PARSONSFIELD, Maine — The signing of the farm bill in 2018 allowed hemp to be grown in Maine. Now, farmers are seizing the opportunity. Farmers like Nyeela Hueholt.
"The most beneficial part of all is hearing how much it's helped people."
Hueholt is talking about cannabidiol (CBD) and says it has helped her, too. Specifically, with symptoms from psoriasis and Lyme disease.
"[I] realized the best way to get access to that medicine was to grow it yourself."
So she and her partner did. They moved to Maine from out of state, bought an acre of land in Parsonsfield, and started growing hemp. Hueholt was equipped with vital agricultural knowledge as an 8th generation farmer.
"Last year was our first year growing hemp through the state of Maine it was a very successful crop," she said.
From there, their business bloomed and Rooted Heart Remedies was born. They make and sell CBD products like oils and creams from their farm.
Hueholt is one of nearly 170 hemp farmers licensed in the state, according to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Grow sites span the entire state.
With the popularity of CBD products, farmers see this as a way to make modern-day farming sustainable.
But for Hueholt it was about more than embarking on a business opportunity. She was drawn to Maine, a state with strong agricultural ties. But also, for her, it was about creating a product she believes in.
"I've always been into herbal medicine, but nothing has within a week shown me, 'wow I'm feeling better.' It creates this feeling inside that there is hope for healing."