Lucy showed up at the Kinneman farm as a six-month-old Pudelpointer mix who needed a home. She slipped into the rhythm of the place the way some dogs do — gates, feed, and shadowing whoever holds the bucket. Lucy attached herself to Kurt Kinneman.
Kurt eventually left Wisconsin and went west to Oregon, where hemp was starting to look like a real career path instead of a passing trend. He spent two years learning how to grow it. Hemp cultivation is repetitive work: water, trim, adjust, and watch the plant respond. Lucy followed along through the move and all the shifts.
During that time, Lucy struggled with recurring skin and ear flare-ups. The usual treatments weren’t cutting it, so Kurt tried hemp-derived CBD from the farm. The company says Lucy’s symptoms eased enough to get his attention. What mattered to Kurt wasn’t a miracle; it was the possibility.
When his parents visited Oregon and saw hemp growing at scale, they asked the question that changed the direction of the family farm: Why not do this back home?
They returned to Wisconsin and planted hemp on part of the family’s land. The business that grew out of that decision is now called Bad Apple Pets. The hemp is produced through Kinnektion Products, LLC in the St. Croix River Valley, and the CBD products — chews, tinctures (including a salmon formula that cats tend to prefer), and a topical balm — are all made in the Midwest.
One thing stands out in an industry full of promises: the company posts its lab results. On its website it shares third-party Certificates of Analysis that show exactly what’s inside. One report lists the tincture at 1.538% CBD and 0.053% THC. Another shows the balm with 2.687% CBD and 0.153% THC. A third lists the dog chews with CBD and no quantifiable THC.
Most customers say they use the CBD products to support their pets’ comfort, especially for inflammation, anxiety, and joint issues. Pet parents often send messages about how much their animals have improved; some even say the products changed their pets’ lives for the better.
Kurt keeps the process personal. He makes every product by hand using human-grade ingredients, and the family jokes that they sometimes eat the chews for breakfast.
Lucy has since crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but she remains the inspiration behind the company. Today a new Pudelpointer pup named Peggy keeps watch over the farm, reminding everyone why the work matters.
What began with a dog who needed help became a new path and purpose for the farm.
