Nov. 2023 - Alaska Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

#91 | NOV. 2023

FEATURING

BONAHFIDE // pg. 24-27

THE NOBLE DUDES >> // pg. 28-31

SECRET GARDEN // pg. 28-29

F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

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(A) Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive; (B) Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence; (C) There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana; (D) For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children; and (E) Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

Dosed Edibles Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99709 - AK License #23146

CHRISTINA LEITHEAD

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THENOBLEDUDES

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SECRETGARDEN

BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

QUEST GLASS

BRUCE WOLF

NOV. 2023

20 HISTORY OF THE LEAF REHASHED

ADOBE STOCK

18 HOLIDAZE COOKIN’ CANNABIS RECIPES

@BERMANPHOTOS X @MALINALOPEZ

GLASS SPOTLIGHT

09 12 16 18 20 24 28 32 38

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EDITOR’S NOTE BUDTENDER Q&A GLASS ART SPOTLIGHT COOKING WITH CANNABIS HISTORY OF THE LEAF BONAH-FIDE GROW TOUR THE NOBLE DUDES SECRET GARDEN STONEY BALONEY

HARVEST PROFILES by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING AND MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

JILLIANNE FRELIN/SNAP D PHOTOGRAPHY

GROW TOURS

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THE HARVEST ISSUE leafmagazines.com

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#91

[

NOV. 2023

issue

Discover Catalyst: Three Stores, One Unique Experience.

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catalystcannabisco.com Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive.

Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding. License #3a-11638 • #3a-23821 • #3a-31418

E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F / U TA H L E A F

A B O U T T H E C OV E R The Harvest Issue is always among our most highly anticipated editions, and this month’s coveted cover feature goes to a very deserving grow indeed: The Noble Dudes located in the scenic Mat-Su Valley. The farm is one of three profiled by Editor Wes Abney, who got the low-down on the facilities with longtime Alaska Leaf contributor Stuart Consulting and Marketing, whose stunning photography graces the cover and so many of the pages in this sticky issue. Be sure to check out our other markets’ Harvest Issues for a look at Cannabis grown around the country!

PHOTO BY STUART CONSULTING AND MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com

CONTRIBUTORS

MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER + AD SALES ricker@leafmagazines.com

TOM BOWERS C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R tom@leafmagazines.com DANIEL BERMAN C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R daniel@leafmagazines.com MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism.

Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Alaska Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website at www.LeafMagazines.com. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to get started advertising with Alaska Leaf!

CONNECT WITH ALASKA LEAF

Exclusive Cannabis Journalism @NWLEAF |

@AKLEAFMAG

@NWLEAF

ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE

E D I T O R ' S N O T E P H O TO b y O S C A R AV E L L A N E DA - C R U Z @ O K I AV E

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Harvest Issue of Alaska Leaf!

I remember the first time I saw a photo of a Cannabis plant, and it forever changed my perspective on the “drug” that was highly illegal at the time. It was the summer before college started, I was at a dealer's house trying to score some “hydro,” and there was a stack of High Times magazines on his coffee table. I flipped one open and was transfixed by the exotic, almost alien-like beauty of the brightly-colored budding colas. It was the first time I had truly seen the actual plant, as all of my weed buying to that point had involved Jack-in-the-Box parking lots and Ziplock bags of mids.

It was in that moment, as I gazed with the wonder usually reserved for the first peeks at a Playboy, that I had an epiphany: The Cannabis plant was beautiful and not anything to be afraid of.

A few summers later, I was working on the first issues of Northwest Leaf and my friends and I came into a bunch of rooted clones in red Solo cups.

We decided to play a prank on my dad, a high school teacher at the time, and plant a few of the clones in the big outdoor garden full of vegetables and ornamental plants. We took bets and waited for the moment of discovery, but it took a few weeks – until the tops of the distinct plants were reaching beyond their non-psychoactive companions.

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“ALL THESE YEARS LATER, I STILL EXPERIENCE A CHILDLIKE SENSE OF WONDER WALKING THROUGH A CANNABIS GARDEN …

ESPECIALLY OUTDOORS. ”

When he realized the garden transgression and angrily tore them up, it was a funny and sad moment. This culling shaped my view of Cannabis and drug policy for years to come. The fact that my dad had watered the plants for a few weeks before realizing they were the “wrong” plants, reaffirmed my view that no plant should be illegal and that fears of Cannabis as a harmful drug were dangerously exaggerated. After all, why should we be scared of a plant that makes people feel good?

