GARDEN HIGHLIGHT

Mercy Tree of Alaska

Co-founder Bashall Redzepi, left, and Head Cultivator Colin Koenig.

ONE OF the cardinal rules of small business ownership is not going into the business with friends and family. Although you may have the best of intentions and the highest of hopes, what starts as a seemingly safe, mutually beneficial project, can turn everything from minor annoyances and squabbles over money into horrific nightmares.

Signature strain Mercy Fruit Haze won Best Sativa in the 2018 Cannabis Classic.

weren't going to give up on opening the grow, no matter what it took. Of course, you can kind of see where our drywalling started," says Koenig with a laugh. Naturally, their hands-on approach didn't stop with the drywall. Koenig hand-waters each of the 800 plants in the operation's 2,700-square-foot grow space. Asked if he would ever consider automating his feedings, Koenig didn't mince words. "Automation tends to make people lazy. We hand-water just because we need to spend time in the garden. If it were automated, we wouldn't be in there as much. This way, we're spending at least an hour a day in each room, and we can keep an eye on everything to make sure there are no problems creeping up," says Koenig. In addition to their hands-on approach with the plants, Mercy Tree also has a focused eye on sustainability. The building's electric air condition"Yeah, everyone thought we were crazy Cannabis are unde- ers provide consistent heat during the winter and when we decided to go into business together," says Mercy Tree of Alaska "If we could tell niable, and you can visually see it helping summer, thereby eliminating their need for gas. They also recycle their condensate and are able to co-owner Bashall Redzepi. But Redzepi didn't just go into business with one friend. He jumped into the fire our customers one thing, it's that people. How could you not want to do something with your reclaim nearly 50% of the water used to feed the plants. While Redzepi insists Mercy Tree has "unintenheadfirst and now co-owns and operates Mercy Tree with four longtime friends – we are really life that could really help people?" asks tionally gone green," it's clear that they don't do anything without intention. That includes selecting Colin Koenig, Brian Hewes, Chad Cree- passionate about Koenig. the right genetics – and they have the award to ger and Larry Herndon. "I think what makes us special is that we Cannabis and we It is that desire to produce consistent, prove it. In 2018, their signature strain, Mercy Fruit Haze, took home the award for Best Sativa at all have a hand in operating the business. It's not one guy running things. So, we love what we do.” top notch Cannabis that drives all facets the Alaska Cannabis Classic. However, they aren't resting on their laurels. Mercy Tree currently has butt heads sometimes, but we have a lot -Head Cultivator Colin Koenig of Mercy Tree, start- 12 available strains, as well as genetics from an of respect for each other and the exper- ing with the building additional 12 plants – with plans to keep expandtise each person brings. That's what makes our that holds their grow. ing their menu. Nonetheless, you can be sure that dynamic a little bit different," explains Koenig. Situated in a nondescript 1950s building in whatever they put out, it will be high quality.

Although friendship initially brought the Mercy Downtown Anchorage's industrial area, Mercy "If we could tell our customers one thing, it's Tree crew together, there is a much deeper bond Tree's operation breathed new life into a decaying that we are really passionate about Cannabis and that solidified their desire to cultivate Cannabis. landmark. we love what we do. I look forward to coming in Both Redzepi and Koenig's mothers had battles "We rehabbed the entire building and electrical. here every day to spend time with my ladies, and with cancer. Sadly, Redzepi lost his mother to We basically built a building within a building," we're not doing this to get rich. It's nice to be able stage-four cancer, while Koenig's mother contin- explains Redzepi. to provide for our families by growing Cannabis, ues to defy the odds. And when Redzepi says they built the building, but ultimately, we're doing this for the love of the "[My mom] didn't consume Cannabis, but her he isn't exaggerating. Mid-construction, the team plant. And I think that reflects in our product," says friends in her support groups did, and I actually ran out of money and had to resort to using spare Koenig. started caregiving with Cannabis for some of her parts and a lot of elbow grease to finish. friends,” says Koenig. “The medical benefits of "We had a lot of people to prove wrong, and we

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