non-governmental organization (NGO) or an industry consortium) tests or verifies that a certain sustainable practice has been followed in the production of a given good or service. We are in the final stages of our eco-certification, which is extremely important to setting us apart from other businesses that don’t qualify, even though they claim to be eco-friendly.
FSC is the world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution and the original pioneers of forest certification. Our pending certification will validate that we comply with the highest social and environmental standards on the market.
The initiative of the U.S. Hemp Authority® Certification Program is to provide high standards, best practices, and self-regulation, giving consumers and retailers confidence in hemp and CBD products. With only 50 companies awarded certification, we feel honored to be part of this intensive certification process.
The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry
The ACI is committed to a safe, legal, and well-regulated CBD market in the UK. Their vision is to create an innovative, sustainable sector that meets the highest standards in product quality, consumer satisfaction, and environmental stewardship. ACI membership is made up of the world’s leading CBD manufacturers and brands, and we look forward to joining this team as our membership is finalized.
2020 -2021 Harvest – The Best is Yet to Come
With the success of this year’s harvest, the Team is now looking forward to continuing to refine our operations while pursuing the farming of many more adaptogens and therapeutic botanicals to add to our list of vertically developed final ingredients.