Our Journey Part 1: How We Started Growing Organic Hemp and Creating Pure, High-Quality CBD Products
Hello, and welcome! We are Rachel Connolly and Stuart McKenna, founders of Connolly & McKenna — a name that reflects our deep, personal commitment to crafting the finest organic CBD products. Our journey began when we moved to a charming old house nestled in the beautiful Tarn countryside of South West France, surrounded by a few hectares of fertile land.
With a passion for sustainability and a desire to reduce CO2 emissions, we set out to use our land in a way that benefits both the planet and people’s well-being. After discovering that hemp absorbs carbon at twice the rate of trees, we knew this versatile plant was the key to our mission. Guided by our commitment to the environment and natural health, we now grow premium, organic hemp to produce high-quality CBD oil and CBD herbal tea that truly makes a difference in people’s lives, empowering individuals to take charge of their personal well-being through a holistic approach.
Why We Chose Organic Farming
As firm believers in natural, chemical-free organic farming, we were fortunate to start with uncultivated land in an area where neighbouring farmers also avoid pesticides. This has allowed us to create a truly clean, organic hemp farming environment. To ensure the highest standards, our farm is regularly inspected by Ecocert, one of the world’s leading organic certification organisations. They rigorously control everything – from our organic hemp seeds and sustainable farming methods, to the transformation process of our products – guaranteeing that every step is certified organic. Even our packaging labels undergo strict scrutiny to ensure total transparency and accuracy. It’s so important to us that people can trust our brand to be 100% organic.
From Seed to Finished Product: Our Hands-On Approach to Premium CBD
In April, the adventure begins with the two of us planting each precious CBD seed into its own pot and carefully nurturing them in our greenhouse. Once the seeds germinate and the hemp plants reach about 20 cm, they’re ready for the big move to the field. Each plant gets 2 square metres of space to spread out and bask in the sunshine. From May to October, we become full-time plant parents – watering each one by hand (though nature gave us a bit of a break this year with all that rain!). We’re committed to sustainable farming, so we rely on rainwater from our well and store any extra in a bladder water storage tank to keep our CBD plants happy during drier spells.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows – especially with sneaky caterpillars trying to feast on our plants! Armed with patience and determination, we pick them off by hand and snip away any buds starting to rot from too much rain (this summer’s weather had us wishing for a bit more sun and wind!).
When the flowers are fully formed and at their best, we handpick only the finest branches—quality is our top priority, after all! These branches, rich with CBD flowers and leaves, are carefully laid out on drying racks for about three weeks. Once dried, we strip the branches so only the flowers and leaves make it into our barrels for curing, ensuring any remaining moisture is evenly distributed.
And then, it’s time for the “CBD express” to La Creuse! Paperwork and lab results in hand (just in case a curious policeman stops us!), we deliver our harvest to our trusted organic partners, who transform our hemp into pure CBD oil and herbal tea. They’re also certified by Ecocert, guaranteeing that their methods are as organic and chemical-free as ours.
Once bottled, we bring our CBD oil and herbal tea back home, where we hand-label each product with care before packing it up and making it available on our website, connollyandmckenna.com. From start to finish, we oversee every step – because we believe that when you’re passionate about quality, you’ve got to get your hands a little dirty!
