Kanji

 

 

Hemp in the Japanese Language

 

In Japan's beautiful and bewildering language, hemp is expressed by a kanji (ideogram) character, also adapted from Chinese, and pronounced asa. Since the decline of cannabis hemp production, this term has become a sort-of catch-all term for replacement fibber crops such as Jute, Sisal, Flax Linen, as well as true Hemp making it a bit confusing. However in any dictionary or other language resource, it is unmistakable that this as a character means cannabis.

Hemp & Japanese Culture

I thought that I would provide you with some historical information which involves the US occupation of Japan and the Post WW2 abolition of Industrial Hemp.

 

Circa Post WW2: The Dupont's and the Cotton Cartels of the time wanted Hemp off the map, it was a matter of strategic economic importance.

 

"Industrial hemp is just way too much of a ubiquitous product to be grown by the common man". "It just makes too much $cents$ for the average farmer" " It would displace pulp towns and the Cotton clowns" " It would create a paradigm shift" I know Jeff hates that term, but the big boys don't like change if it doesn't fall into their pockets first.

 

Just to give your readers an idea on how well regarded Hemp was in the Japanese culture:

 

I'll provide you with the following:

 

Hemp was traditionally used by Shinto priests, including the Japanese emperor himself who acts as a kind of chief priest of Shintoism. Several hemp fields are cultivated on Shikoku, one of the four main islands of Japan, to make ceremonial linen clothes for the Imperial family and for Shinto priests.

 

Hemp is also grown in some parts of Nagano prefecture by farmers with a hemp license and the fibre is used for bell ropes and noren (ritual curtains) for Shinto shrines as well as in sumo rituals.

 

The Hemp Control Act

 

Hemp cultivation came to a legal halt in the during the post W.W.II, allied-forces occupation. Allied troops lived in Japan and helped substantially to rebuild the nation battered by the destruction and poverty of wartime.

 

The foreign troops were certainly surprised at the abundance of hemp growing both wild and cultivated. In 1948 when American General of the Army, Douglas Macarthur and his colleagues rewrote the Japanese constitution, they included the Taima Torishimari Hô, the Hemp Control Act.

 

Ironically, it was the Japanese Imperial Army's invasion of the Philippines a few years earlier that acted as a catalyst for USA's "Hemp for Victory" campaign to replace the Manila-hemp used by the armed forces.

 

 

HEMP CULTURE IN JAPAN

 

Japan, has long been a land of mystery to outsiders. Though isolated from the world's progress for thousands of years, Japan still Managed to import and reinvent the wisest ideas from other lands, turning them into something all their own. Hemp is no exception.

 

Yet the passage of time caught the persistent cannabis sativa plant in a confusing vise of tradition and modernization, sustainability and rapid expansion. As Japan begins to realize it's role as a global leader, hemp again rises from the shadows to greet the future in the Land of the Rising Sun.

 

Hemp comes to Japan

 

Since the Neolithic Jomon period, hemp grew in Japan. The term Jomon itself means "pattern of ropes, " which were certainly made of hemp. Archaeological evidence places hemp seeds as a food source during this Jomon period (10,000 to 300 BC). These hunting and collecting people lived a civilized, comfortable existence and used hemp for weaving clothing and basket making. What isn't entirely clear however, is exactly when and how the seeds arrived in Japan.

 

When considering this question, it is often difficult to distinguish the facts of history from the pervasive creation myths that make up the Japanese religion of Shinto. Some scholars insist that hemp was abundant in Japan before contact with China or Korea; however, impartial analysis suggests that, like much of it's culture, hemp was almost certainly imported and adapted by the Japanese from China.

 

To better determine the journey that those first hemp seeds took, one can consider the examples of three other prominent imports which shaped Japanese culture and indeed became standards of Japanese civilization: Buddhism, wet-field rice and Washi paper. The history of paper is easily traced because it was written down on paper. The first real paper in known to have been created in China from hemp rags by a court eunuch, Ts'ai Lun, from a mix of old hemp rags and mulberry bark in around 100 A.D. Experiments using silk and bamboo had been ongoing for a few decades, but most writing was done on small wood panels.

 

Paper isn't recorded into the historical record of Japan until the 7th century A.D., when Korean priests and monks delivered this new technology to the Imperial palace in 610 A.D., along with Buddhism and the acceptance of the Chinese writing system.

 

The paper that the Korean monk, Doncho, produced for his royal demonstration was made from hemp rags and mulberry bark, as in the Chinese tradition. The Japanese copied his technique; the skill spread rapidly throughout Japan, with over 80 subtle varieties of paper being made throughout Japan within 50 years. This certainly suggests hemp must have been already long domesticated, to keep up with this rapid growth of papermaking fuelled by the spread of Buddhism and the new form of written communication.

 

Evidence of that vital period of Japanese history is owned by a Nihonga painter named Haneshi. He possesses a piece of brown and slightly brittle, pure hemp paper, dated at 770 AD. It is still intact and he keeps it in a box with a small piece of rare incense. (Hughes, 165) It is clear that by this point in history, Korea and Japan had had a long established relationship, since Japan maintained a territorial foothold on Korea in the fifth and sixth century. Furthermore, there were numerous ships traveling between China, Korea and Japan exchanging new ideas and information even before this period.