All these years later, I still experience a childlike sense of wonder walking through a Cannabis garden … especially outdoors. Looking up at plants that are taller than my six-foot eyespan feels magical, as the fan leaves and heavy colas dance in the wind and bloom under the sun while waves of terpenes wash over the mind. We must not forget how wonderful it is that we can grow our own medicine, and we should be very appreciative of the farmers who dedicate themselves to this crop.

Walking into a dispensary full of bright packaging and competing brands, it’s easy to forget that it all begins when a grower places a seed or clone into dirt, caring and nourishing a baby plant until it reaches harvest. So to all the farmers – those hard workers with dirty fingernails putting in long hours – the Leaf says “thank you.” We celebrate this harvest and the freedom to do so, for we remember a time when simply growing a plant was enough to earn a prison sentence.

-Wes Abney

NOV. 2023

leafmagazines.com

WES ABNEY, FEATURES OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ, PHOTOS DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES AMANDA DAY, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES JOELY FISHER, ASSISTING JILLIANNE FRELIN, PHOTOS MATT JACKSON, FEATURES MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES

WES

All Things Cannabis For All People beardedlorax rickerdj aj.og maaryjwhite

PODCAST

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Flavoring THIS MONTH: #244 PICKLEBALL #245 BREAKDANCING #246 FROM BUDTENDER TO CEO

LISTEN EVERYWHERE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.

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Discover the best cannabis for you, powered by the most dependable ratings in the industry.

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interview

CHRISTINA LEITHEAD

A commercial fisherman and a schoolteacher raised this native of Kodiak.

At the age of nine, she started playing alto sax and eventually evolved from classical and concert scores to jazz, musical theater and unorthodox pieces. You might find her belting out songs at your local karaoke establishment tonight!

Follow her on Instagram @ak.leafhead.

YOU COME FROM A FAMILY OF COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN, THAT’S VERY ALASKAN. Yeah, my grandfather

did it for about seven years – but my dad and my uncle spent about 30 years in the industry. My uncle has passed and his name was written up in the Salty Dog, the Memorial in Homer, and Kodiak.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO BUDTENDING? In Kodiak, Cannabis

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wasn’t as accessible. So at the age of 21, I jumped in and applied at Uncle Herbs when I relocated to Anchorage.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE THE BIGGEST SMILE IN THE INDUSTRY? YOU SHOULD WIN AN AWARD FOR IT!

Aww, thank you. I definitely get that comment a lot. It paid off that I had braces for so long. And I love to smile.

We need more of it. ‘You’re never truly dressed without a smile’ – that’s a line from the musical ‘Annie.’

leafmagazines.com

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? Well, I have a

doppelganger dog named Timber, a Siberian Husky, and we love to explore the Alaskan outdoors. When I’m not with him, my passion is performing music – and now I take my skills to the public and perform as Cinna Marie, as well as working on events for artists and vendors as a coordinator. Also, of course, I love reviewing great Alaskan Cannabis products.

“I LOVE TO SMILE. WE NEED MORE OF IT. ”

WHO HAD THE MOST FUN OUT OF ANYONE AT THE 2023 ALASKA LEAF BOWL? Me!

ALASKA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH NOV. 2023

UNCLE HERBS 1213 OCEAN DR., HOMER UNCLEHERBS.COM @UNCLEHERBS_ANC (907)-235-HERB 8AM-11PM DAILY

STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTO by JILLIANNE FRELIN/SNAP D PHOTOGRAPHY Who’s your favorite budtender? Tell us why! Email nominations to ricker@leafmagazines.com

Cultivating Excellence At AKO Farms, cannabis thrives sustainably in a purpose-built facility, nurtured by nutrient-rich soil and cutting-edge technology. Our expertly timed harvesting and curing process yields award winning, terpene-rich flowers, defining excellence in the cannabis industry.

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Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with the consumption of marijuana.

For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Lic 16767

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glass art spotlight

@QUESTGLASS

Quest Glass

Glass Art by With a burning Quest Glass passion to get x Power Pat behind the flame, @_powerpat Johnny Quest received his first introduction to glassblowing when his mom gave him a Groupon for his 16th birthday to learn from Aaron Tate. At that same glass studio, Quest met Kevin Morris to help him with his initial foray into the glass realm.

