When President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on the original American road trip in 1804, there weren’t many roads, so they took boats. Up the Missouri River and into the great unknown.

One of their tasks was to collect and catalog detailed information about the natural world as they made their way westward.

When the expedition returned in 1806, the American explorers brought with them a collection of over 200 plant samples that Lewis meticulously cataloged and preserved. 

The Corps of Discovery expedition ended in 1806, but for this collection of plants, the journey continued on. Through a series of accidents, oversights and plain dumb luck, these 222 plant samples ended up on the other side of the Atlantic for many years and were almost destroyed.

Now the collection, known as the Lewis and Clark Herbarium, is housed at the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

How it got there and why it took nearly 80 years is the topic of today's episode.

We listen to Eric Hurlock’s interview with Dr. Rick McCourt, botanist at the Academy of Natural Sciences and curator of the Herbarium.

What You'll Learn

• How Lewis & Clark’s plant samples survived over two centuries of mishaps.

• The role of Philadelphia as a hub of botanical science in early America.

• Details on plant preservation techniques from the early 1800s.

• The intriguing story of wild tobacco rediscovered after being presumed extinct.

• Future research potential from ancient DNA preserved in plant specimens.

Learn More:

Lewis and Clark Herbarium

Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University

See Photos from the Herbarium

Thanks to our Sponsors

IND HEMP

Americhanvre Cast-Hemp Ereasy Training May 7-10

Music by Tin Bird Shadow

This week on the Hemp Show, we talk with global hemp expert and co-founder of the Hemp Plastic Company, Paul Benhaim. 

Benhaim takes us on a deep dive into hemp plastics — and why he believes scalability is more important than purity. We'll hear about the company and the process of turning hemp into objects like didgeridoos and car parts.

Benhaim has been in the hemp industry for over 30 years, finding early success with a hemp health bar in Europe in the 1990s before moving to Australia where he founded the largest hemp food company in the Southern Hemisphere.

Benhaim tells us about a trip to the Himalayas that inspired his research into communities, health, diet and — hemp. 

"The science says it's the best thing for humanity and it leads to people being vibrant and healthy," Benhaim says.

This experience led Benhaim to write the book "H.E.M.P.: Healthy Eating Made Possible." 

Benhaim explains the 'endocannabinoids,' and the endocannabinoid system present in every living mammal. 

“Our body is literally made for cannabis, hence the system being called the endocannabinoid system, which until relatively recently was never taught to doctors, never taught in medicine. An entire system was kind of ignored," says Benhaim.

Resources & Links:

✅ Hemp Plastic Company

✅ H.E.M.P.: Healthy Eating Made Possible

✅ Interview with Exlinol's Gabriel Ettenson

✅ Cannabis Psychedelics  

Thanks to our sponsors:

✅ IND Hemp – Family-owned hemp feed, food and fiber company bringing new opportunities to farmers and manufacturers across the U.S.

✅ Forever Green – Distributors of the KP4 Hemp Cutter

Music by Tin Bird Shadow

Topics covered in this conversation:

• Paul’s introduction to hemp and his early “aha” moment

• The connection between food, community and vibrant health

• Founding of Hemp Foods Australia and Elixinol

• The story behind his first book: "H.E.M.P.: Healthy Eating Made Possible" 

• How hemp led to broader interests in natural living, permaculture and traditional medicine

• The endocannabinoid system: What it is and why it matters

• Paul's thoughts on full-spectrum CBD vs. isolated compounds

• Why he believes CBD is a separate industry from both marijuana and industrial hemp

• Challenges with regulation and intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids (like Delta-8, HHC)

• Global perspectives on hemp vs. the U.S. approach

• Hemp’s historical context and linguistic confusion around the word "hemp"

• The scalability problem in hemp and why it's critical to solve

• The evolution of hemp plastic and the story behind the hemp harmonica

• Paul’s current work with The Hemp Plastic Company

• Technical details of making hemp plastic pellets for industrial use

• Why end markets matter more than farming alone

• Potential for hemp to scale up as a sustainable alternative in global manufacturing

• Circular economies and local empowerment in Africa

• Hemp opportunities in Thailand and Asia

• NIHC and international cooperation in the hemp industry

• Paul’s involvement with the U.S. government and COP (climate talks)

• Cannabis psychedelics: therapeutic uses and his new project

• Meditation, dance and his personal approach to mindfulness

• Reflections on the need for a new, cooperative paradigm in hemp and beyond

This week on the Hemp Show, we catch up with filmmaker Joel Caldwell and hempcrete builder Danny Desjarlais about the film "Green Buffalo."

