A North Jindong hemp farm turning Australian-grown hemp seed into cold-pressed oil, hemp hearts and protein powder, plus soap and body care.
One seed does most of the work at Vasse Valley Hemp Farm. Hulled, it becomes hemp hearts, to scatter over a meal. Cold-pressed, it becomes a pantry oil. It is sold as a plant-based protein powder too. And the same hemp seed oil that goes over a salad is the starting point for the farm's soaps, balms, shampoo bars and body butter.
The farm is at North Jindong. It was founded by a husband and wife, Chris and Bronwyn Blake, and the business grew out of Chris's own research into industrial hemp.
On the food side, the farm is specific about origin. The hemp seed oil is grown and produced entirely in Australia, and the hemp hearts are raw and 100 per cent Australian grown.
The body care range is built around the farm's own hemp seed oil, combined with ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, aloe vera and beeswax. There are bar soaps, balms, shampoo bars and a whipped body butter. One soap comes on a rope so it can be hung up, a design the makers describe as a way of reducing packaging waste.
The sizes on offer say something about who cooks with these products. The oil, the protein and the hearts start at household sizes of 250 millilitres or 250 grams, and bulk formats run up to 20 litres or 20 kilograms for foodservice and wholesale buyers.
The farm publishes its address but no details about visiting, so check the maker's site before making the trip.