 

Another Japanese staple, wet-field rice, made its way from the Middle Kingdom to Japan around 300 BC. The seed stock first went to Korea, then was brought by traders across the narrow but rough channel to Shimonoseki, Japan's southern island of Kyushu which is the closest point to the Asian mainland. It is probable that hemp made the same voyage before or around the same time. There are reports of seeds from prehistoric periods that have been uncovered on the island of Kyushu which would suggest this passage definitely took place before the Common Era; yet scientific dating techniques would have a hard time putting an accurate date on such a small artefact.

 

Hemp in Japanese history

 

As time went on, more people arrived on Japanese shores from China and Korea, some to trade, many to settle, in all taking Japanese culture on to another period. This Yayoi period produced major changes in Japan as "foreigners" imported more advanced practices and quickly made the indigenous Japanese adapt their ways. Most signifant was the spread of agriculture and clan-like social arrangement.

 

The people of these times lived in patriarchal groups and wore clothes made of hemp and bark, a technique which continued on for hundreds of years. At this time also the complex Shinto system of multiple patriarchal deity developed, as numerous clans each adopted a patron saint.

 

By that time, hemp had successfully adapted to the Japanese climate and spread throughout the latitudes. Even on the northern island of Hokkaido, the indigenous Ainu made their colourful costumes from the fibber during the Yayoi period around the 3rd century AD.

 

Thus, hemp was already a well-established crop in many parts of Japan by the time written language was commonly used, and the first "Official" recorded history appears as the Nihon Shoki (Chronicle of Japan), published by Crown Prince Shotoku in 710 AD (soon after the introduction of papermaking, Chinese writing and Buddhism).

 

Trade and communication between China, Korea and Japan faded over the next few centuries as each country led it's own secluded path. Japan did continue for a while to send scholars and students to learn medicine, agriculture and science from the Chinese and bring the best of it back home, including the Kampo (Chinese medicine) ancient pharmacopoeia developed by Lao Tzu. This system of health and treatment utilized many forms of the hemp plant to treat a variety of illnesses.

 

A translated account reads "Hemp preparations are especially used as a laxative, to treat asthma & poisonous bites, worm animals, counteract skin ailments and as a general tonic to promote vigour.

 

During these centuries of feudal society, a leader emerged named Hideyoshi Toyotomi. He came from a typical village to unite Japan. An account of his growing up goes into some detail on daily life in the 1500's.: "The village of Nakamura lies in the rich farming country of south-western Owari in the delta of the Kiso River. Cotton, hemp and rice were cultivated there during Hideyoshi's day by a comparatively well-off community of peasants, many of whom owned their own land."

 

During the feudal era, hemp cultivation was encouraged by the Daimyo (feudal lords) wanting hempen-ware's high resale value from the wealthy city merchants who favoured hemp for making fine clothing. This brought economic strength and power to the Daimyo of the area (who were often in debt to the merchants) (Stearns). The merchants had an interesting and much maligned position in feudal society. They were ranked near the bottom of the ladder but by building "unions" and creative marketing, they were soon the wealthiest class. The Samurai forbid themselves to handle money as it was unclean and despised and feared the merchants because of there increasing wealth.

 

The merchants again learned the use of money from foreigners. "Merchants dealt not in rice but in coin, and utilized four metals: gold (oban, koban, ichibu kin), silver (chogin, mame-ita, monme), copper (zeni),and iron. They had square holes in the centre based on the Chinese system, and were carried on strings of hemp." (Hidden Variable) (note: the 5 yen coins still have a hole in them left over from this practice)

 

During this time, Japanese agriculture and social structure continued to change despite lack of new influence from outside sources. Indeed as the merchants and daimyo feuded, the farmers started to "unionize to sell their hemp directly to the markets in Edo (old Tokyo). "Cotton was not grown much before the Muromachi period and then it seems to have been confined to mainly to Eastern Japan where growing conditions were not particularly favourable. Toward the end of the 16th century, however cotton found its natural habitat in the Kinai, thereafter the production of raw cotton very rapidly increased . . . The hemp cloth industry of Uonuma county in Echigo Province provides an example of a different kind. This industry dated back to at least the Nara period, when taxes were party paid by the cloth. But the industry here achieved no considerable growth until certain innovations in bleaching and weaving were made toward the end of the seventeenth century. After that the output of hemp cloth increased from about five thousand rolls to about two hundred thousand roll annually until the end of the eighteenth century. By this time, local sources of raw material were no longer adequate to supply producers and hemp had to be imported from Aizu and Yonezawa."

 

While the farmers were supposedly given rights and privilege by the Samurai, they were in fact kept poor, busy and occupied with the agricultural process which was very labour-intensive in low-tech rural Japan. Even then, space was at a premium and the farmers began terracing the hillsides.

 

Hemp (along with silk for the wealthy Samurai class) was the primary source of clothing fibber until the 17th century when cotton was introduced. Cotton began to replace hemp as the fibber crop for the new urban working class because of high yields by heavy fertilizer use and development of mass processing methods.

