Risking it all for hemp, a plant closely related to marijuana in the green family tree that is often confused with its sometimes dubious relative? Now that takes guts! And that’s one thing that Vasse Valley Hemp Farm co-founders Dr Bronwyn and Chris Blake have. Finding your own bliss is something we all do in one way or other, with many taking adventures abroad, investing their funds or even retreating to the wilderness for yoga retreats and sunset meditations. But for the Blakes, it was all about diving deep into the world of hemp and the sustainable future they believe they can bring to the planet. “We like to push boundaries, don’t we?” Bronwyn agrees with her husband, never afraid to lean towards the risk that comes with the unknown. 

Chris favourite quote ” Froth or Perish” means excitement and embrace everything, grab it by the horns and lets give it your all”. Quoted by one of his best mate.

And when looking at their journey, which includes her being selected as a finalist for the 2022 Rural Women’s Award, it’s easy to see that this mindset is the one that has led them towards their successes. 

Bored of the idea of a life in a concrete jungle with nothing but four walls to keep them company, the risk and challenge associated with green pastures of hemp seemed a far more rewarding journey for the young family. “Hemp wasn’t being done. It was new.” Bronwyn explains, the idea of which just as much a statement of pride as a mere fact. 

“Over 25,000 different uses”

While hemp is multifaceted in its uses, able to be utilised for food, medicine, carbon sequestration, textiles, and also in industrial spaces, it is only in recent years that it become legal to use in each of these ways. While a past experience in mining had led Bronwyn to some enjoyable profits and opportunities, she had no desire to continue in that industry for the long-term, fears of further destroying the planet weighing heavily on her mind. Instead, she imagined a world where her children would inherit environmental understanding and respect, where hemp could make a real difference to the land around her and could help people in turn. With every part of the hemp plant being used, working alongside the plant felt like an almost revolutionary notion in the current climate of fast fashion and food waste. Bronwyn has since helped develop the hemp industry into something unrecognisable from when she started, certain that she is going to leave the planet better than how she found it.  

Bronwyn and her husband Chris have been inseparable since they met in 2013 in Europe, where Bronwyn was completing her PhD in animal science, bringing the brains while Chris brought the brawn of his practical skills. “Chris inspires me.” Bronwyn explains. “We bounce off each other. We both inspire each other”, and when seeing the collaborative magic for yourself, it’s no wonder that it’s led to her leading a national project that looked at hemp as an alternative food for livestock. But, perhaps more revolutionary of all, they insist that despite everything, their children are their greatest accomplishment, as well as the motivation behind their work. By starting small and growing organically, Vasse Valley turns a blind eye to the business endeavours that seek quick, easy profits and trample on the world in the process.” Bronwyn is wildly proud of how their business has affected their lifestyle, showing how sometimes the greatest of empires can start small and be guided by something other than monetary value.

The growth of one small plant has ultimately become a means of welcoming people to a new way of life.

“It tastes great. It’s guilt-free flavor.” Bronwyn says.

“But it’s more than just that though. If you consume it, you’re giving your body a gift.” They act as undeniable proof that money isn’t what makes success, and that business can be whatever you want it to be – regardless of what big business and media may try to tell you. Doing what feels right and what makes you happy is all that matters, and living and working slowly can sometimes be the kindest thing you can do for yourself and the planet. And if it’s worked for them, it could work for you too. Why not follow the footsteps of Vasse Valley Hemp Farm by breaking out of the mold and finding your bliss along the way?