Maine Cannabis Chronicle Volume II Issue I

Maine Cannabis CHRONICLE

Cannabis in a Crisis Cannabis is Deemed Essential

Newton’s Law An Interview with Jasper Newton

Faces in the Field Bryon of Best Friend Farms

ROSIN The Mechanics of MELT

by Wisely Hash

VOLUME II

ISSUE 1

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CONTENTS

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Cannabis in a Crisis

B Y N I C K M U R R AY

10

Highly Enlightened

BY M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

P H OTO G R A P H Y BA R RU B I N O & M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

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Rosin: The Mechanics of MELT

B Y W I S E LY H A S H

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Starting Your Grow: Bean Poppin’ 101

B Y J A S O N B I R M I N G H A M & S H AW N B A Z I N E T

P H O T O G R A P H Y @ M A R I H U A N A M I K E & S H AW N B A Z I N E T

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Breeder Series: The Bungludetch Interview

BY M R . RO O T S

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Justus von Liebig’s Law of the Minimum

BY C H A S G I L

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You May Now Light The Bong

BY K AT I E W E I T M A N

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y FA L L O N S O L A R I M U R R AY

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Maine Product Showcase

BY M C C T E A M

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Faces in the Field: Bryon of Best Friend Farms

B Y E . P.

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Southern Maine’s Reggae Sensation

B Y E . P.

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New England Reserve: A Shop Review

BY K AT I E W E I T M A N

P H OTO G R A P H Y JON S E COR D

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY BU NGLU DETC H

P H OTO G R A P H Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

P H OTO G R A P H Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

P H OTO G R A P H Y G R E E N L I O N C R E W & T I Z Z Y T O K YO

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F N E W E N G L A N D R E S E RV E

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Bon Appétit: A Recipe from MEDCo

BY M E D C O

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Newton’s Law: An Interview with Jasper Newton

BY B E T H A N Y S C H L E H

P H OTO G R A P H Y COU RT E SY OF M E D CO

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F N E W T O N ’ S N U R S E RY

44 Herb’n’Art

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BY J O H N D E N Y S E

P H OTO G R A P H Y COU RT E SY OF I PK

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From Misunderstanding to Medical Use

BY M I C H A E L S AU N D E R S

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Strain Safari with The Strainger

BY I A N S T UA RT

P H OTO G R A P H Y I A N S T UA RT & M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

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Coastal Roots

BY D O M

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@420oldfatlesbians’ Maine Cannabis Industry Roadtrip

P H O T O G R A P H Y @ 4 2 0 O L D FA T L E S B I A N S

P H O T O G R A P H Y FA L L O N S O L A R I M U R R AY

P H OTO G R A P H Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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Maine Cannabis CHRONICLE

PUBLISHER JA M AC H R I , L LC FOUNDERS M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S & C H R I S B L A K E EDITORS K AT E L I C H T L E DIANE RUSSELL M A N AG I N G E D I T O R DAV I D B OY E R A RT DI R ECTOR J E S S E G E O R G I A / DAW N L A N D D E S I G N P RO D U C T I O N M A N AG E R SAR AH HARTFORD C OV E R P H OTO / C O N C E P T BY C A N N A B I S M E D I A / W I S E LY H A S H L AYO U T BY J E S S E G E O R G I A PHOTOGRAPHERS JON SECORD / MAINE CANNABIS MEDIA FA L LO N S O L A R I M U R R AY M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S JA S P E R N E W TO N @ M A R I H UA N A M I K E S H AW N B A Z I N E T T I Z Z Y TO K YO

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N A DV E R T I S I N G P L E A S E E M A I L :

S A L E S @ M A I N E C A N N A B I S C H R O N I C L E . CO M

JAMACHRI, LLC’s publication of Maine Cannabis Chronicle features content about cannabis, hemp, CBD, and cannabis-related products and information. In addition, the magazine features articles, political editorials, legal information, and medical news relevant to the cannabis industry. All content within our publication and on our website is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered personal, legal, or medical advice. Both the printed publication and website are intended for those over the age of 21. In the state of Maine, cannabis is intended for use only by those 21 and older, or 18 and older with a medical recommendation. If consuming, please keep out of the reach of children.

JAMACHRI, LLC assumes no responsibility for the advertisements within this publication. We strive to ensure the accuracy of the information published. JAMACHRI, LLC cannot be held responsible for any consequences that arise due to errors or omissions. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

MaineCannabisChronicle.com mainecannabischronicle 6

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FOUNDER’S LETTER

M AT T A N D C H R I S W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R R E M O T E LY I N I S O L AT I O N T O B R I N G Y O U T H E L AT E S T I S S U E .

Dear MCC Community, It’s easy to feel overwhelmed under quarantine, so we’d like to use this space to say a sincere thank you to all the Mainers stepping up to keep us safe, fed, medicated, fueled, and informed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you, workers.

Each day we’re struck by the bravery and dedication of first responders, hospital and healthcare workers, grocery store and gas station employees, bus drivers and train conductors and utility, transportation, and sanitation crews.

Thank you, leaders.

In the face of COVID-19, true leadership means coming together to build community-based solutions while protecting public health. It’s heartening to see iconic and innovative Maine brands pivot to produce PPE and other emergency supplies.

Thank you, growers, cultivators, and caregivers.

We’ve never been more thankful for the (always) essential efforts of our friends, family, and the entire Maine cannabis community.

Thank you, contributors and advertisers.

Let’s support local artists and businesses during this difficult time. Our thanks to Jasper Newton of Newton’s Nursery, Bryon and the Best Friend Farms family, Mr. Roots and Bungledutch, and the Wisely Hash crew.

Thank you, readers.

Enjoy this issue and the stubborn beauty of a new spring. We can’t wait to gather together someday soon, when it’s safe once again to join a crowd, stand side by side, and puff, puff, pass. Until then, stay inside, stay healthy, and stay positive.

Love,

Matthew Bourgeois Co-Founder matt@mainecannabischronicle.com

Chris Blake Co-Founder chris@mainecannabischronicle.com

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POLITICS

Cannabis in a Crisis B Y N I C K M U R R A RY

On March 15, Maine Governor Janet Mills declared a “state of civil emergency” due to the spread of COVID-19. She ordered all “non-essential” businesses to close or operate remotely if possible through at least April 30. Restaurants and bars may only serve customers through take-out or delivery. On March 25, the City of Portland issued an order for residents to stay at home amid the civil emergency, banning gatherings of more than 10 people and travel for non-essential services.

Mills may extend the state of emergency as more information pertaining to the virus unfolds. Regardless, it doesn’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon. Many school districts are closed until at least the end of April, and it is possible they could be closed until September when the next academic year begins.

Meanwhile, the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP), the state’s regulatory office handling licensing and rulemaking for the roll-out of Maine’s adult-use cannabis industry, has no doubt been put through the ringer since Gov. Mills created the office early last year. After years of watching legislative leaders craft rules for the new program authorized by voters in November 2016, OMP hired consultants to do the same thing. And, after wrangling with various companies to provide seed-to-sale tracking services, they ultimately contracted with Florida-based METRC for a web-based application. OMP and METRC had planned numerous orientation “roadshow” events all over the state, but in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, they have conducted online workshops instead.

Shortly after Gov. Mills issued her emergency declaration, OMP issued a memo explaining that medical cannabis caregivers and dispensaries may still operate during the state of emergency because they are classified as “other medical facilities” and are therefore “essential services.” This move ensures that patients can still access their medicine, even in an uncertain time.

Under the new reality of emergency declarations, school closings, and stay-at-home orders, life has shifted dramatically for many, both in Maine and across the country. Many cannabis business owners and adult-use applicants are feeling a bit up in the air, like the rest of us. The difference is that they’re used to it. Waiting three years from the vote to submit applications, these entrepreneurs committed to Maine’s legal cannabis industry are used to delays from the state.

On March 13, OMP granted the first batch of conditional licenses for cultivation, manufacturing, and retail sales of adult-use cannabis. The early conditional licenses—31 in total—include 10 cultivation facilities, one nursery, 16 retail stores, and four manufacturing facilities. These are located across the state, from Portland to Bangor, from the mountains to the midcoast.

The next step for these projects will be to receive confirmation from their town or city before heading back to the state for final approval. After many hopeful activists and entrepreneurs worked tirelessly to secure favorable local ordinances for the adult-use industry in their towns, these licensees will have to return to their local officials to get individual approval for each project.

OMP initially said that it expected to issue final, active licenses in April so that cannabis products could become incorporated into the adult-use supply chain and stores could start to stock their shelves. But the coronavirus situation has changed everything. The estimated first day of adult-use cannabis sales was first pushed back to June, but now the coronavirus pandemic has compelled the state to put its planned debut of the state’s long-awaited recreational cannabis market on indefinite hold. In an April 10 press release, OMP explained, “We are simply unable to provide any concrete timelines in these uncertain times. We cannot tell you with any level of certainty when towns will be able to take action to ensure there will be adequate testing to meet the needs of the program, and we certainly cannot set a definitive retail sales launch date amidst a public health pandemic.”

The April 10 OMP release also noted that, “Several communities preparing for local authorization and to opt-in for adult use— most notably those that serve as hosts to our prospective marijuana testing facilities—have now had to postpone those actions because of COVID-19.” Whenever they begin, the Office expects the first month of adult-use sales to be sizable. The question remains how OMP estimates the demand for product and how much it believes needs to be available as inventory in order to avoid early shortages. But, of course, this is all contingent on the approval and operation of at least one testing lab in the state within the adult-use program.

Data collection by OMP has helped us understand the scope of Maine’s cannabis market. This winter, we learned that medical cannabis is Maine’s third largest industry, clocking in at $111.6 million in yearly revenue, behind only potatoes and lobster, and greater than blueberries, oysters, maple syrup, elvers, apples, and herring combined.

As large as Maine’s medical cannabis industry has become since 1999 when the program first began, the state government’s revenue forecasting committee predicts that the adult-use market will surpass the medical market within two years. And why wouldn’t it? Adult use has a much larger customer base with enormous pent-up demand (if roll-outs in other states are any indication). Under all auspices, Maine’s cannabis industry stands to drive considerable economic growth for the state in the future.

But, could the differences in tax rates, testing requirements, and regulatory demands keep many growers, suppliers, and retail shops in the tried-and-true medical marijuana program and out of the new adult-use system, whenever it becomes operational?

Only time will tell...

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WELLNESS

Highly Enlightened: M A I N E G A N JA YO G A

B Y M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y B A R R U B I N O & M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S

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Both cannabis and yoga have been major parts of my life for over 20 years. For a while, I’ve enjoyed mixing my love of the plant with my personal practice. Uncertain of how other yoga practitioners felt about my cannabis use, it was difficult to merge the two worlds. Then I had the honor to attend a Maine Ganja Yoga mixer. There, you have a chance to “immerse yourself in a collaborative and supportive community coming together for a sacred Ganja Yoga experience and mindfully connect with the plant—no consumption necessary—while networking and building relationships with like-minded spirits.”

They exceeded my expectations that evening.