 

Hemp continued to be used for a variety of specialized purposes, including the straps of geta (high wooden sandals), long-line eel fishing lines and packaging ropes (Mayuzumi), to name few. After short periods of limited trade with some European countries (primarily Holland but only on an off-shore trading zone) in the early 17th century, Japan once again closed the bamboo curtain solidly to the west.

 

In 1853, American Commodore Perry and a fleet of black gunboats pried open the ports for trade and began a new era of change, trade and conflict.

 

Inside, a still feudal, warring nation scrambled to take stock of the impact and learn the secrets of these strange "bearded barbarians". Realizing they had been caught in a very vulnerable position, Japan embarked on an intense, rapid industrialization. In the ensuing chaos, the young Emperor Meiji was restored and the Samurai class dissolved. Massive, sudden change occurred in a short time, and a nation was restarted.

 

This new Meiji era sparked a period of mutual bewilderment and competitive fascination, an awkward dance between the East and West that begat wonderful exchanges of arts, medicine and humanity, and the brutality of war and racism.

 

Japan quickly engineered trains, steamships, silk factories and mining operations, surpassing in a few decades the growth of industry that had taken Europe and America close to a century. Shortly after their hasty ushering onto the world stage, Japan sent its first diplomatic mission to USA, sailing across the Pacific only four years after first seeing a ocean going vessel. Among the crew, serving as the Captain Kimura's personal servant and translator, was Yukichi Fukuzawa. He tells in his account of the journey about the crew all receiving a pair of hemp sandals to make the passage. He goes on to say that some crewmen were a bit embarrassed when they arrived in San Francisco and saw how different their footwear and customs were:

 

"All of us wore the usual pair of swords at our sides and the hemp sandals. So attired we were taken to the modern hotel. . . Here the carpet was laid over an entire room and upon this costly fabric, walked our hosts wearing the shoes they had come in from the streets! We followed in our hemp sandals." (Fukuzawa)

 

Young Fukuzawa went on to found Kieo University and inspire Japan's new educational system. His face is now on Japan's 10,000 Yen bill. Regardless of the fact that Japan had become a member of the world community, the country's farmers still bore the brunt of the labour, working long days in treacherous conditions to supply essentials for an increasing urban population. From the humid summers to the freezing winters, hemp provided rugged and functional clothing.

 

In the Meiji and Taisho eras (19th century), country-people continued an ancient technique, combining hemp fiber with other plants like seaweed and broom-straw to make circular, pointed hats which the wet mountain snow would slide right off of. (Seattle Asian Arts)

 

These hats are really more of a solid helmet of hemp fibber intertwined with seaweed, perhaps to let the snow slide off the sloping, conical peak. The farmers also utilized similar materials in making pack-like, back support pads for hauling heavy loads down steep mountainsides. The crafting skill of the traditional artisans endures; the term for this is You no Bi. (Seattle Asian Arts) This tactile feeling of "beauty in utility" evokes a sense of the rugged simplicity and deliberate, elegant workmanship that blends so well with the hemp aesthetic.

 

During this same era when country people fashioned rugged work wear, the textile artist continued using hemp to a different end. The skill of the Japanese textile makers is seen in hemp kimono (traditional clothing) worn especially in the summer. Hemp became a somewhat exclusive fabric used for special garments and upper classes.

 

Hemp's durability allowed the same fibbers to be reused several times for recycled clothing, rags and finally paper. As class structure made labor-intensive hemp unreachable for many, they tried to imitate the properties with cotton. Before the introduction of cotton to Japan, hemp fiber had already long been in use for the weaving of cloth. (Hughes, 77) In fact, the summer cotton kimono, the Yucatan, was the common person's adaptation of the yukatabira (absorbent hemp bathrobes) the wealthy wore to and after soaking in the hot springs.

 

Hemp in Religion

 

In the vast journey from India to China, the teachings of the Buddha were altered considerably, although on the trip from China to Korea and then on to Japan, the tenets remained undiluted. However, upon receiving this wisdom, the Japanese adapted and intertwined Buddhism with the traditional mythological religion of Shinto.

 

Shinto is the ancient "way of the gods." A ritualistic expression of profound respect for the kami (the intrinsic god-like spirit) in nature. Plants, animals, rocks, trees all possess a sort of spirit or reverence which can be terrifying or peaceful. In Shinto, humans are always searching towards purity and responsibility which transcends the traditional religious sense and into day-to-day society.

 

Shinto's creation stories tell of the islands that would become Japan rising from volcanoes and hot springs. God/dess figures descended to people the country with their direct descendants who are more cherished than any other on Earth. Purity and fertility are paramount concepts and from the beginning to the present, hemp is an essential symbol of both.

 

In Kojiki (the Record of Ancient Matters) the story relates: After creating the country the primal pair consulted together saying, "We have now produced the great eight island country, with the mountains, rivers, herbs and trees. Why should we not produce someone who shall be lord of the Universe."

 

This first pair then begat the founding goddess-figure, Amaterasu Omi kami (Sun Goddess). She is enshrined at the holiest of place, the Ise Jinja (shrine) along with the ancient sacred mirror Ameratsu gave to her grandson when he descended from above to reign over the eight island kingdom.

