[The_Toecutter]

I'm talking about the hemp stalks and their bark. They can replace timber for things like paper and furniture.

This link covers many uses for hemp:

http://www.recipenet.org/health/articles/101_uses_hemp.htm

If hemp growing could be done in america, we could drastically curtail oil and timber use. Canada and some European nations are just beginning to make use of this plant again. America keeps lagging behind, refusing to allow this plant to be grown.

[Aedo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', '.').. clothes made from hemp were basically "made for a lifetime" or would last upto 10x a normal similar article of clothing.

[katkinkate]

Sounds like you were diddled. Or the shirt was only part hemp.

[skyemoor]

Could someone state what the current law concerning hemp is in the US? What about other countries?

Anyone raising flax at the current time? If so, are you using both the seed and the fiber?

[Caoimhan]

The wikipedia article is pretty good.

Wikipedia on Hemp

Here's a good summary of the benefits of hemp cultivation:

Hemp Cultivation

This last link has a good warning, however, about over-production of hemp in monoculture.

[The_Virginian]

The Environmental benifits of Industrial Hemp

The one thing that stood oout for me is a 20% increase in Wheat production when used in rotation...

[TWilliam]

The best biomass crop bar none. Not to mention able to replace petroleum, agricultural and forestry feedstocks for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of products, often at a substantial reduction in both cost and environmental impact. Personally, I think it's one of the few single things that has the potential to significantly mitigate both energy and environmental issues (yes, I know biofuels is - at least presently - a red herring, as far as long-term anyway).

But oh right, I forgot; we cain't use it because it's also the source of that "dangerous schedule 1 narcotic", Mary G. Wanna. (Neither of which is true, incidentally; it is neither a narcotic, nor is it particularly dangerous. It is in fact probably the most innocuous of all known intoxicants on the planet. It also has the "unfortunate" side effect of encouraging a more introspective mindset, which of course is dangerous to TPTB, since people who know themselves tend to make poor consumers in the commercial sense.)

Stupid f ing humans...

[Bolinbrooke]

Facts About Hemp

*Until 1883, more than three quarters of the world's paper was made from Hemp fibre;
*In Elizabethan times, farmers were fined for not growing Hemp;
*A Hemp crop produces nearly four times as much raw fibre as an equivalent-sized tree plantation;
*Trees take approximately 20 years to mature. Hemp takes 4 months;
*Hemp fibre needs no pesticides;
*Hemp needs no herbicides because it grows too quickly for any weed to compete;
*Hemp paper does not need chlorine bleach, which pollutes rivers near wood-pulp paper mills;
*Hemp paper is stronger, finer and longer-lasting than wood-based papers;
*Hemp paper is used for bank notes and archival papers;
*The earliest-known woven fabric was apparently of Hemp, which began to be worked approximately 8,000-7,000 BC
*For more than a thousand years before the time of Christ until 1883 AD, Cannabis/Hemp was our planet's largest agricultural crop and most important industry for thousands of products and enterprises, producing the overall majority of the earth's fibre, fabric, lighting oil, paper, incense and medicines, as well as being a primary source of protein for humans and animals alike;
*The war between America and Great Britain in 1812 was mainly about access to Russian Hemp;
*Napoleon's principle reason for tragically invading Russia in 1812 was also due to Russian Hemp supplies!
*The word 'linen', until the early 1800s meant any fine fabrics made from Hemp or flax;
*Cannabis oil was mentioned by name in the Bible. Apparently, etymologists at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, confirmed that 'kineboisin' (also spelled 'kannabosm") referred to cannabis used in a holy ointment. N.B. King James mistranslated the word as 'calamus' in his version;
*Hempseed oil is said to burn the brightest of all lamp oils, and has been used since the days of Abraham. Scythians used to purify and cleanse themselves with Hemp oil, which made their skin "shining and clean";
*Our forests, what is left of them, are being cut down 3 times as fast as they can grow.;
*Japan is targeting that 10% of paper must be from non-wood fibres by 2005;
*Further, hemp fibre has been found to be a lighter, stronger alternative to fibreglass;
*Hemp offers a valuable and sustainable fuel of the future, "growing oil wells". Hemp has an output equivalent to around 1000 gallons of methanol per acre year (10 tons Biomass/acre, each yielding 100 gal. methanol/ton). Methanol used today is mainly made from natural gas, a fossil fuel. Methanol is currently being studied as a primary fuel for automobiles.
*Henry Ford dreamed that someday automobiles would be grown from the soil. The Ford motor company, after years of research produced an automobile with a plastic body. Its tough body used a mixture of 70% cellulose fibres from Hemp. The plastic withstood blows 10 times as great as steel could without denting! Its weight was also 2/3 that of a regular car, producing better economy. Henry Ford was forced to use petroleum due to Hemp prohibition. His plans to fuel his fleet of automotive vehicles with plant-power also failed due to Alcohol prohibition;
*Hemp grain does not contain the anti-nutrient trypsin inhibitors as found in soy milk.;
*Hanf in German, Canamo in Spanish, Chanvre in French, Konoplya in Russian, Kender in Hungarian, Tal Ma in Chinese, Hemp is fully international!