The gathering was held at Milk and Honey of Swallowtail Farm in Portland, a perfect location since MGY also uses their events to highlight local businesses that align with their core values. The shop was inviting and hospitable, offering CBDinfused mocktails to attendees. MGY’s mixer was sponsored by a few wonderful local Maine CBD brands like Mindful Earth Wellness, Rooted Heart Remedies, Virgo Moon Botanicals, and Citrine CBD to name a few.

The atmosphere of the yoga room was thoughtfully planned with live music. Each practitioner was able to safely medicate in the yoga room and most did. They offered a variety of quality CBD and THC topicals, edibles, and smokables. Once everyone was thoroughly medicated, class was led by Lynsey Tamposi, founder of Maine Ganja Yoga, and Samatha Duggan.

These ladies love yoga and cannabis and it shows. We highly recommend you attend one of their Ganja Yoga Retreats and mixers, “inspired by the Cannabis Plant Spirit and the amazing magic that can only be found in Maine!” More information can be found at maineganjayoga.com. You can also find them on Instagram @maineganjayoga or direct any questions / inquiries about MGY to maineganjayoga@gmail.com. During the pandemic, MGY will also be offering online classes.

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EDUCATIONAL

ROSIN: T HE M E C H A NI C S O F M E LT B Y W I S E LY H A S H

PA R T 1

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY J O N S E C O R D

What is “rosin?”

Rosin is a cannabis concentrate that is created using heat and pressure to filter trichome heads from material such as cannabis flower, bubble hash, or kief. The result can be a sappy, badder, or shatter-like consistency. Rosin is one of a few cannabis products available that contains a full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes. As a result, the patient encounters a more “full-bodied” effect not normally found in concentrates made using solvents such as butane, propane, or hexane.

What are the main types of rosin?

The past few years have brought the industry an explosion of solventless concentrates. Here are the five most popular: Flower rosin This is a rosin created using dried/cured flower as a starting material. Of all the rosin types, flower rosin is the most likely to provide the fullest spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes. However, given the low yields, low percentage of cannabinoids, and often unattractive color, it has become one of the least popular types of rosin among patients.

Hash rosin Hash rosin is made by using bubble hash from dried flower as a starting material. Bubble hash is created using a process

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in which flower is submerged in ice-cold water and agitated to remove trichome heads. The water is then filtered through mesh bags that collect the trichome heads. The heads are then dried and put under heat and pressure to create hash rosin. Hash rosin tends to have a higher concentration of cannabinoids because the initial starting material is already an extract.

Live rosin Live rosin is created with a starting material of bubble hash similar to the above; however, in this instance, the plant material is “fresh frozen” before being turned into bubble hash to preserve the terpenes and cannabinoids. “Fresh freezin” is a process of harvesting plant material and immediately freezing it until it is ready to be processed. Live rosins are frequently more potent than other rosins because freezing the material limits the degradation of terpenes and cannabinoids, leaving an attractive color, distinct flavor, and full-spectrum effect.

Sift/Kief rosin Sift or kief rosin is made using material that is collected from dry flower or trim using a screen to filter the trichome heads that have been shaken off of the flower/trim. Rosin extracted from kief generally has a similar cannabinoid content and yield to hash rosin as the material is the same with the absence of water as an agitator.

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The Five Main Variables of Creating Rosin Pressing rosin is a place where art and science meet. It is not simply a process that can be repeated over and over again in precisely the same way. Becoming a master of this art means understanding the five variables of the process and how they relate to one another. The ability to synchronize these variables is the foundation of producing high-quality rosin. On the other hand, failing to take all of these factors into account can negatively impact the final product, potentially leaving you with a discolored material devoid of terpenes and flavor.

1. Starting material: The quality of a rosin is highly dependent on the quality of the starting material from which the rosin is extracted. Different strains produce differently sized and structured trichome heads. It is important to have a microscope to examine trichome heads to become familiar with the structures and sizes that produce well.

2. Time: There is no perfect recipe for pressing rosin, because the ideal duration depends on the heat and pressure levels.

The heat and pressure levels are dependent on the type/ quality of the starting material. As you can see, there is a lot of harmonizing that takes place among the variables.

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3. Heat: The most ideal levels of heat can vary based on the starting material; however, taking into account that the heat needs to be consistently applied and free of “hot spots” will help ensure a quality final product. Consistency is key.

4. Pressure: Similar to the heat variable, pressure should be applied consistently and free of “weak spots.” It is important to apply pressure incrementally so that the proper melting of trichome heads can take place and blowouts are avoided. “Blowouts” happen when too much pressure is applied too quickly and the plant material escapes the filter bag causing a contamination of the rosin product.

5. Micron (filter size): The filter size is an important factor because it determines how refined your rosin will be. It is important to recognize that different starting material requires different sized filters to optimize the return. Filters come in different micron sizes as well as different physical sizes. Understanding your press and starting material will help you determine how much material to put into a filter.

This consideration goes a long way towards producing quality rosin.

CULTURE

UPCOMING EVENTS

Portland House of Music Events teams up with Canuvo A busy Portland music venue, PHOME, has teamed up with Canuvo Dispensary and Huffy Puffy to create a space for cannabis and music fans. Focused on normalizing cannabis companies in the general business space, PHOME and Canuvo are working together on several community-centric initiatives. Both groups look forward to creating cannabisfriendly entertainment, so long as it can be accomplished within current regulatory parameters. Kevin Brown, Business Development at Canuvo, says: “It’s refreshing to work with a business outside our industry that meets us as equals, as business professionals. I am excited about the opportunity to participate in bringing cannabis fans and music fans together in the same dynamic.”

Canuvo also co-sponsored a local cannabis-friendly night at PHOME last month, collaborating with Pilot Lites on a Drag Queen Spelling Bee. Their goal was to help PHOME and Pilot Lites create a safe space and ensure an inclusive event that welcomed all members of the community. The Maine Dead Project (MDP), a local Grateful Dead cover band, will play every Wednesday at PHOME through the summer with Canuvo and Huffy Puffy as sponsors. The band has been playing at PHOME through the winter and look to bring the Deadhead culture to a single space where like-minded people can jive, relax, and enjoy the music.

Best Friend Farms and Organically Good Trio strain release party Collaborations are commonplace within the cannabis community. In this instance, the cannabis community crosses lines and collabs with the music industry. Maine-based Best Friend Farms has teamed up with Organically Good Trio (Stoopid Records) to develop a strain of cannabis. Both BFF and OGT embrace organic growth, and it shows in their respective work. BFF is a Maine caregiver producing clean, plant-based medicine, and OGT is a Hammond organ-driven roots instrumental group out of Boston. Together, they’ve created OG Tangie (Angel’s Tangie x Tropicana Cookies).

Founded by Slightly Stoopid keyboard player Paul Wolstencroft, the band has a sound reminiscent of the great organ trio albums of the late 60s mixed with a reggae organ trio style. Boston veteran Tommy Benedetti (John Brown’s Body) holds down the drums, and the trio is rounded out by superstar Van Martin (Dub Apocalypse) on the guitar. The band has created a new sound among organ trio music—a mixture of reggae, soul, and boogaloo. Come on out to hear some great music, and if you’re lucky, you might get to try the OG Tangie for yourself.

The BFF/OGT Strain Release Party will be held on May 9, 2020 at the Thirsty Pig, located at 37 Exchange Street in Portland.

Presented by Best Friend Farms, tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of, and the event is 21+.

Rebecca Lever, Dispensary Manager at Canuvo, says, “We want our customers and the greater Portland community to know that Canuvo is a lifestyle brand with goals of connecting cannabis consumers with a larger cannabis lifestyle that has a place in a safely regulated market.” She also adds, “Canuvo has its roots in the Maine medical market, but I think often we forget how important relaxation and fun can be to holistic wellness.” Both PHOME and Canuvo hope to continue industry efforts to destigmatize cannabis use as part of an adult lifestyle choice and have found that the music space affords the right mindset and environment to bring people together.

MDP will be playing every Wednesday night through the summer. Doors at PHOME, located at 25 Temple Street in Portland, will open at 8 p.m., with music starting at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $5 at the door, and the event is 21+.

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GROW PRACTICES

Poppin’ Beans

B Y J A S O N B I R M I N G H A M & S H AW N B A Z I N E T O F S T O N E Y H I L L C A N N A B I S C O M PA N Y P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y @ M A R I H UA N A M I K E A N D S H AW N B A Z I N E T There are many ways to grow great cannabis. The crew at Stoney Hill takes pride in starting new genetics often. It’s very exciting to find new genetics in hopes of providing patients with the best variety the cannabis plant has to offer.

Genetic selection is key.

Doing as much research on the phenotype as possible helps one to learn everything known about the strain. Studying the characteristics of the parents also helps. Keep in mind all the important qualities you are looking for.

Remember to investigate.

• How tall does the plant grow?

• How does the plant yield?

• What is the length of the life cycle?

• Are you looking for a sativa, indica, or hybrid?

• What effects does the plant offer patients?

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Seed vs. clone Both seeds and clones have their own challenges. A plant from seed will have what’s known as “seed vigor” and provide a stronger, faster-growing plant than one compared to a clone grown from a mother plant. This sounds great, but while working with a cannabis plant from seed, you must also keep a close eye to make sure your baby plant has female-producing pistols and not a stamen, or male flower, that could potentially pollinate neighboring buds and produce many unwanted seeds.

There are several techniques to poppin’ beans, a cannabis industry term occasionally used when referring to germinating seeds. Some will start the seed directly in the soil or soilless media, while others will put their seeds in a moist paper towel in the dark for a few days until the radicle (the embryonic root of the plant) emerges before planting them. Still some prefer to use rockwool or pucks soaked in a light nutrient solution before adding the seeds and placing them on a tray. Knowing there is no wrong way to pop your seeds, our favorite method is to keep it simple and just add water. It seems to be the easiest route to success from our experience.

Stoney Hill Cannabis Company - Bean Poppin’ Technique • Fill some cups with dechlorinated water and give the seeds a bath.

• Twenty-four hours after dropping the beans into the cup of water, the seeds’ shells start to absorb a little water and soften. More often than not, we see the radicle sprout from the seed within 24-36 hours.

• At this point, fill some small containers with your choice media and thoroughly moisten and create a little divot in the top of the media, no deeper than half the length of your finger’s first segment.

• Drop a seed in this divot and gently cover the seed. Give it a little pat and think happy thoughts.

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INTERVIEW

Breeder Series: The Bungludetch Interview

BY M R . RO O T S

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F B U N G L U D E T C H

On a rain-soaked ice and slush fest this February 10, I had the opportunity to sit down with the man best known by his Instagram handle, Bungludetch, at an undisclosed location where we could check some terps, catch a vibe, and chop it up about strains, making seeds, and all things cannabis in Maine. Bungludetch, whose real name is Jason, has a wicked proper collection of glass rigs, and while he torched a banger for a glob of my Pakistan Valley Kush 90u hash rosin, I got a pre-interview sampling of his fire GMO rosin from a separate rig. Jason was nice enough to meet up when he was just getting over a cold and thoughtful enough to offer me a separate dab rig just in case he was still contagious.

The vibes were strong with this interview from the start, and over the next hour, Jason and I discussed many different topics — from old Maine strains, every breeder’s claim to having the Road Kill Skunk, flowering from seeds versus clones, as well as how he acquired the Royal Kush he used in some of his work. We also dug deep into how he got started growing and breeding cannabis.

