Discover the Chatham hemp farm behind some of our readers’ favorite local products
By Sinclair Holian | Photography by John Michael Simpson
In 2018, Chapel Hill native Samuel Brownfield, his wife Katie Brownfield and their son Miles Brownfield decided it was time for a change. The family left Los Angeles, where Samuel had worked as a cinematographer, and made the cross-country trek back to North Carolina to start their very own hemp farm. The only hitch? “We had no idea what we were doing,” Samuel laughs. “It was totally insane.”
The family landed on a property they now share with Samuel’s father, Rick Brownfield, located between Pittsboro and Sanford. While neither father nor son had an agricultural background, the pair began laying the foundation of a farm. Little by little, they deepened their knowledge of hemp, learning about proper drainage, soil nutrients, propagation and more. “We really just had to put one foot in front of the other,” Samuel recalls. That first year, they harvested 144 plants. Today, that number has grown to several thousand.
As his confidence grew, so did Samuel’s curiosity. He began experimenting with extraction techniques in his kitchen. After lots of trial and error, Rocky River Hemp’s first two products emerged: “CBD MCT Oil Infusion” and “Relief Salve.” The reviews poured in, glowing with praise, and those early experiments became a full line of handmade CBD products.
Today, Rocky River Hemp offers gummies, oils, salves and more. They even cater to four-legged friends with products like the “Bacon Boost,” a favorite of Samuel’s 14-year-old German shepherd. The goal behind every item is simple: improving the quality of life for customers. Many are individuals managing chronic pain, insomnia or anxiety and Rocky River Hemp has been a lifeline for relief.
Reducing the lingering stigma around hemp is another key element of Samuel’s mission. “It doesn’t have to be a counterculture, weird outlaw thing,” he explains. “Hemp helps everyone; it’s just another tool in the wellness toolbox for people who need it.”
Samuel is also focused on making a difference for the land where the hemp is grown. In 2020, the farm went completely organic as part of an effort to be responsible environmental stewards. “We’re named Rocky River Hemp because there’s a little stream that runs under our field that goes to the Rocky River,” he says. “We have a responsibility for what we put on the ground, because that ultimately cycles through.”
Looking ahead, a new side of the business is growing: Rocky River Hemp recently partnered with Chapel Hill’s Boro Beverage Company to develop “Kühlt,” a cannabis-infused kombucha. The beverage has quickly gained popularity, appearing in bars across Chapel Hill and Carrboro, with plans for a Rocky River seltzer also underway.
Days on the farm can bring challenges, but Samuel finds immense reward in the heartfelt feedback from customers. “The most rewarding parts are the emails I get randomly,” he says. “I’ll forward them to my dad and Katie if we’re having a bad day. This is why we do this, it keeps us going.”
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