Only a year ago, the notion that Lancaster County farms would grow hemp may have been met with a raised eyebrow, skepticism, or even ridicule.
Flash-forward to fall 2019 and many doubters are now eating their words.
Just ask Del Riley, who is in charge of 10 acres of hemp north of Lititz near Brickerville.
“Lititz really chose us,” Riley said. “We found farms who were willing to take the risk in the venture in 2018. We were one of the first to seed the plant in the past 80 years. Lancaster County used to be a mecca. The soil conditions were ideal.”
Another early adapter is Lititz resident Jonathan Steffy, who also saw the opportunity hemp could afford.
Last year, Steffy, 35, launched Speedwell Forge Organics LLC, a company that grows hemp for its smokable flower, a product similar to which can be found at Jay Solanki’s Friendly Mini Mart & Dollar Store in Ephrata.
“It started out like a fidgit spinner, with only one store having it,” Solanki said.
Read more at lititzrecord.com