Coming off of a win for the short documentary category at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, "Green Buffalo" is making waves.

Caldwell shares his experience on making the film within the limitations of the short documentary medium and how he was able to capture the resilience of the Lower Sioux in the film.

"I had the light turned on as far as this massive solution," he says. "We can create carbon banks and live in healthier homes."

Desjarlais explains how his crew is addressing the local housing crisis by rebuilding their community — one hempcrete home at a time.

“I came into this as a conventional builder, trying to find the bad in hempcrete, and I keep getting proven wrong," says Desjarlais.

Resources & Links:

✅ The Lower Sioux Indian Community

✅ Watch the Green Buffalo film from Patagonia

✅ Joel Caldwell’s filmography, including The Issue with Tissue

✅ The International Hemp Building Symposium, October 3 – 5, 2025, at the Lower Sioux Indian Community’s hemp campus

✅ Hemp Clothing at Patagonia

✅ Watch Legacy Regenerated, a Patagonia film about North Carolina hemp farmer Patrick Brown

Thanks to our sponsors:

✅ IND Hemp – Family-owned hemp feed, food, and fiber company bringing new opportunities to farmers and manufacturers across the U.S

✅ Forever Green – Distributors of the KP4 Hemp Cutter.

Music by Tin Bird Shadow

This week on the Hemp Show, we head to Tucson, Arizona, where Micaela Machado of Old Pueblo Hemp Co. is leading a hemp-building revolution.

She said she hopes “Tucson becomes a hub for natural building and specifically hemp. I think Tucson, Arizona, is right for building, for processing. We have all the right weather and lots of land to do it with.”

Machado is a general contractor with a background in sculpture and landscape architecture, and she’s bringing her deep passion for sustainability and natural building to the hemp industry.

Her passion is fueled by a drive to provide healthier housing alternatives for people. New houses are often made from hazardous materials that emit dangerous chemicals into the home, she said.

“Every night we’re sleeping in these Tupperware airtight toxic containers. And so I think that opens people’s eyes” to natural building materials, she said.

We’ll hear how she made the leap from sculpting concrete for zoos and aquariums to pioneering hemp construction in the Southwest. She shares her “aha” moment with hemp and how her work is transforming communities, from feature walls to full-scale commercial projects.

Plus, we’ll get the details on the Hemp Building Fiesta, happening March 28-30 in Tucson — a hands-on workshop featuring some of the biggest names in the industry, including Sergiy “Dr. Hemphouse” Kovalenkov, Danny DeJarlais from Lower Sioux, Mary Jane Oatman from the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association and more.

Also on the show, host Eric Hurlock gives the show’s new guest host Sophia a crash coarse in building with hemp.

Topics Covered:

✅ Micaela’s journey from sculpture to hemp construction

✅ The origins of Old Pueblo Hemp Co.

✅ The unique challenges and opportunities for hemp building in the desert

✅ Tucson’s first permitted hemp construction project

✅ The upcoming Hemp Building Fiesta — who’s coming, what’s happening, and why you should be there

✅ The future of hemp construction in Arizona

Links & Resources:

✅  Old Pueblo Hemp Co.

✅  Hemp Building Fiesta Registration

Thanks to our sponsors:

✅ IND Hemp – Family-owned hemp feed, food, and fiber company bringing new opportunities to farmers and manufacturers across the U.S.

✅ Americhanvre Cast Hemp – Providing educational resources and hands-on workshops for the hemp building community.

✅ Forever Green – Distributors of the KP4 Hemp Cutter.

Music by Tin Bird Shadow

In this episode of the Lancaster Farming Hemp Podcast, we welcome back Morris Beegle, the founder of NoCo Hemp Expo and a leading advocate in the hemp industry.

The conversation spans the globe as Morris shares insights from his recent travels to Africa, Asia, and South America, discussing the growing industrial hemp movement worldwide.

