One Hemp Block at a Time: How Old Pueblo Hemp Co. Is Leading the Way

Micaela Isabel Machado, founder of Old Pueblo Hemp Co., and Sully Sullivan, Executive Director of the Hemp Industry Trade Association of Arizona, stand proudly in front of freshly made hemplime blocks at the March Hemp Building Workshop in Tucson. Hosted by Old Pueblo Hemp Co., the event brought together leaders and learners from across the region to explore regenerative building practices rooted in hemp innovation.

One Hemp Block at a Time: How Old Pueblo Hemp Co. Is Leading the Way

This past weekend in Tucson, something truly remarkable happened—the Hemp Industry Trade Association (HITA) was proud to be there to witness it, support it, and help capture its impact.

The Second Hemp Building Workshop, hosted by Old Pueblo Hemp Co., wasn’t just an event—it was a bold, hands-on declaration that hemp is here to stay. And it’s building more than structures: it’s building community, careers, regenerative systems, and hope.

At HITA, we work every day to protect and uplift hemp—and the people behind it. Watching one of our own members lead such a powerful, purpose-driven, boots-on-the-ground workshop was a true reminder of why we do what we do.

The second Hemp Building Workshop hosted by Old Pueblo Hemp Co. wasn’t just an event—it was a bold, hands-on declaration that hemp is here to stay, and it’s building more than structures: it’s building community, future careers, regenerative systems, and hope.

At HITA, we fight every day to protect and uplift hemp and the people behind it. Seeing one of our own members lead such a powerful, purpose-driven, boots-on-the-ground workshop was a true reminder of why we do what we do.

💪 Meet the MASTERMIND: Micaela Isabel Machado

Micaela isn’t just a hemp builder—she’s a movement.

As the founder of Old Pueblo Hemp Co., Micaela is literally changing the future one hemp block at a time. With fierce intelligence, contagious energy, and unstoppable determination, she’s leading projects that are practical, scalable, and beautifully rooted in local community.

Her workshop brought people together from across Arizona, the Southwest, and even internationally—all to learn how to build using hempcrete, to discover alternative methods that work with the desert rather than against it, and to be inspired by a woman who’s not only doing the work, but creating a path for others to follow.

🛠️ What We Experienced

Over three powerful days, attendees were immersed in the full process of hemp construction—from theory to hands-on experience. The workshop included:

  • Facility tour and introduction to hemp building with world-renowned builder Sergiy Kovalenkov (Dr. Hemp House) Founder of Hempire, whose work around the world continues to inspire both pros and young learners alike. Sergiy’s ability to engage with everyone from contractors to kids made the workshop especially memorable—education for all ages and all skill levels.

  • Framing and hemp rebar workshops with Lucas Evans from E3 Agriculture

  • Cast-in-place hempcrete demo and hands-on project, led by Micaela and Sergiy, showing participants how to build with hemp for real-world use

  • Spray-applied hemp presentations by Danny Desjarlais of the Lower Sioux Tribe featured in the recent Patagonia film The Green Buffalo, who also shared incredible insights from the Lower Sioux Tribe’s efforts in hemp sovereignty, farming, and architecture

  • Processing insights and game-changing equipment from the legendary Lawrence Serbin of Hemp Traders

  • Plastering techniques, hemp block making, and mock wall builds at Camp Cooper—a local environmental education center where hemp will now be part of future classrooms and structures

  • Hemp plastic innovation and the #EATMOREHEMP movement led by Thatcher Michelsen, from the Hemp Innovation Center, whose passion brought new eyes to what hemp can become

  • Hemp fiber and fashion with Alejandra Diaz of Hemp Fortex, culminating in a joyful hemp fashion show

  • A storytelling session with longtime hemp advocate Jesse Lopez

  • And a screening of Patagonia’s film The Green Buffalo followed by a powerful Q&A on cultural sovereignty and sustainability

🌱 HITA's Mission in Action

For us at the Hemp Industry Trade Association, this event was more than a workshop—it was our mission in action.

Old Pueblo Hemp Co. embodies what HITA stands for:
✅ Grounded leadership
✅ Innovative practices
✅ Community-centered solutions
✅ A belief that hemp is not just a crop—it’s a catalyst

We were honored to document the workshop alongside Wulfen Bear Media, as part of our upcoming media campaign celebrating the resilient, creative, and unstoppable hemp industry in Arizona.

We want the world to see what’s happening here. And this weekend was proof: the future of sustainable building is collaborative, community-led, and happening right here in the Sonoran Desert.

To everyone who traveled, taught, learned, supported, and shared—thank you. You’re helping grow something truly extraordinary.

Special thanks to the incredible contributors, creators, and collaborators who helped make this weekend unforgettable:
MJ Oatman, Ale Diaz, Epicycle Home, Tina Jones, General Hemp Store, The Hemp Twins, AKA Noemy and Abigail Cuevas, HempBuild Magazine, Kait Curley, Natural Building Works, Kosmos Stargazing Resort, Orizona CBD, Ryan Doherty of Tiger Fiber, and Jesse Lopez of Seed to Stomach.

Your presence, passion, and support made this a truly collective experience—we’re grateful for each of you.

And to Micaela, her team, and the entire Old Pueblo Hemp Co. family: thank you for planting seeds of change, one hemp block at a time. 💚


Laura Franklin