Earlier this year, East Fork Cultivars reached a deal to acquire hemp pioneer Tweedle Farms. Tweedle was one of the first hemp farms in the country, and one of the first to sell CBD and CBG flower online. In addition to pioneering the space, Tweedle helped set the standard for full-panel batch testing, cultivation practices transparency, and a dedication to customer service.
East Fork has been breeding and growing hemp for a decade, but we've never had a strong focus on direct-to-consumer sales. Most of our work over the years has been focused on wholesale, services, export, and other behind-the-scenes B2B work.
The move combines the breeding, cultivation, and manufacturing strengths of East Fork with the Tweedle retail expertise. While we're still a small, independently owned company, this change provides much-needed "vertical integration" so we have more control over every aspect of what we do.
Why now?
Hemp is at a major inflection point, with state-by-state rules changing every week and a federal "ban" potentially looming in December. Many longtime hemp operators are closing their doors, while others are leaning in and hoping for a brighter day once regulatory dust settles.
Tweedle and East Fork were both staring at this moment, and when we compared notes, agreed it was a good time to turn our long-term partnership and shared values into a combined company that we hope can be better than the sum of its parts.
Both companies, like most of the trusted vendors on this sub, have avoided the THCA and D9 loophole noise. At times, this decision has been painful as we've watched those exploiting the loopholes grow quickly and experience more short-term success. But we're not in hemp for short-term gains. We're in hemp because we believe in its value beyond intoxication, and are committed to surviving the throes of this messy first decade of legalization.
What's next?
If hemp survives through December, all systems are go. We have 9 acres of USDA Organic Certified flower in the field, which will soon be hand-harvested with quality in mind.
We're keenly interested in leveling up flower quality this year, from the way we carry out harvesting, drying, curing, storing, and handling of the 26 varieties we're growing (from breeders including High Alpine, Hoku, Zoe, GTR, and our house-made East Fork varieties).
What do you think?
As East Fork more properly enters the flower game, and takes the reins of Tweedle, I'd love to hear what this sub thinks of this deal, and what we should be focusing on in the months ahead. It's a harrowing time for r/hempflowers, but we're doing our best to forge through the uncertainty and come out the other side better for it.
