October 1, 2014
Paper is the theme when celebrating your first anniversary.
This couple’s wish was make paper on their first year anniversary and we made it come true. After a brief lesson on the eco-friendly materials and methods we employ, they donned aprons, and then they pulled and couched. They even padded a “hand” crafted watermark.
Contact us if you would like to set up a similar experience.
August 18, 2014
With the changes taking place in Colorado and Washington state, we are seeing a renewed interest in our Hemp Heritage hemp paper. Here are some interesting facts about hemp:
The difference is in its use. Hemp and Marijuana both come from the same plant – Cannabis Sativa L. The term ‘Hemp’ commonly refers to the industrial/commercial use of the cannabis stalk and seed for textiles, foods, papers, body care products, detergents, plastics and building materials. The term ‘marijuana’ refers to the medicinal, recreational or spiritual use involving the smoking of cannabis flowers. Industrial hemp contains only about 0.3% – 1.5% THC (Tetrahydrocannabinoids, the intoxicating ingredients that make you high) while marijuana contains about 5% – 10% or more THC. Hemp fibre is the longest, strongest and most durable of all natural fibres. Hemp cultivation requires no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides. Grown in rotation with other crops such as corn and legumes, hemp farming is completely sustainable. Hemp produces four times as much fibre per acre as pine trees. Hemp tree-free paper can be recycled up to seven times, compared with three times for pine-pulp based papers. Hemp is easy to grow, and actually conditions soil where it grows. The seed and seed-oil are high in protein, essential fatty and amino acids, and vitamins. Hemp would be an ideal source of biomass for fuel, and hemp Ethanol burns very cleanly.
Hemp and humanity have been linked for over 10,000 years. Hemp was our first agricultural crop, and remained the planet’s largest crop and most important industry until late last century. Most of the non-Western world never stopped growing hemp, and today hemp for commercial use is grown mostly by China, Hungary, England, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Holland, Germany, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, India and throughout Asia.
Differences Between Industrial Hemp and Marijuana
Industrial hemp is a variety of cannabis sativa that has a long history of use in the United States.However, since the 1950s it has been lumped into the same category of marijuana, and thus the extremely versatile crop was doomed in the United States. Industrial hemp is technically from the same species of plant that psychoactive marijuana comes from. However, it is from a different variety, or subspecies that contains many important differences. The main differences between industrial hemp and marijuana will be discussed below.
Industrial hemp has low THC levels compared to marijuana specifically cultivated for personal psychoactive use. Whereas marijuana that can be smoked usually contains between five and ten percent THC, industrial hemp contains about one-tenth of that. In order to get a psychoactive effect, one would need to smoke ten or twelve hemp cigarettes over a very short period of time.
The reason for the low THC content in hemp is that most THC is formed in resin glands on the buds and flowers of the female cannabis plant. Industrial hemp is not cultivated to produce buds, and therefore lacks the primary component that forms the marijuana high. Furthermore, industrial hemp has higher concentrations of a chemical called Cannabidiol (CBD) that has a negative effect on THC and lessens its psychoactive effects when smoked in conjunction.
Compared to cannabis sativa indica, cannabis sativa sativa (industrial hemp variety) has a much stronger fiber. This fiber can be used in anything from rope and blankets to paper. Marijuana fiber has a low tensile strength and will break or shred easily, making it a poor fibrous plant when compared to industrial hemp.
Industrial hemp also grows differently than THC-containing cannabis. Hemp is typically grown up, not out, because the focus is not on producing buds but on producing length of stalk. In this way, hemp is a very similar crop to bamboo. The stalk contains the fiber and hard, woody core material that can be used for a variety of purposes, even carpentry. Generally, THC-producing marijuana plants are grown to an average of five feet in height. Industrial hemp on the other hand is grown to a height of ten to fifteen feet before harvest. Also, it is fairly difficult to grow concealed marijuana within industrial hemp crops as the DEA alleges. Since industrial hemp is grown so close together and is generally a very narrow, vertical growth crop, any THC-producing marijuana would stick out like a sore thumb. Its wide growth would require a large amount of space to itself in order to get adequate sunlight from beyond the tops of the competing industrial hemp plants.
The two also differ in the areas that they can be effectively grown. THC-producing Marijuana must be grown in generally warm and humid environments in order to produce the desired quantity and quality of THC-containing buds. However, since industrial hemp does not contain these buds, and the hardy parts of the plant are the more desired, it can be grown in a wider range of areas. Generally, industrial hemp grows best on fields that provide high yields for corn crops, which includes most of the Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast United States. Furthermore, since industrial hemp can use male plants as well as female plants (since the object is not THC production), higher crop yields can result.
Hemp also has little potential to produce high-content THC when pollinated. As long as industrial hemp plants are pollinated by members of their own crop, then the genetics will remain similar with low levels of THC.
One would have to place several marijuana plants in close vicinity in over several generations order to alter the genetics substantially of the offspring.
Since there are so many differences between industrial hemp and high-THC marijuana, it seems to make sense that it would be a fostered, rather than demonized crop. Although technically hemp is not illegal to grow, it requires obtaining a special permit from the DEA. These permits are rarely given out and require that the crop be surrounded by security measures such as fences, razor wire, security guards, or dogs. For a crop that has little-to-no potential to get people high, the current attitude is both irresponsible and draconian.
Industrial hemp could transform the economy of the United States in a positive and beneficial way, and therefore should be exploited to its full potential.
