Issue.8
June/July 2010
c a l i f o r n i a
marisol Therapeutics Mike Stetler
By Eric Sligh
Pot Luck
The Importance of
Cameras
™
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} MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA EDITOR, ERIC SLIGH ANSWERS QUESTIONS FOR A FRENCH NEWS CREW. 6 • humboldtgrow.com
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c a l i f o r n i a Contributing Writers John Deiker Tom Green Mark Weinstein D. Bridges T.A. Sedlak K.Y. Shek Red-Eyed Jedi Jessica P. Corry Eric Sligh
Published By GROW CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE COW MOUNTAIN MEDIA Publisher & Editor ERIC SLIGH Co-Editor Alex Kardos John deiker Art Director Vanessa CHandler Advertising Alex Kardos - 720-448-0393
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COW MOUNTAIN MEDIA
ER IC sli gh
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wr iter / M an ag ing ed i tor
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NICK es t il o w / CULT IVAT I O N REPORTER
ad vertising
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marisol Therapeutics: Mike Stetler
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thc expo _____________
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4:20_____________ with T.A. Sedlak
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strain hunters
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First plant medicine expo _____________
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news from montana _____________
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indica vs. sativa _____________
The Importance of cameras
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sativa report _____________
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cannabis consumer _____________
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pot luck
reader’s submissions _____________
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boulder cup _____________
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coloRADO CUP _____________
vintage sounds
Classic Cuts from Forty Years Ago… John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band Out of all the Beatles, postbreakup, solo artistic output, possibly the most effective exercise of musical freedom outside the fab fours shadow was John Lennon’s 1970 classic: Plastic Ono Band. Bluesy, minimalist, angry, on his first solo the moody Beatle stripped the studio bare in order to create a gut-wrenching album that touched on nearly every topic that plagued Lennon’s personality: alienation, battles with god, love, war, Paul, and parents. It was personal, it was pissy, and it’s not always sonically pretty, but on balance, Plastic Ono Band might be the most powerful musical statement any of the Beatles ever made as individual artists.
Neil Young: After the Goldrush With “After the Goldrush,” Neil Young’s second solo record, the at-the-time, young Canadian songwriter solidified his position at the apex of 70’s-era critical darlings. Surface fans of Young will usually highlight the Best Buy favorite, 1974’s Harvest, as Young’s best album, but the diehard fans almost always go with After the Goldrush as pick of the litter. This is Neil Young pre-big band, pre-Nashville, preCrazy Horse, all by his lonesome with guitar, harmonica and a chip on his shoulder.
Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys After the Jimi Hendrix Experience disbanded, and the 1960’s came to a sudden, salty end, Hendrix decided to form another three-piece band. But this time, instead of going with two, art-school affiliated Caucasian cats from England, the iconic guitarist chose two native 10 • humboldtgrow.com
black musicians to groove with. The results were astounding: a tighter, bluesier, heavier Hendrix with more lean towards Memphis soul and shotgun snares than the psychedelic meanderings akin to his “Experience” era. This one studio album, along with live recordings from 1970—particularly the Gypsy’s stint at the Fillmore—serve as listenable proof that at the turn of the new decade, three years after he’d emerged on the scene in Monterrey, Hendrix was just beginning to reach his musical powers.
The Stooges: Funhouse Possibly the most hostile, loose and loud album ever released to a massmarket, Funhouse is rock n roll at its abrasivebest. Part punk, part jazz, part noise music, The Stooges second album is the definitive “fuck you” statement to both the ebbing flower power movement of the sixties and the emerging glam-wank rock of the seventies. Kurt Cobain, Henry Rollins, Jack White, this is just a small sample of those who have unanimously made the same claim: “Funhouse is the greatest rock n roll record of all time.”
Black Sabbath: Paranoid Long before he had become an incoherently babbling household name via the folks at MTV, Ozzy Osbourne was the front man of Black Sabbath, arguably the darkest, or at least heaviest, rock outfits ever formed across the pond. Along with The Stooges, MC5, the Velvet Underground, The Ramones and Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath became harbingers of the ultra-heavy classic rock sound that would epitomize the sonic structures of rock in a post-hippy, post-happy, 1970’s America. “Paranoid” represents Sabbath at the height of their collective powers. It certainly contains some of the band’s most certifiable output, having both of their best-selling singles: “Paranoid” and “Iron Man.”
Pass,” Harrison’s first mammoth solo album, was a brilliant continuation of the higher-consciousness sort of music the Beatles were channeling in the late sixties on “Abbey Road”, “Revolver and the White Album.
Miles Davis: The Complete On the Corner Sessions
George Harrison: All Things Pass The Beatles individual personality stereotypes breakdown like so: Paul is the cheesy, overly optimistic Beatle, John the dark, damaged, revolutionary Beatle, Ringo the dunce, and George Harrison the oddball-mystic Beatle. Always in the shadow of the galvanized songwriting duo that was Paul and John, very rarely were George’s powers as songwriter able to shine through. It wasn’t until the band disbanded, and Harrison was able to go solo, that the world realized he was far more than a mere guitar man. As it turned out, the weird Beatle had an impressive catalogue of songs he’d never turned into the band—two albums worth, actually. “All Things
He defined “the cool” of hard bop in the forties, then he turned the world mellow with 1951’s “Kind of Blue.” Throughout the sixties he perfected a new form of free-flowing improvisational jazz until the seventies came, when Miles took another new turn: he entered into his fusion period. Starting with “In a Silent Way,” blossoming on “Bitches Brew,” and fully erupting here, on, “The Complete On the Corner Sessions,” this massive collection of originals and outtakes from his 1970 studio recordings are the culmination of all Davis’s ambitions in fusion. The totality of Davis’s skill is evident as no other time, here, on this hypnotizing collection of funk, Latin, Indian, jazz and blues inspired tunes. Roll up a big one for this batch, then sit back and prepare to go on a Continental-ChronicCruise into the mind of a milestoned genius.
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exhale
Marijuana in the News
Ann Arbor, MI:
On Saturday, April 3rd, Local police estimated 5,000 people came together on the University of Michigan’s drag to celebrate the state’s 39th annual Hash Bash. It has been 15 months since Michigan passed a law legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Philadelphia, PA: It’s getting sunnier in Philly! In an odd political move describable only as rational, Philadelphia’s new district attorney has openly advocated the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana. The DA is proposing that those arrested with 30 grams or less will face a small fine, but no risk of a criminal record. The shift in policy is attributed to overcrowding in local prisons.
Eugene, Oregon: On April 15, 2010 Jack Herer, the Emperor of Hemp passed away from complications related to a heart attack sixmonths earlier. On September 12, 2009 while backstage at the Portland Hempstalk Festival, Herer suffered his second heart attack. Herer’s body was laid to rest at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills, CA. RIP. Jack Herer (June 18, 1939—April 15, 2010)
Los Angeles, CA: On April 30 Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaigosa signed another—yes, another— ordinance that will shut down hundreds of local medical marijuana dispensaries. Owners operating without any sort of license or hardship purchased from the city or attorney, and those who have moratorium licenses, are the first likely to be targeted, but even owners who posses one of the original 186, pre-2007, city-issued licenses, will be facing stricter regulations.
Aspen, CO: City planning officials have announced that they are zoning to allow for medical marijuana dispensaries. Facing falling revenues and bleak economic outlooks, the ultra sheik skiresort town is undoubtedly entertaining the idea of marijuana becoming an enticing tourist attraction for the out-of-towners, snowboarders and retiring boomers.
Birmingham, AL: Crimson Cannabis? Alabama is mobilizing to become the first southern state to legalize medical marijuana. House Bill 642 has been making its way through the courts, passing the judiciary committee and heading for a debate on the floor.
Boulder, CO: As medical marijuana licenses begin to appear on college campuses across Colorado, universities are deciding how to deal with “the housing situation.” Most universities require freshmen, and sometimes even sophomores, to live on campus in the dorms. In lieu of the issue, the University of Colorado 14 • humboldtgrow.com
≠at Boulder has decided to waive dorm room requirements for those students who have medical marijuana prescriptions.
Houston, TX: Ocean Grow Kush makes its way to Texas! On Sunday, April 4th, Grow correspondents located on the west side of Houston were pleased to locate an excellent sampling of OG Kush. Being a clone-only strain, it’s difficult to say how, but we can imagine that this particular batch of California genetics must have made an interesting journey to get all the way down to the Lone Star State.
Ukiah, CA: On March 23rd, Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted to allow up to 99 plants to be grown on a parcel of land—that’s the good news. The bad: In order to due so the grower must first acquire a permit from the county, a permit which allows for a certain degree of random law-enforcement scrutiny we are yet to fully understand.
Los Angeles, CA:
From April 23-25th, the LA convention center was host to the International THC Expose. Dubbed, “The Greatest Cannabis Show on Earth,” the event had over 350 vendors selling, bartering and displaying nearly every cannabis-related product imaginable. An estimated 25,000 red-eyed advocates came for the festivities on both Saturday and Sunday. The show was dedicated to the memory of Jack Herer.
Denver, CO: Some 50,000 work-dodgers and truant students grazed the Capitol’s lawn on April 20th. The crowd puffed tough all day, from the morning till dusk, vegging out underneath what had to be the largest manmade cloud ever created. Once again, Denver throws the best 420 bash in the country
Dunsmuir, CA: In Dunsmuir, California the mayor has proposed some very interesting architectural ideas. Peter Arth, town mayor as well as the owner of a local medical marijuana collective, has revealed his desire to lease three commercial lots in downtown Dunsmuir—located conveniently across from the sheriff’s office—in order to install “professionally-engineered” greenhouses on the historic downtown site.
Southern Afghanistan: As it turns out, Blackwater Security Specialist conducts raids on cannabis in California and Afghanistan. In a rare speech excerpt obtained by The Nation, comments made by the notoriously reclusive CEO of Blackwater International, Erik Prince, provide an rough outline for “the biggest hashish bust of all-time.”: 262,000 kgs with an estimated street value of over a billion dollars.
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science
Mycorrhizae (my•cor•rhi•za)
the fungus among us by Red-eyed Jedi
One of the main reasons people like to use Bacillus bacteria in the soil to grow organic crops is because bacteria are at the base of the soil-food web. If you look at the soil biologically, the bacteria are the base of the pyramid. Think of a pyramid and down at the bottom it is wide and it gets small at the top. All of the soil biology are built on top of the bacteria. You have to have a strong base to build on top of and the bacteria have to be the right kind. If you do not have a lot of good bacteria you cannot get a lot of any other kind of good soil organisms, including Fungi. That is why the bacteria are so important in helping the Mycorrhizal Fungi take hold and really get established.