From the first-ever Kenya Hemp Conference to a 12-story hempcrete hotel in South Africa, Morris provides a firsthand look at the developing hemp sector in Africa.

The 11th annual NoCo Hemp Expo is in Estes Park, Colorado, this April. Morris gives us a preview of what to expect, from expert panels to industry networking opportunities. Plus, we touch on U.S. policy, market access programs, and the challenges facing the industrial hemp sector.

Learn More

• NoCo Hemp Expo 2025 – April 10-12, 2025, Estes Park, Colorado

• European Industrial Hemp Association Conference – June 11-13, 2025, Berlin, Germany

• Green Buffalo – A short documentary film on hempcrete housing at the Lower Sioux Indian Community

• Hemp Building Fiesta, Tucson, AZ – March 28-30, 2025

Sponsors

IND HEMP, in Fort Benton, Montana

Forever Green, distributors of the KP4 Hemp Cutter

Music Courtesy of Tin Bird Shadow

On this episode of the Hemp Podcast, we speak with Jeff Kostuik, of Verve Seed Solutions, aa Canadian Hemp Seed company based in Saskatchewan.

Jeff joins us from the road—literally, from an airport—on his way to North Carolina for a meeting with a hemp processor.

We'll hear about Verve Seed Solutions and the new varieties they are bringing to the hemp space this year.

We will also talk about Donald Trump's impeding trade wars and what Canadian hemp businesses like Verve are doing to face the new realities.

Topics Covered:

• How Verve Seeds genetics are distributed worldwide
• Increasing hemp seed yield by up to 190% 
• How U.S. policies are affecting Canadian farmers
• Navigating strict cannabinoid limits in poultry feeds
• Why more infrastructure is needed us US Hemp processing

Learn more:

Verve Seed Solutions

 

 

Thanks to our sponsors:

IND HEMP

KING'S AGRI-SEEDs

AMERICHANVRE CAST-HEMP

Music by Tin Bird Shadow

On this episode of the Hemp Podcast, we welcome back Geoff Whaling, chair of the National Hemp Association, for an in-depth discussion on the evolving landscape of the hemp industry under the new administration.

We cover the uncertainty surrounding the NHA’s $19.8 million climate-smart grant, the impact of leadership changes in Washington, and the ongoing push for hemp as an approved food and animal feed ingredient.

Whaling shares his insights on the Farm Bill negotiations, the role of key officials in the USDA, and why he remains optimistic about hemp’s future despite political shifts.

Topics Covered:


• The latest on the USDA Climate-Smart grant and its uncertain status

• Why Geoff sees opportunities under the new administration

• Key takeaways from his recent meetings in Washington, D.C.

• The push for federal recognition of hemp as animal feed

• How industry members can engage and advocate for hemp policy

Learn more:

Take the NHA Industry Survey

https://nationalhempassociation.org/hemp-industry-survey/

National Hemp Association

https://nationalhempassociation.org/

Congressional Research Service Hemp Update

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12278/7

Thanks to our sponsors:

IND HEMP

Forever Green

Music by Tin Bird Shadow

On this episode we talk to Max Justice from Setas Mushrooms — the innovator behind MyCoffin, biodegradable coffins made of mycelium and industrial hemp.

Justice is the co-founder and CEO of Setas Eternal Living, a company that offers people a sustainable end-of life solution — with aspirations to disrupt the death industry with affordable and sustainable options.

For Justice, Setas Eternal Living was logical next step in his fungus journey. He and his wife started Setas Mushrooms on their farm in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, after discovering the healing power of mushrooms during his wife’s illness.

Fungus changed their lives forever.

In this episode we’ll hear about the process of making coffins from mycelium and hemp and how this product compares to traditional burial vessels.

Compared to traditional caskets that will take centuries to breakdown, Justice’s coffin will biodegrade in just a few years, making it a good option for green burial.

