By Marissa Wells
Contributing Writer
“Green Rush Fever: In the Red Hills of North Florida,” by Jimmy Jenkins, tells the story of the author’s family’s journey to grow more than 2,000 industrial hemp plants on their Florida farmland.
“As a farming partner participating in the industrial hemp research project conducted by Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, my family and I became part of the first group of private farmers in Florida to legally grow and cultivate industrial hemp on our own croplands,” Jenkins said.
The idea to write a book came from the realization of the extent of Jenkins’ family’s support.
“The book was inspired by my family’s tradition of having a strong conviction in our faith, and a tenacious belief in the power of having the loving support of one’s family members,” said the author. “This book was important because I felt it was time to tell this historic and fascinating story about the entrance of my family’s farming operation into the nascent Florida hemp industry in 2019.”
“Green Rush Fever” can be described as a guidebook/narrative. The book is broken into four parts, Legacy, Heritage, a New Tradition, and Concluding Observations, where Jenkins shares what he’s encountered along his journey of writing the book.
“It’s a narrative and a guide in how our family went from being traditional farmers and doing just really a small sugar cane syrup operation to entering into the research farming aspect of the statewide industrial hemp pilot project in the state of Florida,” Jenkins said.
Inside the book, Jenkins provides detailed information regarding traditional and hemp farming, some of the knowledge needed to be effective farmers, and more.
“Green Rush Fever” is intended for “prospective and current hemp farmers, cannabis-curious adults, environmentalists, cannabis advocates, HBCU alumni and other college educated adults.”
It’s the author’s hope that his book proves to be a useful resource for readers.
“I hope it will help prospective industrial hemp farmers make some informed decisions as they decide whether they will try to farm hemp as an agricultural crop,” Jenkins said.
In addition to being an author and farmer, Jenkins is a lawyer. He is based in Tallahassee, Florida. For more information about the author and his work, visit Jimmy-Jenkins.com.
“Green Rush Fever: In the Red Hills of North Florida” is available for $15.99 (paperback) and $12.99 (ebook) online at Amazon, Rakutenkobo, booktopia, Barnes & Nobles, and Books-a-Million.