Mycorrhizae require roots in order for the fungi to germinate. Once they get established, they increase the root mass by a considerable amount which greatly improves nutrient uptake into the plant. Mycorrhizae is used as a seed coating as well as a root stimulant. This helps protect the root against bad Nematodes and Pathogens which are your bad Fungi like Pithium, Phoma, Fusarium, Sclerotinia, Phytothphora and many other bad organisms. The Mycorrhizae will actually form a noose and attract the Pathogenic Nematode into it and when it goes in the trap, it tightens the noose, captures the Nematode and then begins to eat it. These interactions were happening long before we discovered them and that is ORGANIC!
How do I apply Mycorrizhae? Applictation rates for myco and Bacillus or Beneficial bacteria vary depending on how your system is set up. The way I have used it and seen the best results is by getting the myco to the roots as early as you can because they are not cheap and a little can go a long way if you do as follows: 1) Seed coating: (if you use seeds) drop seeds in small pile of Myco then germinate. 2) Cuttings: As soon as you take a cutting, dip it in cloning gel and then into mycorrhizae. A) (Plugs) Rock wool or Peat Moss: add ENDO Myco using a worm tea/or compost tea can really help due to the Biology that has a symbiotic relationship with the myco and the Root system of your plant. B) Transplant: Apply dry Myco directly to the soil at the Root level. Use some Kelp with this as well as fish emulsion Rhizotonic (FYI- This is another Root stimulant By CANNA.) The Bacillus bacteria have a little different mode of action than the Mycorrhizae. The way they grow is each bacteria split and then they split again and again and again so they multiply very fast especially if they have the right kind of food source. When they eat they have to produce an acid. it is 18 • humboldtgrow.com
called enzymes that digest their food so they can absorb it into their body through their cell wall because they have no mouth. As they multiply they are constantly producing these enzymes which digest Nematodes, and some Pathogens. Even if they don’t digest the pathogen it still Inhibits the growth of the pathogens so when you get tons and tons of the bacteria around your roots they are killing nematodes, destroying their eggs, and keeping the pathogens from growing. The way they help with the transfer of nutrients is their enzymes dissolve the nutrients that are tied up, then they absorb the nutrients and because their life span is so short, when they die they release those nutrients in a very available form to the plant root or Mycorrhizal Fungi, which ever is closest at the time. If it is the Fungi Hyphae that is close to the bacteria when it dies, the Hyphae picks up the nutrient and then trans-locates it back to the root. Now when you have both the beneficial bacteria and the mycorrhizae working together you double your protection, and nutrient uptake into the plant. Both of them help with releasing tied up nutrients in the soil and increasing nutrient uptake into the plant. Both live in the rhizosphere of the plant or root zone. That is what you call “being rhizosphere competent” or as I like to call it building a good ~soil bank account.
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PeOPLE
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l o s i s r c i ma rapeutr e h tle T e St ke
Mi
ligh
ic S By Er
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Mike Stetler
F
ar from the hustle and bustle of Denver, where well dressed marijuana lobbyists meet with stuffy state lawmakers, Mike Stetler takes a look at a few buds from his latest winter greenhouse crop. “This is the best strain that I have ever bred”. He holds up a small, untrimmed branch of lime green cannabis, freshly dried. The hybrid is a sweet indica/sativa mix he calls “Nehi” because it “tastes like the old soda”. Mike takes a look at a couple of other plastic bags and proudly shows off a similar bud, but this time it reeks of kush. “I’ve been growing and breeding cannabis for the last 30 years”. Mike’s experience growing cannabis, and his deep interest in the healing properties of cannabis have led him to where he is now. He is the owner of one of the few medical marijuana dispensaries in Southern Colorado, Marisol Therapeutics in Pueblo. “We were the eleventh dispensary in Colorado”, Mike declares proudly, “we opened about three years ago.” The fact that Mike’s dispensary has been around so long makes him a dinosaur in the Colorado dispensary world. 90% of the dispensaries in Denver didn’t open their doors until after the Holder memo, stating that the Justice dept. would respect state medical marijuana regulations, came out in November of 2009. To keep up with the rising demand for high-grade medical cannabis, Mike purchased a large greenhouse and started growing. Mike’s greenhouse is spacious, professionally done with a large evaporative cooler spanning the entire width. “It used to be a hydroponic tomato farm”, Mike says as he points
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Mike takes a look at the climate controls to the greehouse. out some of the advanced features that come with a state-ofthe-art commercial growing facility. Mike tore down all of the hydro equipment and opted instead for a simple soil approach to grow his cannabis. As a greenhouse grower in Colorado, Mike is very unique. Almost all of the medical cannabis growers in Colorado operate exclusively indoors. Most growers in Colorado scoff at the idea of growing outdoors. Outdoor growing just isn’t a viable option where the temperature gets well below freezing for 5 months straight. Those five months are precious to cannabis growers who would rather operate year round in a cozy indoor facility. Mike has never been a big fan of indoor growing, especially hydroponics. “There are a lot of dangers to indoor growing. People don’t realize how much moisture is in that air. People are forced to grow indoors because they don’t have the means to do it outdoors or they want to hide it. It’s kind of hard to grow outdoors in Colorado because we have hail, we have animals like deer and rabbits. Thats how I got to the greenhouse concept. It’s an outdoor facility where I can control the environment. Sometimes I have to use lighting but its a lot less. If we could completely avoid the lights and everything that would be beautiful. If you grow outdoors at your house you run the risk of the neighbors getting upset, someone trying to rip you off, or you’re scared to let the cops see it. People don’t like to go through all of that hassle, even though they are medical marijuana patients. They avoid growing it outside”. When asked if there is an emerging outdoor growing culture in Colorado, he sighed and gazed at the floor. “You’re starting
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“If Man thinks that he can do better than mother nature, he’s got another thing coming.”
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Mike Stetler 26 • humboldtgrow.com
A smaller plant from the last harvest awaits a trip to the barn for drying.
Mike’s Strains Nehi
Santa Maria
Bubba Kush
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Mike uses an easy cloner to get some of his next crop ready to see a little bit of outdoor growing. Most people are doing indoor hydroponics growing. Its really cruel. I think its bad. Feeding a plant constantly, with man made chemicals. You’re not allowing the plant to live out a normal cycle with rain and wind and moisture. Outdoors is the perfect environment to grow. If Man thinks that he can do better than mother nature, he’s got another thing coming.” Mike has been growing for a long time. Its obvious when you walk down the paved isles of the greenhouse. Plants are well organized in sections. Different sized plants are grouped into different areas, everything appears to be part of an efficiently run cycle. What makes mikes greenhouse even more uniquer is that he runs this operation at full capacity year round. With growing comes hash and oil making, in which Mike is equally experienced.” In 67’ we used to make honey oil…we made the tar in the 70’s, but we didn’t know that we were doing the same thing that Rick Simpson was doing. We were just smoking it, putting it on joints.” Mike is referring to Rick Simpson who has pushed the use of hemp and cannabis oil as healing agents for a variety of ailments including several types of cancers(see Grow Colorado issue #1). “I am working with doctors to make this industry medical, not so much pothead stuff and what we had up there at the Colorado Cannabis Convention. I didn’t like that. it’s medical,its been passed as a constitutional right” 28 • humboldtgrow.com
Mike’s journey as a medical grower hasn’t been problemfree. He has had at least one crop taken by the local sheriff’s department. But for Mike Stetler, a lost crop or two isn’t enough to dissuade a man who firmly believes in the medical value of cannabis. Mike’s perseverance has finally paid off. After years of confusion regarding medical marijuana, the state of Colorado has finally started to accept the inevitable. “The sheriff came to my grow in March when HBO was here. The deputies started talking to the HBO guys saying that my grow is pretty good and shook my hand. The HBO producer asked them if they were going to count the plants and they said no, that they trusted me and wouldn’t be counting them. The county commissioner has been here and said that he liked what we were doing” In the last year Mike has been able to sleep easier. He no longer worries about state law-enforcement coming down from helicopters to take what he and his small team has worked so hard to produce. He advertises his dispensary on the scorecard at the local golf course. He donates money to local youth sports leagues. As the interview comes to a close, Mike tells us that he is very excited about the future of the medical marijuana industry. Mike plans on being at the forefront of the movement. “We have big plans, I can’t talk about it right now, but we will be doing some groundbreaking work in the near future”.
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“People are forced to grow indoors because they don’t have the means to do it outdoors or they want to hide it”.
A handfull of fresh outdoor
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by alexander Kardos
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Q &A 1. Briefly tell us about yourself, growing in Italy, and how you became involved with Strain Hunters, strain hunting. I grew up in Torino, a large industrial city in the North of Italy. I started smoking cannabis recreationally at 15, but soon I realized it had a medicinal effect on my hyperactivity, it helped me sleep better and made me feel more in tune with myself, my ideas and my studies. After finishing high school I traveled a bit (Jamaica & Europe) then came back to Italy in 1995, where I joined the Army as a paratrooper. After that I moved to the UK, and then to Holland, where I am still based now. In Holland I studied (Master degree in Hospitality Management), then joined the Green House coffee shops in 1999. From 2001 to 2004, I worked at SIMM, one of the licensed producers of medicinal cannabis for the Dutch government (pharmacies and hospitals use cannabis produced by government-licensed facilities in Holland, while the coffee shops get their cannabis from illegal growers). In 2004 I joined the Green House Seed Company, where I still work today. Strain Hunters is a project that started in 2007; the idea was to produce documentaries to show the world about our mission to preserve endangered cannabis landraces. Strain Hunting has been a constant activity for Arjan (the owner and founder of the Green House Coffeeshops and Green House Seed Company) for the past 25 years. I did it since the early 1990s as a hobby, then, slowly ,it became part of my work.
2. How is the cannabis in italy? are there growers there? if so, what are the strains like? Italy is one of the countries in Europe with the largest number of cannabis users. Cannabis is very diffused, and easily available. Most of the cannabis consumed in Italy is imported hashish from Morocco or Asia. The hashish is imported large-scale by organized crime, and distributed in every city. Over the last 10 years weed has become more popular, and nowadays there are plenty of growers. The climate is very good to grow cannabis in most of the Italian peninsula, so a 34 • humboldtgrow.com
lot of people grow outdoors. In the big cities there are people growing indoors, mostly small operations for personal use. In south Italy there is a very famous landrace of cannabis called “Calabrese Rossa”, the only landrace in the country.
3. What was your first strain hunt? I went to Jamaica in 1994 to look for special seeds, after hearing amazing stories from friends who had been there. It was great!
