FACES IN THE FIELD: Ryan Reed of High Striker Farms

BY MR. ROOTS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW BOURGEOIS

Having the pleasure of getting to know Ryan Reed from High Striker Farms, a few words come to mind that I could use to describe him to you—a few words that still mean something in this cannabis community, to those of us who really do still say what’s what about a few things, us old-school growers.

It doesn’t matter if the investor who bought that shiny new grow space or downtown storefront says so or not. The people who came up growing dank, who worked lines and represented this community from the underground, are ultimately who shaped this whole landscape. Sweat equity is a term that applies very well to this community.

To prove this point: Many hire a sophomore to save some money, then realize in a few months that they need a doctorate-level consultant to progress a mess. It’s hard to add that back into your overhead costs when you are pinching pennies after the buildout, while you are waiting to recoup.

Anyway, the words I would use to describe High Striker Farms are: hard-working, knowledgeable, genuine, caring, personable, fun to talk with, and REAL. Instagram to try to woo you.”

You see, from my perspective, interviewing someone for a podcast gives some poignant snapshots into how a person conducts themselves—their presentation, their poise, and their professionalism. Furthermore, editing their conversation, going over it several times, allows for an even more refined insight into said person’s character, especially when you consider how they conducted themselves time-wise, over the phone, both pre- and post-interview.

Tropicana Cookies

Photography by Matthew Bourgeois

I can tell you right now: Ryan not only has his shit together, but dude is pretty sharp, holding a degree in biology from Northern Arizona University. The guy is a hoot to chop it up with, and did I mention he can also grow some super heady flower!

If I was to stop there, that should be enough, but this guy’s hash...his hash has the power to transport you to the very end of Return of the Jedi, and make you feel like you are dancing at that party with the Ewoks in their redwood village after destroying the second Death Star!

Straight yub nub vibes.

Dude’s got pro skills with his hash.

I know it, the Secret Cup judges know it, Crash Barry’s insanely high tolerance knows it, and I’ll bet if you had a sitdown and asked her, your mom knows it. She’s cool like that.

Ryan showed up to visit a while ago in his conversion van. The same type of van you would see parked outside a jobsite. Because he has been known to park it at job sites and uses it to work out of. It carries his tools, his surfboards, and his gear. Practical, right? He didn’t arrive in a lifted truck with fancy rims or a lipstick-red sports car. He rolled up like the working man that he is. Unpretentious and ready to kick it.

He took a couple of joints out of his shirt pocket and proceeded to explain them to me, in his sun-drenched SoCalesque dialect, “These are Grapes ‘N’ Cream flower I rolled in Grapes ‘N’ Cream rosin, and then I dusted the rosin with this lavender-colored Tropicana Cookies Dry sift.” We lit the joints in my garden, with the high noon sun shining down directly overhead. The joints burned nice and slow. In our conversations about surfing, vintage beach cruiser bikes, and various details about gardening, I remember thinking I was starting to get really high. We talked outside in the sun like old friends, the world melting away like ice in a beachy drink, and the smoke swirling up without a wind to carry it away.

High Striker Farms knows how to work hard; you can tell this instantly about Ryan. You can tell he takes his responsibilities seriously and checks off his boxes first and foremost. But damn... the guy sure knows how to balance it out and kick back, too!

Ryan Reed of High Striker Farms

Photography by Matthew Bourgeois