Farming is certainly nothing new in the Botetourt County and surrounding areas, but at James River High Point, we will combine several different styles of farming to support the needs of the community and to offer upcoming options, such as marijuana.
Spring Witt is the majority owner along with two other business partners and she is known for doing business a little differently in the Town of Buchanan. She believes that in such a small community not only do you have to be willing to offer to support the local community, but you absolutely have to be willing to create a business that will also attract travelers, tourist, hikers, bikers, and river traffic. James River High Point, which will do business as High Point, will be set up to do exactly that.
The High Point production facility is located at 120 Parkway Dr. in Buchanan. The website will be in conjunction with
the other businesses that Spring Witt owns which is www.wittstop.com. They will offer online ordering and curbside pick-up and will also offer in store shopping at the retail location for High Point which is located at 19384 Main St., Buchanan. It is located next door to The Witt Stop Restaurant. They are also on Facebook @jamesriverhighpoint.
High Point has a large building that gives them 20,000 sq. ft. to grow hydroponically year-round and also have two other locations which will be utilized to grow certain crops. Their focus is growing, processing and selling retail hemp products, offering CBD tincture oils, full spectrum sprays, edibles, lotions, hemp infused coffees, vape cartridges, and more. Outside of CBD products, they will also offer a variety of retail items such as coffee mugs, wine glasses, bath bombs, Yankee candles, hats and much more.
As High Point gets closer to harvesting the crops that were started at the beginning of 2021, they will also sell fresh produce. Currently the closest grocery store to Buchanan is anywhere from 15-30 minutes away. Although growing hemp is our primary goal right now, growing fresh produce and being able to sell it year-round will help fill a gap to local people. The beauty of growing hydroponically is that you aren’t limited to certain months of growing because of weather, you are less likely to have crops ruined because of pests or wild animals getting into them, and you don’t have to use pesticides.
With the new laws passing quickly, they will also venture down the road of growing marijuana at one of their locations, once it is legalized. Although Spring is not a marijuana user, she does understand the benefits that it has to offer to people who are suffering from stress, anxiety, pain, seizure disorders, terminal illnesses and so many more conditions. She comes from a long line of military in her family. The things they have experienced and seen are intense in her family and has taken its toll. Witt cannot speak for others who have served, but PTSD in her family is very prevalent. We hear every day of opioid use and overdoses/addiction that comes with the use of them and many other drugs that are used as treatment for many of the above-mentioned conditions. There is still a stigma with marijuana, for sure. It is more acceptable in society to have your doctor prescribe you an opioid than it is to use marijuana, regardless of which one is better for your body and regardless of which one may treat you better. If legalizing marijuana can lower our rate of overdoses, create a revenue source for the state and help people hurt and/or suffer less, Spring is all for supporting it.
Witt was one of those people who didn’t understand CBD before this business venture. She thought CBD would get her high and she was like…no thank you. Both CBD and marijuana are cannabis plants. The difference between the two is the TCH levels. Cannabidiol, usually referred to as CBD, is the second most prevalent chemical compound found in cannabis. First discovered during the 1940s, CBD has recently become more popular as a natural treatment for a range of conditions. It can be derived from hemp or from marijuana. Hemp-derived CBD still contains trace amounts of THC, while marijuana-derived CBD may contain more. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. THC activates the brain’s reward system by signaling the release of the brain chemical dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in mood and pleasure. By triggering a higher-than-normal release of dopamine, THC causes people to experience feelings of euphoria. THC is often administered by smoking marijuana, but it can also be found as an ingredient in capsules, edibles, and oils. Spring now uses several different CBD products, and her joints and overall health have immensely improved. She has been an avid runner for most of her life.
Cannabis plants are one of the most interesting plants Witt has ever encountered. Not only do they offer the health benefits, but there are also strains grown that are used to make clothes, hempcrete (which is used for building) and vehicles. As an entrepreneur, she gets so nerdy when looking at all of the possibilities that cannabis has to offer, is always saying to her friends and business partners that she wants High Point to do it all! A big dreamer, she is all about moving and shaking. Her big dream for 2022 is to have a hemp house built here in Buchanan. She thinks that if people can see what these plants have to offer, it will help with the negative stigma.
Whether customers are looking for CBD, marijuana (when legal), gifts, fresh flowers, or fresh produce and plants locally grown, High Point will offer it all. This year will be a year for High Point to learn the business, the growing necessities of each crop, and the harvesting process for each. By 2022, Witt expects to be full speed ahead and consistently growing and harvesting all of the crops, all year long.
While Spring understands that not everyone will be excited about the marijuana crop, they are willing to offer it, when they are able, to customers who want a different alternative to standardized medicine.
High Point is located at 19384 Main Street Buchanan, Va (540) 254-8024.