Mr. Roots: “Alright, Bungludetch! Jason, I definitely appreciate you taking the time to meet today. I’ve been looking forward to sitting down and chatting with you for the Maine Cannabis Chronicle. So, how do you feel putting yourself out there to the Maine cannabis community, after years of this veiled lifestyle that we’ve had to live?”

Bungludetch: “Ah, it’s been really interesting. Because for such a long time, I feel like I’ve been, you know, stuck behind a veil, like you said, of like, there’s ‘Bungludetch,’ which is my social media account and/or my alter ego, so to speak, and then there is me, Jason, the grower.”

Mr. Roots: “It is a great feeling. Well, I’m glad it feels freeing to you, man. We met up a couple years ago and enjoyed a Royal Kush joint, which admittedly I got so fucked up on (both laugh) that you know I was like… damn!”

Bungludetch: “Yeah, that stuff was nice, it was pretty strong. I think the terpene content off of that particular plant itself just adds another level of feeling in that high.”

Mr. Roots: “Yeah, that fuel! Right there, it’s so NorCal, it’s so Mendo… and then you ended up giving me a bunch of Mandelbrots work you had bred with, which, man, thank you so much, those lines are awesome. It was great that you started working with those.”

Bungludetch: “I had only ever heard legends, tales of Mandelbrot, you know. And Royal Kush. I hadn’t even experienced smoking the Royal Kush before I had the chance to grow it. It was the 2016 Emerald Cup. I was working for Dungeons Vault Genetics, doing testing for him. Flying out there, working the booth with Dungeons Vault, and buying a $500 pack of seeds from Aficionado, you know, that was a leap!”

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Mr. Roots: “I would say, yeah!”

Bungludetch: “Just to have 10 seeds of it. It was fun to see what came from that. I knew that buying a $500 pack of seeds, not everybody got a chance to do that, or could afford doing that. So I thought it was on me to make that available to people, and at a reasonable rate, you know? It felt good to try and spread something like that because of his (Mandelbrot’s) untimely death. The Royal Kush shares some of the same climates as here. It was bred for Maine outdoors, as well as Northern Cali, with those short seasons and with the rains late in the fall.”

(20:59) Mr. Roots: “It definitely is. I see this in the modern seed market a lot. I’m sure you see it too. People are releasing untested f1s.

Just putting them out there. What is your opinion on that?”

Bungludetch: “Yeah, we have a lot of f1 breeders out there, and there is definitely a place for them. Obviously, that’s what I have been doing. Then there are people like Bodhi (of Bodhi Seeds — @plantmoreseeds) who are highly revered. I think there is a wide misconception of what you are going to get from certain things. A lot of people think they are going to buy the latest greatest hype, you know. F1s are great, especially if you want to pick what you like. You just need to know that you are going to find some variation, that you are going to see some instabilities.”

(23:53) Mr. Roots: “ With your Cough Killington strain, this is Strawberries and Cream crossed with the Pennywise. Did you keep that Strawberries and Cream mom?”

Bungludetch: “Ah, no, I did not. She was really nice, but not really what I was looking for with strawberry flavors. Honestly, Cough Killington was a pleasant surprise and a mistake. That was part of a Pennywise pollination that I was only supposed to be doing with the Lucky Charms (which made the wellrespected 2:1 CBD:THC strain Great White Hype), but ended up pollinating a few things in the room.”

(30:32) Mr. Roots: “It gets away from you sometimes, doesn’t it?

(Both laugh) So, how important do you feel it is for growers like us to house some of those older, well-loved cuts, even though the market these days is saying, ‘well, you should be poppin’ the next new one and keeping up with the hype cuts?’”

Bungludetch: “I think that they need to be well-respected and taken care of and reworked, because nowadays we see a lot of people who came out with the skunk work, and a lot of people trying to resurface on skunk work, and a lot of people calling people out for not having real skunk work. I think that those older strains need to be brought back. It’s going to be hard. It’s kind of like the whole OG Kush story all over again, because now we are trying to authenticate everything.”

Mr. Roots: “Out of all your crosses that you made with Mandelbrot’s lineages in them, which one (or ones) is your favorite?”

Bungludetch: “Hands down, the fucking Golden Era. I love that Buddha Tahoe OG! The ability of those males that I used in that cross at that time, because I did use two, those Magnum Opus males are so prevalent in that. I would like to go back and find a Royal Kush male that was a little more passive and allowed more of the female traits to come through. I think that would give me enough differentiation from pure Royal work, which is what kind of deterred me, for a minute anyway, from more Royal work. But, I would have to say that Golden Era, that Buddha Tahoe... that coffee buzz! It’s got that richness with the OG Kush back, paired with that Cherry Lime Kush. It just does really well — some of the terpiest plants that some local growers have worked with.”

Mr. Roots: “Nice man. So what new strains have you been most stoked about right now? Some of this new stuff coming out, or maybe something old that you are trying?”

Bungludetch: “Dude, the GMOi95 has been one of my favorites; the TriFi as well. I’ve been really enjoying the Sunset Sherbert. The OGKB 2.0 that I got. My homie Hayden was kind enough to bless me with all of those strains. So I’m really excited to try to work those into new lines with new males that I am working with. I’ve got a couple D.O.G. Head males that I’m looking at, which would be nice. It’s got that Underdog with that Chem BX 4 work, from Lucky Dog Seeds. I’ve got some Hashplant/Chem4 X Eastbound, which is an i95 X East Coast Sour Diesel. It should be super frosty, gassy, Chem-y, which is where my heart really is. I’ve also got a couple GMO X MAC males that will be going through the ringer as well. Those are my three next projects, and I’m actually working on a house line for my girlfriend’s company, Hembra Genetics, with the Hashplant/Chem4 X Eastbounds.”

Bungludetch: “Chem 91, I’d have to say. Just that gassy Chem.

It knocks me on my ass.”

Mr. Roots: “Yes sir! Well bud, it’s been a real pleasure meeting with you. Some good history there. Thank you so much for putting yourself out there and putting out good knowledge and information for the community here. Are there any shoutouts you want to give?”

Bungludetch: “Yeah, I’d like to thank the Maine Cannabis Chronicle, and you, for reaching out and making this happen.

I think talking with another grower and doing these breeder articles is really important, because we have a lot of good breeders out here. A lot of them are starting to surface up.

Woodstock Farmacy has been doing his thing. Cookie Maine has been making marks all over the place with some cupwinning stuff. Vacationland Genetics... I know I’m forgetting a bunch, but Cape Neddick Sungrown has been making a lot of good stuff, you have been making a lot of good stuff. My best friend, The Professional, has been doing some really good breeding for years. It will be great to see some of these guys start putting themselves out there. I think these interviews are going to be a great way to feature these people. Shoutout to the Urban Garden Center for holding me down for so many years. Shoutout to all the real ones. To Hembra Genetics Collection for pushing my gear for me. Maine brings the heat!”

Mr. Roots: “I’ve gotta ask, what’s your favorite Chemdog strain?”

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GROW PRACTICES

Justus von Liebig’s Law of the Minimum

I can remember the day my botany professor explained Leibig’s Law of the Limiting Factor. It is a fairly simple concept, but one that I feel is seldom followed, especially in the world of cannabis cultivation. The Law of the Minimum states that yield is proportional to the amount of the most limited nutrient, whichever nutrient it may be.

In simple terms, this concept implies that plants will only grow to the extent possible of the least available nutrient. By applying the deficient nutrient, yields will increase to the point where the next nutrient is unavailable. We all know the basic macronutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). These are the heaviest applied materials, often to excess and without the complement of micronutrients.

Fertilizers are expensive, and using too much is not better.

If certain microelements are missing, the full benefit is not realized.

Growers of cannabis are courted by nutrient companies promising larger and more potent yields. More is better — higher nitrogen during the vegetation period and higher phosphorus during flowering. This is all true, but we cannot

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forget about a complete feeding. If some of the minor trace elements are not present, no matter how much nitrogen you add, the plants will just not perform to their potential.

I am a big fan of rock powders, seaweed, and fish fertilizers.

Many of the smaller elemental nutrients can be made available by using these amendments. Both greensand and azomite are always added to my garden soil. These are not expensive, and a little goes a long way. Always check pH as well. A low or high pH can result in similar problems, and adjusting pH is easy to remedy.

It is my opinion that the most healthy plants receive a complete nutrient regime that ensures micronutrients are matched with the major ones. In a successful grow, nutrients are not wasted and are utilized by the plant. If you appear to have some issues in your grow, make sure you have included all nutrients in balance with one another.

Chas Gill Merrymeeting Bay Hemp Company Bowdoinham, ME

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CANNA TOURISM

YO U M AY N OW L I G H T T H E B O N G B Y K AT I E W E I T M A N

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F FA L L O N S O L A R I M U R R AY

With the wave of adult-use legalization sweeping the country, passionate, cannabis-using professionals have been working hard to combine their career aspirations with their love of good bud. Sweeping reforms have been working to mitigate the stigma surrounding cannabis, and people are looking to incorporate cannabis into their lives in a more open way. From discussing it with the family physician as a possible medical treatment to speaking openly about it around their kids, people from all walks of life are reconsidering the place of cannabis in their lives. And weddings are no different.

Couples looking for cannabis-themed weddings, or just looking to incorporate cannabis options into their otherwise traditional big day, are creating space for service industry sinsemilla experts to flourish. Venue owners, caterers, and wedding planners are all working to capitalize on the growing trend, and all seem to share a broader common goal: to prove to every guest that safe, responsible cannabis consumption can be fun for just about everyone—even grandma and grandpa. Toronto, Canada and five U.S. locations in four states have begun hosting Cannabis Wedding expos!

Irie Weddings and Events is one of the oldest cannabis wedding specialty businesses in the country and the only mobile cannabis bar service that is fully insured. Irie got their start six years ago in Colorado when founders Bec and Madlyne decided to combine their cannabis and event planning experience. They have since expanded to include locations in California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington. Last year alone, Irie did over 150 weddings, and their marketing director, Chelsi, says demand increases every year. Irie debuted their Massachusetts location at a Boston Wedding Expo last year and will be serving their first wedding in the region in the coming months. Irie said they hope to expand up into Maine after receiving heavy interest from Maine residents at the Expo.

Although Irie’s founder is qualified to plan clients’ weddings down to the smallest detail in Colorado, their satellite locations only offer cannabis bar services, which include trained budtenders and a variety of sterilized paraphernalia conducive to any desired method of consumption. Each of their locations has developed relationships with local venues and planners so they can offer recommendations to couples in need. Irie’s focus is on providing education and expertise that allows even inexperienced consumers to have safe, positive experiences at even the classiest of events.

Maine-based entrepreneur Fallon Murray, owner of the Kind Planners in Bridgton, sees her career in event planning as a natural evolution of her event photography roots, but says the idea of including a cannabis component crystallized after a trip out West. When she got back to Maine, she started asking around for support in her new venture from local distributors.

Most told her to ‘go try it and come back to tell [them] how it

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went.’ Personal connections brought Fallon to Toker’s Extracts, who provided early backing and with whom the Kind Planners have formed something of a partnership. While Fallon is happy to accommodate customers’ requests for products from other distributors, Toker’s Extracts lists her event services on their website and assists with client consultations. They also have a provider available to write medical recommendations should the bride or groom need one.

