Hemp has been around for centuries, and its use has only increased in recent years as people have become more interested in its various benefits.
We use Hemp to make a variety of products, from the nutrition collection you see on our website to CBD oil to fiber, and it's even being used as an eco-friendly building material, hempcrete.
But where does hemp come from, and how does it make its way to store shelves and ultimately your home?
We’re taking you behind the scenes from the way hemp is grown all the way to how it is converted into the products that you order from the website.
Procuring Hemp Seeds
The contemporary regulations allow farmers to grow seeds that have less than 0.3% THC content. It can be difficult to control the THC content in the plants grown in the wild, and with strictly traditional methods.
In order to not alter the THC content, it is preferred to begin each growing season with fresh certified seed. That is why we have partnered with certified seed producers from Europe for a constant supply of hemp seeds with less than 0.3% THC.
Gobind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture has also been kind enough to offer us its resources and expertise to develop and cultivate these seeds for the local conditions.
Hemp Cultivation (Farming & Harvesting)
We believe that farmers must gain the most from this changing landscape on hemp farming. The last 40-50 years have not been kind to the hemp farmers in Himalayas, particularly the small-scale farmers. They stand to gain from fair prices, and safety from black-market transactions and extortions.
Our goal is to offer farmers all the help they need to make hemp as a viable third crop in their farmland.
Our team works with farmers, educating them on seeds, and helping them learn new techniques to grow a consistent quality of the crop sustainably.
This collaboration exists beyond growing the crops too.
The processing facilities at Parvati Valley Hemp Company are available for all farmers to develop their own products.
A team of local farmers also worked with us to custom-make a dehuller where they used a dehuller not suited for processing hemp seeds.
Processing Hemp
Hemp is arguably the most versatile plant in terms of its applications. This graphic from Washington Post mentions a number of different benefits from the plant.
Hemp plants give us three main raw materials for further processing into valuable products - its seeds, stems, and flowers.
We use the seeds to make a collection of nutritious and wellness products. We are using the flowers to create a line of CBD products. And we're using the stem to make sustainable textiles.
This section talks about the harvesting cycle and post-harvest processes to collect, store and transport hemp for Parvati Valley Hemp Co
Products derived from the Hemp Seed
Hemp seeds are part of a growing family of superfoods because they provide many nutritional benefits. They are a good source of digestible protein and fiber, while at the same time they are low in fat and carbohydrates.
Hemp seeds in their whole form can be simply toasted to make a snack. Otherwise, you can remove the shell to enjoy hemp hearts. People in Himalayas routinely combine hemp seeds to make a spiced version of the Himalayan rock salt. Hemp seeds are also cold-pressed on a 'Chekku' to get oil, and subsequently milled to make protein powder.
Products derived from Stem
Hemp's stem is the main source of the fiber which is extracted by a process called decortication and degumming.
After removing the outer layer of the stem we are left with the inner woody core, called “Hurds”. These are used to make paper and construction material that then find a place in your home.
Products derived from Flowers
Dried hemp leaves are used in essential oils. The CBD extract from the plant is mixed with herbs to make the respective essence.
Testing the Products
We currently have a collection of products in the Nutrition Collection.
These are food-grade products, made in a factory that follows Good Manufacturing Practices.
We test the products in our R&D labs to study and improve product compositions, flavor and essence. We also get our products independently tested by certified NABL Laboratories.
We believe in following the best practices across everything we do. We have built instrumental partnerships with IIT Delhi, IIT Mandi, IIT Kanpur and GB Pant Agricultural University.
Packing & Delivering Products
Finally, the products are ready to be packed and shipped to you. We are currently shipping all products from our production center in Uttarakhand with third party logistics companies who can deliver these products anywhere around the country.
With that, we complete hemp's journey from a mere seed to different parts of your home.
Now that you know where your product comes from, and how it's grown, you can shop our products with confidence, knowing that they are of the highest quality.
Thank you for following along on this journey.