CBD Hemp in West Michigan: Sun Spirit Farm

After farming organically for the past 12 years, Rachelle Bostwick has been working towards diversifying her farm in order to improve financial stability for herself and her family. Hemp became appealing to her because of its health and wellness benefits, as well as the versatility of the crop. Using her skills and years of experience, she has recently started her new farming adventure in 2019, called Sun Spirit Farm.

As a parent to a child with special needs, Bostwick understands what it’s like to care for a medically complex, fragile person. She knows the struggle of trying to find treatments that work and are accessible, and that don’t carry the hazardous side effects. The hope is that the farm will give families another resource and provide a better option for higher levels of wellness.

“At Sun Spirit Farm, we grow hemp for its positive health benefits,” says Bostwick. “We have always relied on herbal medicine, using tinctures, teas, and oils to treat everything from allergies to body pains. These principles apply to the way we farm, using herbal sprays and home-brewed fertility blends to treat the plants. This is all rooted in the belief that nature holds the cure, and given the right tools, our bodies can heal themselves.”

Aside from learning the regulatory elements of growing hemp, Bostwick shares other major learning curves to this newly emerging crop. “Getting to know this plant and its nutrient needs is an ongoing learning process.” After growing the familiar crops of vegetables, fruits, and flowers  for so long, Bostwick is learning new sensitivities of hemp and the different methods for growing it. Another learning curve that Bostwick has been experiencing is the social perception of the crop. “There’s a lot of confusion out there about hemp, and it’s my goal to differentiate that confusion and clear it all up so that people can use it to its potential.”

Sun Spirit Farm offers their products entirely online, ranging from hemp oil, to hemp flower, to hemp plants. “We plan to add more skincare products such as creams and salves in the near future. CBD has a ton of potential to use in different ways and be incorporated into different products. We will see where the future takes us!”

What is CBD? 

​CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of many cannabinoid compounds found in the hemp plant. The body has specific receptors that interact with cannabinoids, called the endocannabinoid system. This system plays many roles within the body, including impacting mood, sleep, inflammation and immune response, pain, stress, motor control, skin and nerve function, appetite, and more. This is why CBD has been credited with alleviating such a wide variety of ailments. 

CBD’s most common uses include pain relief, the reduction of anxiety and depression, a sleep aid, an improver of skin condition, and a relief of nausea (especially related to cancer treatment). There are studies that indicate CBD could have even bigger impacts such as anticancer properties, neuroprotective, and heart health benefits.

You can purchase Sun Spirit Farm’s products at www.sunspiritfarmmi.com

Rebecca Henderson is the West Michigan Local Food Coordinator for Taste the Local Difference. Contact her at [email protected].