Publisher's Weekly Review
Fine (Hemp Bound) shares his own experiences with hemp farming, which is "about to become the fastest agricultural industry ever to reach a billion dollars in annual sales," in this educational outing. From a practical farming perspective, it's a boon, as "for the first time in generations... a family can make a living while hand-harvesting on small acreage." Fine covers the crucial points of hemp farming, from "soil building" to the type of seed to buy (open-source). Readers will learn what to expect to pay for seed, about weeding (it's relaxing), and how to overcome "mid-season panic attacks" about the harvest. Fine explores hand harvesting ("can people do as good a job as John Deere"?) and describes processing hemp in a commercial kitchen and the various extraction methods involved. More generally, he discusses the value of work co-ops, having "a compelling backstory" for one's product ("I cultivate hemp because..."), and studying the exemplary example of small-business management provided by craft breweries. For anyone interested in hemp cultivation or simply learning more about the newest "gold rush" crop, this is well worth picking up. (May)
Booklist Review
This book's subtitle, especially, might lead readers to think they're embarking on a rollicking odyssey into a subterranean, drug-fueled, law-bending world of cannabis growing, but this book is really a conversational guide for the horticulture geek interested in cultivating hemp, which was legalized nationwide with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. Turns out the ban on hemp growing in 1937 by the federal government was a mere blip in humanity's 10,000-year-long cultivation of the non-psychoactive herb, which can feed, clothe, and house us, and possibly return our planet's failing topsoil to robust health. Making the case that grower-entrepreneurs consider managing their crop all the way to store shelves--more profit in that--Fine starts with the critical development of soil, then moves on to the selection and planting of seed, the transplanting of starts, weeding, watering, harvesting, extracting (for cannabidiol, or CBD), and preparing the hemp product for retail sale. His text is discursive but also helpfully specific and will soothe and encourage any would-be grower.
Choice Review
In his latest book, former journalist and "independent farmer--entrepreneur" Fine provides a comprehensive review of growing hemp, promoting its potential for enhancing carbon storage in soils while providing yields for humans as a response to the uncertainties of a changing climate. Fine's experience spans the US--he has participated in a variety of hemp-growing operations and enterprises from Vermont to Hawaii. He advocates for building thriving local economies and embracing the values of local agriculture and craft products, making this an inspiring text for entry-level growers as well as those with more experience and interests in diversification. Outlining the various value-added products a hemp farm can produce, Fine provides advice for branding and developing a thriving business while keeping an eye on the potential for growth and adaptation to climate change. With generous helpings of humor, he gracefully shares challenges and mistakes from years of experience gained in widely different contexts. Notably, Fine's insights and advice (covering everything from watering to organic certification) are relevant beyond the focus of growing hemp. His accessible text invites readers to envision a regenerative future of plausible sustainability, with hemp as a primary staple crop having many different uses, including community building and stabilizing soils. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Marisha Auerbach, Oregon State University
Library Journal Review
The expansion of the hemp economy is a gold rush scenario, but journalist and hemp farmer Fine is passionate about a possible future in which farmers are the ones who benefit, and most important, in his view, this helps alleviate climate change. Part agronomy manual, part gonzo farm journalism, this book gives a strong grounding in the historical, legal, and economic realities of hemp and its applications. It is not a straightforward introduction, but rather it includes a number of lengthy sidebars and a large cast of recurring characters, such as the author's herd of goats. Fine's aim is to convince farmers and legislators not to repeat the mistakes of the past by allowing farmers to control more of the process from seed breeding, distribution, and processing, and much of his rhetorical approach is to tell readers about his own forays into those areas, with often comic results. Ultimately, the arguments are compelling and sometimes inspiring and the advice is practical. VERDICT An essential book for the aspiring hemp farmer, there is much to consider here for anyone interested in organic farming, drug policy, and community organizing.--Margaret Heller, Loyola Univ. Chicago Libs.
