Farms of Lancashire Hemp

With the help of his wife, brother, and sister-in-law, Caleb Kaufmann, owner of Lancashire Hemp (Opens in a new window) and Kaufmann's Ice Cream, entered the ice cream industry for the first time about six years ago when they converted an old bread truck into Penny's Ice Cream Truck. The company prospered, expanding to two Lancaster, Pennsylvania, sites (a scoop shop in the city center and a scoop kiosk at Park City Mall). The team even franchised an ice cream cart that can be reserved for parties. In order to produce their own ice cream, they ultimately decided to purchase a creamery.

COVID, though, made a dent in all of that. Fortunately, Caleb was seeking to start his move away from Penny's day-to-day management and operations so that he could continue to create things. He had already begun experimenting with the hemp industry, and Lancashire Hemp is now equipped with a growing coop and is set to prosper in 2021.

I had the good fortune of speaking with Caleb about his life's journey, his switch to hemp cultivation, and his outlook on the cannabis industry's future.

Can you tell me how you became interested in hemp?

I was given a PTSD diagnosis for childhood sexual trauma in my forties. When I was in my late 20s, the memory of that trauma truly struck me suddenly. After that, I received a PTSD diagnosis, and my wife and I had just founded Penny's and welcomed our first kid. I began counseling sessions and learned about CBD. My experiences had a real impact on my life.

How did you get to the start of Lancashire from there?

I was working in the horticultural industry in Lancaster County where I reside, and I had been doing so for almost ten years. I was aware that growing hemp and using CBD were fields I wanted to enter. I was prepared to launch a hemp business when the farm bill was passed in late 2018 because of my love of the plant and entrepreneurial energy.

Things happened really rapidly. We set up a greenhouse and obtained all of our permissions by March 2019. For a while, it was more of a hobby or side job. The first year involved a lot of startup effort. We planted the first crop early and harvested it in the late summer while I was busy developing the brand, designing the packaging and labeling, and launching the e-commerce site.

Around August of this year, I was also operating a commercial dehydrator for Keystone Agroscience, a nearby drying company. I served as Keystone's temporary COO until the end of the year. They were still actively involved in the entire process at that time, including planting, harvesting, drying, and selling. But as time went on, it became clear that Keystone should concentrate on their area of expertise, the drying process.

Everyone benefited from this since Lancashire was actually turning into a cooperative. When 2019 came to an end, we had big plans for the upcoming year.

Can you first explain your co-op approach to me before I ask about the pandemic?

There are roughly 15 farmers here, yes. We each practice micro farming, which is when you work a crop that occupies about 5 acres. Initially, one of the big worries was that nobody really had the checkbook, so to speak, and we wanted to maintain fairness for all parties. So let me be clear: I work for free, as do the rest of us.

However, it's still developing. You pay x dollars per acre according to the system. I take care of the paperwork and permits. I work in agriculture; our Amish farmers plant, care for, and harvest the crop; Keystone dries it; there is an extraction process; and we (Lancashire) assist with packaging, selling, and distribution. It takes around 2.5 months to complete the harvesting, drying, and production processes.

It's a cutthroat business. Because there are so many oils, salves, and other products flooding the market at the moment, we decided to concentrate on the smokeable industry. Smokeables increase our recurring sales and speed up the sales process. The going pricing is about $350 per pound of produce, and each co-op member receives a share of every sale.

What transpired then with the hemp industry when the pandemic struck?

As a result of the closure of several outlets, 2020 has been difficult. Because the industry, investments, and extraction labs all slowed down, things got harder, which hurt farmers. There was a little uptick in the retail sector. However, as farmers, we are aware that this is a longer-term investment.

However, we started concentrating on wholesale accounts this year. To wholesalers who supply the retailers, we sell bulk pounds. Additionally, we can pre-package the smokeables and sell directly to retailers. And we're relocating into our own facility the following month. The greater your capacity and range of possibilities, the greater your likelihood of success.

What do you hope to achieve in the near future?

I want to move into the new facility, sell the crop from this year, and develop our sales channels. Now that we're recognized as good growers, we're having wonderful talks. With THC, you can observe what's happening. Cannabis was made legal in New Jersey. We might enter the THC industry if PA does the same.

If you want to find our location just click on Hemp Farms Near Me (Opens in a new window).

That's a wonderful transition. For those who don't know, what distinguishes cannabis from hemp and marijuana?

A certain genus of flowering plant called cannabis exists. Cannabis strains with a THC level of 0.3% or less are referred to as hemp, whereas marijuana includes more than 0.3%. Actually, hemp and marijuana are only general words that have gained popularity.

Cannabidiol is known as CBD. It's one of more than 100 substances that can be detected in cannabis sativa plants. Hemp has a very high CBD content and very, very little, trace quantities of THC. That is why hemp is used to extract CBD.

Has public education been a problem?

up to a point. The fact that the hemp business is not treated equally to other industries, however, is one of the biggest issues with it. Because it's new, there isn't yet any basis for trust. To create a level playing field, that foundation is still being built, and that is what I hope to contribute to.