“Most people don’t realize [that] cannabis is part of the event anyway,” says Fallon, who was talked out of incorporating cannabis into her own wedding. Recently, Fallon has planned three weddings that incorporated cannabis, and she is currently planning three more. Requests have ranged from providing discreet vape cartridges for all guests wishing to partake to a full-on cannabis-themed reception with infused dinner options and cannabis leaf-shaped desserts. The Kind Planners help couples find 420-friendly venues, caterers, and florists, as well as providing consultation services for strain selection and consumption method offerings.

I spoke with one bride who used the Kind Planners to organize their cannabis-themed big day. Amanda echoed a lot of what the professionals had been telling me—that having cannabis at the wedding provided a much more laid-back environment and changed the minds of many non-using friends. When first considering incorporating cannabis into her big day, Amanda said she had some concerns about how several of her guests who would not normally be around cannabis would respond, particularly her grandparents, but she reported that by the end of the night, their perceptions had changed, and she’s now even working on getting her grandma to start using CBD herself. Amanda told me there was even a guest or two that partook for the first time. She credits this in large part to the discreet and tasteful way weed was incorporated, telling me that, “the way we did it made it comfortable for everyone.”

At their wedding, Amanda and her husband offered three strains in pre-rolled joints, two strains for guests to roll themselves, more than 10 varieties of concentrates, and half of their menu was infused. They opted out of an infused dessert feeling that it might be a little much, but Amanda said if she had it to do over again, she would definitely change that. She told me that the only real downside was snickers and comments like, “you’re just having a pot party,” which she found irritating. After the fact, though, she felt she could have gone even bigger and offered more options with less discretion.

Vermont just in the last couple of months, and the experience was “highly stressful, but really fun.” They are currently planning two more weddings. The company is a licensed catering service that happens to infuse dishes with cannabis concentrates. Food is prepared in commissary kitchens beforehand and customer-provided concentrates are added when plating to ensure each guest is served the correct dosage. Chef Joe will only use lab-tested products, and Mass Cannabis Chefs have protocols in place to minimize negative experiences due to overconsumption, including everything from quick-acting CBD products to creating a soothing environment where guests can feel safe.

Everyone I spoke with was focused on providing their clients with the best experience possible. It was important to each of them that guests unfamiliar with cannabis feel comfortable whether or not they choose to indulge. Chef Joe told me they have infused dishes with as little as 1-2mg, and Irie is able to calculate doses down to 1/15 of a gram, which they say is equivalent to the amount of wine a person would receive at a tasting. With the exception of some eye rolls, all of them expressed receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. And a lot of curiosity. Chelsi told me Irie has had three guests over the age of 90 try cannabis for the first time!

(Note: The Cannabis Wedding Expo scheduled to take place in Denver, CO on April 5 has been rescheduled for October 25 due to the coronavirus crisis.)

Couples wanting to make cannabis available to their guests must purchase THC products beforehand. In Maine, this means at least one of them needs a medical recommendation, as it’s still not legal to purchase recreationally, but shared adult-use consumption laws make indulging at the event 100% legal. Cannabis bar services are meant to educate and oversee cannabis consumption so that all guests are safe and comfortable; they are not responsible for choosing or providing products. Everyone I spoke with emphasized the importance of having knowledgeable professionals on hand to make sure that everybody, especially those ingesting cannabis for the first time, is safe and having a good time.

[Most people I spoke with said that many guests who are new to cannabis are more interested in edibles than other methods of consumption.]

Mass Cannabis Chefs have been hosting cannabis-infused dinner parties since 2016, when recreational cannabis became legal in Massachusetts. They have just recently started catering cannabis weddings and are looking forward to doing more. Chef Joseph Nelson, owner of Mass Cannabis Chefs, told me that the first wedding they catered was in

Canuvo OUR ROOTS ARE IN MAINE

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Medical Marijuana Shop

Now Open!

166 Central Street Millinocket, ME (207) 261-1004 Concentrates - Tinctures Topicals - Flower - Edibles CBD

Amy Madore Harris, Owner

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SHOWCASE

MAI N E S HOWCAS E

Temple Ball Hash Flight Cultivated and produced at Best Friend Farms. Strains vary and keep an eye out for the new packaging coming soon.

Best Friend Farms products are available at TreeLine Cannabis, Maple Valley Pharms and Atlantic Farms. Follow Best Friend Farms on Instagram @bestfriendfarms.

Tropic Truffle Flower Bred by Exotic Genetix, grown in an Autopot system by Dialed In Farms LLC Dialed In Farms products are available at Paul’s Boutique, Friend Jen and Co, Firestorm Cannabis Co, Cure Cannabis Co and Atlantic Farms. Delivery available through Soylent Greens, The Green Alchemist and Organically Maine Grown. Follow Dialed In Farms on Instagram @dialed_in_farms.

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Big Smooth Flower Grown by Zero Gravity

Cherry Strudel Flower and Hash Rosin Bred by Cannarado Genetics, grown by High Striker Farm

Zero Gravity products are available in storefronts throughout the state, and they provide delivery service via Weedmaps as well as through their website. Visit www.zerogravitycannabis. com for information.

High Striker Farm products are available at Kind Farms Reserve, indico and Your Green Thumb in southern Maine.

Follow High Striker Farm on Instagram @highstrikerfarm.

All Kind 1000mg THC & 1000mg CBD Oil

Wake and Bakery 100mg THC Fruit Punch

Available at All Kind and fine storefront locations around Maine. Follow All Kind on Instagram @all_kind_buzz.

Wake and Bakery products are available at Sinsemilla 207, Earthly Delights of Maine and other fine storefront locations around Maine. Follow Wake and Bakery on Instagram @wakeanbakery.

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Mr. Clean Flower Grown by Stoney Hill

Banana Bread Flower Grown by Lonely Bones

Available at fine storefront locations around Maine. Follow Stoney Hill on Instagram @stoneyhillcannabis.

Find out more by following them on Instagram @lonely.bonez.

All Kind 100mg THC Sweet Orange Caramels

Harvest Designs CBD Infused Soap

Available at All Kind and fine storefront locations around Maine. Follow All Kind on Instagram @all_kind_buzz.

Available at fine storefront locations around Maine. Follow Harvest Designs on Instagram @maine.harvest.design.

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FACES IN THE FIELD

Faces in the Field:

Bryon Fortin of Best Friend Farms B Y E . P. P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S

Mercer, Maine-born farmer, second-generation cannabis farmer, founder and owner of Best Friend Farms (BFF) Bryon Fortin is bringing back classic full-melt hash. On his search for six-star hash, Bryon has created art through cannabis with world-class genetics, which he has bred between East and West Coast genetics, producing the Best Friend Flower that has made a name for itself. These flowers are placed into production to make the classic Best Friend Farms fullmelt hash.

Bryon’s connection to the cannabis plant started early on, leading him to the calling of healing through cannabis. His aim is finding the true essence of the cannabis plant and continuously searching for new ways to express the beauty he sees. Starting at 16-years old, Bryon grew his first three seeds in a cut out, out back of his parents’ home in Mercer, Maine, with the only surviving seed being a male. “Fortunately, it was a dude! (LOL) This showed me that the cannabis plant was not only female. I had to grow from seedlings because no one wanted to give a clone to a 16-year-old kid, haha!” Knowing what a male plant looked like enabled Bryon to distinguish

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between male and female cannabis plants, as well as learning that although males did not produce smokable flower, they did provide pollen. With pollen and a calling, the world of genetics opened up to him. Being a multi-generational farmer, Bryon’s veins run green. He gives each plant their necessary needs and meets their desires, allowing them to grow in conditions suited to their native terroir. ‘Terroir’ is a term used to describe the microenvironment and its contents and the effects this has on the growth of plants as well as the role this plays in bringing out the unique characteristics of each strain. Bryon has worked for over 25 years through research and development, breeding strains from the East and West coasts for the last 11 years, and he now holds a designer genetic library.

While completing his degree in English at the University of Southern Maine, Bryon continued seeking out top-shelf genetics and strains, gaining knowledge and wisdom by traveling and sharing clean, quality medicine with his elders.

Cannabis took on the role of his ‘best friend’ as he continued to open himself up to his calling, experiencing healing through

cannabis as a patient himself, with breeding being a beautiful artistic expression of Bryon’s journey with this healer. After completing his degree, Bryon made the decision to follow his heart and calling as a healer through cannabis. Before heading out west for 11 years, the last five spent in Humboldt County, Bryon proved he had the “Midas Touch” with his earliest bred strains created in Maine: Quick Miss Diesel, a cross between Kali Mist x Mighty Mite x ECSDBx1, and Sour Blueberry Haze, a mix of NL#5/Blueberry x Super Silver Haze x ECSDBx2, which are still retained by fellow caregivers 25 years later, the genetics still breeding fire.

Moving to California for 11 years and allowing cannabis and the message he carried to guide him, Bryon went on a journey of self-discovery as he grew with cannabis. It was a journey of a deeper understanding and love not only for cannabis but also for regenerative living. He discovered himself in valleys, deserts, and while moving along rocky narrow roads; he had to duck at bullets flying while being lightly brushed by death on the shoulder; and he found the strength and courage to gain healing by creating art that heals. It is said that to share a meal prepared by someone is to see their heart; when you experience medicine grown at Best Friend Farms, you experience the heart of the farmer.

Deciding three years ago that home, the foothills of Maine, would be the ideal place to ground Best Friend Farms’ home farm, Bryon built on his 70+ acres from dirt to homestead, personally assembled his greenhouse while camping out on his land, and embedded his greater purpose in each foundation laid and seed planted. Maintaining the Best Friend Farms standard of living organically his first year in, Bryon sourced local compost, manure, and heirloom vegetable seeds from local farms, one of those farms being MOFGA-certified.

Over the next two years, Bryon recycled and composted, going beyond organic living and moving towards regenerative soil and living. Well water from a well on the farm is pumped and used daily, and Bryon has found that even the simplest thing like water can make a difference in the growth and flower of plants and all living things. Last but not least, Bryon’s love for creating medicine and his deep desire to heal, along with a respect for the cannabis plant, is reflected in each seed, plant, flower, and full-melt hash.

Similar to the farm itself, the full-melt hash production started from bucket up. Bryon taught Best Friend Farms’ Hashishin Thomas Gee how to create the noted Best Friend Farms’ full-melt hash balls with a five-gallon bucket, wooden spoon, Bubbleman bubble bags, and ice. Each ball is handrolled, hand-packaged, and vaulted before going out to dispensaries for patients. Close attention is paid to each strain of hash produced, and in the words of Bryon, “We are always searching for the highest quality full-melt.”

Bryon has spent the last 20 years designing strains to be fashioned to the liking of discerning, like-minded, cannabisfriendly folks and creating partnerships that uphold one of the core values of Best Friend Farms: “gold in, gold out” medicine.

Their first forging of the year has been a strain collaboration with music group Organically Good Trio. These Organically Good Friends presented their strain — “OGTangie,” a cross between a West Coast Tangie and BFF’s Angel Food Cake (Angels ‘Tangie x GSC/Tangie’) and a budding friendship flowered into healing with music and medicine.