4.Describe a strain-hunting trek in all of its stages. How do you prepare? What do you bring? Is it ever dangerous? Have you ever become sick or injured during one of your strain-hunts? How does it feel when you find an unknown strain? After selecting the destination (based on information, contacts and local situation) we organize one or two scouting trips, usually during the planting season. During these trips we find the areas where the landraces grow, we make contact with local growers, and we decide what are the areas and the fields worth filming. We prepare the filming trip in every detail. Then we go back with the film-crew after a few months, when the plants are close to the harvest, and we shoot the documentary. At the same time we collect the genetics we find, in seed form. It is an amazing feeling, to know we are preserving unique inbred landraces. These plants help create new strains of cannabis, and may help, one day, to create new medicines. The equipment we use depends very much on the type of terrain and the local climate, it is never the same. Strain hunting is not danger-free. But it is very rewarding.
5. Have you ever done any strain-hunting in the United States? No, not yet. First we want to locate landraces in remote areas, in areas where there has been no breeding, no intervention from other strains for a long time. In the USA there are thousands of strains, but no landrace...
6. What are some of the best strains you have found? The Malawi Gold is my favorite, for sure. It was very special to find it!
7. Is there anything strain hunters is doing in the future that you would like to share with our readers? The second documentary (India Expedition) is about to be released online and on DVD. We are busy filming the third documentary of the series, it will be ready at the end of 2010. But the location is still secret, of course....
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intelligence
The Importance
F
Cameras By: T.A. Sedlak (Author of Anarcho Grow) The two growers had made it to their patch early. The sun was low, and they hoped to finish their work before the heat came. Adam Maruska knelt, feeling the ground still moist with dew. He shoved bamboo rods into the ground and tied the branches of a marijuana bush to them, spreading the plant out like an octopus. He wiped sweat from his forehead and looked up. His eyes bulged. Fifteen feet away he saw a dark green box staring back. “Jack,” he said. “What?” His friend turned. “There’s a camera.” The paranoid couple ripped down the camera, scoured the rest of their patches, then made the difficult decision to gather their hidden tools and abandon the plants. They’d spent four
A local agent setting up a camera to catch guerrilla growers
months on the grow operation, stopping twice a week to water, fertilize, and spray with Neem oil. They invested numerous hours bringing the plants out in cups, then planting. They even did tasks not needed in the lush Midwest, like carrying out bags of potting soil, a full pallet, and dumping it into the holes for plants. Adam had just finished his last semester of college, had big plans, and was banking on one last outdoor grow. However, all his work was for naught. Such is the life of a guerrilla grower. There was a lesson learned, though. Never partake in guerrilla growing without the use of cameras.
Adam found a camera spying on him
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Federal, state, and local governments spend millions of dollars each summer in an attempt to bust outdoor growers. They do flyovers, which leads guerrilla growers to become experts in camouflage. But once a patch is discovered, they use cameras to find out when the growers come and go in order to bust them.
Any marijuana grower will tell you the most important part of the process is being safe. For indoor growing, that includes eliminating odor, not consuming too much power, and keeping home traffic to a minimum. For outdoor growing, it’s choosing a safe place, camouflaging it, and keeping the area under surveillance. Digital surveillance is a modern breakthrough in guerrilla growing. Trail cameras for tracking game have only been on the market for the last ten years. They can cost anywhere from $60 to $300 (US), but it’s, obviously, a small price to avoid incarceration. The photos included in this article are from a camera that retails for $300 (US). However, we’re not all purchasing our cameras with government money and might have to rely on a cheaper model. Clarity of the image isn’t as important as the image itself. Generally, a patch has to be abandoned no matter who’s wandered into it. So, making out the person’s features might not be important. The agents caught on their own camera
“We should have been more astute,” says Adam. “We always wore rubber boots and hiked up the creek to our patches, not leaving much of a trail. In the few places we did walk through weeds, the trails had widened out. There seemed to be new trails. I remember staring at them, thinking how unnatural it looked, at the same time, trying to convince myself it was deer.” Pictures on the memory card inside the camera reveal the officers had placed it in the patch on August 10th. The next images are of Adam and Jack working in the patch on the 12th. Adam then found the camera on the 16th.. If it weren’t for rough weather that helped knock down vegetation the officers had used to hide the camera, Adam and Jake may not have ever found it and would have continued denying that cops had made the wide, beaten paths they’d found. Perhaps they’d be behind concrete walls right now. However, if the two growers had used cameras when they started the operation, they would have known about the officers when they visited the patch on the 12th.
For deciding on which camera(s) to use, research should be done. A simple glance on Amazon.com revealed more than ten different trail cams for under $100 (US), and each had multiple reviews from buyers. Customer reviews showed that one of the cheapest models had the best response time between A good trail camera can be between sensing motion purchased for as little as $60 (US) and snapping the picture. There are also different features with each camera you’ll want to learn about. For instance, some growers would rather opt for a more expensive camera with infrared technology than one with a night time flash. Camera placement is also an issue. The best scenario is to put the camera in a place where it will spot intruders but is also camouflaged. If you place the cameras outside of your patches, and they’re not hidden, it’s likely people will just think they’re for tracking game anyway. And, if those people see your cameras while trespassing, they’ll be more inclined to leave the property. Trail cameras are not only good for surveillance of a patch that has been planted but also for surveying places you might want to grow in the future. Any guerrilla grower can think of a place he’s thought about planting in but is unsure if people go there. Toss up a trail cam for the year and find out. While law enforcement seems to be working harder than ever to bust guerrilla growers, new technology has to be taken advantage of to keep patches safe. Adam and Jack lucked out in their patch. You might not. If you want to avoid being locked up, cameras are recommended.
No one wants to see an agent in their patch, but better on film than in person
For more by T.A. Sedlak, visit www.tasedlak.com humboldtgrow.com
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Trail Cameras from cheap to steep By: T.A. Sedlak (Author of Anarcho Grow)
Wildview EZ-Cam: Amazon.com Price: $60.35 (US) The Dope: 1.3 megapixels, 30 foot flash, 8mb internal memory with additional SD card slot, Takes 10 second videos Review: The photo quality isn’t great, but it does the job. Trigger time (time between motion sensed and picture snapped) is exceptional. It’s easy to use. However, this camera poses a problem for those not wanting a flash with night time photos. Those afraid of the flash will have to opt for a more expensive model. Best for growers needing to purchase several cameras.
Moultrie Game Spy D-40: Amazon.com Price $84.99 (US) The Dope: 4 megapixels, 45 foot flash range, 16mb internal memory with additional SD care slot, Infrared motion sensor up to 30 feet, 2 inch LCD menu display screen, Takes 10 second videos Review: An extra $25 will get you lots more features, but is it worth it? Don’t be fooled by the 4 megapixels. The picture quality is hardly better than the EZ-Cam. The trigger time doesn’t test out as well. And, those hoping to get nighttime photos without a flash won’t find it here. While the flash can be turned off, the pictures without it are unrecognizable. This camera’s infrared feature is for determining that the motion is from a mammal to eliminate blank photos. The LCD screen is nice, though. You can check the photos on it in the woods. Overall, the Game Spy is probably better than the EZ-Cam, but $25 better? Depends if you crave its added features.
Bushnell Trail Sentry 5.0: Amazon.com Price: $149 (US) The Dope: 5 megapixels, Night Vision, Range not given Review: The picture quality is fantastic with a setting to choose between 3 and 5 megapixel images. Trigger time is superb. However, the whole story behind this camera is the night vision. This camera takes photographs at night without a flash. Actually, it uses an infrared flash that our eyes don’t pick up. The pictures in this setting are black and white but good. However, LED lights glow when motion has been sensed. Therefore, you might want to put some black tape over the lights. For those looking for the cheapest camera with night vision, this is it. You should like everything else about it too. It’s easy to use and has all the features without the superfluous features.
Cuddeback Capture: Amazon.com Price: $194.21 (US) The Dope: 3 megapixels, 50 foot flash range, SD media Review: The picture quality is great, better than EZ-Cam and Game Spy. The trigger time is even a little better than the EZ-Cam and Trail Sentry. However, at $194, one would think it would have the infrared system to take decent pictures without a flash. While this seems an excellent camera, $194 is just way too much for most to spend. It’s nice that it leaves a date and time at the bottom of pictures, and that it’s camouflaged, but more is to be expected from a $200 camera, namely night vision.
Final Thoughts: A camera from any one of these companies could result in a lemon, and communication with the companies won’t be fun, as none stand firmly behind their products. Luckily, companies like Amazon.com make returns easy. Also, none of the cameras come with a great strap system for mounting or USB cords for viewing. Plan on purchasing them. None operate in temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It won’t necessarily damage them, but it’s not recommended. Any of the cameras may need the software updated through internet downloads, and sometimes SD cards have to be formatted on your computer. Good luck and grow safe! 40 • humboldtgrow.com
events
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Denver 420: Thousands filled the capitol plaza for a massive 420 celebration in Denver Colorado. It was an epic event and we encourage people from every state to try and make it next year. By far, it was the biggest 420 event in North America this year. There were hundreds of local dispensaries giving out loads of posters and t-shirts.
Colorado Cannabis Convention: The Colorado Cannabis Convention was expected to have 100,000 attendees, but only 30,000 bothered to show up. Regardless, it was a great show. There were alot of great people who were very excited about Medical Cannabis in Colorado. Our favorite vendor was the guy selling granny sweaters and a vintage poster of Sly Stallone. humboldtgrow.com
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contents
The THC Expo: International seed companies, growers, dispensaries, Cheech and Chong, Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Sheldon Black...Who wasn’t at the THC Expo? If you didn’t make it this year, be sure to make it for the next THC Expo coming up. Left Page, left to right, top to bottom: Advanced Nutrients, Cannabis Planet television, the girls from the Sensi Seed Bank, Marc and Jerome from Soft Secrets with Jorge Cervantes. Dank Decals, DNA Genetics, 420 Times, Treating Yourself, Robert Connell Clarke, author of Marijuana Botany. Right Page, left to right, top to bottom: Culture Magazine, Dime Bags from Colorado, T.H. Seeds, Chelsea trying to figure out where to smoke, The Farmacy, Vortex, Sheldon Black, The Grow Team, Skunk Magazine. 44 • humboldtgrow.com
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reading room
4:20 with T.A. Sedlak
If you haven’t heard of T.A. Sedlak and his new book, Anarcho Grow, you will soon and with good reason. GROW Magazine first came in contact with Sedlak at Hemp Con in L.A. last February. He was manning a booth cloaked in vibrant colors of the rainforest, pitching his story to passersby. “The main character,” he’d tell us, “had done volunteer work in a village in Costa Rica during college. He later returns, thinking he can help the people more through other means and introduces them to guerrilla growing, clandestine outdoor marijuana cultivation. The community’s prospering as the pot’s transported to the United States by catamaran boat. However, the C.I.A. eventually catches word and heads down to check it out.” We were intrigued by the story, and delighted to bump into him two months later at Marijuana Radio’s studio in Denver. There were obvious questions: How did he come up with idea for the story? Did he spend a lot of time in Costa Rica? What about their pot? We sat down for a 4:20 break and sought the answers to these questions.
