Full Contact Cannabis

07/06/2025

Writing about Cannabis: “A HDC Mess in Texas”
Dateline: 7-6-25
It continues to be uncomfortably hot here in Middle Tennessee and will continue to be that way for the next few days. Although the w**ds keep marching on like an army of the damned, Nature has been benevolent enough to produce ample amounts of roots and vegetables. When dealing with Nature realize it’s just that, it’s a deal. When you farm there are decisions to be made, prices to be paid and a lot of the times you don’t get to choose. Agriculture is the only profession I know of that you can be a very competent professional, pick the right crops to grow and do all of the right things and within a 48 hour period of horrendous weather, your crop can be ruined. Which segues The Old H**p Farmer into the world of H**p Derived Cannabinoids and how crunchy it is right now and trust me it’s crunchy, not smooth. So as I spit out some random thoughts and observations, I sip on some organic coffee, nosh on a little Tennessee homegrown Chocolate loaded up with Cannabis Extract, and hope that the flow makes sense. Originally this column was going to be about the Cannabis scene in Massachusetts and how it has become one of the more mature Recreational Markets in the U.S. but something else is going on way more interesting - The H**p Derived Cannabinoid Battle Royale that is about to start in Texas. Don’t know if you folks were paying attention but a Texas Bill (Muscled by the LT. Governor) was getting as close to having a H**p Derived Cannabinoid Industry “Armageddon” as possible, no THC nowhere and no how. Which would have wrecked a 10 Billion USD market but literally at almost the last moment the Governor vetoed the bill, but it’s not a pardon its a stay of ex*****on, the “HDC prisoner” is still on Death Row. The governor has thrown the topic of H**p Derived Cannabinoids back to the Texas State Legislators to find a sage way to “hate the sin but continue to love the revenue”. So starting this month, the Texas H**p Derived Cannabinoid Industry will be discussed in Austin at the Statehouse with all of the gravitas that a multi Billion USD business brings. It will also probably bring out more H**p Derived Cannabinoid lobbyists, lawyers and activists that the World has ever seen. Right now, The Old H**p Farmer is guessing it’s probably pretty easy for a Texas State Legislator to get a free meal and some healthy campaign donations. There is enough HDC commerce, investments in infrastructure and equipment to make this a very high charged situation. Emotions run rather hot when you threaten people’s lively hood and Texas Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) did just that, it was scorched earth. So will Texas State Legislators and the HDC Industry find a way to “not to throw the baby out with the bath water” and what would that look like?
Yours truly is guessing no matter how much horse trading and arm twisting there is, smokeable H**p is toast, no matter if its high THCa or high CBDa flower. For some reason old Republican politicians hate it when people spark up some Cannabis flower but they might on the other hand tolerate folks buying 6 packs of drinks or gummies with enough D9 THC that can keep them strapped to couch for an entire afternoon. Would that compromise between the hard line Republicans and the HDC industry be enough to save a chunk of the HDC companies? The big question is, are there enough reasonable people in the process to make an equitable outcome? Probably not. I have no idea how this saga will turn out but there is one thing I do know, with this much political ego and money on the line, it would make great Reality TV. Anyway as always, H**p Dawgs and H**p Puppies keep one eye on the weather and the other eye on the market.
Visit Tennessee homegrown web site to try our great products: https://www.tnhomegrown.com
The Old H**p Farmer's Wife web site: https://www.theoldhempfarmerswife.com
Our Podcast - Full Contact Cannabis: https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

07/04/2025

Happy Independence Day!
Before y'all go and lose some fingers in a firework accident, use them thumbs on the link below to get 50% off products at TNhomegrown.com
Use code TN50 all weekend long!

