By Debbie Hall
Although he says he is growing zebras, Dale Puckett’s nickname – Papa Hemp – leads one to think otherwise.
He actually is growing hemp at Puckett Green House in Ararat, which he and his wife, Debby Puckett, own.
The zebra growing description is part of an analogy that Puckett uses to explain his new business venture, mainly because the hemp plants resemble marijuana.
“You know how a zebra looks like a horse, but it’s not? Hemp looks like marijuana, but it’s not. That’s why I say we grow zebras,” Puckett said.
Marijuana is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant, which contains THC levels of up to 5 percent, he said. The drug is used for medicinal and recreational purposes.
Hemp produces cannabidiol, Puckett said, adding that chemical is sought by processors to manufacture CBD creams, oils and other products. It has less than 0.3 percent of THC and is used for health purposes.
CBD products have become popular over the past few years, Puckett said, and shared a story about a customer with a family member who suffered from seizures. After using CBD oil, the frequency of seizures decreased dramatically, Puckett said he was told.
After legislators amended Virginia’s laws to mimic those in the federal 2018 farm bill to allow the state’s farmers to grow hemp, Puckett said he researched the idea and decided to add hemp to his inventory.
“There wasn’t a hemp plant on the place until January” when he purchased mother plants, he said. As those plants grow, Puckett clones them, and plants the seedlings. As the seedlings mature, they are replanted into larger containers. They also can be cloned.
“It’s already made a profit for me right now,” Puckett said in late-April. “I’m already in the black.”
“For the money, I think it’s going to be a very profitable crop for the county and the state,” Puckett said.
Each acre of hemp is expected to earn $50,000, Puckett said, adding that is “five or six times a tobacco crop in terms of profit.”
The farming practices for hemp are similar to those used to grow tobacco, but the plants must be organically grown, he said. No chemicals have been approved for use on the plants.
White flies, aphids, June bugs and grasshoppers seem to be attracted to the plants, and cabbage worms will eat the flower, Puckett said.
Deer, curious about the taste, can be a nuisance when the plants are first set, Puckett said, adding that is short lived because deer “don’t really like the taste.”
Fertilizer can be used, and the plants prefer a drip irrigation system, he said.
When harvested, hemp is hung to dry in a practice similar to flue-cured tobacco, Puckett said.
He said he has consulted with the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office during every step of the process.
“It’s a 100 percent legal, legitimate crop,” Puckett said, adding that registration is required for those interested in becoming a grower.
State officials also test each crop to make sure the THC level remains 0.3 percent. Crops that exceed that amount must be destroyed, he said.
