Turning Seeds Into an American Icon: A History of Hemp in the U.S. | Short Film Showcase

well they paved my road when I was seven

well they paved my road when I was seven or eight years old I rode that school

or eight years old I rode that school

or eight years old I rode that school bus that first day and I I came home and

bus that first day and I I came home and

bus that first day and I I came home and I was the first time I’d ever looked at

I was the first time I’d ever looked at

I was the first time I’d ever looked at my my own situation and it’s like I’m

my my own situation and it’s like I’m

my my own situation and it’s like I’m poor

industrial hemp has played a key role

industrial hemp has played a key role really in the founding of this country

really in the founding of this country

really in the founding of this country the first American flags that were made

the first American flags that were made

the first American flags that were made in this country were made of industrial

in this country were made of industrial

in this country were made of industrial hemp and we had actually gotten our seed

hemp and we had actually gotten our seed

hemp and we had actually gotten our seed in April the DEA didn’t agree that we

in April the DEA didn’t agree that we

in April the DEA didn’t agree that we had a right to plant the crop they’ve

had a right to plant the crop they’ve

had a right to plant the crop they’ve said they were gonna arrest us for

said they were gonna arrest us for

said they were gonna arrest us for breaking the law the one question that I

breaking the law the one question that I

breaking the law the one question that I get asked the most is what the hell are

get asked the most is what the hell are

get asked the most is what the hell are you gonna do with this stuff the grant

you gonna do with this stuff the grant

you gonna do with this stuff the grant from Patagonia allowed the veterans to

from Patagonia allowed the veterans to

from Patagonia allowed the veterans to build a machine to process their hemp by

build a machine to process their hemp by

build a machine to process their hemp by hand there was no infrastructure they

hand there was no infrastructure they

hand there was no infrastructure they couldn’t do it any other way

thank you this is a extreme privilege

thank you this is a extreme privilege and a and an honor I would first like to

and a and an honor I would first like to

and a and an honor I would first like to thank every man and woman that has put

thank every man and woman that has put

thank every man and woman that has put on a uniform in defense of our fellow

on a uniform in defense of our fellow

on a uniform in defense of our fellow citizens

from the simple hempseed and the means

from the simple hempseed and the means to make the cordage that was converted

to make the cordage that was converted

to make the cordage that was converted into the sails and ropes that brought

into the sails and ropes that brought

into the sails and ropes that brought the first explorers to America and later

the first explorers to America and later

the first explorers to America and later would feed the printing presses that

would feed the printing presses that

would feed the printing presses that would organize our first militias and

would organize our first militias and

would organize our first militias and ultimately helped us declare our

ultimately helped us declare our

ultimately helped us declare our independence

in 2014 with the help of some fellow

in 2014 with the help of some fellow veterans we planted hemp seeds on our

veterans we planted hemp seeds on our

veterans we planted hemp seeds on our farm and much like those earlier

farm and much like those earlier

farm and much like those earlier settlers we embarked on a journey into

settlers we embarked on a journey into

settlers we embarked on a journey into uncharted waters

we chose to grow and create an American

we chose to grow and create an American flag on principle I suppose we have lost

flag on principle I suppose we have lost

flag on principle I suppose we have lost our connection with the land and the

our connection with the land and the

our connection with the land and the people who fed us we’ve lost our sense

people who fed us we’ve lost our sense

people who fed us we’ve lost our sense of community and more importantly our

of community and more importantly our

of community and more importantly our sense of place the flag represents the

sense of place the flag represents the

sense of place the flag represents the collective history and future of an

collective history and future of an

collective history and future of an entire nation of people our people

so it shouldn’t be made anywhere other

so it shouldn’t be made anywhere other than here and you should most certainly

than here and you should most certainly

than here and you should most certainly not be made cheaply in the end there is

not be made cheaply in the end there is

not be made cheaply in the end there is more than just fiber the tears and fades

more than just fiber the tears and fades

more than just fiber the tears and fades when you use cheap goods to hold things

when you use cheap goods to hold things

when you use cheap goods to hold things together it is no secret that America

together it is no secret that America

together it is no secret that America needs more farmers but we need the tools

needs more farmers but we need the tools

needs more farmers but we need the tools to be successful an industrial hemp is a

to be successful an industrial hemp is a

to be successful an industrial hemp is a cornerstone for financial and resource

cornerstone for financial and resource

cornerstone for financial and resource stability on the family farm we are just

stability on the family farm we are just

stability on the family farm we are just one small team with limited resources

one small team with limited resources

one small team with limited resources and we took simple seeds and we turned

and we took simple seeds and we turned

and we took simple seeds and we turned them into this flag that represents the

them into this flag that represents the

them into this flag that represents the strength and the ingenuity of the

strength and the ingenuity of the

strength and the ingenuity of the American farmer

I can only imagine what wonders we will

I can only imagine what wonders we will see when every American farmer has the

see when every American farmer has the

see when every American farmer has the opportunity to grow this amazing crop

opportunity to grow this amazing crop

opportunity to grow this amazing crop thank you