11 Questions with Jammie Treadwell of Treadwell Farms
This article was featured on Bungalower
AUTHOR BRIAN CARLSON
You can’t deny people are awesome. Who doesn’t like sitting down with good friends to ask them interesting, insightful, and funny questions? That’s what 11 Questions is about. I’ll be featuring some friends I look up to as well as people within the Orlando community I’ve always wanted to get to know.
THIS INTERVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED BY CARLSON ON HIS OWN BLOG.
I was fortunate enough to meet Jammie via Brendan O’Connor at Bungalower when they had done a public pop-up event here in Central Florida with Treadwell Farms.
Jammie and her family have had a big influence on the CBD space in Orlando and beyond. Her passion for it and its medical benefits really shines through in her knowledge and experience. Sure, we all know the chill it brings. But it’s crazy to think about the potential of this one plant—clothes, rope, shoes, paper, bioplastics, insulation, fuel, and concrete, just to name a few.
Next, we’ll be growing this stuff in space. Big thanks to Jammie for showing me around their operation.
If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it?
I would read a good book in a hammock by a body of water or listen to live music with a friend. Any live music will do because I like all kinds, but it needs to be instrument driven and the lyrics need to be inspirational. When I attend music festivals I lean towards rock, Americana, or country, but anything with strong musicianship and impactful lyrics will do.
Favorite book, album, or musician who has impacted your life?
I have a lot of fond memories of listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival with my Uncle Mike. When CCR comes on, I can’t help but smile and sing along. I also really love Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and The Highwomen – when I can read lyrics that speak to me and then hear the song that does the same, I love it. Words really matter to me so I would say music/lyrics and reading help me make sense of life and help me experience things outside of my day-to-day. Both also allow me to focus my mind in a different area and often take my mind off my worries.
If you could mate two different species of animals what would they be?
Fun question! I would say a cheetah and a shark. A cheetah because they are fast (my family drag races and I like fast cars). A shark because they must keep moving or die. I always want to be moving forward to new challenges and not sitting still.
Who in your life has inspired you?
I am proud to come from a long line of Florida farmers on both sides of my family. We never back away from a challenge and like getting dirty. We see the value of growing what we eat and enjoy in our own community. With that in mind, my parents inspire me. They started their business when they were barely out of their teens, raised their family, and taught us how to work hard and play hard. They also taught me how important it is to make your faith a driver for your life. My parents could have easily just retired but they are still right beside me building Treadwell Farms so we can grow hemp for our community. We always say we would rather give out than rust out. Feeling like you can always set and achieve a new goal at all stages of your life is something I have learned from my family overall, but my parents especially.
What are you proud of?
I am proud to be extending my family’s agricultural legacy to the next generation with a new crop for Florida. I am also proud of our Treadwell Farms CBD products – we take great care in how we pick the genetics, grow each plant using organic practices, hand harvest, slow dry and cure and ultimately formulate each of our products.
There are a lot of CBD products out there but not many are grown, formulated, and produced in Florida and with such care. Also, I am proud to be affiliated with Florida’s Hemp Program – it requires labeling clarity, and third-party testing to confirm potency and ensure there aren’t contaminants, and we are monitored every step of the way. These are the right things to do to make sure products are safe and the Fresh From Florida, Made with Florida Hemp seal means something. I am an unapologetically proud Floridian and to be a part of establishing hemp to serve my state is a dream.
What rejuvenates you?
A few things rejuvenate me. First, it gets me fired up in my professional life when I can work with a customer to have a better life with our CBD products. Launching a business in a new industry for Florida as COVID was starting was tough! Every day when one of my customers calls, emails, or tells me face-to-face how our products help them live a better life it motivates me. Second, my family has drag raced for a long time. Being at the track, focused on the team, and winning the race takes my mind off anything else going on. I am also usually seeing friends from all over the country. It’s always a fun time. Lastly, my brain is always going, and I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t direct that brain power to get lost in a good book, doing Bible study, listening to music, or learning something new.
Is there anything you haven’t done yet that you feel compelled to do?
One of the things I have been working on over the last few years is being present and appreciative of what I have today. That doesn’t mean I don’t have goals, but I don’t want the next big thing to take away from the things I can enjoy now. My biggest goals of late have to do with seeing our Treadwell Farms products be in more retail locations in our community serving more Floridians and helping develop a hemp industry that works for Florida farmers. I would also be very excited to be a part of developing sustainable hemp building materials and biodegradable plastics. We are actively looking for partners to work with us on this.
How do you balance your personal and professional life?
I am very fortunate to have a large extended family in Central Florida as well as a great friend group that helps balance me out. I am a bit of a workaholic because I am passionate about what I do. Finding ways to connect with my support network, and do the things I enjoy like drag racing, live music, reading or art keeps me grounded and energized to do the work I feel called to do at Treadwell Farms.
Best place to eat in Orlando?
I really love hanging out at the beer garden at Ravenous Pig Brewing (Instagram). Treadwell Farms was lucky enough to do a beer collaboration (Treadwell Red) and I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Jenna and Larry Foor and their team to make a beer that we could both be proud of. When I am there, I always get the pulled pork and braised greens and, if possible, I go on a beer release night so I can check out their latest creation.
Since I live in Mount Dora just outside Orlando, I have to plug my favorite Mount Dora restaurant too. My absolute favorite is Copacabana for Cuban. It is authentic, and I go for my favorite comfort food which is Arroz Con Pollo with sweet plantains. Complimented by the house Mojito and I am one happy woman.
How do you hope to be remembered?
I hope to be remembered as someone who cares about others and did what they could to make others’ lives a little better. I hope to be remembered as someone who took risks and waded into the unknown of the hemp/cannabis industry to create something special for Florida. I also hope that I can contribute to sustainable building practices with hempcrete, hemp plastics, or even hemp for electric car batteries in some small way. I know my lane is growing awesome hemp and making hemp/CBD wellness products, but it would thrill me if our hemp, facilities, or some other knowledge I have could help with these other hemp uses that are so important to our future.
If you were to choose a different career what would it be?
I would own a book and record store with a coffee shop with my best friends and/or my sisters. I would like to think I am an excellent book/music matchmaker and those around me are great home baristas and bakers. We have always joked that our retirement plan will be to operate from our Golden Girls-style cabana, so we will see what ends up happening. We’d certainly have fun!
CLICK HERE TO HEAR A SPECIAL PODCAST INTERVIEW BETWEEN BRENDAN O’CONNOR AND JAMMIE TREADWELL ON A BONUS EPISODE OF “BUNGALOWER AND THE BUS.”
Original article post: https://bungalower.com/2022/10/18/11-questions-with-jammie-treadwell-of-treadwell-farms/
