by
Paul
Benhaimwe go into nutritional details, how do we get this hemp seed and is
there only one type?
Seed
Varieties
There are a variety of hemp seed cultivars with varying uses at
various latitudes. Possibly the most important cultivar developed
to date for use as a seed producing crop is FIN-314. Dr Jace
Callaway is the instigator of this strain as used for food
productions. ‘Until recently, very little attention was paid to
developing hemp types specific for seed production. As our
knowledge of hemp seed’s nutritional benefits increases, it is
gaining acceptance as a truly superior source of protein, fat and
oil. Appropriate hemp varieties are needed to address these
emerging markets.’
Not all hemp seeds are created equally. Over 400 different
varieties of cannabis have been recorded by the Vavilov Institute
in St Petersburg, Russia, and these variations have been noted for
the production of both fibre and seed. Also, the edible Chinese
giant hemp seeds offer many advantages for breeding
acclimatized to the new world culinary. Some varieties have been
developed to suit the climatic factors of the lower latitudes of
Australia, Asia and Africa, such as the INSX variety bred by
companies associated with Hemp Foods Australia (see resource
list).
Most fibre varieties are tall, often reaching three to four
meters under optimal conditions. The height presents some
difficulties for modern farm equipment, but in pre-industrial
cultures the hemp seeds were thrashed from the dried plant by
hand.