12 minute read
Breeders Lives Part 2
The unsung heroes behind some of the finest genetics on the planet, Emerald Mountain has had arguably one of the most significant positive impacts on the cannabis scene over the years. Whether you are talking genetics, growing methods, or overall impact on the scene and its direction, you need not look any further for a shining example of genuinely ethical business practices, excellent breeding methods, and a steadfast moral compass.
Picking up the interview with Ben Anderson where we left off in US30, this concluding half will go through all things legal and breeding related.
The Law
The global legal climate for cannabis is slowly shifting for the better. Unfortunately, that ‘slowly’ comes with a capital ‘SLOW’. Also, it is the sort of ‘slow’ that has been peppered with treachery and deceit just for good measure. As usual, it seems mostly because the guys in suits with all the money try to tailor laws, so their friends in different suits get more money and control. I know that sounds like some sort of God-awful Orwellian nightmare, but on the plus side…. er …. Hmmm, sorry I don’t have a plus side for you.
Especially in the US, with the state-by-state approach it is taking, it probably couldn’t get any more confusing.
707 Truthband
GC: How have you guys coped with all the changes in the laws? It must be exciting times over there right now.
BA: It has been an interesting transition, to say the least. We are very happy to finally see the social stigma around cannabis begin to erode and to see the end of incarceration for cannabis use in California. In many ways, this is exactly what we’ve been fighting for all these years.
GC: I get the impression that it might not be as rosy as we would all like, though?
BA: There have also been some unforeseen negative consequences to the new legal cannabis paradigm in California. We have watched as many of the Legacy cannabis cultivators, many of them close friends of ours, have been put out of business by the high costs of regulatory compliance and various other features of Prop 64. We were dismayed by the removal of the one-acre cap that was meant to keep cannabis farms small and in the hands of the ‘mom and pop’ businesses. Prop 64 was a sort of wolf in sheep’s clothing, paving the way for a corporate takeover of the cannabis industry. It’s a bit of a trade-off, but overall a welcome one. People are no longer going to jail for cannabis use in California, and that is what’s most important. It’s just sad to see the culture of the industry change the way it has in recent years.
GC: Still though, on a micro-level, I’m sure there’s been a positive change and plenty of opportunity along the way?
BA: In terms of my life, specifically, I am happy to see cannabis come out of the shadows. I have a four-year-old daughter, and I wouldn’t be able to take the risks I have in the past to follow my passion now that I have a family I’m responsible for. I want to share openly and take pride in what I do and for my daughter to grow up without fear of persecution. Prop 64 has made that possible for me.
Royal Kush Dark Purple Pheno Outdoor
GC: Do you think the movement towards a real big-ag take over is something that cannot be stopped, or am I just being a Negative-Nancy?
BA: It’s not inevitable that Big Ag will take over, but it will require further legislation to prevent it from happening. Small farmers don’t have lobbying power or even the community cohesion, sadly, to win under current legislative conditions. Many of us have begun to lose hope that we’ll have a seat at the table but it’s never too late.
GC: Particularly with the benefit of having hindsight, what sort of legal framework would you like to see around you?
BA: Reinstate the one-acre cap; create programs to help Legacy farmers get through the costly permit application process; require all farms, especially larger farms, to use sustainable Ag practices; create equity programs for people who were incarcerated or otherwise disenfranchised under prohibition.
GC: What overriding outcome do you see legislation taking the cannabis scene toward?
BA: Unfortunately, in the short term, I think that small family businesses are going to struggle and ultimately be replaced by larger, less socially and environmentally conscious actors. At least until we can pass more perfect legislation governing cannabis in California; the playing field just isn’t even. That being said, I still hold out hope that there will be a craft cannabis renaissance and that small family farms will have a seat at the table when the dust settles.
# F E R T I L Z E R F O R T H E F U T U R E
Tinky Winky
GC: Is there anything a small business can do to weather the storm? For example, heirloom genetics and exceptional business practices. Or, are their days numbered?
BA: Honestly, It really does come down to legislation having been crafted by big money private interest groups. We need common sense regulation that isn’t designed to promote corporate consolidation of the cannabis industry. For that to happen, we need to organize the cannabis community in a way that has yet to happen. I think this is a relic of the prohibition era. A lot of growers are still hiding in the shadows because that’s what’s been required of us for decades. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help us to organize and advocate for our shared interests.
Dumpster fire
GC: Any pearls of wisdom for countries yet to hit legalization? How would you advise them to tackle the issue?
BA: Don’t over-regulate! Cannabis is a plant. People should be allowed to grow and consume it with very little oversight. Furthermore, cannabis tax revenue should not be viewed as a means to balance a budget. California basically applies a sin tax to cannabis, akin to alcohol or tobacco taxes, and that tax revenue seems to be the driving force behind the legalization movement. Cannabis is medicine. It should be made available cheaply to anyone and everyone who benefits from it. The exorbitant taxes are making it really difficult for both the consumer to obtain and for the cultivator to provide.
I couldn’t agree more, but at the same time I couldn’t help but think about the plethora of people who most certainly aren’t using it for medicine. It made me hark back to the previous weekend, where I watched some guy fall face first into a packet of cheese puffs after dabbing a gram. I’m fairly certain that neither the cheese puffs, nor the dab, offered him any significant medicinal benefit.
GC: Some people don’t use it for medicine though, and just like to get really high. Isn’t it fair to class it as a luxury good in that instance?
BA: Sure. But why tax it more than we do fancy cars or other luxury items? Nothing but alcohol, tobacco, and now cannabis are taxed at 40% or more. We tax cannabis like we do tobacco and alcohol. The difference is that tobacco and alcohol cause real harm to our bodies and there is a reasonable argument for higher taxes to subsidize the cost of healthcare relating to lung cancer, cirrhosis, etc. Cannabis doesn’t have the same deleterious effect on our bodies, and therefore, should not be treated in the same way as tobacco or alcohol. We should tax it at the same rate we do most other things, like cheeseburgers and sports cars.