How did you come up with the idea for Anarcho Grow? Heavy question. It goes back a ways, probably to age thirteen, when I first started smoking pot. Weed was probably a bigger part of my life than it needed to be at times, but I don’t regret it. By age eighteen I’d ordered my first seeds from Marc Emery and begun growing outdoors. Having grown up poor, I looked, and still look, at marijuana cultivation as one of the few ways one can rise from the social class he or she was born into. During college, I got someone else to care for the outdoor patches as I started to travel with my summers off. After my junior year, I spent a summer doing volunteer work in Costa Rica. The following year I returned as a drifter with a backpack full of books. By the time I returned, I had the idea for what would become Anarcho Grow. 46 • humboldtgrow.com
It sounds like a lot of Anarcho Grow comes from your real life experience. How much is based on fact? How much is fiction? Fact or fiction, it’s hard to tell sometimes. (Laughs.) Well, as I said I’ve done a lot of outdoor cultivation, and I really wanted to get some of that experience across. There are three chapters in the book that are set in an outdoor patch. A couple characters are clearing a patch, making sure it gets optimal sun, bringing out the plants, watering and fertilizing. The book isn’t instructional, but I believe anyone who’s been involved with outdoor growing will look at it and say, “Yes, that’s guerrilla growing.” It captures the activity well, the practice and the emotions that come with it. However, as real as that seems to me, it didn’t happen. What did happen? There’s a flashback to when one of the characters gets lost in the rainforest as darkness is descending. That happened to me. There’s a part where the protagonist, Ben Starosta, is at a bar in small town Costa Rica, and a friend asks him if he wants to buy pot. The friend then uses the money he taxed Ben to buy crack. That happened to me. All the places are real. There’s a dog in the story, Blue. He’s real. But to fully answer your question, it’s mostly fiction, but a writer can’t help but allow some reality to slip in.
What kind of volunteer work did you do in Costa Rica? Essentially the same as Ben Starosta, community development work. Our group built a bus stop, or most of it. We helped to forge some trails in the rainforest for tourism. That’s cool. You also mentioned that you had a backpack full of books with you there. What books did you have with you? My favorites were Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Cat’s Cradle by Vonnegut, and, of course, 1984. I also read a Dickens book, Hard Times, Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and a Barbara Kingsolver novel. There had to be others. Helon Hablia’s Waiting For an Angel. That was another good one.
No T.C. Boyle? Budding Prospects?
This quetzal will appear on the back cover of my next print run
No. (Laughs.) That’s an astute comment, though. It was great for Steve Bloom to compare my book to his. To be compared to someone who won the Faulkner prize... Wow. To be honest, though, I haven’t read Budding Prospects and didn’t know it existed till Steve wrote that. It’s on the list now.
Let’s get a Costa Rica weed report. What’s the quality level, and how wide spread is it? The weed’s a cinch to get, but it sucks. I tell people that I wrote this book to bring good pot to Costa Rica, even if it be through fiction. (Laughs.) Since I’ve written Anarcho Grow, however, I’ve met one to two people that say they’re growing some high grade there. People I’m going to have to try to remember because it’s really schwag down there. One time, I didn’t smoke for a week down there before I got it. Then I’d puff on a joint, and as soon as I felt high I’d set it down because I was afraid it’d fuck with my tolerance too much, and I’d be puffing blunts all day. I do want to caution people about buying from people in bars, and not just abroad. Though weed’s illegal in Costa Rica, there’s plenty of schwag if one wants it. However, it’s never safe to meet a stranger in a dark alley to score pot.
Not fun to learn that the hard way. And, is T.A. Sedlak writing another book for the potheads? I will. I once thought that I’d go in a different direction after the first one, but now I’m starting to write articles for weed mags. The second book’s in the works, and I’ve found I can’t just remove something that’s a big part of my life from the world I create. Maybe if I were a better writer, but at least I can find a home in stoner culture. For more on T.A. Sedlak and Anarcho Grow visit tasedlak.com *Several varieties of Colorado indoor were consumed during this interview: Purple Romulan, Sour Diesel, Sage, and Belladonna, as well as several drops of Strawberry Cough tincture
expo
FIRST PLANT MEDICINE EXPO & HEALTH PROVIDER CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER IN DENVER, COLORADO TGI Healthworks, a national leader in the formation and production of medical and pharmaceutical conferences, will host the first the Plant Medicine Expo & Healthcare Provider Conference in Denver, Colorado on September 24-26. The PME/HPC, which is designed to be the is the first and only truly educational conference to provide individuals suffering from chronic medical conditions with comprehensive, objective information about medical marijuana, is the brain-child of TGI co-founder, Seth Ginsberg. At 13, Ginsberg was diagnosed with spondylarthritis (also known as spondyloarthropathy) and as a result, quickly realized the importance of support, education, advice and upto-date information for people living with a chronic illness. With medical marijuana now legal in 14 states, Ginsberg saw an opportunity to create a medical conference and professional forum for people with legitimate medical needs to get thoughtful, objective information about medical marijuana and its appropriateness as a potential treatment for various medical conditions. “Like many people, I have suffered with chronic pain for many years, and the recent breakthroughs in medical marijuana legalization have created an opportunity for myself and others to explore it as a viable, legal pain management option,” said Ginsberg. “That said, there is a lot of misinformation out there and my work with TGI, and now with the PME/HPC, presented a perfect opportunity to provide people – physicians, patients and business owners – with the information needed to make 48 • humboldtgrow.com
informed choices about their well being or the well being of their patients.” While many, perhaps most, medical marijuana conferences cater to those who are well informed on medical marijuana or are advocates for the legalization of recreational marijuana, the PME/HPC is targeted at the uninitiated, under-informed and reticent potential patients and physicians who may be aware that medical marijuana may be an option, but otherwise lack the understanding needed to make an educated determination on its appropriateness for their condition. To that end, the three day event will include numerous breakout sessions targeted at potential patients and physicians to discuss the pros and cons of medical marijuana. The conference will also give health care and medical marijuana providers an opportunity to exhibit and talk directly with attending patients and physicians. “We are very excited about the program we’re putting together for September,” added Ginsberg. “And, I think attendees, whether patient, physician or otherwise, will find it to be a comfortable, learning experience where they can get the information they need without feeling out of place or out of touch, even if they know nothing about medical marijuana coming into the event.” The PME/HPC will be held at the Denver Sheraton Hotel at 1550 Court Pl. Denver, CO 80202. For additional information on the event and the program, visit www.plantmedicineexpo. com. You can also track the event and get updates at www. facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001041707069&ref=ts.
news
by K.Y. Shek Montana is a beautiful land of paradoxes. We were the 10th state to pass a law providing for the medical use of marijuana (and by 62%), but if you were to walk downtown Kalispell in Birkenstocks, it’s likely you’ll end up with tobacco juice staining your toes and “fu@#ing hippie” ringing in your ears. However, these same Wrangler-strapped, Bible thumping rednecks (which I say with all affection) will gladly pass the joint to you around a campfire or bug you for pot at 5 am if they’re dry and going fishing for the day. There are pockets of unabashed, open patients, but for the most part medical marijuana in the big sky remains a taboo smell best left at home. Recently, the Montana ruling class has bent to the local, selfappointed moral police who have decided to make a fuss over the business behind medical marijuana, and start enforcing moratoriums on business zoning laws in some of the larger cities. A moratorium is a legally authorized suspension of activity until the issues regarding the activity have been resolved. In layman’s terms, no more marijuana clinics within city borders, until a further decision regarding the matter is made. It’s a city council pressing the pause button. Thankfully, for local Kalispell business owner Josh Fox, provisions were made for his already established and flourishing clinic, The Golden Leaf, to be grandfathered in, as the city wasn’t ready to pay restitution on lost profits or to physically move the business. Fox’s clinic is within the city limits, zoned for both business and pharmacy, but under Kalispell ordinance no. 1674, no more businesses like Fox’s will be granted a business license. Ordinance 1674 amends Kalispell’s current zoning law to exclude any “land uses that are in violation of federal, state, or local law” and is provided “for the purpose of promoting health, safety, morals, and general welfare of it’s citizens.” If you were a Montana lawyer, you might double-take to see if anything had actually changed from the old zoning law. Just two words: “Federal” and “morals”. And granted, Montana’s Medical Marijuana act isn’t much more than a crayon sketch on a cocktail napkin, and Fox agrees more decisions need to be made, and sees it as an opportunity. 50 • humboldtgrow.com
Looking one year in the future the cannabusiness should be “streamlined,” says Fox. “It’s growing every day. Hopefully they’ll get it right. They can’t get rid of it now, so add some rules and get it right. Billings just handed out 80 business licenses for medical marijuana shops. They have to do something.” Billings, the most populated city in the state, will vote on their own moratorium to zoning laws May 17th, directly after handing out over 80 business licenses for medical marijuana land use. In the interim, citizens squabbled and molotov cocktails were thrown through clinic windows, with “NOT IN OUR TOWN” spray painted across the store front. The Montana Medical Marijuana Act was passed since 2004 and folks are still tossing around fire bombs? Really? What seems to be going wrong is Montana’s indecision on just how much liberty it’s willing to dole out within its borders. Remember, this is the same state the Freemen called home, the state which didn’t have a speed limit till the turn of the century, and STILL doesn’t have a sales tax. Kalispell citizens have never been concerned with the opinion of the Federal government in the past, so why are we adding provisions for them in our zoning laws now? If the city is worried about revoked Federal funding, wouldn’t the Feds have stopped giving Kalispell money once they realized unnumbered AR15s have been manufactured within city limits for years, or is it all the legal reefer that’ll set them off? Why add the word “morals” to a law as soon as the issue of marijuana comes up? Would all the smoke block the neon beer signs littering the sidewalk windows? Hopefully, in 2010, Montana will come up with some way to regulate the business behind getting high and gain a better sense of what citizens actually want in their cities and towns. Until that time, patients are left with roadblocks to obtaining their medicine and honest caregivers are left with the same unsettling question each night before they shrug off their soiled Carhartts, scrub their sticky fingers and hit the sack: “Is what I’m doing actually legal?”