 

At that shrine on the Ise penisula, the special prayer given for the founding Goddess of Japan is called Taima (cannabis). Further, hemp, salt and rice are the sacred staples that are used as part of all the rites at the shrine. (Yamada) Indeed hemp and mulberry fibber and cloth, and paper made from them, as well as salt, sake, and rice are offered to the gods at the Shinto shrines.

 

This element of purity is stressed again as undyed hemp was an important part for the household of the new bride. This undyed hemp came to symbolize the womanly virtues of faithfulness, chastity and obedience. Like the undyed cloth, an old saying goes, the woman must allow herself to be dyed any colour her husband chooses. (Hughes, 49)

 

In a shrine ritual, a Shinto priest shakes a short wand with hemp attached called a gohei over the head of patrons in a cleansing ceremony.

 

Originally the actual hemp and mulberry fibbers were attached to a stick but eventually paper made from the same and cut into distinctive zig-zag strips and attached to a sakaki branch became standard. The priests dressed in robes made of a sort of starched hemp paper so as to be pure to perform these purification rites.

 

 

Another Shinto tale tells that every October, all the deities from around Japan gather at a sacred site in rural Shimane prefecture (Sea of Japan side of Honshu, south of Tottori) at Japan's largest jinja (shrine) called Iizumo taisha. During this month, the rest of the nation is left unprotected from calamity while the Gods hold a harvest and match-making ritual celebration. (JNTO) Shimane-ken is far out of the way of any urban centre and, besides being "Home of the Gods," it was the home to bounteous hemp harvests up until about 50 years ago.

 

Although initially widely accepted, Buddhism faded and didn't really gain widespread acceptance again until an enterprising royal adjusted it significantly to make it more inviting to the masses by combining the search for enlightenment a sense with Zen asceticism (again borrowed from the Chinese).

 

At Shinto Jinja (shrine), and Buddhist Tear (temple) certain objects are symbolically made from hemp. For example, the leg-thick bell ropes must be hempen, as is the Noreen (a short curtain), which acts as a symbolic purification "veil", meant to cause evil spirits to flee from the body as the head brushes lightly under the short curtain.

 

It is in death that Shinto and Buddhism mix into a braid. The relatives continue to visit the graves leaving offerings and praying in the Buddhist way. Yet at home, a family shrine with the departed picture and memorabilia is tended in the Shinto tradition with claps, incense and worshiping the kaki within.

 

The Japanese wound paths around their country as they traveled long distances for salt, enlightenment and pilgrimages. In olden times, these wandering pilgrims and traveling believers were obliged to leave an offering of rice and hemp leaves to the path-side phallic-fertility statues of the She no Kari (protective deities) before embarking on a journey.

 

"These deities were represented by phalli, often of gigantic size, which were set up along highways and especially at cross-roads to bar the passage against malignant beings who sought to pass . . . Standing as they did on the roadside and at cross-roads, these gods became the protectors of the wayfarers; travelers prayed to them before setting out on a journey and made a little offering of hemp leaves and rice to each one they passed." (Moore)

 

In another old tradition, rooms of worship were purified by burning hemp leaves by the entrance. This would invite the spirits of the departed, purify the room and encourage people to dance.

 

An account of this event states:

 

"On the first evening fires of hemp leaves are lighted before the entrance of the house, and incense strewed on the coals, as an invitation to the spirits. At the end of the three days the food that has been set out for the spirits is wrapped up in mats and thrown into a river. Dances of a peculiar kind are a conspicuous feature of the celebration, which is evidently an old Japanese custom."

 

This seems to coincide with a Buddhist "giving respect and making amends with departed ancestors" holy day. The current tradition at this August "O bon" festival involves the similar practice of first, traveling to the family plot, and then leaving offerings of the departed favorite foods on the grave, perhaps to purify or satisfy the restless soul. At some point, the same hemp leaves were probably part of this ritual.

 

Partly as a political power move, Buddhism was assigned as the official religion of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the period (from1600 -1868). During this time, all citizens were obligated to register as members with one of the three main branches of the sect. (Religions of Japan, Monk)

 

As time went on, various sects developed, chopping up and combining doctrines as they chose. In later years, the battle for reinstallment of the Shinto tradition and Emperor figure-head sparked a manic revolution that overthrew Ieyasu Tokugawa's descendants.

 

Hemp Root

In the beginning we had come to realized while searching for a massage cream to ease our daily aches and pains, that all healing creams are not the same. A cream that gives relief, has to do more than feel good, it has to heal.
The Egyptians knew it, the Greeks knew it, and even the Tibetan healers knew it. They, like others in Ancient societies, depended on restoration. The chief element in restorative creams of early pharmacopoeia was hemp. Not the hemp current policies associate with the stereotypical ’60’s’, but Cannabis hemp ROOT, the active ingredient essential to oils prescribed in both the Aramaic and Hebrew versions of the Old Testament. Hemp ROOT, myrrh, and olive oil preparations were applied topically to alleviate swelling and joint pain, or as salves for burns.

www.hemp-eaze.com

Hemp Hearts

Hemp Seeds

Hemp Seeds are a gift of nature. They are the most nutritious seed in the world. Hemp Seeds are a complete protein. They have the most concentrated balance of proteins, essential fats, vitamins and enzymes combined with a relative absence of sugar, starches and saturated fats. Hemp Seeds are one of nature's perfect foods - a Super Food. This is one of the most potent foods available, supporting optimal health and well being, for life. Raw hemp provides a broad spectrum of health benefits, including: weight loss, increased and sustained energy, rapid recovery from disease or injury, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, reduced inflammation, improvement in circulation and immune system as well as natural blood sugar control.

