Sep 10, 2019
Brooke Sheffield started his first hemp brand, Smoky Mountain
Medicinals, in 2018 and he now co-owns and operates Phytofox, a
vertically-integrated hemp company that farms, extracts, and
formulates USDA certified organic hemp products.
In this episode, we talk about how he got started in the hemp
business, his love of plants and growing things, the mistakes he’s
made, the challenges he’s faced as the hemp industry has exploded,
a run-down of yield and prices, and marketing in this unique
industry.
You'll also hear:
>> How he went from growing vegetables to
aquaponics/hydroponics to growing hemp
>> How he graduated from doing everything himself to spending
his days managing other people
>> The 2 main avenues for selling hemp
>> Why integrating hemp into a market garden can benefit your
brand and stimulate interest in your farm
>> Production differences between outdoor and covered
production, plasticulture and using seed vs. clones
>> How he vertically integrated his business
and much more...
Quotes from the episode:
“I love anything that’s simple and doesn’t have a large failure
rate”
“Without a team, you can’t get big enough to scale up”
“Farming isn’t typically the hardest part of it. It’s selling it
and understanding the market. To do that in a cash crop that’s just
become legal, that’s where the challenge is.”
“I don’t think hemp is going to save any farm. I think it’s going
to add to the value but if you’re already properly farming,
marketing and operating, I don’t think this is a crop that just
fixes problems, it actually creates a whole bunch of problems. It’s
capital intensive, it’s labor-intensive and technically
intensive."
“If you’re not emotionally invested in your people, they won’t be
invested in you”
About the Guest:
A native North Carolinian, Brook Sheffield has been farming,
consulting, and operating AG based businesses in the Southeast for
over 10 years. His retail chain Lotus Farm and Garden Supply has
locations in NC, SC, and TN.
In addition to supplying and consulting for farms, he has been
successfully running seed to sale operations of his own. He started
his first hemp brand Smoky Mountain Medicinals in 2018 and he now
co-owns and operates Phytofox, a vertically integrated hemp company
that farms, extracts, and formulates USDA certified organic hemp
products.
Brook’s immersed experience in the industry brings an energized and
fresh perspective full of information that is sure to add value to
anyone interested in the farming and business of cannabis.