The Value of a Hemp Crop if the SHTF or not

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by RightHand, Mar 13, 2006.


  1. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Hemp is an incredibly versatile crop and easy to cultivate. I'd like to get a discussion going about it's uses, advantages, disadvantages, etc. From everything I have read, it would seem to have more advantages than disadvantages in a self-sustaining environment.
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Cordage for starters. Matting. Possible insulation. Very labor intensive, but effective. (I assume you don't mean melbo's hemp --) :lol:
     
  3. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I have no experience with hemp other than reading about it but hemp has nutritional value, it is a fibre source for cordage/materials, and can be used as a bio-fuel just to start.
     
  4. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    The political troubles with hemp are that the Marijauna folks seem to be on Hemps side. Why? My guess is that they can then grow the real stuff amonst the hemp.

    I don't know anything about Hemp other than I see it sold at 'head shops'
    Bear has made some cordage and rope out of some fibers before.
     
  5. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Cordage, medicinal, fabric, paper, bio fuel, grows almost anywhere well on its own, recreational and other uses not comeing to mind at the moment would be a few of the advantages. About the only real disadvantage I see to it would be the laws in present time.
     
  6. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    There are many countries with aggressive hemp agri-industries. Might the US position be a knee-jerk reaction???? Are we so fearful of possible misuse that we miss the opportunity to produce a crop which may help the US become more self supporting? A good summary article can be found at http://www.thehia.org/faqs/faq7.htm
     
  7. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    There used to be a hemp factory just up the road from where I live. To this day, from the air you can see where the fields used to be. The railroads used to throw hemp seed out the windows during the depression to keep the railroad grades from erroding, hence the term "ditch weed". After WWII, the hemp market fell off as other items were more profitable for rope and other items.
    I can tell you from a "Counter Drug Pilot's" perspective, Melbo was right, the illegal folks like the naturally occurring stuff as they go in and cultivate their good stuff in the middle. The one thing about a hemp field is that it draws in the local illegals looking for free stuff and also the ATF. Having a bag of seeds around is as bad as having a joint in your hand, they see it as parts is parts. You get caught with it and anything tied to it will be confiscated. Have the garden hose going from your house to your patch, you loose the house. There is much better things worth spending your efforts on in my opinion. Not many of us have the ability to make bio-fuel, cordage isn't going to be a real issue and if you have ever tried to make cordage, it isn't worth your time. As for insulation, there are much better items out there for that, cat tails for example make much better cordage.
    I know that the ATF won't be around after SHTF, but it will draw in the wierdos
     
  8. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I hadn't thought too much about 'drawing the weirdos" but ypu're right, it would. Regarding the cattails, I'm familiar with using the tails for insulation. You mentioned cordage. Is that from the stalks as with hemp?
     
  9. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Yes, the fiber for the cordage comes from the stalks. It is tougher than hell also. When the cops would cut it down, they ended up using chain saws and weed eaters with steel blades to do it and it was still a chore.
     
  10. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Another little side note, not so much for growing it but if you find your self in need of starting a friction fire hemp stalk makes an excelent drill for starting one if you can happen to find it.
     
  11. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Come to Kansas, you'll find it! Crap grows everywhere.
     
  12. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Only if you find it before LEOs do. It just seems bizare to me that we do so much BS to avoid causeing the extinction of the spotted swamp cock roach or whatever and just as much with most plants but then we spend billions of dollars trying to make a native plant like any form of hemp or marajuana extinct to a point that you barely ever see it growing wild anymore. I know back before it was outlawed it was common to find large wild paches of it all over here in MO but Ithink I have only come across any growing wild about 4 or 5 times in my life. Kind of sad IMO.
     
  13. ChemicalGal

    ChemicalGal Monkey+++

    Was Hemp what was refered to as loco weed when cattle got into it?
     
  14. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

  15. ChemicalGal

    ChemicalGal Monkey+++

    Thanks Ghrit, link worked fine. Not a nice plant. Thank you
     
  16. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    The LEAs don't waste much time getting rid of it here in Kansas, it is so prolific that they would spend their entire careers killing it with little effect. Come visit, I'll drive you right to a huge crop right next to the highway!
     
  17. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    No one ever has to use cordage to tie me to a chair in Amsterdam. I don't care much about the hemp, but really good high-octane cannibis could be a real bartering chip. We could start a whole new campaign "Just Say Thank You".
     
  18. ghostrider

    ghostrider Resident Poltergeist Founding Member

    :eek:
     
  19. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    [LMAO] [stoner] [LMAO]
     
  20. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Coffeeshops
     
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