3rd Annual Hempfest at Burke Mountain

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Created on Tuesday, 24 September 2019 21:29

Written by Nick Anastasi

EAST BURKE- Sponsored by Heady Vermont, Vermonts third annual Hempfest was held earlier this month at Burke Mountain Resort. Drawing big names from not just Vermont, but nationally too. Working alongside the late Billy Mays, English producer and pitchman, Anthony Sullivan, has stakes in the hemp industry here in the Northeast Kingdom. Sullivan founded the Plainfield based company “Montkush”, after seeing his 8 year old daughter Devon benefit from CBD treatments as opposed to the old medication she was on which Sullivan says “ stripped her of her personality”.  From growers and processors to retailers and other industry specialists, attendees were able to not only purchase top notch products, but also learn a thing or two in the process. Jayne Webb a Hempfest attendee said that “I really don’t know much, I’m visiting from Arkansas. I’d really like to [learn] because I may want to be apart of this as well. It feels very exciting to come and see what people are offering and to get a feeling of what’s going on”.

Several informative sessions were held throughout the day so business owners and those interested in the industry could get advice from hemp experts. Lieutenant Governor David Zuccerman wasn’t there to enlighten the public about political activism and how to effectively lobby to get legislation passed. “Your local reps., your local senators as you all know, you can bump into them at the coffee shop, at the gas station, at the dump. You can call them up and get a meeting with them, and that direct access is what gives you and the rest of the folks at this conference who are from Vermont, and all of us the hope and opportunity that we’ll actually get over the hurdle, into a tax and regulate system.” 

While Hempfest is a great way for the community to learn about the industry, it is also a great way for buyers and sellers to market with each other and get their businesses on the map. Tamarack Valley Farms is a new business that has recently sprouted in the already budding industry of hemp farming. Nick Cosentino a Co-Owner of Tamarack Valley Farms was at Hempfest, and mentioned their motivation of being there was to “promote our farm”. Cosentino added that “it is the best place in the NEK to be able to present [our] product”.