06/27/2025

Writing about Cannabis: “Lessons to be learned from Recreational W**d in Rhode Island…”
Dateline: 6-27-25
It is Damn hot here in Middle Tennessee not warm but freaking hot, especially if you don’t use A/C. Right now any fauna or flora that exists totally outdoors is hurting. All of the Spinach is toast and those plants like the Lacinato Kale and Dark Red Beets that can survive this heat wave, ain’t happy and I’m not overjoyed either. Yours truly can only last about 1 1/2 hours w**ding and harvesting in the midday Sun and because the w**ds are way tougher than I, they have benignly taken over the garden. In the next couple days it should be cooler so I should be able to get in some serious w**d “Wacking” or at least slow the w**d’s advance. On a positive note, the potatoes and tomatoes are seemingly growing aggressively enough to not be choked out by the w**ds as much. Since the Heat will keep me out of the fields today, there’s enough down time to drink some organic coffee, nosh on a little Tennessee homegrown Chocolate with Cannabis Extract, and scribble about the Cannabis Business. Today’s musings are about The Old H**p Farmer’s “Cannabis Walk About” in New England. I love the British term “Walk About” which means an informal stroll among the crowds by an important visitor. Yours truly isn’t important but I am inquisitive and to me, the place to start a New England “Cannabis Walk About” is Rhode Island, which is a very interesting case of well meaning Cannabis legislation and the law of unintended consequences.
First a bit of particulars about the state of Rhode Island, it’s the smallest state in the United States at only 1.500 square miles with 1,100,000 people and 7 Recreational Cannabis stores, (rumor has it that 24 more Recreational Retail licenses could be issued). But presently it means for every 158,000 folks in Rhode Island there is only one Recreational Cannabis shop, which in the world of Recreational Cannabis should be nirvana. In the state of Michigan, which has only 10 times the population there are 150 times more Recreational Cannabis stores. In Michigan, for every 9000 people there is a Recreational Store while in Rhode Island there are 158,000 people per store so it would seem that owning a “Recreational Store” in the “Plantation State” would be quite lucrative but its not. So why isn’t Recreational Cannabis in Rhode Island a “Cash Cow”? The answer is timing and geography. First the timing, although Rhode Island legalized Medical Ma*****na in 2006, there weren’t legal Recreational Cannabis stores open until December, 2022, while the neighboring state of Massachusetts started legal Recreational Cannabis sales in November, 2018. Which meant that the Massachusetts Recreational Cannabis Industry had a 4 year head start on the Rhode Island Recreational Cannabis businesses and anyone that knows Recreational Cannabis will tell you that’s huge. So by the time that Rhode Island opened their first Recreational Cannabis Store in December of 2022, there was already about 15 Recreational Cannabis stores right across the border in Massachusetts that were 25 miles or less away at the most for about 90% of Rhode Island Cannabis consumers. Also after a couple years into Massachusetts Recreational Sales, Recreational Cannabis in the “Bay State” was cheaper than the Medical Ma*****na in Rhode Island with great customer service. Also because Massachusetts is a considerably larger Cannabis Market its more competitive so prices are lower and choices way more plentiful. In Rhode Island Recreational Cannabis stores don’t have a lot of choices especially when it come to THC extracts and Cartridges because processing equipment is expensive and if you want an above average Extraction Technician, you have to pay them. When it comes to high THC Flower, Rhode Island has made great strides in the last couple years when it comes to quality and choices but their neighbor to the North still has more choices, better quality and considerably lower prices. The state of Rhode Island issuing 24 more Retail Licenses seems exciting but will that change the Recreational Cannabis market dynamics? Maybe but probably not.
Although this blurb is about Rhode Island, it’s also about those states that are hesitant to legalize Recreational Cannabis (I’m talking about you Tennessee), wait too long and your Recreational Cannabis Industry hasn’t a chance. There is an old axiom in Business that especially applies to the Cannabis Industry “If you can’t be best, be first”. Anyway as always, H**p Dawgs and H**p Puppies keep one eye on the weather and the other eye on the market.
Visit Tennessee homegrown web site to try our great products: https://www.tnhomegrown.com
The Old H**p Farmer's Wife web site: https://www.theoldhempfarmerswife.com
Our Podcast - Full Contact Cannabis: https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

06/22/2025

An interview I did a couple months ago.
https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-129-summer-2025/the-delta-8-blues-the-thc-industry-in-tennessee-faces-crisis?fbclid=IwY2xjawLE1pNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFYS2FwSmVhd1k2WUk0aFNBAR6N9XmUT--4eUSLVwM4YjxfUfYcBup0ABS8L1Go0pMrHAQ3DZt1-P7Q2UxFvw_aem_z_tJlgk9XBaDJixH3FglIg

Author Baynard Woods details THC seltzers, the future of hemp-derived cannabinoids, and legislation being passed around the South.

