Originally established in 1818 and now a seventh-generation organic family farm, the historic Hepworth Farms launched their subsidiary company, Hempire State Growers, a line of CBD organically-grown retail products available online and in-store – coming off the heels of the recent news that adult-use of marijuana is now legal in NY.
Since the establishment of cannabis including industrial hemp and marijuana in the Hudson Valley is an integral part of Ulster County’s diverse agricultural landscape, Hempire State Growers has successfully grown 300 acres of Hemp CBD flower and will continue to do so in 2021, focusing on outdoor growing (and not indoors) and employing scientists, engineers, and many others. Hempire State Growers also recently started the rollout of their products to wholesalers including Wholefoods, Stew Leonards, etc. to carry their CBD products.
Currently, Hepworth farms over 500 acres with 400 varieties of organic vegetables, employs over 150 staff during peak harvest, and works with direct retail, distributors, home delivery, CSA/Coops, Farmer’s Markets and the underserved, including Whole Foods (throughout NY, New England states, Florida, Texas and beyond), Fresh Direct, Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, City Harvest, and many others.
News from another local business is Bread Alone Bakery, which will launch one of the first carbon-neutral bakeries in the United States slated to open mid-summer 2021. The bakery in Boiceville, NY will run on 100% renewable energy, generating power only from the sun and from scrap wood. Their energy will come from a 366KW on-site solar array, using electricity for their modern Heuft ovens and scrap wood for their wood-fired ovens to bake. There will be no fossil fuels used in the building.
Originally founded in 1983 in the Catskills, the family-owned and operated business already has several brick-and-mortars throughout Ulster County and distributes their products to a roster of 400 wholesalers throughout the Northeast. Their best-selling products include their certified organic peasant bread, whole-wheat sourdough bread, and whole-grain health bread.