[NEOPO]

Look - they wont listen.
We have tried to get them to listen for 30 years or so on this one

Fingers in ears ....la la la la la la

Fuel, food and fiber!!!
Clever how I switched the food with fuel :-]

Did you mention #2 in protein right below soy?

I blame Dupont and nylon

Greedy Bastards!!!

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', 'D')id you mention #2 in protein right below soy?

[Caoimhan]

The reason it's illegal has nothing to do with the war on drugs.

It's illegal because it is so superior to other products, it has too many enemies in industry...

1) Timber/Paper industry (cellulose pulp)... look how hated Kerr is in Oregon.
2) Cotton growers (fiber)
3) Soy growers (protein/oil)
4) Petroleum industry (plastics)
5) Petroleum industry (biofuels)

The DEA chants the mantra of "we can't tell the difference between industrial hemp and canabis being raised for the canabinoids, and so it makes it hard to do anti-marijuana drug enforcement"

I call "bullsh*t". If a grower has a permit to grow, they also agree to regular testing of their crops by law enforcement. Plus, they're growing out in the open, not under grow-lamps in their basement.

[The_Virginian]

I am pro-Industrial Hemp.

However, Hemp does not seem to be as good a source of Fuel as say Suger Cane....(Suger cane does not thirve in most of the USA, while Hemp does). Hemp rasised on an INDUSTRIAL scale requires either rotation with Legumes, and other crops, or NITROGEN.

This has been covered time and time again here at PO.com (do a search) how HEMP can not replace Petroleum.

What HEMP CAN DO is make basic nesscities more available (fibers, Oils, Chicken feed, etc. etc.) when Petroleum is scarce.

SOY is a big lie.

Sorry folks, unless you ferment it, soy protien is not highly digestible, while HEMP is simply more digestible without fermentation or as many Intolerance/allergen concerns:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')soy does have more overall protein, but hemp has the most digestible protein....Soy contains some EFAs nothing to compare to the incredible EFA content of hemp seeds. A major problem with soy are oligosaccharides. What are those you ask? They are a short chain sugar molecule found in soy, and mixed with the proteins in soy, they give you gas, sometimes extreme gas. Hemp boosts immune response, soy makes you fart.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') call "bullsh*t". If a grower has a permit to grow, they also agree to regular testing of their crops by law enforcement. Plus, they're growing out in the open, not under grow-lamps in their basement.

[Caoimhan]

To me, the virtual elimination of lumber for paper drastic reductions in cotton for textiles makes hemp completely worth it. Eliminate a whole helluva lotta dioxin dumping from the paper industry, and the use of pesticides/herbicides from the cotton industry...

Here's an interesting side-note about hemp: A great Buddha supposedly "fasted" for 4 years, eating only a single hemp seed per day to live. Whether it's true or not, it is a great testament to the value of hemp seeds as a food.

[TWilliam]

Oh yea, something else I find intriguing about hemp. If memory serves, it is the , or at least one of the, most genetically advanced plants known. Humans have had an exceedingly intimate relationship with it for at least as long as record exists, and likely quite longer.

How incredibly synchronistic, don't you think?

[What2DO]

Hello All,

Im sure this post will be hit by alot of doomers but I need to say it.

Im 1943 the farmers in america produce 375,000 arces of hemp for the war efforts.
We need to act now with our america voice and protest not only the continue use of crude oil but also to have the law changed so that farmers can start growing hemp crops again.
I think it was 1939 when the big oil companies had the goverment outlaw hemp because they saw that the mass production of hemp would make their huge money making machine disappear.
Im affaid that the only ones now that can make this industry possible is the sameone that had it outlawed, but i dont think the oil man are quite ready to stop the huge earnings they are getting from the oil.
I think the oil mens next big move will be to start mining sand oil and shale. There is more then enough of it to keep us going on oil for a 100 or more years.
They will probably use this reasoning to make it possible to mine in the west.
We can stop importing oil from the middle east as we start to mine and produce sand oil and shale in the west. In the past this huge reservoir of oil had'nt been tough for the most part because it was to expensive to produce.
But now that there is a demand for so much oil per day nearly 100mbd that it makes the huge initial investment worth taking because of the long term gains to be had for a long time.
An then when all the environmentalist start to scream about how its going to cause such a huge envirmental problem all the big all compines have to do is, tell american how they saved their way of life and the american dream by being able to product this oil now.
This just my simple opinon on things Im sure Im wrong but I have to think I have some say in what is going on around me.
Please feel free to correct me and point out my flawed thinking.

[gego]

What to do? Just stay stoned. It seems to be working well for you. Such a clear expression of thoughts that I have not seen since the 1960's.

[What2DO]

Thanks you for your intelligent reply, it was just what I was looking for, btw do you want to get stoned ? lmfaorotfwtime

Perhaps it was'nt simple enough for you to understand ?

try again ok

[Lighthouse]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('What2DO', '.').. btw do you want to get stoned ? ...

try again ok

[coyote]

Your post did seem a little confused, you might want to read aloud before posting. Works. However, I agree we should be growing more hemp (no, I don't smoke). It's incredibly useful and eco-friendly, providing a vastly preferable alternative in creating things like textiles, cordage and paper. But to replace oil? Dunno, never heard of that one. I assume you're talking about producing biofuel from it?