Hemp Harvest Begins in Scott County

SCOTT CO., Tenn. The first day of fall means it's time to harvest hemp in Scott County.

Harvesting hemp in Scott County (Source: WVLT)

"We really wanted to use our farm to help people," said Kelley Krahn, one of the owners of New River Botanicals.

"It's been a trial and error. So we're learning, but we're getting there," Krahn laughed.

The farm, which also has cows, began growing the hemp in May.

"The ground in Tennessee is actually perfect for hemp," explained Krahn.

The family harvests it by extracting the cannabinoid or CBD oil to manufacture and sell.

"We're growing right at 70,000 plants," she said.

The farm can have up to 40 workers harvesting in the fields, creating a huge economic impact for the county.

"All of the benefits from the plant actually come from the flower," said Krahn, "Hemp has to have less than 0.3 THC so hemp does not get you high."

You do need a license to grow it.

"It's not been legal very long at all," said Krahn.

And the smell of hemp is pretty distinct.

"We do the CBD tinksters, which is just an oil that you put under your tongue. Hold it for about 30 seconds to a minute," she explained.

Krahn said, "And some people see results same day: less stress, less anxiety, less pain."

But her favorite part: "We love hearing the testimonials how our product has been helping people. We love it. It makes it worth. It definitely makes it worth it."

The farm owners said they want to expand since they have hundreds more acres to do so.

They said they need about 20 people to help harvest. If you are interested in applying for a full or part time job you can apply at HKH industries located on Great Dane Lane in Huntsville, TN. For more information you can also call 423-663-4367.

A spokesperson with the state Department of Agriculture said as of September 23, 2019 more than 3,600 people have a license to grow hemp in the state of Tennessee.

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