Indica vs. Sativa: The medicinal marijuana world can be divided into two categories: strains that are either Sativa, or Indica dominant. For the most part, all strains that you will encounter on the shelves will be sativa or indica, but you may also find hybrids (crossbreeds/ combinations) which may also be befitting to your medicinal needs.
Doctors and patients often refer to Sativas and Indicas as the “ups” and as the “downs.” These generalizations, though true in many cases, are lazy and do not cater to each individual patient’s specific body chemistry, genetic make-up, medicinal ailment, and level of tolerance. The real breakdown between Sativas and Indicas is much more complicated than simply, “up,” or “down.”
Indica:
The effects a person typically experiences when smoking a sufficient amount of pure indica or mostly pure indica plant is more of a heavy “body high”. You may feel lethargic, tired, or unwilling to attend to tasks. Experienced users call this “Couch Lock”. Depending on your tolerance, you may find it very hard to stay awake as well, so this strain is excellent for acute insomnia. Indicas traditionally have the best medicative effect for easing pain and the other symptoms associated with aching joints, muscles and bones. A good Indica/Sativa cross can offer the best of both worlds-- a great head high coupled with a relaxing and definitely medically beneficial, strong body stone.
Medicinal Properties: Body pains associated with Bone disease and injuries, Spinal and Skeletal disorders, Arthritis, Insomnia, Loss of Appetite, Severe muscle pain, Migraines, Gastrointestinal problems, Nausea, Vomiting, Cancer, AIDS/HIV
Purple Urkl
Indica Dominant Strains: Landrace Kush Varieties-- Afghani, Pakistani, Master Kush, Bubba Kush Purples Northern Lights G13 Mk-Ultra Mr. Nice Guy God’s Gift Blueberry Hash Plant
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northern lights
What’s the Difference? Sativa:
The effects a person experiences from pure Sativa, or Sativa-dominant strains are more cerebral and psychoactive. This type of high is most associated with enhanced humor, audio and visual senses, which means that sativas are usually more of a recreational, daytime high-- Strolling through the outdoors can become a whole new and exciting adventure.
Medicinal Properties: Mood disorders associated with stress, Depression, Anxiety, Attention deficit, Trouble eating, Mild pain relief, Glaucoma, in treating as a counter-agent towards other drug dependencies, Gastrointestinal problems, Cancer, AIDS, HIV.
Sativa Dominant Strains:
island skunk
diablo haze
Sour Diesel Chem Dawg Headband Trainwreck Sweet Island Skunk Cheese Haze Plants—Thai, Cambodian, African, Caribbean varieties Snowcap Jack Herer Durbon Poison
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What’s Good: Special Sativa Strain Report Sour Diesel:
Snowcap:
As with a countless number of other strains, there are many differing accounts about how exactly this strain came about. The pheno-story goes that Sour Diesel was born at a Grateful Dead show somewhere in the Midwest—Colorado, it is thought— when a variety of S1 Chem Dawg cuts were exchanged. After this fateful genetic barter, the Chem-cuts in question are said to have made their way to upstate New York. From upstate New York, it’s believed the Chem Dawg cuts were crossed with a (Mass. Super Skunk X Northern Lights #5) phenotype, therein producing… the Sour Diesel.
Perfectly bulbous, dark green nuggets interspersed with thick orange hairs, Snowcap is an extremely popular sativa strain with a beautiful structure and sweet smell which, once remembered by the nostrils, is never to be forgotten— very similar to Arcata Trainwreck in smell, flavor and effects. Snowcap is a high yielder available in clone and seed form.
Origin: Upstate New York - Sativa Dominant Lineage: Colorado Chem Dawg X (Mass. Super Skunk X Northern Lights #5) Taste: Sour, Pungent Buzz: Sour Diesel is a sativa dominant strain, which, though very potent has unique, strongly sativa oriented physiological effects that keep smokers giddy throughout their high. It is one of the most desired sativas in the world because of its pleasant cerebral effects, very conducive to studying, cleaning, or doing nearly any arduous task.
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Origin: California - Sativa Lineage: According to rl1cool from marijuana reviews. com, Snowcap is a sativa hybrid, percentage of which is unknown. Day/Night: Daytime Buzz: Snowcap is daytime, cerebral, “up” flower.
OG Kush: Southern California’s Queen Bee of the Cannabis community for over three years running, OG Kush is the result of crossing a Colorado Chem Dawg phenotype with a (Lemon Thai X Pakistani Kush) pheno. The emerging cross was a stellar mixture of new and old worlds: the American Chem Dog provides a strong sour and sativa backbone while the old world Lemon Thai/Pakistani Kush adds a lemony Kush, more indica-oriented side into the genetic pool. Origin: Most Likely, California - Sativa Dominant Hybrid Lineage: Colorado Chem Dawg X (Lemon Thai X Pakistani Kush) Taste: Sour, Smoky, Lemon, Pine, and Zing Buzz: A perfect balance between a potent, cerebral sativa high crossed with the mellow body oriented effects produced by landrace indica varieties
UK Cheese: Originally bred in the United Kingdom, today the Cheese is making big waves across the pond, particularly on the West Coast where she grows vigorously, and beautifully, indoor and outdoor. Anyone familiar with the Cheese can easily discern the stanky smell and physiological setbacks one may incur in the presence of this very strong sativa. The Cheese is a cross of two funky smelling, old school genetics—Skunk #1 crossed with an Afghani Male— thus explaining the absolutely rotten aroma their child emits, and powerful, Indica-tive physiological effects she induces. Origin: United Kingdom - Sativa Dominant Lineage: Skunk #1 X Landrace Afghani Kush Day/Night: Both Buzz: The cheese is sativa dominant in genetics but indicaheavy on the brain and body. An extremely potent plant reminiscent of 20th century dank, cerebrally stoney and physically relaxing, the Cheese covers all bud bases.
Strawberry Cough: Originally from the East Coast, the Cough is a big hitter within the Fruit family. The strain gained such popularity, that today it is hard to find legit Strawberry Cough-- if it is cheap and questionable then it’s not really the Cough. The real effect is strong, and though SC is often considered a sativa, the strain is so cerebral that foggy indica clouds are easily reachable. And the taste is, actually, strawberry... one of the few fruits out there, along with Grape and Blueberry, that completely embodies the taste and smell of the title they bare. Origin: Somewhere on the East Coast - Psychedelic Sativa Lineage: Strawberry Fields Indica Mother/ Pure Haze plant father Day/Night: Psychedelic sativas are good for the day, but don’t plan on going to work. Buzz: Heavy cerebral buzz; energetic spurts and intermittent brain-farts; a sunny day with heavy cranial cloud cover humboldtgrow.com
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Sativa S Sativa Headband:
Originally cultivated on the East Coast and named Daywrecker, Headband is a psychedelic sativa in a category all her own. Whether you know her as Daywrecker or Headband, both names explain the same effect: You will get very, very stoned. This uncommonly potent plant is the result of a unique, multi-ingredient genetic ancestry. Headband’s genetics consist of a Sour Diesel mother crossed with a (Mass. Super Skunk X Northern Lights #5) male phenotype—which means, that the actual genetic makeup of Headband is: ((Chem Dawg X Mass. Super Skunk\Northern Lights #5) X (Mass. Super Skunk\Northern Lights #5)). Origin: New York - Sativa Dominant Hybrid Lineage: Sour Diesel X (Mass. Super Skunk\Northern Lights #5) Day/Night: Either, but novice smokers should opt for nighttime use first. Buzz: Contagious and irrational laughter, loss of coordination and motor skills, stimulation of appetite, suppression of anxiety.
Chem Dawg:
Many of the most common favorites of today would not exist if it was not for this very special, very sour plant. Chem Dawg is a cross-fertilizing father in almost all the topnotch sour strains: Sour Diesel, Headband, and O.G. Kush, just to name a few. Originally grown on the East coast, Chem Dawg has made her way to the West, where she has become a pivotal strain in shaping the marijuana cultivation currents common today. Origin: Colorado - Psychedelic Sativa Lineage: Unknown Taste: Sour... very sour. Think Sour Diesel and Headband combined Day/Night: 24 hours a day Buzz: Energetic, creative, psychedelic-- sativa heaven
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Neville’s Haze:
If you’ve had a taste of good Nevels before, it’s hard not to be biased. That said, Nevel’s Haze is one of my all time favorite sativas-- Perfect for creative outlets. The smell is piney and the buds, when done right, are frosty medium sized banana cylinders with white trichome covered nuggets dispersed studded throughout. Origin: Greenhouse seeds - Pure Sativa Lineage: Old School Pure Haze Plant/Northern Lights (75/25.... just enough NL to even the stew) Day/Night: Daytime is good but nighttime is often a cathartic period for artists and other workers so the energetic buzz is really 24/7 patient OK. Buzz: Sedated but focused; heavy cerebral brain-bending
a Sativa a Jack Herer:
It’s only right that the man who dedicated his life to marijuana and hemp activism be given his own strain, and for Mr. Jack Herer, the bud-breeders at Sensi Seeds pulled all the stops for this special cross. The desire was to create a strain that was both upbeat and mellow. To do so, there was a Special Haze plant selected, and a Super Skunk plant was pulled from a larger batch to suffice the sativa end. But what about the relaxing offset? Here Sensi Seeds did the right thing: they went old school and picked Northern Lights #5, a historic indica. After inter-breeding those three plants a new strain was spawned more than righteous enough to represent the man himself. Origin: Amsterdam – Sativa Dominant Taste: Sweet, Tropical, Candy, and Pine; Menthol meets Tropical Punch Lineage: Haze/Skunk/Northern Lights #5 Day/Night: Both Buzz: Happy, upbeat, creative, cerebral. Jack is an excellent daytime, recreational sativa. Colors can be brighter, food can taste better, the air smell more vibrant, after medicating with Jack Herer.
White Widow:
The Widow dominated in Amsterdam circuits throughout the 90’s, taking many a first places at the annual Dutch Cannabis Cup. Today, however, real White Widow can be difficult to find; for a stretch, it was almost unheard of. Fortunately though, White Widow has been making a come back, finding her way back into our lives via clone and seed banks. There is a particularly impressive amount of White Widow to be found in the thriving new medicinal scene in Colorado.
