A hemp farm in Rock Tavern is
among the 52 hemp farms in New York granted a conditional marijuana cultivation
license.
Owner Heather Walsh said she
and her husband Tom Walsh bought the farm five years ago with the intention of
growing hemp.
They farmed four acres of the
crop and created a CBD line of products.
"We
thought it was going to be successful, it seemed it, we thought it would
be," said Heather Walsh.
However, the
hemp industry took a nosedive two years ago, causing them to turn their
attention to cannabis.
"We are
fully switching over," said Heather Walsh.
Two months ago,
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to create licenses that give existing hemp
growers the first shot at growing recreational marijuana.
"Look at
New York state maple syrup, best. Look at New York state apples, best. I tell
everybody watch New York state cannabis you know about California, watch out
because New York is coming," said Tom Walsh.
The couple
expects to grow up to 1,000 pounds of premium flower that will be dried in an
environmentally controlled area at the farm.
New York
legalized recreational weed for adults 21 and older exactly a year ago this
month and the homegrown grass could end up on shelves at dispensaries as early
as the end of this year.
New York has
established social equity into its cannabis industry in other ways.
People with prior
marijuana convictions will get priority when the state begins doling out up to
200 dispensary licenses, which are expected to be issued this fall.