Known for their quality and standards, Best Friend Farms has joined forces with Portland’s finest artisan edible company, Pot and Pan, to create terp-specific candy bars, providing patients with yet another way to enjoy the Best Friend standard of excellence. 2020 is proving to be the year Best Friend Farms and friends build their ‘little fort’ of healing with regenerative medicine.

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MAINE ARTIST

Southern Maine’s Reggae Sensation:

GREEN LION CREW I N T E R V I E W E D B Y E . P. P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y G R E E N L I O N C R E W & T I Z Z Y T O K YO

A simple campfire requires a few seemingly ordinary elements: the kindling, made up of twigs, dried leaves, and broken branches grouped together; add a match; gently blow on the flame; and within moments, you’re feeling the heat. When you stoke a deep-rooted appreciation for reggae culture and Caribbean beats, introduce clean medicine with an inclination to live accordingly, and drop passion with a spark of opportunity, you get the Green Lion Crew.

Zeke Stern and Dana Knowles lit up York, Maine, a beautiful beach town where they began DJing at house parties while they were still attending high school. Providing an alternative to the norm, their unique approach began opening doors for the duo. Playing beats rooted in ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dancehall, they became students of the sounds of Caribbean culture. Soon the students became messengers of not only a way of listening, but also of a specific lifestyle in which Zeke says “nothing gets left out.” This includes surfing, mountain biking, organic eating, traveling, encouraging diversity, and having a deep devotion to the celebration and legalization of marijuana.

From playing at house parties to hosting the Mad Lion Reggae Show on WUNH Radio at the University of New Hampshire, the pair progressed brick-by-brick, gaining experience and

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wisdom with each beat. As the ratings went up and they built a fan base along the way, they began to travel to Jamaica and the U.S. Virgin Islands to start producing their own music and work with the artists they looked up to. Their pilgrimages to Jamaica and the Virgin Islands turned them into fulltime music producers. They started sending homemade instrumentals to vocalists who connected with the soul of their music, and from these collaborations came songs that are listened to across the globe.

strain: ayahuasca purple

find us on weedmaps.com The Green Lion Crew has had their music played on ESPN, VICE TV, and the X Games after working with artists like Collie Buddz, Kabaka Pyramid, Chronixx, and Jesse Royal, to mention a few. In 2018, they produced the track “Lyrics Deity” on Kabaka’s album Kontraband, which was executively produced by Damian Marley and released on his label Ghetto Youths International. The duo’s latest album, Be Still, is a collaboration with three top vocalists from the Virgin Islands: Akae Beka (lead singer of Midnite), Pressure, and Danny I. The album contains 12 vocal tracks and 11 dub tracks and is available on all digital platforms worldwide.

When you mix music with a desire to bring change, what follows is transformation—going beyond a love for reggae to an appreciation of the roots that created these trees that bloom and flowers you can thoroughly take joy in.

Follow Green Lion Crew on social media: facebook.com/greenlioncrew instagram.com/greenlioncrew youtube.com/greenlioncrew soundcloud.com/greenlioncrew

or look for us at any of these fine locations!

460 warren ave, portland me

640 saco st westbrook me

40 lisbon st & 741 main st lewiston me

@white_mt_canna www.whitemountaincannabis.com featured in

top 10 best indoor 2019

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HER HIGHNESS

A new column from Maine Cannabis Chronicle

“Join me as I say yes to all things cannabis, responsibly of course”

Greetings all enthusiasts, novices, and adventurers! e, t m !” o sn y at’ e wa “Th y th b

Do you know your Sour Diesel from your Purple Kush? Or your vape from your dab (I thought ‘dab’ was that dance move my kid does with her arms)? I suppose, if you're reading this magazine, you probably do.

But maybe you're like me; maybe you barely know where to start when you walk into a dispensary or get lost on WeedMaps.

Well, Her Highness is here, so join me as I say ‘yes!’ to all things cannabis, responsibly of course.

As a working mom in her 40s, learning about the new world of cannabis can be overwhelming. We’re presented with a veritable explosion of new cannabis products. A cornucopia of strains and varieties – there’s vapes, hash, edibles and concentrates? It’s a lot to learn and confusing and intimidating to some. I mean, what strain is best for Karaoke??

To be clear, I’m not exactly cowering atop the rabbit hole, peering into the great unknown. I’m not a complete novice when it comes to cannabis. I used to hide a wizard-shaped bong under my bed, and I can neither confirm nor deny the details of an episode of ravenous munchies; mindlessly devouring an entire box of my daughter’s Girl Scout cookies.

I've got a lot to learn, so we’re gonna do some amateur R&D together right here in this column. Let's suss out all of this new cannabis stuff together or as one of my heroes once said;

“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”

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See you next time!

Photo by JESSE LEAKE on Unsplash

Maine Cannabis CHRONICLE

ADVERTISE WITH US F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N A DV E R T I S I N G P L E A S E E M A I L :

S A L E S @ M A I N E C A N N A B I S C H R O N I C L E . CO M W E O F F E R S E V E R A L PAC K AG E S TO F I T YO U R B U D G E T.

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SHOP REVIEW

New England Reserve: A Shop Review Just a mile off exit 193 on I-95, New England Reserve is your last stop before the rural north. New England Reserve was one of the first medical cannabis stores to set up shop, and they’ve been providing patients with quality cannabis products ever since. The Reserve first opened its doors to the greater Bangor community in early 2017 with a single point of focus: providing clean premium craft cannabis, extracts, and cannabis-infused products to Maine medical patients and the cannabis community at large. They have always maintained a patient-focused approach that seeks to educate and inform the community on the most relevant scientific information available regarding the production and consumption of all cannabis products.

A fusion of holistic and science-based cultivation techniques, as well as the application of the finest available horticultural technology, has established the Reserve’s Bangor production warehouse as one of the premier cannabis production facilities in the state. Using state-of-the-art grow methods, they are able to provide patients with clean, reliable medicine.

Of course, this advanced set-up would be useless without a skilled team running it. Owned and operated by growers with over 35 years of combined cultivation experience, the team at The Reserve has the necessary growing chops to produce high-quality cannabis in abundance! Whether it’s classics like Blue Dream or Girl Scout Cookies, or the latest and most exotic genetics from industry favorites like In-House Genetics,

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Archive Seed Bank, Symbiotic Genetics, Capulator, and more, The Reserve is always seeking the finest quality cannabinoid and terpene profiles to make available as smokable flower and extracts for their discerning patients.

Using high-quality distillate, New England Reserve has their own Willy Wonka of weed creating tasty cannabis confections.

With capsules, hard candy, gummies, and a variety of baked goods, they have something for everyone. Their products

come in 10-200mg options, so novice and experienced consumers alike can find something to suit their needs. Also, keep an eye out for the new line of healthy edible options that are currently in development!

The New England Reserve team prides itself not only on carrying some of the finest cannabis products in the state, but also on having all the answers. Staff are educated on the science and culture of the cannabis industry and take time to provide patients with any relevant knowledge. This educationfocused approach has led The Reserve to become a resource for Maine patients seeking knowledge to help them make informed decisions about what products might work best for them. The company slogan since its foundation has been:

“Always improving.” This mantra continues as the driving force behind the brand. Never resting on their laurels, they are always in search of the newest information and technologies to improve the quality of products made available to their patients.

If you don’t have your card and you are interested in getting one, New England Reserve hosts Canna Care Docs on the last Saturday of every month. This partnership helps patients receive cannabis education from start to finish. There are very few questions this crew can’t answer, and if you’re interested in information on the history, science, or current state of the cannabis industry, you should definitely check out their blog at newenglandreserve.com/blog.

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RECIPE

French Caramel Buttercream Cupcakes R E C I P E A N D P H OTO G R A P H Y: C O U R T E S Y O F M E D C O

300g butter at room temperature (diced) 300g powdered sugar Eight 50mg MEDCo French Caramels 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ tsp each almond extract and vanilla extract) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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1. In a small saucepan, melt the MEDCo French Caramels on lowmedium heat. Set aside until almost at room temperature. When the caramel is almost cooled, proceed.

2. Cut butter into cubes and beat by hand (or with an electric mixer on a low speed) in a bowl until soft.

3. Beat in powdered sugar, a little at a time until totally incorporated.

4. Once butter and powdered sugar are fully combined, beat in caramel sauce, then add salt and vanilla. Beat until fluffy on medium speed.

This recipe contains 400mg total THC. Depending on the amount you put on each cupcake, you can make 8-12 cupcakes, or even more mini cupcakes! You can put it on your favorite cupcake recipe as we did here, or use a trusty boxed mix.

8 cupcakes per batch

50mg per cupcake

9 cupcakes per batch

44mg per cupcake

10 cupcakes per batch

40mg per cupcake

11 cupcakes per batch

36mg per cupcake

12 cupcakes per batch

33mg per cupcake

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CAREGIVER INTERVIEW

N E W T O N ’ S L AW: A N I N T E RV I E W W I T H J A S P E R N E W T O N I N T E R V I E W B Y B E T H A N Y S C H L E H P H O T O S : C O U R T E S Y O F N E W T O N ’ S N U R S E RY

Beth: How long have you been growing cannabis? When was Newton’s Nursery founded?

Jasper: Newton’s Nursery was founded in 2014 in Ketchikan, Alaska. I started out with 600-watt lights and some bag seed out of a buddy’s freezer. I started growing cannabis for my own personal enjoyment and the medicinal qualities that I needed. Therefore, I started growing strains that were geared strictly towards my own liking. When I moved to Maine, I started a four-light grow in my garage as a legal caregiver, and since then I have been able to expand and progress into the Newton’s Nursery we know today, and I couldn’t be happier.

Beth: What was your occupation before entering the cannabis industry?

Jasper: I was a commercial diver in Alaska—ships husbandry, salvage jobs, and fiber optic cable lay. If it needed to be done under water in remote areas, we were the ones you called.

Before that, I fished Pacific cod in the Bering Sea for eight years.

Beth: Why do you grow the strains that you grow?

Jasper: Because I feel like they give me and others the medical benefits that we are looking for. I started growing weed to just have the best quality weed at the end of the day. Once things took off, I realized that other people agreed.

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Beth: What is your favorite strain you have and why?

Jasper: I have a lot of favorites but if I had to pick just one… it would have to be Item 9. She has to be at the top of my list! She’s a cross of Original Girl Scout Cookies x Scrappy OG. Scrappy OG was an unreleased strain. This strain is Dog Walker x Girl Time (Original Girl Scout Cookies x Timewreck).

Beth: Who are some of your influences in the cannabis industry?

Jasper: Pat from Heroes of the Farm because he works hard, and he has done all this on his own. He has always reached out and been very nice to me, shared genetics with me, and always gave me advice when needed. Mean Gene from Freeborn Selections because of his downright knowledge of cannabis. He is basically the encyclopedia of cannabis. Having conversations with him is crazy illuminating. Professor P from Dynasty Genetics. I respect him and his photography skills.

Photographing cannabis can be difficult, and he has really mastered it.

Beth: Do you have any tips for up-and-coming growers?