October 2, 2013
In line with October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Green Field Paper Company® has announced their pledge to raise awareness for breast cancer and support research for a cure by donating 10% of its October sales of all pink colored Grow A Note® papers to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Green Field’s donation of their month-long proceeds will be presented to help the organization in funding diagnostic care services for those in need, and providing nurturing support services for those affected. Today, Susan G. Komen is leading the bold community, fueling the best science and making the biggest impact in the fight against breast cancer through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries.
“Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in US,” states CEO Shari Smith. “We are excited to be joining hands with Susan G. Komen for the Cure in their inspiring mission to educate people on breast cancer awareness, and research for a cure. Through supporting the foundation, Green Field Paper hopes to give back to the community by joining the fight against breast cancer and aiding in the prevention.”
May 1, 2013
Purse Gift Card Holders
April 22, 2013
April 22, 2013
Delta is ranked as one of the world’s “greenest airlines” by the environmental website Greenopia.com. To celebrate Earth Day 2013, Delta Team JFK is giving away 11,000 plantable airplanes made of 100% recycled handmade paper that is embedded with wildflower seeds. Green Field Paper Company produced these die cut airplanes for Delta. The back of the airplanes are printed with planting instructions so that Delta passengers can transform their paper airplanes into beautiful wildflowers at home or wherever their final destination may be.
June 13, 2012
Our Grow A Note® seed paper was used by two of the three finalist in the HBA Global International Packaging Design Awards which will be announced June 19th in New York. They are also in the People Choice Contest and you can go to our facebook page to get the link to vote for them http://www.facebook.com/GreenFieldpaperCompany .
We have had the distinct pleasure of meeting both of our customers/finalists in the recent weeks.
Black Rock Mud Pot We traveled first to Reno and then to the Black Rock Desert near the town of Gerlach. There we met Shelly, Summer and their family. We headed to the desert and were treated to this spectacular site.
A geyser in the middle of the desert…
We then went to the property where Mud Pot is harvested. It is a property with geothermal activity and a natural clay bubbling up from the earth.
MudPot honors the sacred, ancient tradition of using natural clay to purify and heal the skin. MudPot comes from deep within the earth the way nature intended… buttery, odorless, pure…truly a rare gift from Mother Nature. This mineral rich illite clay contains over 50 naturally occurring trace elements that are beneficial and promote healthy skin, including: Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Zinc.
Because Black Rock Mud Company respects Mother Nature, their packaging has been carefully designed for the Earth. We support American companies that employ eco-friendly practices, and every component of our packaging is made in the USA. http://www.blackrockmud.com/
Biao Skincare This past weekend Ebonie, the founder of Biao Skincare, paid us a visit at our facility in San Diego. We found her an apron and Darren, our head paper craftsman, gave her a lesson in pulling paper.
She was a natural papermaker mastering couching on nearly her first sheet.
Ebonie is a United States Army veteran and licensed Aesthetician who is delighted to pass down her grandmother’s cherished tradition of naturally-derived skin care formulations. A burn victim and survivor who has used her own line to virtually eliminate physical scars from her face and body, she understands the emotional challenges women face every day. She formulated her safe and effective beauty and skincare line to meet her own stringent standards and to address the unique complexion needs of women of all ages and races. Biao Skincare is dedicated to searching through historic natural resources in order to develop innovative products that make you feel and look beautiful inside and out.
We wish both Black Rock Mud Pot and Biao Skincare tremendous success in the packaging awards and in the launching of their great new natural products.
April 17, 2012
Green Field Paper Company is proud to join forces with One.org as the supplier of the 20+ thousand carrot seed postcards that are headed to the White House! ONE launched Thrive: Campaigners Across the World Will Sow the Seeds of Change on April 19th as their wake-up call to the G8 to end global hunger and malnutrition through investments in smart agriculture programs. Our Paper Craftsmen started making the custom carrot seed paper just before Easter and celebrated by wearing bunny ears and bunny aprons during production. The Thrive postcards are being distributed nationwide and people are being encouraged to send the recycled plantable carrot seed postcards to the White House urging the President to support effective, sustainable programs that save lives. More information about the ONE.org Thrive campaign can be found at http://one.org/us/actnow/thrive_splash.html.
April 1, 2012
Aren’t they cute? Our skiiled paper Artisan’s donned their bunny ears and aprons as they made over 3000 sheets of carrot seed paper for an order that will ship this week. These dedicated silly wabbits worked all weekend to ensure that we could print 20,000 postcards first thing Monday morning. They will continue making this new carrot seed paper for a day or so longer and it will be available for purchase this week in time for Easter.
March 15, 2012
The other evening, while surfing through Pulse on my Kindle Fire, I came across an article from the Food Network about chia seeds and thought it would be a great idea to share it with all of our FB/Twitter/blog community. Why you might ask? Because it was an informative article that shared some interesting facts about chia seeds and how nutritious they are, and for those of you that might not know, we offer a chia seed embedded paper! The article mentions how chia seeds has “gobs of fiber and a fair amount of protein”, which has turned them into “the darling of the fitness world”. All you fitness buffs out there, why not purchase some chia seed paper to send notes to your friends and family, and they in turn can grow their own chia seeds and reap on those nutritional benefits.
Ch-ch-ch-chia seeds are no longer used just for chia pets, but for fun ways to promote a healthy lifestyle and to put a smile on someone’s face.
Take a look at the Pulse.me article here and get a great recipe for pudding with chia seeds: http://pulse.me/s/6Nxqy
Just think, you can grow your own chia seeds and incorporate it in some of your favorite baked goods and smoothies! Enjoy!
Mimi
Sales and Customer Service
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