 

Learn More:

Setas Eternal Living https://www.setaseternalliving.com/

Setas Mushrooms https://setasmushrooms.com/

Green Burial Council https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/

Watch the WGAL News Video https://www.wgal.com/article/south-central-pennsylvania-farm-grows-mushroom-coffins/63364893

News Nuggets

Shapiro Administration Announces Recipients of the Nation’s First Agricultural Innovation Grant

https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/shapiro-administration-announces-recipients-of-the-nation-s-firs.html

The public is encouraged to submit written comments to HHS and USDA related to the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to inform the development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030.

https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/public-comment-departments

Unfazed and confused, Sutter County extends ban on industrial hemp despite grower push-back=

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article299400029.html

Thanks to our sponsors:

• IND HEMP
• Americhanvre
• Kings Agriseeds
• Forever Green

Music Courtesy of Tin Bird Shadow

 

On this episode we check back in Chris Boucher, who was originally on the program in July of 2022.

Boucher is a hemp industry OG. In 1990, he was first introduced to hemp by Jack Herer himself in, author of the book that jumpstarted the hemp movement in America, The Emperor Wears No Clothes.

In 1994 Boucher was issued a permit from the USDA to grow fiber hemp in California, but his crop was destroyed before harvest by local drug enforcement agents.

He was a founding member of the Hemp Industries Association and was part of the landmark case HIA vs. DEA that established the legality of CBD.

But these days, Boucher’s hemp endeavor is JuiceTiva, a cold-pressed hemp juice powder rooted in the nutritional potential of hemp leaves and flowers.

Boucher shares his opinions of the state of hemp in California, which he says has the worst hemp regulations of any state in the union, citing Governor Newsom’s recent banning of hemp products and the structure of the state and county agriculture departments.

He describes a situation in California where the marijuana industry is battling the hemp industry for dominance in the intoxicating cannabinoid arena.

Learn more:

JuiceTiva California Hemp Program

News Nugget

 

Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Freeze on USDA Climate and Equity Programs

Thanks to our Sponsor IND HEMP and their awesome hemp product brands:

All Walks Pet Products Hemptana Farm & Ranch Products

This week’s guest on the Industrial Hemp podcast is Lucia Vignale, a third-year PhD student at Cornell University, where she studies plant breeding, genetics and pathology.

“I’m interested in searching for, mapping, and characterizing new sources of resistance against hemp powdery mildew,” she said.

Vignale earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in molecular biologist in her native Uruguay, and in 2022 she came to Larry Smart’s hemp lab at Cornell on a Fullbright scholarship to pursue her PhD.

Her passion for hemp is intertwined with her passion for science.

There's so much that we don't know about hemp, she said, “so I want to answer questions. I want to solve problems.”

She said with other crops like corn, cotton or soy, there is already so much research out there, so much is already known. But hemp, she said, “has been largely unexplored due to legal issues,” and the untapped potential excites her.

“There's so many things that we can do and learn from it, and we are seeing that in person now with all the new products and applications that we can get from it, she said.

One of her jobs in the Cornell hemp lab this year was to plan and execute the fourth annual hemp webinar series, which starts January 29 and runs biweekly until May 7.

This year’s webinar series will focus on hemp grain and will include presentations from hemp grain experts. (see full list below)

The webinar series is free but registration is required.

Go here to register: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0vJzjCiA0SLCOua 2025 Hemp Webinar Series Schedule

January 29: IND Hemp, founding and mission – Morgan Tweet, IND HEMP

February 12: Pathogens affecting hemp cultivation – Nicole Gauthier, University of Kentucky

February 26: Hemp products as food ingredients – Chadwick White, Nepra Foods, Ltd.

March 12: Screening of seed related traits in wide germplasm – Tyler Gordon, USDA-ARS

March 26: Novel high oleic acid seed oil trait – Ian Graham, University of York

April 9: Hemp seed meal as a feed ingredient in animal diets – Nathalie Trottier, Cornell University

April 23: Best agronomic practices – Bob Pearce, University of Kentucky

May 7: Hemp products as food ingredients – Kendra Meier, HPS Food & Ingredients

Learn More about Cornell Hemp: https://hemp.cals.cornell.edu/

News Nuggets: 13th Annual International Hemp Building Association Symposium to Be Held at Lower Sioux Indian Community

https://internationalhempbuilding.org/

https://lowersioux.com/hemp-program-and-housing-project/

Thanks to our Sponsors!

• IND HEMP
• Americhanvre
• Kings Agriseeds
• Forever Green