Jasper: I would recommend finding your niche in the cannabis industry, whether it is working directly with the plants, seed breeding, extraction, or trimming. You need to like what you do because this is a hard, strenuous job, and if you don’t like one aspect, I don’t think you will be fully cut out for the

job. Some days I work with just cloning, some I am cleaning pots and am basically a glorified janitor. Other days, I am networking and trying to make more connections within the cannabis industry.

Beth: Can you elaborate more on some of the struggles you have encountered as a grower?

Jasper: Expanding from a four-light garage to a warehouse was probably one of my biggest struggles. Adapting to a larger space costs more money and uses more of your time. I’ve heard a lot of people say, “growing cannabis is so easy, and they make so much money.” And when I hear this, I just laugh. Growing quality cannabis is extremely hard.

Grow equipment and supplies cost a lot of money, so at the beginning, I was tight on funds trying to make things work for a while. And that was very stressful. If you ask any grower who has expanded to a larger space, I am sure they would assure you that there are a lot of stressors that come along with it. Maintaining a healthy happy garden is a non-stop chore.

People talk about how growing weed is easy; it is just a weed.

Give it light, give it water, you should be good. That’s not at all the case. Every strain I grow needs a different amount of food and water, and some strains take longer than others, so finding out how your plants act and react to what you are providing them can be a struggle. Some of my first runs were just trial and error runs to figure out how the plant liked to feed and how it did under different lights. Sometimes that was discouraging because sometimes I failed. I can admit that, and I know that almost every grower out there has experienced that. Each and every day, I am learning more and more about the plants I am working with and their environments. As much as that can be a struggle, it is also a huge reward.

Beth: What are you smoking right now?

Jasper: Brawband. When I came down from Alaska, I had a friend that asked me if I had something I wanted to grow, and I responded with Headband. I got this cut but it wasn’t actually a Headband cut. It was a Chem 91 x Northern Lights #1, which people often call Headband. People on the East Coast refer to it as Daywrecker or the Original Diesel. It was made down in Massachusetts.

Beth: Which stores carry your medicine?

Jasper: Fire on Fore, located at 367 Fore Street in Portland.

We are also featured in Beach Boys Cannabis Company, located at 218 Main Street in South Portland. And we’re also in ORIGINs Cannabis Company, located at 884 Western Avenue in Manchester, and in RockSteady Remedies, located at 659 Hogan Road in Bangor.

Beth: Where do you see Newton’s Nursery as the recreational market approaches us?

Jasper: My goal is always going to be the same: craft cannabis.

I don’t want to get too big where my quality diminishes because that is always my first concern. My concern is smell, taste, and how it smokes. I believe we live in a state that proves that this method works. For example, when looking at the craft beer market, companies like Bissel Brothers, Foundation, Lone Pine, and Oxbow are expanding but keeping their craft on point. In a world where anyone can still buy a Budweiser beer, the educated customers who care about the quality of the product they put into their bodies are ponying up the extra few dollars for the good stuff. I don’t want to be a Budweiser brand. I want to provide patients with quality craft cannabis.

www.blazinace.com MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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SHOP DOG

If you don’t already know me, you probably smoke mids. But for the noobs in the back: I’m Bruin. When I’m not running around with my K-9 homies or running down groundhogs like they’re suspects in an episode of COPS, you can find me posted up on the couch at The Blazin’ Ace. Don’t let my tough exterior fool you; I’m a gentle giant that likes my CBD treats too much to ever let my mellow be harshed. I’m always by Chris’ side spinning tasty jams on his turntables, shredding the mountains of Maine, or jamming to Phish—unless Fishman plays the vacuum cleaner (show me a dog who likes the sound of a vacuum cleaner and I’ll show you a cat in disguise). So the next time you swing by The Blazin’ Ace, there’s no need to ask if I’m a good boy. I think we all know I’m not; I’m a great boy. Big kisses.

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CULTURE

H E R B ’ N ’A R T

BY JOHN DEN YSE

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F I PK

For thousands of years, cannabis has been a source for creative and artistic expression. Research has shown that THC and other cannabinoids can positively impact creativity and imagination, which is little surprise to many artists. Serving as both muse and subject matter, cannabis has a long and varied history intertwined with the arts scene in many cultures.

Founded in 2009, IPK was a local hub for Portland in the Lower East Bayside, providing growing equipment and a place for growers, artists, and the community to gather.

The evolution of the shop grew around its connection to the community and its commitment to support the arts, music, and culture that surrounded cannabis. IPK started without any investors or credit or even a real business plan.

It grew organically and developed into one of Portland’s first grow stores.

Since its inception, Portland’s IPK was dedicated to supporting Maine artists and elevating visual arts in the community.

Founder Chris Gillard envisioned a more enlightened kind of retail space that would provide a gathering place for friends, artists, and the cannabis cultivation community. Refurbishing an industrial warehouse in Portland’s East End, IPK quickly grew into a hotspot for local and visiting artists from across the community. Turntables spinning vintage vinyl, massive jade plants, and huge wall murals commissioned by local artists made Gillard’s dream a reality. Visitors to the Portland shop would marvel at the murals and then get to learn more about the up-and-coming artists in their community. “From the very beginning, I designed the shop to be a gallery and

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space for people coming together that would always be changing. Like a garden, our wall murals were ephemeral, lasting only a season or two before another artist would restyle the space and paint new murals from their own vision,” Chris says.

“Cannabis expands our minds and feeds the creative process.”

IPK invested in the community since the first space it rented.

One of the first things Chris did was hire a local artist to paint a mural on the blank walls of the old warehouse space.

IPK made connections with the arts and culture through the growing community and has continued to hire artists to paint murals, as well as commissioning artwork, handdesigned logos, and creative marketing ideas with the mission of highlighting the cannabis culture and the creativity that it inspires. Music, herb, art, and culture have been the key ingredients that have made IPK a unique business in the community.

From 2009 to 2016, IPK partnered with dozens of local and visiting artists to create an ever-changing array of murals and artwork inside the retail shop. Some of the talented artists who designed and crafted murals for IPK included: Eye Formation, Lukaduke, Mary Dunham (Eye of Henna), Mike Francis, Mike Rich, Mislone, Kate Cleeves, Pat Corrigan, Pete Vitello, Spacepirate, and Subone.

building at 200 Anderson Street into a beautiful work of art.

Countless times the walls would be primed over and a new artist would have the opportunity to express their work and transform the space.

Chris closed the retail grow shop in 2016 to focus entirely on his lifelong passion for growing organic cannabis for Maine’s medical patients and markets. Chris knew that supporting the arts was always going to be an integral part of his personal and company vision, so IPK formalized this commitment in the last sentence of their 2019 mission statement: “As a small, family-run business, IPK supports our region and community with a portion of all proceeds donated to Maine-based education, ecology, and arts organizations.”

The shop’s unique space gave artists a truly exceptional and inspired opportunity to express their artistic ideas across a large canvas that would never be framed or purchased and would likely get painted over in just a few months. Chris knew his customers and friends appreciated the ever-changing murals, but Chris especially enjoyed witnessing the design and creative process that each painter undertook. As a cannabis grower intensely dedicated to bringing out the hidden qualities in different strains and plants, Chris developed not just a kinship with the artists but also with their process: Plants and paintings grow similarly... every action I take with a plant (feeding, pruning, etc.) has an impact much further down the road, just like a painter slowly creating their vision who concentrates on just one brushstroke at a time. When I am in the garden, I try to cultivate that same level of concentration, vision, and patience, so that I am working with each leaf the same way an artist might consider how each brush stroke could impact their finished piece.

The original 900 square foot space on Anderson Street gained tremendous depth and character with all the murals that covered every wall. IPK took the art from the walls and grew it out into the surrounding community, sponsoring artists and events centered around artists. The walls and fences that lined Anderson became spots for artists IPK sponsored or hired to paint and beautify the run-down Lower East Bayside of Portland, which is now a vibrant part of the city. IPK was a space for ideas to grow, for people to gather, and for artists to express themselves.

This support takes many forms today at IPK, but without a dedicated retail space to host his favorite artists, IPK has taken to the streets of Portland and beyond, sponsoring street artists and community murals. Recognizing the shift from a retail space to the entire city has created new opportunities, and as Chris observed, “street art has such a wide social reach, it’s something everyone in the community can enjoy or think about.”

Like a seed freshly germinated in fertile soil, new street art bursts forth suddenly into our landscape with all the promise and uncertainty of the future. Without gallery walls or admission fees, street art is created and consumed in a communal space to inspire and inform those around us. By nature, street art is always changing, and as a long-time urban art fan, many of Chris’s favorite Maine artists share his deeper social commitment, including Tim Clorius, Mike Rich, and Key Detail. Chris suggests fellow Mainers check out some of these artists and many others at Maine’s public art spaces like the Eastern Promenade Wall in Portland.

With a sustained passion for organic cultivation of premium cannabis, and ongoing support for the arts, IPK has high hopes to continue creating a more inspired community for us all… “the way life should be!”

To see more of IPK’s work and the community art and artists IPK has worked with, please visit @ipk2.0 on Instagram.

Within just a few years, IPK’s art collection began to outgrow even the massive space afforded by the retail shop. So Chris looked for bigger opportunities to share the art and artists he loved with the greater community and help to beautify IPK’s industrial East End neighborhood. Over seven years, IPK worked behind the scenes to organize different community clean-up projects that would quietly transform longtime eyesores into eye-catching murals and community art projects around the neighborhood. In addition, IPK also organized a series of community events to promote and celebrate the vitality of Maine’s dance, music, and visual arts scene, including Maine’s first Hip-Hop Summit in summer 2014.

In 2016, IPK shifted its focus exclusively to caregiving as well as supporting the artist community in and around Maine. IPK doubled as a grow store / community center / art gallery and had dozens and dozens of artists transform the old decrepit MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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WELLNESS

From Misunderstanding to Medical Use: A story about a grandmother and her use of cannabis oil to treat pain and insomnia B Y M I C H A E L S AU N D E R S , C E O/ S OY L E N T G R E E N S P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y FA L L O N S O L A R I M U R R AY P I C T U R E D P R O D U C T S P R OV I D E D B Y L OV E L I G H T M E D I C I N A L S Aline is my grandmother, and I am Michael. Directly, we both owe our last name to my grandfather James (aka, Double-G or Grampy Grouch). Though, to his credit, he’s much less grouchy now than when we were younger, when the name was bestowed upon him!

Knowing my grandmother allows me to confidently say that when it’s her turn to journey beyond the proverbial white light and she is placed upon the pearly gates of heaven, she’s a shoe-in! She’s a devoted Catholic, humanitarian, and simply the sweetest and kindest woman I know.

Aline has raised six children, the oldest of whom is my father, born in 1958. An angel in his early years, he was a very unruly tween and an even more rebellious teenager. She largely attributed this transformation in her son to the introduction of marijuana into his life, rather than to his budding mental health issues. As it turns out, he was also apparently hitting up the liquor cabinet by the age of 12 or 13 years old and reported to me years ago that he used to go to middle school drunk at times. However, Gram has always believed that cannabis was responsible for ruining the life of her oldest son and affected some of her other children as well. As a result, she has historically had a very negative attitude toward cannabis and its place in our culture. Until 2019, she certainly didn’t see a role for it in her own life.

