[greenworm]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') think it would be a really good commodity for the USA to have?

[dutchcyclist]

Because hemp produces both fibre and seeds that you can eat and use for biofuel it is a very interesting crop. It is a shame that it is not grown in the USA. But it is not the single solution to Peak Oil, altough it might be part of the solution. The strange thing with the ban on hemp in the USA is this:
- The governement forbids hemp because they fear the THC-rich variety will be grown.
- Potheads advocate growing commercial hemp (the fibre/seed variety) because they think it will be good for their goal.

But the truth is this:

- The male pollen released by commercial hemp will screw up the product of THC-rich hemp (the drug variety) in a 10 mile radius.
So growing commercial hemp will actually prevent the growing of the drug-variety.
That makes the potheads advocating commercial hemp looking pretty stupid doesn't it?

[Doly]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dutchcyclist', '
')- The male pollen released by commercial hemp will screw up the product of THC-rich hemp (the drug variety) in a 10 mile radius.
So growing commercial hemp will actually prevent the growing of the drug-variety.

[dutchcyclist]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', '
')Not 100% accurate. What will happen is that the product will be less rich in THC. So it doesn't guarantee that drug growing would disappear.

[Pops]

I guess my point is to look at this from an economic perspective vis a vie the current investment and infrastructure.

Georgia Pacific alone owns almost 5 million acres of timberland, not to mention I’d guess, billions of dollars worth of timber related equipment and facilities

Here is the fiber part of wikipedia article on hemp (my emphasis):
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he use of hemp for fibre production has declined sharply over the last two centuries,...

... as other coarse-fibre plants were more widely grown, hemp fibre was replaced in most roles. Manila yielded better rope. Burlap, made from jute, took over the sacking market. The paper industry began using wood pulp. The carpet industry switched over to wool, sisal, and jute, then nylon. Netting and webbing applications were taken over by cotton and synthetics.

Hemp rope is notorious for breaking due to rot....
Hemp rope was phased out when Manila, which does not require tarring, became available.

[PrairieMule]

Hawiian hemp.

Hmmm. Maybe we could just light up and "float" to work?

Seriously, even in a energy crunch it will never get legalized. The Glaxo-Smith Klein lobby will never allow anything to infringe on future dicoveries that Paxil CR can be used to make Paper or durable synthetic rappelling ropes..

On the flip side, in a energy crisis it will be nearly impossible to enforce.

Have groovy day.

[greenworm]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'c')onverting millions of acres to hemp monoculture doesn't seem any more sustainable than the current millions in corn.

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('greenworm', 'A')ctually, it doesn't sound debatable at all.

[greenworm]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'H')emp tends to exhaust the soil of nutrients.

[nwildmand]

disclaimer= im no expert

it depends on what your farming it for, if you use it as a seed crop it will deplete the soil as fast as anything else. if your using it for a fiber crop, and properly dry ret it most of the nutrient are returned back to the ground as the fiber is made up of mostly carbon hydrogen and oxygen. all the nitrogen phosphorus and potasuim rots off the stalk.

i tried to find a good link to back up my claim but it seems to be to buried in all the other pot literature. sorry

one good thing about peak oil, no more pot helicopters flying around with fuel at 10$ gallon. the economics of dope will be interesting. it will surley give the local farmer an edge when it just costs to much to move it. on the other hand with the country folk likley to be taking more care of themselves without the LEOs having an abundant fuel supply to harrass the potheads.

tell me what an energy sink the war on pot has been.[spoil]

[greenworm]

Actually, if you are harvesting only seeds using a threshing method while returning the rest of it to the soil, this would be really good for the soil. Another PO mentioned that the stalk would need to be broken down as microbes cannot adequately break down the stalk due to it being too woody.

[nwildmand]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('greenworm', 'A')ctually, if you are harvesting only seeds using a threshing method while returning the rest of it to the soil, this would be really good for the soil. Another PO mentioned that the stalk would need to be broken down as microbes cannot adequately break down the stalk due to it being too woody.

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('greenworm', 'A')ll plants do this essentially except for legumes which return nitrogen to the soil.

[nwildmand]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', ' ')
Well maybe easily enough said - I was looking for those stats but didn’t google anything right off the bat. Do you have a non-hemp promoting link? I’d be interested to read something at least somewhat impartial.

[Pops]

Thanks for the links, I will check them out!

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nwildmand', '
')of course its not a silver bullet but in our current energy crisis we should look at everything.

[greenworm]

I don't have a link, but I do remember that this was studied in Canada and that is where I retrieved the info. I also remember that the seeds are comprised of 38% oil. I am with you on the soy, in fact if the two crops were combined in an interplanting style and both could be harvested without detriment to other then we are kickin some serious ass! That is provided hemp provides a high eroei, which nobody seems to know, how frustrating. I have seen soy quoted as 3.2, that seems kind of high to me, I've grown it before and although she is an oily sucker, there just isn't enough of her. Can anyone confirm this?

[greenworm]

200 gallons per acre for soy. 1000 gallons per acre for hemp.

soy link

But once again, the hemp numbers are based on hearsay and no actual data from a study. The 1000 gallons is however quoted a lot, but I'd rather see some actual studies before believing it.

[JEMASCOLA]

I like the idea of hemp. Not only does it provide energy, but also oil, clothes, food, plastics, etc. It's wonderful! But those government jackasses won't let us grow it legally . Another possible plant with a fairly high yield is switchgrass. And Brazil grows sugarcane, which also has a relatively decent yield. Unfortunately, sugarcane can't grow here.

[katkinkate]

I'd like to get hold of a few industrial hemp seeds for later. When TSHTF and I've got my bit of land out in the bush, there won't be the resources to maintain a watch on ilicit agricultural activity and I will be able to build up a stock of industrial hemp for trade.

[The_Toecutter]

Speaking of CraigX, check this link out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKZT9js4FfY

Small world.