Origin: Amsterdam - Sativa Dominant Lineage: Indian/Brazilian Haze cross (60/40 sativa dominate) Day/Night: In Holland this is a favorite for daytime perambulations and naps on the village green Buzz: Pleasantly mellow, sedative but not overdone, mostly cerebral.
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guide
The Cannabis Consumer: Grow Magazine’s guide through the latest and greatest in cannabis culture, accessories and novelty items.
Cinema: Every Stoner needs a good movie to fallback on, a real classic, a never-let-ya-down movie they can go to when catatonic.
Books: It’s a gamble, but some of you might still read out there…
The Good The Bad and the Ugly—Collectors Edition
Inherent Vice By Thomas Pynchon
Containing the original, additional 31-minute, non-edited version of Sergio Leone’s 1960 classic, this is the Director’s vision seen in its entirety for the first time. The movie that sat the bar for all Spaghetti Westerns, spawning a thousand imitators along the way, has been extended, digitally remastered, and in this deluxe collectors edition comes with a second disk packed full of behind-the-scenes footage. Four feature documentaries, three vignettes, commentary from the great director, Leone himself, this is a must have for all spaghetti fans.
Every decade or so, the world’s most brilliant and reclusive author returns from nowhere with a new book. This past spring, Thomas Pynchon, author of revered works such as Graffiti’s Rainbow, Ladder 49, and V, returned at the age of seventy-two with a mystery-noir in the hard-boiled tradition of Raymond Chandler. His latest work seems to cater especially to our readers. Inherent Vice is the story of an alwaysstoned private detective named Doc Sportello, and his dark and comical journey though the mob, strips clubs, taco stands, and beach freeways of late 1960’s Los Angeles psychedelic Americana. This mammoth work of Manhattan Beach memorabilia is most definitely Pynchon’s cannabis coda, written and sung especially for fans of the green lady he loves the most.
Crazy Heart
Tom Waits: The Lowside of The Road By Barney Hoskins In a well-deserved nod from the movie moguls, Jeff Bridges was awarded an Oscar for his role as Bad Blake in the movie Crazy Heart. Tracing his path across the southwest, Bridges delivers another painfully accurate portrayal of a roughneck country singer, down on his luck and deep in the bottle, and searching for one more turn at success before it’s too late.
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The King of Crow Comedy. The Master of Midnight Metaphors. The drunk. The poet. The minstrel, preacher, growler, brawler, and bastard. The enigmatic imagination of Tom Waits has been captivating left-of-center music fans for over thirty years. In Lowside of the Road, the most intimate biography about Waits written to date, the reader is granted a look at the man’s entire career, spanning from the dog-eared days of Silverlake and Weho dives to the arena tours of today.
Music: Soundtracks for the smoker’s lifestyle. LCD Soundsytem: This is Happening For someone who has only released two proper studio albums, James Murphy, the ringleader and main songwriter of electronic outfit LCD Soundsystem has accumulated a massive following in a relatively short period of time. Along with his musical endeavors as an artist, Murphy has also co-founded the New York City dance label, DFA Records (Death from Above), scored an indie soundtrack (Greenberg), and played at nearly every major outdoor festival across the globe (Coachella, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, ATF, Pitchfork) over the past three years. The guy is busy. LCD Soundsystem’s last album, Sound of Silver, was a huge critical darling, an album which Murphy continued to take his analogue influenced palate— Bowie, Eno, Suicide, Killing Joke—and masterfully digitized it into one catchy, perfectly synchronized single after the next. For his third outing, This is Happening, the electro auteur has decided to tread in a more unfamiliar territory by exploring the inner-singer side he displayed on the recent Greenberg soundtrack.
Smoking Accessories: What’s new in the wonderful wide of smoking paraphanelia?
world
Vortex No more crowding around the sink, pool, or bathtub, the creators at Vortex have fabricated the world’s ultimate gravity bong! Save your throat and lungs a few years by opting for this instead of a joint or a regular glasspiece. The Vortex is very easy to clean, especially with the green glass clean. Beeline Instead of seeking out the newest technological breakthrough in the lab, or manufacturing another shoddy vaporizer, the developers of Beeline decided to go back to the basics. Keep it simple. Smokers vaporize their buds to remove the butane killing agent that are in lighters, by doing so, enhancing not only your health, but also your high. With Beeline, smokers can get the same clean high in a more accessible model—it fits in your pocket—and at an affordable price. (3 dollars for a one-to-three month quantity.)
The White Stripes: Under the Great White Northern Lights: CD/DVD Edition The candy cane duo that is The White Stripes may not be touring as much as we’d like today, but they have recently released an excellent live CD/DVD recap of their musical tour into the brush of every territory in Canada. And this is not the Canada tucked close along the borders of the United States. Almost none of the major urban centers are entered, as in typical fashion, the Stripes chose instead to visit more unknown, off-the-path places most people have never heard of, let alone seen tastefully documented on gritty black and white handhelds. The result is a raw, heartfelt portrayal of the band—Jack and Meg—in what might have been their final days as a touring outfit. Other recommendations: Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record; Deftones: Diamond Eyes; Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma; Free Energy: Stuck on Nothing; Titus Andronicus: The Monitor; Caribou: Swim; Joanna Newsom: Have One On Me humboldtgrow.com humboldtgrow.com
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homegrown
Reader’s submissions Canada
The moment we saw these photos we could tell that this was a canadian grow scene. How? The vertical orientation of the lights. For some reason a lot of canadians run their lights vertically. This practice seems to be exclusive to Canada. Based on these photos, its hard to argue with the results. These are some big, healthy, indoor plants. This grower definitely knows what they’re doing. If any readers out there can shed some light as to why American and canadian growers have gone in such different directions, drop us a line at info@humboldtgrow.com
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Southern Oregon
An underground grow scene. A 20 light grow scene that exemplifies hardcore, west-coast growing. According to the grower, there were a lot of humidity issues, but with a lot of work, the cannabis always came out great. These scenes will likely be extinct in the near future, becoming part of the folklore of a pre-legalization growing culture.
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homegrown
Mendocino County, California
Take a look at the photo below. You may need a magnifying glass to see that a man, 6’6” tall, is standing next to one of the plants. These are hands down some of the largest marijuana bushes we have ever seen.
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One
Bud
to Rule Them All...
The Making of a Cannabis Competition by D. Bridges
In January of 2010, three people gathered together at a small coffee shop in the pot-friendly town of Boulder, Colorado, to talk about cannabis. The consensus was that Colorado had not been properly recognized for its contributions to cannabis culture over the years. For decades, hidden away in the Rocky Mountains from prying eyes, the talented growers of the Front Range had been producing some of the dankest green in the country, if not the entire world; however, their accomplishments had been overshadowed by larger scenes on the East and West Coasts, who had ready access to magazines, hip-hop stars and national websites that promoted their strains.
And that was fine. Most Colorado growers were happy to work in obscurity, producing small crops that paid the bills and delighted their friends. However, it was a well-known fact that marijuana connoisseurs had been coming to the Rockies for decades, often on ski vacations or fly-fishing ventures, and they would sometimes go home with a ChemDawg or Golden Goat the likes of which had never been seen before. But when it came time to give credit where credit was due, Colorado growers were usually left out of the loop. With the recent changes in the medicinal cannabis landscape in Colorado, we decided it was time to celebrate the best. In April of 2010, the first annual Best Bud of Boulder (or the B3, as it is affectionately known) competition was created. The goal was to find the very best growers in Colorado and place them, ahem, head-to-head against one another in a completely blind contest. The judging criteria was broken down into five, equally weighted categories. They were: Aroma, Visual Aesthetics, Flavor, Head/Medicinal Effect and Potency. We felt that each category played an equally important role in determining the best. Like a fine wine, a solid herb should score well across the board. The winner would be the strain that had the highest cumulative score and would be crowned “The Best Bud of Boulder.”
1) Sour Diesel by High Grade Alternatives
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Results:
Best Visual Aesthetics Raspberry Kush by Altermeds ___________________________________________________
Best Flavor OG Kush Private Reserve by The Greenest Green ___________________________________________________
Best Aroma Jack Flash by Easy Living Alternatives ___________________________________________________
Best Head/Medicinal Effect Age by The Greenest Green ___________________________________________________
Best Potency Stone Mountain by Stone Mountain Wellness ___________________________________________________
The overall, “Best Bud of Boulder” was Sour Diesel by High Grade Alternatives We had heard about other competitions where the legitimacy of the results were questioned for one reason or another, and we didn’t want to fall into that trap. Therefore, we decided that our panel of expert judges would be kept completely in the dark. Not only would they not know the name of the grower, we refused to tell them the strain. In fact, so concerned were we about making the competition fair, we would not even tell the judges if they were smoking an indica or a sativa. All they had was a numbered sample and a corresponding grading sheet. Our judging panel consisted of expert growers, cannabis journalists, non-competing dispensary representatives and cannabis connoisseurs. We felt that the judges would make a well-rounded panel with their collective knowledge and backgrounds. By inviting various members from the cannabis community, our hope was to add legitimacy and transparency to the judging process as well. In addition, we contracted with a local testing lab and each entry was tested for THC, CBD and CBN levels.
We put the word out to the local growers, dispensary owners and aficionados, and what came back were thirty of the finest examples of locally grown cannabis in the state. The fifteen judges each received a kit containing the numbered strains and an instruction sheet advising them to be consistent and critical in their decision-making. They did not disappoint us. It was a small competition this year but it represents some of the very best our state has to offer, and it gives credit to the generations of Colorado growers who have contributed to the canon of American cannabis. If you are a Colorado grower or dispensary, consider entering the competition next year and help us celebrate the culture of this amazing plant. Entry deadline: March 1, 2011. To learn more, go to: www.bestbudofboulder.com or www.bouldercannabisfestival.com.