My grandmother found out I was working in the cannabis industry around June 2019, but kept it to herself. Little did

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I know, over those first few weeks she was silently praying for my soul, thinking that I was breaking the law or doing something wrong. I randomly found out that she knew and had known for a few weeks, so one day I struck up a conversation with her about it to see what she knew. I explained what I did, but it wasn’t until I showed her some supporting documentation with Maine’s iconic Dirigo stamp on it that she seemed at ease.

After she was aware, and felt more at ease, the discussions about cannabis began to flow naturally. For example, we’d discuss her chronic pain, and I’d mention the idea that a lot of people experience pain relief from using cannabis. We’d talk about the fact that some folks like to use cannabis to deal with stress, chronic aches and pains, insomnia, and the awful side effects from cancer treatments with a great deal of success and as an alternative to using harmful pharmaceutical medications.

Over the following weeks, my grandmother and I had several more conversations about the medical benefits of cannabis.

We talked about the human endocannabinoid system and our current understanding of the entourage effect. We talked about the suppression of the hemp and cannabis industries on a cultural level by corporate America not long after the turn of the 20th century. We discovered and talked about an article she and my grandfather had read in the AARP Bulletin magazine about the benefits of medical cannabis and CBD in particular for treating arthritic pain and inflammation. Each

one of these instances created an opportunity I seized to talk and try to dispel her misunderstandings of cannabis, replacing them with accurate information she could process on her own.

My grandmother has suffered largely silently for years with stomach pain and horrible indigestion to the extent that she probably only consumes maybe 300-400 calories of food per day and supplements her lack of nutrition with vitamins.

She has celiac disease as well. Over the timeframe we had been discussing this, the pain apparently became too much, so she prayed about her fear of trying cannabis oil, and she stated that the Lord removed her fear. While she was praying about whether to try using cannabis, she revealed to me that when she was a child her mother used to give her an elixir that worked wonders for her, but her current doctor later found out it had cannabis oil in it. Putting the two together, and praying about her issues, she was convinced to give it a try. So by September, she had agreed to try using low doses of Rick Simpson Oil capsules to treat her severe stomach pains and indigestion, or her “sour stomach” as she refers to it. Since then, she’s successfully used cannabis oil to treat her lifelong indigestion and consumes more food throughout the day because she’s not in as much pain when she does eat.

I started a second company in the cannabis space in September 2019, called the Medical Cannabis Proliferation Institute (MCPI) L3C, and began producing a podcast called “Greenspeak” to raise money to support our initiatives.

Proudly, my grandmother was my first guest on the show and continues to be an advocate for medical cannabis to this day. Her episode continues to perform better than the other episodes, probably because she’s so damn sweet, and her story is so compelling!

She’s currently using a higher dose capsule to help her sleep at night too. Until she started using medical cannabis, she’d never been able to truly sleep at night. The introduction of cannabis to her life has been transformative. She uses a 3:1 THC/CBD topical cream for her joint and deep muscle pains (it’s called Magic Cream from Augusta Farms), and she’s using and benefitting from essential cannabis oil capsules (from Sensicaps) for both her stomach and insomnia. I love my grandmother, and I hate to see her in pain, so in her name, I’d like to thank God for medical cannabis, as it helps millions. Medical cannabis has changed her life—and mine— for the better.

Maine Cannabis CHRONICLE

O U R W E B S I T E I S U P A N D RU N N I N G !

C H E C K I T O U T. W W W. M A I N E C A N N A B I S C H R O N I C L E . C O M MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

Strain Safari with The Strainger and after combing every inch of my dojo, I decide to retrace my steps to the restaurant and back with absolutely no luck in finding my missing burrito. Three hours later, and the last place I look is the mailbox. That’s where it is. The mailbox.

Damn, those Chem Dog Diamonds are good.

Chem Dog Diamonds All Kind I just walked out of All Kind, a charming medical marijuana dispensary quietly nestled on one of Portland’s busiest streets. During a taste-testing session of one of their current top shelf concentrates, The Chem Dog Diamonds, I had taken a few heroic doses with owner Claire and had lost my inner monologue as well as my ability to structure complete sentences. Thankfully, you don’t need to use too many words while ordering a burrito, and All Kind is conveniently located a few doors away from marinated meats wrapped in tortillas.

The Chem Dog Diamonds smell like a perfume you would catch wafting from a rich Nana’s holiday party—a fragrance that is sophisticated, sharp, and bold, yet incredibly warm and inviting. A huge diamond juts out of its glass jar, looking like a glowing Aggro Crag from Nickelodeon’s guts. The stunning diamonds swim in an amber-tinted terp sauce that can only be described as ice cubes in a whisky glass that has been recently polished off. A good full hit, the aftertaste is that of earth and pastry, like a pop-tart you enacted the five second rule with.

You can feel the high spread through your forehead; I keep trying to take off a hat I’m not wearing. The effect is incredibly peaceful and euphoric; I feel warm and comfortable. I am so cozy that I have to make an effort not to doze off while waiting for my meal. When my food finally comes, I decide that I would rather box it up and eat it at home. I head back to my place, eager to sink my teeth into this overstuffed baseball bat of a burrito. In a heady daze, I grab my mail from the front of my house before making my way to the kitchen to grab a plate.

I drop off the mail and go to wash my hands in the bathroom.

I return to the kitchen and cannot find my burrito anywhere. I just had it, I think. Right? Did I drop it? Annoyed and hungry

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Critical Kush Diamond Sauce Mac’s Tree House “You have to try this.” Back at All Kind, I am presented with a gram of the Critical Kush Diamond Sauce from Mac’s Tree House. “I think you will like this,” Claire presses the gram into my hand like a good luck charm. I bring back the jar oozing with the gilded globs to my little studio, and the Critical Kush glistens like someone has taken the jewels out of a watch face and dropped them into liquid caramel. I rip a quick hit before setting up to take some video footage, and hints of sweet wheat grass and lemon pepper accompany the easy tokes.

The first hit is so tasty I can’t help but treat myself to another dollop, and another… then one more. Before I know it, I don’t know anything. In a daze, I look at my camera equipment the way a farmer looks at an alien mothership in his field.

Confused by the technology and lights, I retreat to my couch.

My nose tingles as I can feel warmth move down to my eyes, doubling my vision slightly. I am stoned. The high creeps like a supernatural axe murderer in a B-grade horror movie, slow and progressively more intense.

Malibu Marsh Live Diamonds Curated Cannabis Company

Chocolate Toast x Jam Bar 100mg THC All Kind

I am a huge fan of the many delivery services in the Portland area—fast, friendly, and affordable. Getting my marijuana delivered is as easy as ordering a pizza; in fact, I generally order both at the same time, and unbeknownst to the drivers, throw a slightly better tip to whomever gets to my house first (cough … always the pizza guy … cough). I’ve used Curated Cannabis a few times and always find their product to be exactly what I’m looking for when I’m looking for new flavor profiles, effects, and potency. After a weekend of comedy shows in central Maine, I was looking to use my Sunday for self-care, throwing down dabs on the enail between COD kill-screens. The Malibu Marsh Live Diamonds perfectly complemented an afternoon spent losing online video games to shit-talking youngins. The live diamonds were gorgeous, one huge rock in the middle of lightly colored terp sauce, brightly shimmering like a gold tooth found in the shallows of a sandbar on Sebago Lake. Immediately, I was hit with an explosive botanical aroma, wafts of citrus zest and floral notes like a tropical mixed drink ordered at breakfast on an all-inclusive vacation you mistakenly took with extended family members. I initially took a low-temp dab and was blown away by the flavor, a smooth hit that was easy on the lungs.

I could feel the top of my head expand and empty and was immediately hit with the high across my cheeks, lifting my face into a tranquilizing grin. My fiancee walked in on me zoning out in the living room watching Unwrapped and legitimately thought I was having a medical emergency based on how my face looked. Nope, just dabs.

You cannot go wrong with edibles; chocolate and marijuana is a duo that hits harder than The Road Warriors coked up on a Sunday morning in the early 1990s. All Kind always has new and interesting takes on the medicated chocolate bar. I was excited to see their new 100mg Toast and Jam Bar, dark chocolate mixed with raspberries and bread crumbs from a local bakery. This seems like a confectionery concocted by Willie Wonka during his freshman year at a liberal arts college in Northern Vermont, and it could not be tastier. I planned to take a nibble for the review but ended up eating the whole thing. The first bite I took made me audibly howl a “goddamn” in the same tone the word “medic” is screamed throughout the first 10 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Chocolate, raspberries, and breadcrumbs come together like a threepiece jazz fusion jam band that cannabis is managing. The packaging is bright and professional but takes me at least a half a minute to break into. I fumble with the wrapper like a bra strap on a first date but am ultimately successful. The edible is effective while not being overpowering. I don’t get groggy and enjoy a buzzy body high that lasts longer than I thought it would. I can feel relief in my lower back, joints, and leg muscles. I have no idea why I’m sore; I don’t exercise at all.

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recipe for the Needham was concocted by a drunk person during the throes of the Great Depression. Chocolate and coconut are a classic match up, but throwing in a potato is like having a threesome you can’t brag about because one of your partners happened to be related through a second marriage.

Bonus: You will be able to forgo the usual tourist traps swarming with bronzed French Canadians slinging banana hammocks, as you will only be able to find the good Needhams in rural farmers’ markets operated by 90-year-old widows.

Stoner Notes: Top Three Munchies of Maine Maine’s food scene is no longer the well-kept secret it once was. Publications from across the globe have fastened praise and accolades on the delightfully dank local fare, and rightfully so. Though the applause is well-earned, it has also shed outside light on many of our little local secret spots and once-hidden gems. The coastline is littered with brined treats, salty delicacies, and depending on the temperature and traffic, an even saltier local community. Maine’s food scene means fresh ingredients, generational recipes, and inspired food and dishes prepared by weathered locals who have perfected their cuisine over many decades of stoney summers.

It’s no wonder tourists flock to our coasts like rabid seagulls to an unattended grocery bag of stale sandwiches. Though our seafood scene is legendary, it’s also not always the right pairing when you’re blazing down a jibba of some locally grown green bud. Not only can seafood be pricey, but also most local shacks have lines and wait times now that make the DMV edgy with jealousy. If you’re not into shellfish or just don’t want to wait over an hour to drop a dime on a hot dog roll filled with tail meat, here are some Maine Munchies that just may hit the spot.

Fluffernutter: The Fluffernutter is a staple in lunch boxes and pails across New England. Peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, and white bread, the white trash trinity. You’ll need creamy peanut butter, name brand fluff, and bread so white it still brings up plot lines from the show LOST. If you make a Fluffernutter and there is any nutritional value to it, you have made it wrong. Your chest should hurt and your thoughts should race after consuming a Fluffernutter. This is a perfect munchie for the budget-conscious stoner or any wook with a hankering for a treat that will remind them of a time their family still talked to them.