Hemp belongs to the genus Cannibis sativa and has been cultivated for thousands of years as a source of fiber, edible seeds, edible oil, lubricant, and as a fuel.

Benefits of Hemp Seeds

Hemp Seeds are a perfect and natural blend of easily digested proteins, essential fats (Omega 3 & 6), Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), antioxidants, amino acids, fiber, iron, zinc, carotene, phospholipids, phytosterols, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and enzymes. All amino acids essential to optimum health are found in Hemp Seeds, including the rarely found Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). The 17+ grams of omega fats supplied by Hemp Seeds provides sufficient, continuous energy throughout your day. Many users also experience these health benefits:

• Excellent source of essential fatty acids including Omega 3, 6 and GLA in the perfect balance.
• More digestible protein than meat, whole eggs, cheese, human milk, cows milk or any other high protein food
• Rich in Vitamin E
• Increases energy levels & metabolic rate
• Lowers blood LDL cholesterol levels
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves cardiovascular circulation & function
• Improves organ function
• Improves immunity levels
• Reduces symptoms of PMS & menstrual cramps
• Reduces inflammation and the symptoms of arthritis
• Improves recovery of muscles after exercise
• Reduces & treats dry skin and hair conditions
• Reduction of many degenerative diseases through preventative measures
• Can be eaten by those unable to tolerate nuts, gluten, lactose or sugar; there are no known allergies to hemp foods.

Essential Fatty Acids in Hemp Seeds

The oil contained in the hemp seed is 75-80% polyunsaturated fatty acids (the good fats) and only 9-11% of the lesser desired saturated fatty acids. Hemp seed oil is reputed to be the most unsaturated oil derived from the plant kingdom. The essential fatty acids (EFAs) contained in hemp seed oil are deemed essential because our bodies do not naturally produce them. This means that they must be obtained from the food we eat.

Most health organizations agree that the human body needs a 3 or 4:1 balance of omega 6 over omega 3. Hemp seed is the only seed where this ideal balance occurs. It does not occur in flax, almond, walnut, soybean or olive oil. Daily use of flax seed can lead to dangerous imbalances since flax seed oil has a balance of 1:4 instead of a healthy 4:1 omega-6 over omega-3.

EFAs are involved with producing life's energy throughout the human body and without them, life is not possible. In general, North Americans have a high dietary deficiency in EFAs due to their high intake of processed foods and meats.

Extensive studies have demonstrated that many common illnesses are related to deficiencies or imbalances of specific fatty acids in the body. Symptoms are often related to a lack of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and their derivatives, the postaglandins.

It has been proven in several clinical studies that dietary supplementation with EFAs or their metabolites (such as GLA) will often prevent or even cure many forms of illness.

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Hemp Seeds are about 1/3 oil and 1/4 protein --for cellular health and energy

Hemp Seeds greatly exceed most energy bars for energy and provides this energy in a better form - not sugar and saturated fats.
Four tablespoons Hemp Seeds(42 g), enough for a meal on cereal, fruit, yogurt or salad, contains:
240 cal energy
15 g essential fats(11.4 g Omega 6 and 3.6 g Omega 3)
2.7 g mono-unsaturated fat
2.1 g saturated fat


Hemp Seeds greatly exceed most energy bars for protein and provides a complete spectrum of vital, natural proteins. 4 Tablespoons contain:
15 g protein
2.5 g fiber
4.5 g carbohydrates
no cholesterol

Contains all the required proteins in the best proportions for human nutrition:

Hemp protein is also a complete source of all 20 known amino acids including the 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) which our bodies cannot produce. Approximately 65% of the protein in hemp seed is made up of the globulin protein Edestin, and is found only in hemp seed. Edestin aids digestion, is relatively phosphorus-free and considered the backbone of the cell's DNA. The other one third of hemp seed protein is Albumin, another high quality globulin protein similar to that found in egg whites. Hemp protein is free of the tryspin inhibitors which block protein absorption and free of oligosaccharides found in soy, which cause stomach upset and gas.

Hemp Seeds are a more digestible protein than meat, whole eggs, cheese, human milk, cows milk, or any other high protein food. They have a better spectrum of available proteins than soybeans--without the soybean anti-nutritional factors.

They are an excellent protein product for everyone - mothers, babies, body builders, convalescents, the elderly, EVERYONE.

The oil component consists of preferred ratios of all essential fatty acids (EFA's):

With 78% essential fats hemp oil greatly exceeds soy oil at 40%, canola oil at 30%, olive oil at 10% and other oils. Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fats may reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, coronary heart disease and stroke. The 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 EFA's in hemp oil is thought to be the best in nature for promoting cellular health. Hemp oil contains more "Omega 3" EFA components (19%) than are found in any fish and in most fish-oil supplements.

Hemp foods reduce inflammation and benefit those with arthritis, cardiovascular disease, psoriasis--even tuberculosis. By improving circulation and reducing inflammation, hemp products may be particularly beneficial for diabetics.