Breeding
This being an interview with Emerald Mountain Legacy, more specific breeding-type questions seemed appropriate. Unfortunately, they took some time away from me finishing the life-size oil painting with Ben as my subject (kind of like Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ with Ben’s beauteous visage taking the main stage), but needs must. I could keep him still no longer, so a common ground was swiftly re-established.
GC: What genetics do you think Emerald/Mack would be most well-known for?
BA: Royal Kush; Oilspill; The Truth; 707 Headband; 707 Truthband; Turpentine OG, and Maui Super Dog.
He (Mack) also distributed the classic OG and Sour Diesel and Headband clones on a scale that made them as widely known as they are today (though he didn’t breed them).
Ben Anderson
I think all his (Mack’s) work got credit for what it was. There have been situations where other people tried to claim credit for his work, but most people knew the truth and those false claims were largely unsuccessful.
As noted in the first part of this interview (US30), ‘The Spice of Life’ article written by Mack details the sort of breeding practices that produced these strains in the form they are known now, and it’s a fantastic start point for anyone remotely interested.
GC: What practical tips on breeding could you share that would aid any aspiring pollenchuckers reading?
BA: Take your time! Don’t start too many breeding projects at once. My brother gained the reputation he has in cannabis breeding by spending years and years working on a single cultivar. It took him ten years of meticulous testing to perfect the Royal-Kush. He bred less than 20 distinct cultivars in his entire breeding career, many of them slight variations on a common theme. Lots of “breeders” today hit 20 hype clones with a stud male’s pollen and then move on to do the same thing again with another male and another 20 hype clones.
Queen’s Sangria
Upon hearing Ben’s angelic voice divulge these words unto me, a small part of my soul shattered. The small part that had spent way too much money on the type of seeds that he had just described. As I battled to contain my emotions, I wiped a tear from my eye and mopped the sweat from my lip.
GC: Yeah totally, I’d never spend over the odds on hype seeds from breeders; that’s like totally super-lame, don’t you think?
BA: To me, that’s not really breeding. To each their own, but if you want to find and refine something really special, it takes time and focus. You can’t do that when you have too many projects going at once. You can find all sorts of variation in one f1 cross and then work to isolate the different traits into really distinct cultivars over time. That is how you find the hidden gems. Breeding the same lineage in a constant direction for several generations also helps to create stable seed stock that will produce offspring that are consistent and nearly identical to one another.
Sage advice, but despite seeds of Emerald’s calibre being readily available, I’m sure that demand for crosses of hype-cut X to hypecut Y will still sell by the bucketload, mainly because of chumps like me two weeks ago. The overriding message here, though, seems to be to have a plan and take your time. Two things that, to be honest, my life in general completely lacks.
GC: So, I’m guessing there will be a lot of failed projects and wasted time across the way?
Royal LimeZ
BA: I have never started a breeding project that produced nothing of value. Even if you don’t like the end result, you will have learned a lot along the way. If you’re patient and persistent, I think any breeding project will be worthwhile in the end.
Rum Cream
GC: Do you ever get surprised if something doesn’t breed well? Is it possible to form an idea of what direction a cross might take in your mind, or is it always a figurative roll of the dice?
BA: I’ve been surprised for sure, but I generally work on a project long enough to find what I was looking for eventually. The first generation can be different than anticipated, but that usually just means you need to dig deeper to find the hidden gems.
GC: Speaking of gems, what has been your biggest breeding achievement/disappointment?
BA: That’s like picking your favorite child; can’t do it.
GC: Finally, if you could name three other breeders seeds that you would pop tomorrow, who would they be?
BA: Meangene from Mendocino/freeborn selections, 707seedbank, Duke Diamond/ Skunk VA.
Royal Mauiberry
That’s a Wrap I felt that was as far as I wanted to probe Ben (mentally, at least), so I let him carry on his merry way. For some reason, he made his excuses and left pretty quickly, forgetting to give me the new super best-friends extra-tight hug I made him agree we would give each other. I consoled myself during the next hour with his scent that remained on the seat. To ease myself through the emotional void created by his absence, I pondered the last the few answers he had given to some completely random and pointless questions I had asked just to try and keep him in the room a bit longer with me.
GC: The old desert island question: What three things would you take and why?
BA: A good friend/family member, a good book, and some good seeds!
Queen's Candy
GC: What three guests would you invite to a dinner party and why?
BA: Nikola Tesla - incredible mind, philanthropic focus; Mark Twain - sharp humor and social/political commentary; and Gregor Mendel- self-explanatory, I think.
GC: Which god would win in a last man standing, Royal Rumble style fight?
BA: I’m going with Ra. Egyptian sun god. I mean, c’mon. “Sun god” pretty much says it all. I’m an atheist, but as an origin story, this just makes more sense to me than most. The sun really is the creator of life. What’s more powerful than the sun? Nothin’.
By Nico Hill - Hydro Nerd at InfiniteMonkey.com
Nico has been a keen gardener for many moons. Bitten by the hydroponic bug back in 1998, and hasn’t looked back since! After many years as a hobby, Nico’s career in Hydroponics had its start working for Aquaculture in Sheffield, the UK’s largest and most forward-thinking grow shops of the time. He was then hired by Hydromag, responsible for the hydroponic content. From there, he has worked with CANNA, as editor of CANNAtalk, author of the research articles, and delivering seminars throughout the UK to grow shops on the finer details of cultivating in a hydroponic environment. Nico is now writing for companies in the hydroponic industry.