Needhams (Yessah’ Bub): This treat couldn’t be any more “Maine.” This is as close as you can get to an “Ayuh” in candy form. The ingredients are chocolate, coconut, and mashed potatoes, and it couldn’t be more obvious that the

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Whoopie Pie: The tiramisu of Hancock County, the Whoopie Pie consists of sickly sweet frosting sandwiched between two pieces of dry chocolate cake. This baked item is made exclusively for people who have given up on ever looking good naked again. Always over sized and always a day too old, the old-fashioned Whoopie Pie delivers a sugar high that can only be described by beatboxing dubstep noises. A rich, decadent treat that can be found inexpensively at the stainless steel counters of every mom and pop shop in the state, I assume they are bought by every foreman that comes in with a lunch order they didn’t make. I don’t think I’ve ever actually finished a Whoopie Pie in one sitting; in fact, I am not sure if I know many people who have. Regardless, it’s a perfect snack for those who have a sweet tooth bigger than Tony the Tiger’s frosted molars.

Honorary mention: The Amato’s Italian. Before we get into our top pick, I’d like to acknowledge the Amato’s Italian. I wanted to keep this a list of sweets, but if you have not yet treated yourself to the wonder that is an Amato’s Italian, you are truly missing out. Though the lobster roll is the official sandwich of Maine, every local that replaces ‘er’ with ‘ah’ knows the truth. The tasty embodiment of a blue collar, hardworking lunch break, this sandwich is the perfect meal for anyone unironically wearing work boots or any hungry,hungry pothead blowing smoke rings in the Pine Tree State. I recommend the turkey with extra olives and order over the phone—everyone knows you’re high, man.

In conclusion, you can still eat like a Mainer without wasting your time in a line or spending the big bucks. You can find all this shit in stores that don’t care if you are wearing shoes or a shirt, so whip off that tank top and go grab you some Wonder Bread and chocolate bubbah’.

Ian Stuart is a comedian and writer based in Portland, Maine. A lover of animals, family, and all things marijuana related, you can find more info at www.IanStuartComedy.com.

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COASTAL ROOTS

Coastal Roots with Dominic D Feed the Soil

BY DOMINIC D Our roots and culture are at the very heart of everything we do; in fact, it is my belief that they are a part of everything.

The nature of the words in both the physical and symbolic sense speak to the interconnectedness of all living things.

Think about it: Roots are our history, our source of life. The roots in a plant bring all that the plant needs for survival upwards, with a little help from the sun and air of course.

Culture is the story of our people, our customs, and our ways of living. A cultured food supplies our bodies with the diversity they need to survive and thrive.

Cultured foods and beverages are activated through fermentation: kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, beer, vinegar, etc.

A compost tea is a culture that feeds a plant’s roots. As we grow our culture, we might take nature’s cues and follow the path our roots set us on while also adapting to the elements at hand. Sun, wind, air, and water will affect each creature, person, or plant wherever it stands, just like the movement from a blowing fan makes the stalk of the plant stronger. We feed the soil with microbes, which in turn feed the plant and then our minds. Our culture.

Roots and culture are behind and beneath us but also propel us forward into the unknown. Without them, we would have no structure, no direction, no drive to grow forward into the light, pursuing the allure of the prospect of oneness with all the surrounding beauty. Growth comes from this center or core; progress comes from respecting our past.

The roots of a people are family origins, or the particular place you come from and the experiences you have had living there. (online dictionary definition) Culture is the ‘way of life’ of groups of people, meaning the way they do things ... an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior … the outlook, attitudes, values, morals, goals, and customs shared by a society. As a verb, it means to cultivate or to grow in a prepared medium. (online dictionary definition) Coastal Roots takes a casual approach to a cornucopia of subjects, sometimes serious, other times whimsical, intertwining tales about Maine and cannabis history. The stories will always come from my roots (Maine) and from the culture (cannabis).

For our debut in Maine Cannabis Chronicle’s Volume 2, Issue 1, I took a moment to speak with my longtime buddy Bryon from Best Friend Farms about the ancient (and contemporary) hash-making skills they are applying up on the farm in central Maine. They are growing some spectacular high-grade herb in locally sourced, true living soil using super exotic, cutting edge sources plus unique in-house genetics built off those

B E S T F R I E N D FA R M S ’ AWA R D - W I N N I N G P H OTO F R O M F R E N C H I E C A N N O L I ’ S HASH PORN CONTEST #1 strong heredities. They also have some amazing classic hash coming off up there. “Fire in, fire out” as the saying goes.

Following in the hash-making traditions from over 1000 years ago in Persia and throughout the Middle East, BFF are integrating water separation techniques the ice “bubble” hash makers blew up in the early millennium out in California. This means serious flavor and a clean high using only mechanical processes. No solvents, additives, or heating, nada; just fullmelt Temple Balls and classic blonde blocks that bubble, plus many other forms of hash, all using organic flower and/or trim, usually cured prior to and after separation.

So Bryon, what’s up with that hash?!

Bryon went on to tell me a great story about how his father was also a cannabis grower and hash maker. He would make a batch of hash for everyone (the adults) every Christmas.

Now, he didn’t know the real deal when he was a kid but does remember the adults going away and then returning with holiday laughter filling the air.

The stories came up later in life with his dad, recollections of sources of the much rarer plants and seeds back in the days before propagation and proliferation of seed suppliers and “good friends,” along with his rudimentary process of hash-making, an alcohol-based concentration somewhat like RSO with low-grade materials, boiled down in pots MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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for hours or days. It seemed to be highly effective on the Christmas crowd...

ago, represented freedom and equality from its inception.

And please keep in mind in these times that no matter what your politics or opinions, we are people of this earth, and with the help of a plant, we will survive and thrive. The culture of Maine realizes that a rich diversity is best for us all and will help us survive through the toughest times.Stay true to your roots and respect the culture that has brought us this far together.

It’s just like a Mainer to be frugal and efficient with materials in order to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Bryon may not have known what was up as a kid, but subconsciously seeds were planted alongside many other positive lessons passed down from generation to generation about who we are as citizens of this place called Maine.

As hard as the granite from the Midcoast As sweet as the blueberries from Downeast As resilient and expansive as the great pine forests of Central Maine As productive as the plains of Northern Maine As powerful as the rocky slopes all the way down the peaks and foothills of Western Maine As stunning as the golden sands of Southern Maine’s shores, and As diverse as the many islands and stories scattered throughout Casco Bay.

Bryon also told me with pride how his hard work in the trade, along with some early insight and good connections to the ice hash revolution in early millennium Northern California, have given him the knowledge and experience to bring it to the next level here in his home state. Using even higher grade inputs, including certified organic composts/manure coming from just uphill at a MOFGA horse farm, BFF has certainly raised the bar of flavor and quality.

The “Hash Whisperer” is now the man behind the magic of Best Friend Farms’ hash-making operations. Along with Bryon’s training and insight, the Hash Whisperer has added his diligence to craft and culinary roots to the recipe and has been instrumental in bringing BFF to recent national hash culture awareness. Go get ‘em boys!

Represent your roots, feed the soil, and grow beyond ...

So just like that, if we feed the soil and give it the nutrients it needs, we give the place—that hard with soft edges place that our home and its people embody—the feelings of wellbeing and security that hard work and good health can bring.

Keep true to where we came from; Maine, founded 200 years

MAY 13-15

HOME

en ardShow GFlower

and CANNABIS 603-733-5808

HomeFlowerGardenShow.com

NEW THIS YEAR! HONEY DO AUCTION

Silent and Live auctions of services from local tradesmen!

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MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

FRIDAY 9-5 | SATURDAY 9-5 | SUNDAY 10-4 FRYEBURG FAIRGROUNDS, MAINE

FRIDAY

Live music with

Jon Sarty & Ray Ryan

15,000 square feet dedicated to cannabis: tons of CBD products, plants, seeds, clothes and paraphernalia.

Americana Roots, Rock Country, Ballads, Love Songs and a little Blues

Meet The Chefs Friday | Saturday | Sunday

HOME $ Garden

Flower Show and CANNABIS

ADMISSION

MAY 2020 Present at the gate.

Single admission good for all 3 days of event.

MCC

SUNDAY

Music starts at noon with the Jonathan Sarty Band

Live music with

Jason Spooner Band

Milt-Award Winning Portland Band Adult Rock

Live music with

The gavel project Boston-based Rocking Blues

12 FOOD TRUCKS Show Sponsors

COUPON

2 OFF

SATURDAY

Music starts at noon with the Jonathan Sarty Band

INDUSTRY

@420oldfatlesbians’ Maine Cannabis Industry Road Trip

With over 100K followers on Instagram, Sue and Lee are two of the best-known cannabis-related social media influencers living here in Maine. Married retirees, the positive power couple manage the account @420OldFatLesbians.

Their motto is “Be who you are,” which encourages and empowers their green-friendly followers on the daily. Over the last few months, the ladies have been busy on an impressive road trip visiting various companies that make up our Maine cannabis industry. Perhaps you recognize a few faces or locations?

Kind & Co @kindand.co

The Green Alchemist Co. @thegreenalchemistco

Atlantic Farms @atlantic_farms

Maine ReLeaf @mainereleaf420

Good Guy Vapes, CBD & Glass @goodguyvapesbiddeford

Hiker Trash Cannabis Co. @hikertrashcannabisco

Shannons Best Buds @shannons.bestbuds

Biome @biomebotanicals

Kind Farms Reserve v@kindfarmsreserve

Zero Gravity Cannabis @zerogravitycannabis

High Seas Provisions @highseasprovisions

Huffy Puffy @huffpuffy.usa MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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Hive Medicinal @hivemedicinal2009

Riptide Maine @riptidemaine

@mariajuanabake

Curated Cannabis Company @curatedcannabiscompany

Green Cures @greencures420

Treeline Cannabis Co @treelinecannabis_c02.0

Central Maine Flower @cmf_lewiston

Breeze Deliveries @breezedeliveries

Casco Bay Cannabis Company @cascobaycannabiscompany

Vacationland Cannabis Company @vacationland.maine

Natures Resolutions NRX @naturesresolutions

Vass Vitals @vassvitals

MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

POETRY

P H OTO G R A P H B Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

Deep As A Flower Blooms

By Nathan Bergeron

And When I Wake

By Nathan Bergeron

Right before our eyes our babies grow up Generation after colorful generation we sow The seeds of harmony what’s the harm in sharing Abundance every now and again tasting this life full Of diversity have you been to the County the fields go On forever the mountains and ocean a daydream away From the fertile ground we crawl upon our inception May be watered by man but it’s the woman we’re lost Without for her work is never done long after the sun Sets she reaches to the stars stoking curious minds Healing hearts I feel her tender touch on my body Caressing me so I say thank you for this breath Deep as a flower blooms nourishing us free.

And when I wake the world Is underway for she never rests Spinning endlessly on her side tilted To twenty-three degrees a floating home For all in a land where everyone belongs And so many feel left behind I dreamed I was falling and dreamed I was running Late staring through the sorrowful eyes Of Earth and all I want to do is share this Sensation but now’s not time for slumber Life churns long after consciousness leaves A giant star burns brightest even amidst Unsettling nights how can we go back To bed when the world needs us Dreaming during the day?

PINEAPPLE FIELDS

By E.P.

HEADBAND

By E.P.

Into the fields we walk

When the world gets loud The mind gets louder The fog hazier The sweet sour scent The soft, green leaves Hugged with purples tints Sticky, resin rich flower Inhale a hug Release the noise.

Row after row the sweet scent lingering in the air Drawing you in closer.

As you slowly pass through The sweet scent delicately lifting Introducing you to that sour tinge.

Each puff leading you further into The Pineapple Fields Where life is breezy

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