As a rare source of GLA, hemp seeds may be beneficial to those too ill to synthesize this EFA from other fats.

Hemp oil contains plant sterols which may reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer.

Cellular Health:

There are many long-term health benefits that can be experienced. Hemp Seed is one of the best balanced sources of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids. Hemp Seed contains only small amounts of saturated and mono-unsaturated fats which can be easily converted to energy. Hemp Seed is also an unsurpassed source of the whole spectrum of required proteins, it promotes vigorous cellular development with diverse health benefits:

• Reduced cholesterol and blood pressure after three months -- with decreasing probability of stroke.
• Reduction in the inflammatory characteristics of many hundreds of diseases.
• More rapid recovery from disease, from radiation treatment and from injury.
• Improvement in circulation: Diabetics may notice warmer, then less discolored, feet.
• More effective immune system with reduced incidence of all types of disease.

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Recommended Intake

The recommended minimum daily intake of Shelled Hemp Seeds is a 42 grams (4 heaping tablespoons) serving. Larger individuals or those suffering with chronic health conditions such as arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardio vascular disease, acne, eczema, psoriasis, diabetes, circulation problems, intestinal problems, constipation, obesity or prostate problems (to name a few) may want to consider taking 55 grams (5 to 6 heaping tablespoons) a day.

Our Shelled Hemp Seed

We carry Raw, USDA Certified Organic Shelled Hemp Seeds by Nutiva. They are the highest quality Hemp Seeds available. Nutiva's Shelled Hemp Seeds are cold-processed (under 104°F) from raw, live hemp seeds. Nutiva utilizes a mechanical process to remove the hard shells, yielding delicious shelled hemp seeds. The shelled hemp seeds are stored in refrigerated warehouses at temperatures below 40°F. They are not heat sterilized like many other brands of Shelled Hemp Seeds. Nutiva’s purpose is to produce the highest quality organic superfoods, providing superior nutritional value to their customers. They support sustainable agricultural practices and give a fair return to the farmers on whom we depend. They donate 1 percent of their sales to groups that promote sustainable agriculture. Nutiva was one of the first food companies to place the Non-GMO (Non-Genetically Modified Organism) symbol on its labels.


Shelled Hemp Seed has a wonderful nutty flavor that can easily be incorporated into your diet while providing a powerful daily supplement. Hemp seeds contain approximately 25% protein, 31% fat (in the form of nutritious hemp oil), and 34% carbohydrates (mostly from fiber), in addition to an excellent array of vitamins and minerals.

New hemp law interests area farmers

New hemp law interests area farmers

Measure 91 would also legalize hemp in Oregon - Capital Press

Measure 91 would also legalize hemp in Oregon - Capital Press

15 Fascinating Facts about Hemp

1. All schoolbooks were made from hemp or flax paper until the 1880s. (Jack Frazier. Hemp Paper Reconsidered. 1974.)
2. It was legal to pay taxes with hemp in America from 1631 until the early 1800s. (LA Times. Aug. 12, 1981.)
3. Refusing to grow hemp in America during the 17th and 18th centuries was against the law! You could be jailed in Virginia for refusing to grow hemp from 1763 to 1769 (G. M. Herdon. Hemp in Colonial Virginia).
4. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers grew hemp. (Washington and Jefferson Diaries. Jefferson smuggled hemp seeds from China to France then to America.)
5. Benjamin Franklin owned one of the first paper mills in America, and it processed hemp. Also, the War of 1812 was fought over hemp. Napoleon wanted to cut off Moscow’s export to England. (Jack Herer. Emperor Wears No Clothes.)


6. For thousands of years, 90% of all ships’ sails and rope were made from hemp. The word ‘canvas’ comes from the Middle English word “canevas” which comes from the Latin word cannabis. (Webster’s New World Dictionary.)
7. 80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc., were made from hemp until the 1820s, with the introduction of the cotton gin.
8. The first Bibles, maps, charts, Betsy Ross’s flag, the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were made from hemp. (U.S. Government Archives.)
9. The first crop grown in many states was hemp. 1850 was a peak year for Kentucky producing 40,000 tons. Hemp was the largest cash crop until the 20th century. (State Archives.)
10. Oldest known records of hemp farming go back 5000 years in China, although hemp industrialization probably goes back to ancient Egypt.

11. Rembrandt’s, Van Gogh’s, Gainsborough’s, as well as most early canvas paintings, were principally painted on hemp linen.
12. In 1916, the U.S. Government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down. Government studies report that 1 acre of hemp equals 4.1 acres of trees. Plans were in the works to implement such programs. (U.S. Department of Agriculture Archives.)
13. Quality paints and varnishes were made from hemp seed oil until 1937. 58,000 tons of hemp seeds were used in America for paint products in 1935. (Sherman Williams Paint Co. testimony before the U.S.Congress against the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.)
14. Henry Ford’s first Model-T was built to run on hemp gasoline and the car itself was constructed from hemp! On his large estate, Ford was photographed among his hemp fields. The car, ‘grown from the soil,’ had hemp plastic panels whose impact strength was 10 times stronger than steel. (Popular Mechanics, 1941.)
15. In 1938, hemp was called ‘Billion Dollar Crop.’ It was the first time a cash crop had a business potential to exceed a billion dollars. (Popular Mechanics, Feb. 1938.)
http://listverse.com/2009/04/15/15-fascinating-facts-about-hemp/

Hemp - one of the most useful plants on Earth.

