In March 2016, JD Farms became the first private farm certified to grow hemp under a New York state pilot program; it planted 100 acres’ worth. That, however, did not legally give JD Farms the right to sell its product. “There was a chance we were going to have to burn the hemp if the law didn’t pass,” Justh says with a worried laugh.
In August, Governor Cuomo signed the bill that made it legal for JD Farms to sell its harvest. In his State of the State address in January, the governor noted that hemp had the potential to become a billion-dollar industry in New York. JD Farms’ bet had paid off.
Says Dolgin, who worked with state legislatures to help get the bill passed: “What we brought to the table is that we treated hemp as a big agriculture business, not as a few plants in a greenhouse like marijuana.” Justh adds, “For hemp to take its greater place in the agricultural landscape, it needs to be seen as a commodity.” Dolgin sums it up: “We’re very bullish about the food aspect of hemp. It’s right for an American farm to dominate that market, especially in the organic space.”
Hemp as Food
There was another reason hemp appealed to the pair: its potential to be the next runaway hit food product, the next kale. “Mark and I both live pretty healthy, active lifestyles,” remarks Dolgin. “We both knew that hemp was on its way to becoming a superfood, in that category of flax and chia seeds. We saw a sustainable long-term play in that market.” Hemp flour products are high in protein (only soybeans have more), and hemp contains 20 amino acids, including nine that the body doesn’t produce. Among its reputed health benefits: immune-system booster, weight suppressant (because it’s high in fiber), and an ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s popular with vegetarians because it’s high in the fatty acids omega-3—found in good-for-you fish like salmon—and omega-6.
And then there’s the quality. JD Farms’ oil tastes fresher than other hemp oils because it’s produced in the U.S. The majority of hemp oil and seeds sold in America comes from plants grown in Canada. (According to the Toronto Star, in the first quarter of 2015, Canada exported $34 million worth of hemp seeds and oil.) Before hemp enters the U.S. it must be sterilized. (If it’s not, it counts as a Schedule I drug, along with substances such as heroin and ecstasy.) When it’s heated, hemp loses its pungent freshness and nuttiness. “It’s such an oily seed, heat speeds up the rancidity,” Justh says. “Plus, it’s just sitting around in vats. It’s got nothing in common with a product that is fresh from the field.”
At JD Farms, harvested seeds are cold-pressed. “We look at it like fine wine—you can taste the terroir, can taste the fields, which gives it earthy flavor. The product is so good, it can be used as a dipping oil; it doesn’t have to hide behind other ingredients.”
Restaurants Are Already Using It
Among the fans of JD Farms products is the dynamic chef Ignacio Mattos, of Estela and Flora Bar at the Met Breuer in Manhattan. “We are always pursuing new ingredients and flavors,” Mattos said in an email. “The leaves have quite a unique flavor profile, they’re grassy and sweet. The seeds are a bit nutty and sweet when they’re raw. The texture is quite fun when it’s toasted and a bit more savory when cooked.” He’s working on using the seeds in desserts and adding the oil to a tomato and mozzarella salad.
At the hit New York restaurant Sunday in Brooklyn, chef Jaime Young is using JD Farms hemp seeds in a togarashi-style spice blend he sprinkles on his fried chicken. “The seeds are great,” Young says. “They have a slightly floral character and wonderful texture, almost like cracked coriander.”