DuPage County Farm Bureau

Kerry Farms

 

Kerry Farms is a hemp farm located in the western suburbs of Chicago. Kerry Farms was set up by Dr. Joe Sheehan, a medical doctor who has been studying and researching the medicinal properties of Cannabidiol (CBD) since his first year of medical school. He has been working directly in the hemp industry for the last three years with the business located on his family farm in Winfield, IL.
A greenhouse filled with lots of green plants.
Kerry Farms is an outdoor, greenhouse, and indoor hemp operation and differentiates itself by operating similar to a medical marijuana facility. This is compared to most other hemp operations which are large outdoor farms. Kerry Farms hemp is grown using organic practices and all plants can be traced from seed to sale. They mainly grow high Cannabidiol strains of hemp that can be processed using various methods into an oil for oral consumption. Scientific research has shown it as a potent anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety and neurological protectant with no known side effects. “The common misconception that hemp is a bad or evil drug, when in reality, both hemp and cannabis are significantly less harmful than most over the counter medications” says Dr. Sheehan. He believes by the end of the next ten years, every American in the U.S. will have a bottle of Cannabidiol in their medicine cabinet.

Growing hemp is unlike any other crop. Dr. Sheehan says, “It is not a commodity and if grown for CBD it is unlikely that it ever will be.” As a fairly young business, growing the product and brand each and every day is rewarding. The success of Kerry Farms does not come without its challenges. “From a farming perspective, harvest is the hardest part of he job. You can grow everything perfect over a three to four-month period, but the real work and perfection is in the drying and curing process” says Dr. Sheehan. Harvesting the product is done completely by hand, where the smaller operation results in the highest quality products. With Kerry Farms, consumers will know that they are getting a superior product that is meticulously maintained from a local family farm. Dr. Sheehan says, “I have a scientific background and I wanted to examine the lab results, examine the plants and ensure they are perfect. I needed to trust the quality for myself before I went on to make products for consumers. A local product from a family farm is much more likely to actually have Cannabidiol in the product and be healthier for you.” The goal is to build a loyal customer base of consumers who know the importance of buying local.

If you would like to learn more about Kerry Farms, visit them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or online at www.kerryfarms.com.