Hemp is always a fun topic to look at because it really makes you ask the obvious question: “Why are we not using this stuff for pretty much EVERYTHING that we do?” Well, the answer to that is quite simple, but not really what this article is about so we can save that for another time. What we have here is a list of  10 eye opening facts about Hemp. (There’s actually more than 10 cause some have two, but who’s counting!) Once again, HEMP does NOT get you high! Different plant.

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2012/10/16/10-eye-opening-facts-about-hemp/

1. 80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc., were made from hemp until the 1820s, with the introduction of the cotton gin. All schoolbooks were made from hemp or flax paper until the 1880s.

2. Benjamin Franklin owned one of the first paper mills in America, and it processed hemp. Also, the War of 1812 was fought over hemp. Napoleon wanted to cut off Moscow’s export to England.

3. Henry Ford’s first Model-T was built to run on hemp gasoline and the car itself was constructed from hemp! On his large estate, Ford was photographed among his hemp fields. The car, ‘grown from the soil,’ had hemp plastic panels whose impact strength was 10 times stronger than steel. (Popular Mechanics, 1941.)

4. Refusing to grow hemp in America during the 17th and 18th centuries was against the law! You could be jailed in Virginia for refusing to grow hemp from 1763 to 1769. You could even pay taxes with hemp in America from 1631 until the early 1800s!! (LA Times. Aug. 12, 1981.)

5. Quality paints and varnishes were made from hemp seed oil until 1937. 58,000 tons of hemp seeds were used in America for paint products in 1935. (Sherman Williams Paint Co. testimony before the U.S.Congress against the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.)

6. For thousands of years, 90% of all ships’ sails and rope were made from hemp. The word ‘canvas’ comes from the Middle English word “canevas” which comes from the Latin word cannabis. (Webster’s New World Dictionary.)

7. In 1938, hemp was called ‘Billion Dollar Crop.’ It was the first time a cash crop had a business potential to exceed a billion dollars. (Popular Mechanics, Feb. 1938.)

8. The first crop grown in many states was hemp. 1850 was a peak year for Kentucky producing 40,000 tons. Hemp was the largest cash crop until the 20th century.

9. In 1916, the U.S. Government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down. Government studies report that 1 acre of hemp equals 4.1 acres of trees. Plans were in the works to implement such programs. (U.S. Department of Agriculture Archives.)

10. Oldest known records of hemp farming go back 5000 years in China, although hemp industrialization probably goes back to ancient Egypt.

High-Fashion incorporating Hemp

High-fashion is embracing hemp with clothing designers such as Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein incorporating hemp textiles into their designs.

Save the Forest Plant a Hemp Farm

http://www.him-magazine.com/2013/12/01/hemp-can-save-the-world/ It takes 30 years for trees to grow to their full stature, only to be chopped down for wood and to make paper. Hemp grows quickly, so in just months an entire field is regenerated. Paper can be made from hemp that is better because hemp is naturally acid-free and doesn’t need to be bleached or chlorinated. Hemp can be recycled up to seven times, whereas regular cardboard paper products can only be recycled three times. There are also 220 million pounds of toxic pollution added to the air and water every year during the production of wood paper and pulp.....

