Dear Friends, There is a connection between the soil microbiome and our microbiome. As we focus on health, we’ve come across these new findings. For organic farmers who use nature rather than pesticides and herbicides to grow plants, including organic hemp for CBD, we are heartened to see this research going mainstream. The human microbiome consists…
Dear Friends, At the fall equinox, farmers pause to reflect on the growing season, with harvest upon us. Here at Mt. Folly, I’m dispensing with happy talk. From Covid to climate, the year has been rough, so rough I’ve had to summon my inner mule. Here is the back story, some of which you may know:…
Dear Friends, A summer theme for Laura’s Mercantile is “Real People; Real Relief.” Here I want to twist that phrase, and call out “Real People; Real Solutions.” We are watching the climate with apprehension. This summer we’ve seen pictures of panicked subway commuters in Asia, as water pours in their car; flooding in Belgium and…
Laura relies on us here at Laura’s Mercantile to provide her with the best full spectrum CBD products available on the market. Our products are essential to keeping Laura’s mind and body healthy so she can continue her journey of promoting regenerative agriculture and carbon sequestration at Mt. Folly Farm, and building her local economy in Winchester, KY.
Dear Friends, “Stress will kill you,” said his doctor, this story recounted to me by a close friend long before COVID made anxiety the proverbial elephant in the room. For me, a Type A personality to the max, stress manifests in my sleep cycles. I wake up at 4:00 a.m., my mind racing. I know…
Dear Friends, January was farm meeting month. I’ve attended hours of Zoom meetings and virtual farmer meet-ups. (1) Now, I turn to summarizing the information for our farm team and our customers. The main theme of our discussions was how to use biology to solve our environmental and health problems. From the gut microbiome to…
Dear Friends, Yes, it’s the holiday season, marking the end of a disjointed, up and down year. Because of COVID, Bill and I are forgoing the seasonal house parties here at Mt. Folly. Instead of spend-the-nights, we are celebrating Christmas outside around a campfire, at the insistence of a retired doctor who always welcomes Christmas…
Dear Friends, Several Fridays ago, I tuned into a live-stream conference at the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The conference speakers reported on their research into the properties of full-spectrum hemp, under the title Exploring the Mechanisms Underlying Analgesic Properties of Minor Cannabinoids and Terpenes. Homestead customers may not know much about…
Dear Friends, By now you may realize that Laura’s Mercantile is part of an effort to build a regenerative agricultural system. For our part, this involves our regional Laura’s Homestead Alternatives accounts and our online store. In addition (this is Kentucky, right?) it also includes a distillery, Wildcat Willy’s! One of the key practices of…
Dear Friends, Yes, I’m stubborn. At a close friend’s birthday party, she circled her guests around, and recognized each of us for what she admired. Was I brilliant? No. Was I beautiful? No. I had the quality of “perseverance.” Let’s just say I’ve embraced my inner mule. Here, you see me with Bingo, our Jerusalem…