06/13/2025

Writing about Cannabis: “Strange Bedfellows”
Dateline: 6-13-25
With the temperatures in the lower 80’s F, its an exquisite Spring day here in Middle Tennessee. Because of the recent wonderful weather the vegetables being grown at Crabtree Acres are simply sublime. In fact, The Old H**p Farmer is in the midst of pickling beets, as I write, but thought I’d take a break to drink some organic coffee, munch on a little Tennessee homegrown Chocolate with Cannabis Extract, and scribble about the Cannabis Business. In my last post, I shared my thoughts about the Liquor Industry encroaching on the H**p Derived Cannabinoid Business and now a mere two weeks later, today’s observation is how the Liquor Industry might be the only thing that can keep the H**p Derived Cannabis Industry alive. To remind everyone one, the only reason that there is a H**p Derived Cannabinoid Business is because of a loophole that the 2018 Farm Bill provided. Well folks, the USDA Farm Bill is suppose to be renewed every 5 years, but was kicked on down the road in 2023 and 2024, but there is increasing pressure to get the USDA a new Farm Bill. Most of the new Farm Bill will have nothing to do with H**p, it will mostly be about the agricultural products that the United States exports and imports but buried deep in the 2025 Farm bill there will be new provisions about growing H**p for Cannabinoids and it doesn’t look good for the HDC Industry. Although its seven years later, there are still a quantitative amount of folks that are pi**ed off that people used the loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill to grow THCa Cannabis and make edibles that would get you intoxicated. When the USDA gave the okay, in 2014, for the first state Pilot Programs for H**p, it was suppose to be only fiber and seed production with no Cannabinoid production. Although in 2014, when The Old H**p Farmer was transitioning from high THC Cannabis to high CBD Cannabis, most folks (politicians included) were only infatuated with the newly emerging Recreational Cannabis Market. So in 2018, when the new Farm Bill emerged, very little thought was put into the fact that folks like me, realized that CBD derived from H**p was more profitable than Recreational Cannabis because of taxes and compliancy costs. So much to the chagrin of the USDA, a Billion Dollar plus H**p Derived Cannabinoid Industry started emerging. The United States Department of Agriculture never wanted to get into the drug business, that’s why the USDA hesitated getting involved with Recreational Cannabis. The intent of the 2018 Farm Bill was that H**p was suppose to be only grown for Fiber and Seed. Seven years later, the USDA still doesn’t want to be in the Drug business and they see this as an opportunity to walk away from Drug production and sanction only Textile and Seed production. This would also mean no H**p being grown for Cannabinoids and rescind the definition of H**p from .3% Delta 9 THC to .3% total THC which would exclude all THCa flower and most high CBD Cannabis. This also changes the Federal definition of what H**p is legally from .3% THC D9 to .3% total THC which would make most products on the shelves all over the U.S. illegal and no longer protected by the Court System.
This is where entities like Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America get involved. Since the Alcohol Industry has noticed sales of Ethanol decreasing in their stores and increasing sales of Cannabis drinks and edibles in these same establishments. The Liquor Business doesn’t want the “HDC Baby” thrown out with the bath water. In several states like Tennessee, they have already handed oversight of H**p Derived Cannabinoids to their Alcohol Beverages Commissions. Now that it appears that there will no longer be Interstate protection for H**p Derived Cannabinoids, the Liquor Industry wants Cannabis to no longer overseen by the USDA, FDA and the DEA but overseen by the same folks that Federally oversee Alcohol and To***co, The Alcohol and To***co Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Although this may appear a little Machiavellian by the Liquor Industry, it seems almost inevitable and very well might be able to bypass the craziness of Cannabis being Schedule 1 or Schedule anything. A lot of Recreational Cannabis States have Departments that are both Alcohol and Cannabis. Federally that just might be the ticket, a life line for the H**p Derived Cannabinoid Industry that needs help to survive and the Liquor Industry that badly needs an alternative revenue. Anyway as always, H**p Dawgs and H**p Puppies keep one eye on the weather and the other eye on the market.
Visit Tennessee homegrown web site to try our great products: https://www.tnhomegrown.com
The Old H**p Farmer's Wife web site: https://www.theoldhempfarmerswife.com
Our Podcast - Full Contact Cannabis: https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