Countries Growing Industrial Hemp Today

Learn more at: www.thehia.org
The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not recognize the value of industrial hemp and permit its production. Below is a list of other countries that are more rational when it comes to hemp policy.
AUSTRALIA began research trials in Tasmania in 1995. Victoria commercial production since1998. New South Wales has research. In 2002, Queensland began production. Western Australia licensed crops in 2004. AUSTRIA has a hemp industry including production of hemp seed oil, medicinals and Hanf magazine. CANADA started to license research crops in 1994. In addition to crops for fiber, one seed crop was licensed in 1995. Many acres were planted in 1997. Licenses for commercial agriculture saw thousands of acres planted in 1998. 30,000 acres were planted in 1999. In 2000, due to speculative investing, 12,250 acres were sown. In 2001, 92 farmers grew 3,250 acres. A number of Canadian farmers are now growing organically-certified hemp crops (6,000 acres in 2003 and 8,500 acres in 2004, yielding almost four million pounds of seed). CHILE has grown hemp in the recent past for seed oil production. CHINA is the largest exporter of hemp textiles. The fabrics are of excellent quality. Medium density fiber board is also now available. The Chinese word for hemp is "ma." DENMARK planted its first modern hemp trial crops in 1997. The country is committed to utilizing organic methods. FINLAND had a resurgence of hemp in 1995 with several small test plots. A seed variety for northern climates was developed called Finola, previously know by the breeder code "FIN-314." In 2003, Finola was accepted to the EU list of subsidized hemp cultivars. Hemp has never been prohibited in Finland. The Finnish word for hemp is "hamppu." FRANCE has never prohibited hemp and harvested 10,000 tons of fiber in 1994. France is a source of low-THC-producing hemp seed for other countries. France exports high quality hemp oil to the U.S. The French word for hemp is "chanvre." GERMANY banned hemp in 1982, but research began again in 1992, and many technologies and products are now being developed, as the ban was lifted on growing hemp in November, 1995. Food, clothes and paper are also being made from imported raw materials. Mercedes and BMW use hemp fiber for composites in door panels, dashboards, etc. The German word for hemp is "hanf." GREAT BRITAIN lifted hemp prohibition in 1993. Animal bedding, paper and textiles markets have been developed. A government grant was given to develop new markets for natural fibers. 4,000 acres were grown in 1994. Subsidies of 230 British pounds per acre are given by the government to farmers for growing hemp. HUNGARY is rebuilding their hemp industry, and is one of the biggest exporters of hemp cordage, rugs and fabric to the U.S. They also export hemp seed, paper and fiberboard. The Hungarian word for hemp is "kender." INDIA has stands of naturalized Cannabis and uses it for cordage, textiles and seed. ITALY has invested in the resurgence of hemp, especially for textile production. 1,000 acres were planted for fiber in 2002. Giorgio Armani grows its own hemp for specialized textiles. JAPAN has a rich religious tradition involving hemp, and custom requires that the Emperor and Shinto priests wear hemp garments in certain ceremonies, so there are small plots maintained for these purposes. Traditional spice mixes also include hemp seed. Japan supports a thriving retail market for a variety of hemp products. The Japanese word for hemp is "asa." NETHERLANDS is conducting a four-year study to evaluate and test hemp for paper, and is developing specialized processing equipment. Seed breeders are developing new strains of low-THC varieties. The Dutch word for hemp is "hennep." NEW ZEALAND started hemp trials in 2001. Various cultivars are being planted in the north and south islands. POLAND currently grows hemp for fabric and cordage and manufactures hemp particle board. They have demonstrated the benefits of using hemp to cleanse soils contaminated by heavy metals. The Polish word for hemp is "konopij." ROMANIA is the largest commercial producer of hemp in Europe. 1993 acreage was 40,000 acres. Some of it is exported to Hungary for processing. They also export hemp to Western Europe and the U.S. The Romanian word for hemp is "cinepa." RUSSIA maintains the largest hemp germplasm collection in the world at the N.I. Vavilov Scientific Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) in St. Petersburg. They are in need of funding to maintain and support the collection. The Russian word for hemp is "konoplya." SLOVENIA grows hemp and manufactures currency paper. SPAIN has never prohibited hemp, produces rope and textiles, and exports hemp pulp for paper. The Spanish word for hemp is "cañamo." SWITZERLAND is a producer of hemp and hosts one of the largest hemp trade events, Cannatrade. TURKEY has grown hemp for 2,800 years for rope, caulking, birdseed, paper and fuel. The Turkish word for hemp is "kendir." UKRAINE, EGYPT, KOREA, PORTUGAL and THAILAND also produce hemp.

Restore Hemp

Hemp seed is nutritious and contains more essential fatty acids than any other source, is second only to soybeans in complete protein (but is more digestible by humans), is high in B-vitamins, and is a good source of dietary fiber. Hemp seed is not psychoactive and cannot be used as a drug (learn more at TestPledge.com).

Hemp Seed Oil The New Holy Grail Acne Treatment!

Hemp Seed Oil- Acne’s New Best Friend

What makes hemp seed oil so awesome? It has a comedogenic rating of zero, meaning that it has zero chance of breaking you out or clogging your pores. It’s totally A-Okay to use on acne prone skin and will actually help your skin balance its sebum (oil) production.
Internal Use of Hemp Seed Oil for Acne
Another cool thing about hemp seed oil is that it contains about 60% linoleic acid, a special nutrient that helps regulate sebum production as well as its quality. Sebum is supposed to lubricate the skin without clogging pores, but when our diets lack enough linoleic acid it can become sticky and easily hardens in the pores. This hardened sebum then becomes a blackhead, whitehead, or acne lesion.
Consuming a high quality hemp seed oil will help increase your levels of linoleic acid which will improve the quality and amount of oil your skin produces. Pretty soon, you’ll have oil that will be less likely to clog your pores! I like to take about 1-2 TB a day; more than enough to meet your daily value for essential fatty acids. Taking it every day is safe and beneficial for healthy skin.

Which Hemp Oil is Best?
• High quality, unrefined, cold pressed hemp oil will be a gorgeous green color with a pleasantly nutty flavor. It is easy to substitute it in salad dressing recipes. I even like adding it to smoothies.
• Refined hemp seed oil will be clear and devoid of nutrients so be sure to check the label.
External Use of Hemp Seed Oil for Acne
As an added benefit, hemp seed oil also happens to be one of the best moisturizers out there because it is able to penetrate skin cells and lubricate them. Since it doesn’t clog your pores, it is safe to use daily and will keep your skin radiant and silky smooth.
 

Hempcrete & Lime

 

Hemp is heat, mold, pest, light, and rot resistant!

                                      Tennessee: Industrial Hemp Cultivation Is Now Legal!

                                  Hempcrete-made from a mixture of hemp, lime and water.

 

 

Hempcrete, alternative building material from sustainable source - cannabis sativa plant