Cannaventures: Michigan’s own

Find Your Happy Place at Manistee Farms CannaVentures

JON BECKER FOR MICHIGAN GREEN STATE

If you’re looking to take a walk on the wild side, there’s a place called “Manistee Farm Cannaventures” in Luther, a tiny village where bright lights and traffic noise gives way to starry nights and the magnificent sounds of nature. Bonnie Demos and her husband Cliff own and operate a farm there, but they’re not raising livestock or growing corn or soybeans on their 20-acre parcel in the middle of the Manistee National Forest. They are growing (and sharing) another crop that Michigan is fast becoming noted for: marijuana. Guests won’t get a chocolate under their pillow but they will receive a bud-oriented weekend in a pristine setting that Demos said leaves many unsuspecting visitors agape. “I’m looking out the window and see about 50 deer,” Demos said. “It’s dark. We don’t landscape. We don’t feed our plants. No nutrients. We nourish the earth’s natural cycles. From a city person’s perspective it’s the bush. It’s amazing how loud nature can be when you can actually hear its symphony. It’s very, very private here.” That’s the wild side of a stay at this medical marijuana farm. Weed is, of course plentiful, but “this isn’t Animal House,” Demos, a child of the ‘70s, says. “Most of my people are in their 50s.” A 2-night-2-couple package costs $500, a price that, according to Demos, is affordable because she and Cliff grow their own pot. Guests upon check-in receive one-half ounce of marijuana and can look forward to a pot-infused waffle breakfast complete with candied bacon, butter and maple syrup—all cannabis infused, naturally. Dinner is fondue and a snack that can be followed by a bonfire, where guests can expect to shed their inhibitions and soak in an environment Demos says is unique. “There’s so much to do in this area with all our rivers, streams and hiking trails,” Demos said. “People bring their kayaks and bikes and have all these plans. More often than not, they never leave the property.” This will likely change as marijuana becomes increasingly mainstream, but right now there aren’t many marijuana-friendly rental properties in Michigan. Manistee Farms, with its 3 fully-equipped RV’s, 3 rustic campsites and a fire ring and a gazebo, is one of them. “Two nights and two people is our starting point for stays,” Demos said. “Kind of like company that doesn’t stay too long. And they actually pay for their food. People can relax here worry free and enjoy one of nature’s gifts. They can’t smoke at the state campground around families and children.” The gregarious Demos laughs easily and appears to be one of those people who makes friend easily. She clearly has found her happy place after moving to the area a few years ago from Wisconsin, where her beloved bud is not legal. It may sound like a contradiction in terms to some, but the legalization of marijuana in Michigan brought Demos to Michigan for health reasons. “I came here to manage my own autoimmune disease,” she says, a shot at doctors who wanted to prescribe opiates to her to manage the condition. “I wanted to be somewhere where I could grow it and not going to jail. I’ve been growing my own for eight years and we’ve been at the farm here for two years.” Many of her guests are quick to return to this small, intimate setting. Others have rented sites for up to 6 months. The couple practice permaculture, an integrated approach to land management rooted in a holistic philosophy of interacting harmoniously with nature. “People really fall in love with the place like we did,” Demos says. “There’s no other place quite like it. Firing up a “fatty” among friends in a serene setting may be central to the Manistee Farm mystique, but at its core is a mission to help people. “We specialize in cancer and autoimmune disorders,” Demos said. “We have oils and balms. The balm is probably the most popular. It’s phenomenal. You can use it for any kind of joint pain. There’s a lack of knowledge concerning marijuana. We help a lot of sick people.” Part of guests’ connect-with-nature-experience is the opportunity to see Manistee Farms’ cash crop flourishing in the field. “They can go out and walk around, play with the plants, touch them. Most people don’t get to see marijuana in this state. At a dispensary, you’re looking at it behind glass. You connect with the plant in a very different way here.” If there’s such a thing as cannabis purist, Demos is it. “I’m 67 years old and used marijuana back in the day,” she says. “It doesn’t need to go in a gummy bear or some other edible… if you want fine and premium stuff, it’s a slow and lengthy process.” Manistee Farms CannaVentures: Where Pain and Worries Go Up in Smoke.

Bonnie and Cliff Demos own and operate Manistee CannaVentures, a bud and breakfast joint located in the heart of the Manistee National Forest. The small operation offers cannabis-friendly lodging in a private setting teeming with wildlife and natural beauty.

Oils and balms are popular choices for people seeking relief from a variety maladies at the medical marijuana farm, Mannistee CannaVentures, jointly owned and operated by the husband wife team of Cliff and Bonnie Demos. The couple practice permaculture, meaning, among other things, that they don’t tamper with marijuana plants with fertilizer or any other chemical. The cannibas-friendly lodging facility specializes in helping cancer patients and those with autoimmune disease.