05/30/2025

Writing about Cannabis: “The Art of the Sale.”
Dateline: 5-30-25
For me its been way too moist for too long here in Middle Tennessee but it doesn’t seem to faze the fauna and flora, which seems to be in a full tilt growth mode, especially the w**ds. Lately it seems that the fields are muddy almost all of the time, this has made w**ding the vegetables especially trying. But being muddy seems to be worth it because we are eating huge amounts of Beets, Kale and Spinach with enough to share with others. This morning, once again the rains have returned, so The Old H**p Farmer has a bit of time to sit, drink organic coffee, munch on a little Tennessee homegrown Chocolate fortified with just the right amount of our Cannabis extract, and lean into more musings about the contemporary Cannabis Industry. Lately, I’ve been writing about all of the adverse conditions that exist in the Recreational and H**p Derived Cannabinoid Industry, things like onerous IRS statute 280e or no banking laws, compliancy costs, etc. make the W**d Business a hard way to make an easy living. Even with the harsh realities of legal Cannabis, the prevailing myth continues that selling W**d is an easy way to make a lot of money. The Old H**p Farmer wishes oh so much that it were true but after 10 years in the legal Cannabis trade, yours truly can tell you that the fantasy is much better than the reality. Although there have been moments at our Cannabis company (Tennessee homegrown) that have given Lee Crabtree and I, the ability to grow good Cannabis, a good income and some recognition, it has also been fraught with continuous changing regulations and more cutthroat competition that one could ever imagine, all while “working without a net”. Yes, if you want to start a Cannabis Business be forewarned that you’re not going to find too many financial institutions and local officials that will be welcoming you with open arms, in fact you might find that your state is trying to shut down your business out right. While at Tennessee homegrown we just want to survive, people continue to try and get into the Cannabis business embracing the fantasy of the “Green Rush”. Yet with all the headwinds there are people making money in the Cannabis, but who are they? Well one thing its not the same people that were making money selling Legal W**d 10 years ago, when the Cannabis market wasn’t saturated with Flower, the growers were the “Big Dogs” that held sway in the market place but its not 2015 its 2025, where before it was the Growers that were supplying the Flower that were making serious “Bank” now its the Merchants and Wholesalers. It’s the Cannabis businesses that sell directly to the public that have the best margins. Being a great Merchant or Shopkeepers has never held that much sway but in the Cannabis Industry, but right now, they’re the “Big Dogs” because they know how to sell things. Currently it’s much easier to grow and make Cannabis products, than it is to sell those items. This is where things like inventory control, knowing customers likes and dislikes, knowing where to put your stores, things like “POP” and how to drive continuous “Foot Traffic” means the difference between making decent money in Cannabis or folding in 18 months. These marketing skills that are learned which explains why some of the most successful Cannabis Wholesalers or Retailers are second and third generation merchants. I have seen Cannabis businesses in prime locations fail but when a group of experienced merchants take over the location, they’re profitable. Why, the location is the same? The answer is that the store is now being by experienced merchants. Which explains why the Liquor Industry, in a short period of time, has taken over a large part of the Cannabis Industry. Think about it, with decades of experience selling both Retail and Wholesale, the Liquor Industry is well suited with sales people, warehouses and deliver services all while being situated in thousands of stores all over the United States. Presently the Cannabis Industry doesn’t have the experience, infrastructure or distribution network to compete with the Liquor Industry. Now that the Liquor Industry has found a revenue stream that continues to grow, they will continue to expand the presence in Cannabis. Because of this, the question quickly becomes can the Cannabis Industry learn “The Art of The Sale” with enough urgency not to be marginalized? Anyway as always, H**p Dawgs and H**p Puppies keep one eye on the weather and the other eye on the market.
Visit Tennessee homegrown web site to try our great products: https://www.tnhomegrown.com
The Old H**p Farmer's Wife web site: https://www.theoldhempfarmerswife.com
Our Podcast - Full Contact Cannabis: https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

05/16/2025

04/26/2025

Full Contact Cannabis- Mark Stepp and Harold Jarboe talk about the dire situation of Recreational and H**p Derived Cannabis Business in America and how the Liquor Industry is trying to move in and dominate an industry they formerly despised.
https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

04/15/2025

Taco Tuesday has turned turned into Tax Day Tuesday! Get some return on www.theoldhempfarmerswife.com using code TAXDAY to save 25% on everything! Muscle Rub, Soaps, Skin Frin, Tallow Facial Cream and more! Offering through 4-27-2025 We appreciate your business!
Listen to her Podcast: https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

04/06/2025

Sunday Sale time!!
I normally reserve our senior discount for those 60 and over, but today I'll leave the code open for anyone to use.
Waddle over to:
TNhomegrown.com
and use code:
TN60
Enjoy your week!

03/30/2025

A very cool offer from our sponsor!

Sunday Funday!
8pm update:
Thank you everyone for the guesses!
The answer is 85 gummies
We have 2 winners!

How many gummies are in this bottle?
(it's only one bottle, pic is front and back)
Guess correctly and we'll send you your choice of a free 10 pack of Tee H Cee gummies, or a 16 count jar of Cee Bee Dee gummies!
I'll check all the comments and messages at 8pm tonight and announce the winner.
Sign up for our emails at:
TNhomegrown.com
Send us a message with your answer for your chance to win!
While your there, throw some goodies in your cart and get 40% with code:
TN40