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2)
Stone Mountain by Stone Mountain Wellness
4)
Jack Flash by Easy Living Alternatives LLC
5)
Chemdawg by Caregivers of Colorado
6)
Island Sweet Skunk by Caregivers of Colorado
7)
Durban Poison by Mountain Medicine Group
8)
Mendocino Purps by AlterMeds
9)
Ice by Mountain Medicine Group
10)
Raspberry Kush by AlterMeds
11)
Super Lemon Haze by 11:11
13)
Cannalope Haze by Caregivers of Colorado
Boulder Cannabis Cup
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14)
Chem Dog/Diesel x OG Kush by Top Shelf Alternatives
15)
Tangerine Haze by Stone Mountain Wellness
16)
Sour Apple by Top Shelf Alternatives
Cabbage/Crystal x Chun 17) Colorado by Top Shelf Alternatives
18)
Crystal Clear by Independent
19)
Cheese by Top Shelf Alternatives
20)
Orange Bud by Top Shelf Alternatives
21)
Sour Bubble Bog (sour diesel + bogglegum) by The Med Shed
21)
Plane Wreck by Independent
22)
Sour Diesel by Mountain Man Medicinals
22)
Kali Mist by Top Shelf Alternatives
23)
Booba (Boo-Ba) by Mountain Man Medicinals
24)
Motafeso by The Village Green Society
25)
Maui Mango by AlterMeds
26)
Northern Lights by Mountain Man Medicinals
27)
Maui by Mountain Health Research LLC
Boulder Cannabis Cup Fish/G13 x Oregon Funk 30) Dog by Top Shelf Alternatives
2)
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The
1st Annual
Colorado Cup Ol’ Swampy reporting
Mud Season at the Swamp It was one of those afternoons in the mountains where misty clouds pour thick down the hillsides, making ghosts of the pines. There was a feeling of mystery, like something stirring in the energy of Spring itself. But there was something else in the air… the anticipation of a truly great cannabis festival: The 1st Annual Colorado Cup. An event for caregivers and patients to celebrate the finest cannabis in the state. Access to fine strains, grow equipment, and horticultural knowledge are readily available these days. And yet, only a small percentage of finished cannabis is top quality. With the explosion of medical cannabis and the dispensary scene, we at the Colorado Cup want to keep our focus on the spirit of home growers who put their heart and soul into their gardens, who bond with their plants, and love their crops from start to finish. Most often it is these soulful, detail-oriented, smallbatch growers who produce the finest cannabis. The Mist Clears Just as the first judges began to arrive, clouds gave way to sun and blue skies. The other side of Spring had revealed itself… just in time. Our pleasant mountain canna-testing refuge was filled with smoking lounges, gorgeous live cannabis plants in full bloom, plenty of clean glass, and delicious food. And then there were the strains. Out of many fine entries only nine were selected to compete. Judges were given samples of three indicas, hybrids, and sativas to test back to back. Their goal, to select a top strain in each category, with the highest overall score earning one lucky grower the title of Grower of the Year. Big shout outs to Bear Peak Wellness for commissioning beautiful custom glass stash jars for our winners, and to High on the Hill in Boulder for their expert touch in crafting the jars along with a breathtaking glass chalice for the top prize, the Colorado Cup. After a brief opening ceremony at 4:20, eager judges set to their task. There was no easy way to tackle the judging, but everyone found their own method. A simple criteria would reveal the champions. Each strain was rated on a 1-5 scale on appearance, aroma, taste, and quality of the high. The samples were marked with code names and their category (indica, sativa, hybrid) so judges could score the strains’ potency accordingly. The strains were diverse, offering a wide range of distinct flavors and aromas; sour, sweet, hazey, citrus, chocolate, 68 • humboldtgrow.com
mint, and earth tones invaded the senses. All entries were well grown and picturesque. Some soil grown, and some hydro grown. All exceptional and meticulously cared for. Judges were amazed at how well they were able to differentiate the aromas, flavors, and even the highs of each strain. Every judge had a blast testing the varieties, and enjoying the company of the Colorado Cup crowd. Stoney Sundown As sundown drew near and the misty clouds, once again, reclaimed the high mountain meadows around us, an unknown pair of visitors approached our smoky sanctuary. I was in the thick of testing, but my Ol’ Swampy senses were on guard. It turned out to be none other than the crew from Cannabis Connoisseur magazine. The boys from CC were blessed with a judges kit, introduced to the then well-blazed crowd, and given a stout challenge. Test and photograph all nine strains, enter a ballot, and do it all before the sundown deadline which was rapidly approaching. The CC staff came through with a huge effort and completed their canna-sprint to the finish line in true professional form. With the smoke clouds settling and ballot counting in progress, I noticed most of the judges kicking back, chatting, laughing, but not smoking… A room full of seasoned heads with amazing ganja all around, and little to no blazing going on. It was a strong testament to the potency of the Colorado Cup strains, and for the judges it was the feeling of satisfaction. The Goods And now the official entries of the 1st Annual Colorado Cup: Sativa: Durban Poison, Skunk #1, Island Sweet Skunk. Hybrid: OG Kush, Romulan x Cotton Candy, Sour Diesel. Indica: Blueberry, Holland’s Hope, Black Cherry Indica. The Sativa Cup goes to the sativa category’s runner up, a fantastic lime green, sweet cherry flavored Skunk #1 by Joza. The Hybrid Cup is taken by an entry with a strong penetrating high, and rich lemon hash flavors, the OG Kush by our sponsor Bear Peak Wellness. The Indica Cup winner is Blueberry by BC. A last minute entry, but a well grown Blueberry with rich namesake flavors and a crushing indica stone.
Island Sweet Skunk
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Grower of the Year and winner of the 1st ever Colorado Cup is none other than yours truly, Ol’ Swampy, for Island Sweet Skunk. This sativa entry soared far and beyond the rest, and although it is often available in the dispensary scene, nobody else does it like this. Sugary sweetness melds with sour grapefruit and overripe mango flavors that hang on the palette and taste as good as they smell. The sativa high is pleasant and daydreamy, but potent enough to cut through the highs of every strain before it. Smoking this strain always gives me a sense of relaxation and simple enjoyment. Island Sweet Skunk is a delight to the senses, and it is an honor to have her reign as queen of the Colorado Cup this year. Thanks to Bear Peak Wellness caregiver services “Where the harvest hibernates,” www.bearpeakwellness.com, and to High on the Hill, Boulder www.HighOnTheHillGlass.com. A big thank you to Cannabis Connoisseur magazine. Thanks to all of our caregivers, judges, friends, family, and past and current cannabis activists for your efforts. We would not be where we are today without you. So, you think you can grow champions? Do you want to enter a strain in next year’s Colorado Cup? Would you like to participate as an official judge or sponsor? Or maybe you would like to track down some of the delectable strains from this years cup? Just drop a line to the Colorado Cup contact point at caregiver@bearpeakwellness.com. Till next year, I’ll keep some Island Sweet Skunk in the Colorado Cup chalice for you. Grow with your spirit. Partner with your plants. Ol’ Swampy out.
Blueberry
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Skunk 1
OG Kush
Romulan X
Hollands Hope
Black Cherry
Cotton Candy
The 1st Annual Colorado Cup Flo
Durban Poison
Hawaiian
Sour Diesel
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true story
k c u L t Po in e t s n i e w by mark
The following verifiable. Not changed as its has bigger fish
story is true and even even the names have been 41 years later and the DEA to fry.
In the fall of 1969 the citizenry of Philadelphia were experiencing a critical pot shortage as a result of the Drug Enforcement Agencies nationwide crackdown of the ‘evil narcotic.’ Had this been biblical times, people would have considered it an 11th plague. It was during this weed drought that, through a series of events categorized as ‘truth is stranger than fiction,’ I was, at the tender age of 20, to have access to a forgotten government planted marijuana field. But first, a very quick history lesson. During World War II the U.S. government planted marijuana to harvest for the manufacture of paper and rope. At the end of the war the fields were destroyed but urban legend had it that so many fields had been planted that some went unscathed due to bureaucratic bungling. And so, it was purported, somewhere in America lay vast fields of seven foot high marijuana plants growing wild. Of course, like most urban legends, not too much credibility 72 • growcoloradomag.com
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was given to that conjecture even though it was clearly documented that the Feds had planted those fields. In a classic case of somebody knew somebody who knew somebody I was put in contact with a high school junior named Billy who supposedly had a map of where one of these pot fields was located. He didn’t say how it came into his possession. Actually, to call it a map is like calling a McDonald’s Hamburger filet mignon. It was, to be exact, a paper napkin similar to what you would pull out of a dispenser at a diner with some scribbling on it. The notes said to drive to South Bend, Indiana (yes, home of Notre Dame), and then gave a few vague directions with landmarks. Supposedly the marijuana field was on a plot of private government land that sat adjacent to a corn field. In order to access the field you would have to drive stealthily past a two story farm house occupied by the corn farmer and his family, park at the far end of the corn field, walk 50 feet to a sign marked “Government Property – No Trespassing” hop over a fence and voila, there was the mother lode. Billy (the high school junior who had the
map) claimed he paid $50 for it and asked me to reimburse him $25 as half payment. The rest of our deal was that I would go find and pick the pot and we’d split the first haul. Map, well napkin actually in hand, I headed west on the Pennsylvania turnpike one clear Friday afternoon for the 677 mile journey through State Trooper infested highways. As an extra added bonus Billy had laid a ‘black beauty’ on me so I would not fall asleep at the wheel. Transportation to South Bend would be via my recently purchased new car, a 335 horsepower Plymouth Road Runner. It was fast as hell and a gas guzzler but at 29 cents a gallon fuel was cheaper than soda back then. I loved that car and I knew she would serve me well on this adventure. I left late in the afternoon on a Friday. The beauty of Pennsylvania quickly faded as I drove through the dull and unremarkable landscape of Ohio and Indiana. Despite the drab scenery, my emotions ran high being a mix of excitement tinged with fear knowing my destination and mission. After all, a truckload full of pot got you a 20 year vacation at a Federal Penitentiary in most states. Texas, in extreme cases, could impose the death penalty. But I was 20 and the lure of easy money outweighed any logic or rationale about my actions. I was like a moth drawn to a flame. Exiting route 80 sometime around midnight, I was very excited and nervous that the map might be bogus and I had just spent ten boring hours for naught. I turned left onto a local road per the napkin map, proceeded into town and was encouraged when I saw the first landmark, a Dairy Queen. Shortly thereafter it was a right hand turn down an unpaved road, quietly past a two story farm house (this was looking very promising), until the road ended at a tall corn field. The directions continued, “Walk west about 50 feet and look for a sign stating ‘Government Property – No Trespassing.’” I found the sign, hopped over a four foot fence and then came to a horrible realization. Although I had smoked pot once or twice, I had actually never seen a marijuana plant! So here I had just driven almost 700 miles to pick a plant that I wouldn’t know if it
smacked me in the face. How could I be so stupid? Not even a picture from Billy as to what I was looking for. Well, I’m resourceful and decide that even though I’ve never seen a pot plant, I certainly know what it smells like. And so, with nose held up to the air like a bloodhound, I sniffed around until I came to what I believed to be some pot plants. It was a cool, calm night and the field was illuminated by a full moon. Every time the wind rustled through the plants I was certain the police or farmer were closing in on me. Paranoia was high. Using the duffle bag I had brought, I hastily started ripping up every plant in sight. As I began to pull up the plants the idea of serving jail time as a result of these actions began to set in. All I wanted was to get out of there as quickly as possible without being caught. As I rushed from plant to plant my glasses fell off and now I felt I was truly doomed. It would be a really long drive home without my specs given that I am near- sighted. I dropped to my knees and felt through the 3 inch high grass until I finally found them intact. ‘Thank you, Jesus’ I muttered under my breath – an unusual exultation from a Jewish kid but I was willing to thank any higher power at that point. Duffle bag full, I threw it into the trunk and proceeded eastbound thankful to have gotten away with my illegal stash without being caught. It was about 130AM when I finally got out of there. Now all I had to do was navigate my way home. Obeying all speed limits I figured I’d be okay on the drive home. And I was. Almost. Sometime around 7AM, as the dawn was breaking, nature called so I pulled into a Pennsylvania turnpike rest stop. Bladder relieved, I exited the building to find a PA State Trooper walking around my car. “That’s it, I thought, I am screwed. The tell tale aroma of pot emanating from my trunk must have tipped him off. I am so dead.” I attempted to turn around but before I could do so the Trooper made eye contact with me. There was no turning back now. “This your car?” the Trooper asked. growcoloradomag.com • 73 humboldtgrow.com
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“Yes sir.” “One of those new Road Runners?” “It is.” “What ‘cha got in it?” 74 • growcoloradomag.com
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“A duffle bag full of pot,” I thought. “Excuse me?” I answered out loud barely able to get the words out of my mouth. “What’s the engine in that thing?” the trooper repeated. “Oh, what do I have in there? Under the hood? It’s a 383 cubic inch V-8 with 335 horsepower.”
