Maxine and Mike Shea - Hemp Collective
WHO ARE YOU? WHERE AND WHAT DO YOU FARM?
We are Maxine and Mike Shea, a family run business run in the Byron region. We grow hemp for seed and hemp seed oil on a farm near Byron Bay which we use to make our own hemp body products and we will only substitute our hemp seed oil with 100% Australian grown hemp seeds.
HOW DID YOU START AND WHAT LED YOU ON YOUR FARMING JOURNEY?
The Hemp Collective story began when co-founder Maxine Shea was diagnosed with a Pituitary Brain Adenoma, a TSH secreting (Non-Cancerous) brain tumour, seven years ago when our son was 12 months old. Symptoms included chronic headaches, days of deep depression, fatigue, fluid retention and hormonal problems. Within three months of being diagnosed, I had brain surgery to remove the tumour, however, due to the location, not all the tumour could be removed, so it just kept growing.
When we asked what we could do to stop the tumour's growth, their options were presented as pharma drugs or more surgery. Instead, we researched hemp and it just made sense -- though access was a "whole other issue".
By building a local hemp business, we want to build a sense of empowerment and community, as well as providing ethical consumption and cause-related purchasing to our customer base and also support Australian Hemp production for the future.
IS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED?
Yes as the hemp landscape keeps changing and No It's a tough industry due to the lack of education around hemp and hemp-based products, as well as the infrastructure to make the industry thrive.
BIGGEST LEARNING CURVE SO FAR?
How to harvest hemp and how to make a regular income from the end products.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO FARM?
We wanted to get in and be a grassroots business and help pioneer an emerging industry. We love getting our hand dirty and farming hemp makes us happy to be changing the world for a better future. We also realise that to make a success in growing hemp you really have to start from the beginning and work your way up.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST MILESTONE SO FAR?
Growing an amazing first crop of organic hemp. Learning from our mistakes and helping create solutions for the hemp industry. It's also making community connections and teaching our 8-year-old son the truth about hemp!
WHAT IS THE DREAM ?
Is to have farmers growing hemp all around our region and around Australia and making it a viable and profitable crop for the future of our country and our planet. I dream of the day hemp is normalised like other crops and we have figured out ways to build efficiencies by growing organic and spray free hemp.