Hello fellow gardeners and soon-to-be gardeners!
This is an amazing time to grow plants. When I lived in San Francisco, I helped create two public parks and was elected by my neighbors to run a local Community Garden. Back then, I worked hard to create beautiful spaces and make sure they were accessible to the community. For this labor of love, I was recognized by the State of California for my community service, which still blows my mind. Since then, I’ve moved to the Applegate Valley in Oregon, where I run a commercial hemp farm, Infinite Tree.
To be honest, I didn’t think I’d get to work with the gardening community again; I thought it was commercial farming from here on out, and that left a big hole in my heart. In Spring 2020, something amazing happened. Gardeners from all over the U.S. were getting in touch with me, asking if they could grow hemp at home! I realized that the laws in the U.S. were changing, quickly (!) and that there were many states that I could legally share our beautiful hemp plants, with gardeners, not just farmers.
Now that it is legal to grow in so many states, we are working hard to provide more awareness and access to gardeners and community groups. James Beard award-winning authors like Johanna Silver are even writing about growing hemp at home and people of all ages, backgrounds, and for so many reasons, are excited to grow hemp at home. I am passionate about creating gardens that are beautiful and functional, and I know hemp has a place in your garden whether it is part of a small patio or a backyard. It is versatile and resilient, just like gardeners!
Wishing you a wonderful garden in all seasons,
Emily Gogol, PhD.