“I’ll bet she’s a smoker,” remarked the trooper. “Oh there’s PLENTY to smoke in there,” I thought. “You can’t imagine,” I replied politely. “Well, drive safely and obey the speed limits young man.” “Yes sir I sure will,” I answered breathing easier as he got into his car and drove away. I got back into my car and continued to drive carefully home excited to show my roommate Michael my new found stash. Around 1PM I pulled up to my two bedroom carriage house that sat on a lovely five acre estate in Villanova. My roommate attended school there while I worked in a record warehouse. We had known each other since seventh grade and although he was risk averse and I a dare devil we were pretty good friends and enjoyed our cohabitation set up.
Villanova’s campus as grass was totally unavailable and students were clamoring for more. We could sell as much as we could get our hands on and I knew exactly where to get it. As my cost of the grass was essentially zero I was ready to make a killing. I knew where the field was, what a pot plant looked like, and was all set to get rich. I did it once and I could do it again. All I had to do was figure out how to minimize the risk of exposure from the long drive to and from Indiana. The solution was relatively simple. My good friend Jon was a sophomore at a college just outside Chicago, a scant two hour drive from the pot field. I called him up and asked if he could get a hold
Michael was studying when I entered his bedroom and threw the bursting duffel bag onto his bed. “What’s that?” he queried? “A duffle bag full of pot!” Astounded that I could score so much pot during this time of draught he encouraged me to open it. I did so and what was surprised at what I saw. There was a collection of fall foliage from South Bend, Indiana. And when I say fall foliage, I do not include marijuana as an indigenous plant. I emptied out the entire contents and fortunately, there were a few pot plants mixed in with everything else. It had been a long trip for what would net out to be about a pound of pot. And after I gave Billy (the map provider) his half, I’d have about eight ounces. Still, my only cost had been gas and tolls which had totaled about $30 dollars. At $20 an ounce (ahhhh for it to be 1969 again) I’d still gross $160 and net $130. Not bad for a day’s work back then. Michael unloaded the pot within an hour on
of a car. He said he could and wanted to know why but I was too paranoid to discuss anything having to do with pot over the phone. I told him I would fill him in on the details when I flew out to see him. The following Friday after work I flew out to Chicago where Jon picked me up at the growcoloradomag.com • 75 humboldtgrow.com
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airport. I filled him in on the details and he agreed we would drive to the pot field and do some harvesting. Some two hours later we arrived at the forgotten field and, now with a helper and knowing exactly
placed the bag in the trunk and headed back to his fraternity house where we crashed as it was 3AM. The next morning we awoke to the unmistakable aroma of pot as the duffle bag easily had
what a pot plant looked liked, stuffed the duffel bag in less than thirty minutes. We
50 pounds of the herb. I offered to split it with my friend but he wanted only about
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a pound for his personal use and the rest of the Frat boys. Despite my insistence on splitting it with him, he was determined not to have 12 kilos in his room. We wrapped the pot up in an old sheet and dusted it with baby powder which largely masked the aroma of freshly picked weed. You could still detect the cannabis odor if you got close to the bag and knew what you were smelling, but the primary aroma was that of baby powder. The trip home would be by Greyhound as I was concerned about drug sniffing dogs at the airport. Additionally, I liked the fact that you handed your bag to the bus driver who put it directly on the bus. It was never really out of your sight. And so, late that Saturday afternoon, Jon took me to the Greyhound terminal to catch a 5PM bus to Cleveland where I would change at midnight to a bus for Philadelphia. I said good-bye to my friend, handed the pot laden bag to the driver who deftly placed it in the baggage compartment underneath the bus and we were off. Funny thing about transporting 50 pounds of pot. Everyone on the bus becomes a DEA agent when you know you have so much dope in the baggage compartment. You look around
trying to figure out who is the undercover agent. At some point you even think you can smell the pot emanating from below through the floor. You begin to sweat and wonder what were you thinking when you started this escapade? 50 pounds of pot!? No way I can explain that away as for ‘personal use.” If I got caught, it would be catastrophic. Every two hours the bus stopped for a quick break and with each stop I eyed every passenger for some evidence that they were following me. I was certain I was about to be caught or was being watched. I guess that’s why they call it paranoia. By the time the bus arrived in Cleveland, short of midnight, I was such a nervous wreck that I would have been a perfect candidate for Prozac had such a medication existed in 1969. The Greyhound parked and all passengers exited. As I walked off the bus I came face to face with two Cleveland Police officers who I was sure were there to arrest me. The DEA must have called ahead from Chicago or perhaps the bus driver during one of our rest breaks. My drug dealing days were about to come to an end. As I walked down the steps to exit I almost raised my hands and placed them in the
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air demonstrating the universal sign of, “You’ve got me.” Good thing I didn’t as the police didn’t even glance my way and were obviously at the bus station at midnight only as a deterrent for more nefarious characters. I collected my bag with them standing only ten feet away and transferred to the Philadelphia bus. I arrived the next morning in the City of Brotherly Pot without incident and drove directly to my apartment to show Michael the huge stash. No matter what year it is, 50 pounds of grass is a huge amount of weed and conservative Michael was not happy with such an enormous quantity sitting in our living room. We agreed that we would sell it as quickly as possible and, because of the sheer volume of it, sell it only in one pound quantities. We wouldn’t be bothered with ouncing it out and exposing ourselves to hundreds of buyers. No, if you wanted this pot it was a pound or nothing and, at $125 a pound, it was a good buy. The pot draught was still in effect and we were cleaned out within one week. $6250 was our take before some minimal expenses. 78 • growcoloradomag.com
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Adjusting for inflation, that’s equal to $36,162 in 2010 dollars. A heady sum of money for a 20 year old. Michael received a 10% commission for unloading the stash on campus still leaving me with a tidy sum. My self-indulgent rewards for my risk taking included the purchase of a Kawasaki 350 motorcycle and the summer rental of a three bedroom beach house down the shore for an entire season. I was living high off the hog and the easy money was fantastic. I’d have to do this again. But I was smart enough to know that the more times you commit a crime, the greater the chance of getting caught. Really smart criminals retire ahead of the game. I had to balance 20 years in jail versus the colossal income. There must be some way I could still profit from the free pot without putting myself in harm’s way. And then it came to me. I’d sell detailed maps of how to get to the hidden pot field. No risk as I am not transporting grass and yet I could still make a few bucks. I constructed a foolproof pamphlet that gave explicit instructions how to get there from all directions AND even include a
drawing of what a pot plant looked like so even neophytes would know what to pick. Selling the maps involved some challenges. If someone told you they wanted to sell you a map of a forgotten pot field you’d be skeptical and such was the case on Villanova’s campus in 1969. So to show good faith the deal was this. The maps cost $200. You pay $100 upfront and we provide you with the map. You drive out to South Bend, locate the field and pick the pot, and then pay the $100 balance upon your return. That way, there was some trust on both ends. You trusted me that there was really a pot field and I you that you’d pay me upon your return. It was a good plan and we sold a lot of maps on the Villanova campus. No risk. No paranoia, just $200 a map. We probably sold a dozen or so adding another $2400 to our bank account and I was very proud of myself for coming up with this ‘legal’ way to make money. And that would be the end of this story save for one final event. One Monday afternoon I was driving home from work listening to WFIL 560AM which was the top 40 pop station in Philadelphia. The news was presented on the hour and half hour. Despite the fact that 41 years have passed I still remember exactly where I was when the following news item came blaring through my car speakers. “Good evening. Our top story at five-thirty tonight involves 12 Villanova students who were arrested last night in South Bend, Indiana at a forgotten government planted marijuana field. The students were found with a detailed map and driving instructions from Philadelphia along with pictures of what the plants look like. The students were arrested when Robert Thompson, a corn farmer who lives next to the field, was awakened by the college students in the middle of the night as they attempted to pick the crop. Charges have been filed against the trespassers.”
apartment to arrest me. They had been found with the maps and I knew the gig was up. Greed had gotten the better of me and now I was going to jail. I drove towards my apartment in concentric circles getting ever closer to my home watchful for any kind of ‘official’ vehicles that might be lurking in wait for me. There were none. As I pulled into my driveway I was still certain that a SWAT team would come out of nowhere but such was not the case. There were no police. No DEA. Nothing. I would find out the next day that the students caught had purchased a 5th generation map. It had never occurred to me that the maps would be copied and recopied and re-sold by the people I sold them to. Obviously they were not copyrighted nor did they contain any statements such as, “For more information contact Mark Weinstein at 215555-1212.” No, there would be no tracing the maps back to me. As for the group of students who got caught, well, someone got greedy and had decided to clean out the entire field. The mastermind loaded up three Volkswagen Micro Busses with a dozen undergrads. Upon arrival at the pot field the gang made such a ruckus that the farmer nextby woke up and called the police. The 12 were charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor, and never served any jail time. And if you question the authenticity of this story you need only contact the South Bend Tribune which will have an article about the arrest of the Villanova students from November 1969. The pot field was officially destroyed shortly thereafter. Boo-hoo.
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