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leafmagazines.com

"I am very inspired by the scene as a whole.

I have so many talented friends and am constantly finding new glassblowers that ‘wow’ me.”

nov. 2023

Being creative from a young age, Quest had been trying his hand at video editing for FPS games and enjoyed drawing particular glassblowing designs like Arik Krunk and Kevin Howell's wigwags.

Fast forward to 2023, and Quest has now carved his lane into the glass game – offering everything from gorgeous pendants with his signature "fleur" design and immaculate hammer pipes including silver fuming and thumbies, to scalloped glassware and his one-of-a-kind "floor perc."

This unique creation provides an unparalleled function where the water jets up through four holes through the bottom of the rig – hitting unlike any other piece of glass.

"I am very inspired by the scene as a whole. I have so many talented friends and am constantly finding new glassblowers that ‘wow’ me, which stokes me out. Inspirations like James Daschbach, Kevin McCulley, Cesare Toffolo, Mike Raman, Arik Krunk, Yuko Sorte, Davide Fuin, Chris Eberhardt, Chris Carlson and Pat Powers made me the person I am today," said Quest.

Quest holds it down in the streetwear industry, offering branded clothing and collaborating with homie Cary @allmyhatsaredead.

Additionally, Quest wants to give a big shout-out to Groovy Money and his mom for helping him get to where he is today.

"I am grateful to have found this path of glass so early on, and sharing it with people I've admired since I was a kid," said Quest.

Keep up with Quest on IG to see where you can find his work next, as he's constantly on the go and has his art regularly featured in renowned glass shows around the globe.

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTEDSTARDUST for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by @BOROPHOTOGRAPHER

Open 7 days a week 8am - 11pm

4901 E. Blue Lupine Dr. Ste. E Wasilla, AK 99654 907-631-3800

Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with the consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older.

Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. #10008

MARIJUANA HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA IMPAIRS CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGEMENT. DO NOT

cooking with cannabis

HOLIDAZE COOKIN' BRIE BITES

NOVEMBER HASHTAGS // #LaurieAndMaryJane #DontFearTheEdible #EatYourCannabis #BeKind | #Share #Herb+Spice

SERVES 5, 3 PER PERSON 15 mini frozen phyllo tart cups 2 tablespoons infused butter or oil, melted 8 ounces brie, cut in ¾ inch pieces 1/3 cup raspberry jam slivers of hot chili peppers (optional) 1. Heat oven to 340º F. Place the cups on a sheet pan covered with parchment. Brush the inside of each of the mini tart shells with the melted infused butter.

2. Place a piece of brie in each cup. Place a ½ teaspoon of jam on the cheese. Top with the slivers of pepper. Bake for 7- 9 minutes.

CRANBERRY CLUSTERFUX MAKES 15 CLUSTERS 12 ounce package white chocolate chips ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped if large ½ cup pecans, chopped 2 tablespoons infused butter, melted Shredded coconut (optional) 1. Line a sheet pan with parchment.

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2. Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on medium power for 1 minute.

Remove and stir. Continue melting for 10 second intervals until melted.

3. Add remaining ingredients except coconut.

4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coconut. Let set for at least 30 minutes.

ROOTS, SEEDS AND SOUP

leafmagazines.com

SERVES 6

LET’S BEGIN TO GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT! IT’S NOVEMBER, THERE’S A CHILL IN THE AIR … AND SOME CANNABIS THAT SEEKS TO WARM UP SOME OF YOUR FINEST COOKING PLANS. Last night I made a bunch of canna-butter using Forbidden Fruit, an indica-dominant strain that entices the eyes, treats the nose to tropical mango and grapefruit aromas, and tastes simply sweet and sublime. It’s relaxing but not overly so, with a glow that allows me to be rather productive. I have a recipe for a grapefruit sorbet and I’m thinking that this delightful strain will really make it shine. I’m going to infuse the sugar – it will make a superb palate cleanser. I will keep you posted. Laurie@Laurieandmaryjane.com

2 tablespoons infused oil, butter or infused equivalent 2 cups parsnips, peeled and cut in chunks 1 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in chunks 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper 6-7 cups vegetable broth 1/3 cup sour cream, Greek yogurt or crema Pepita seeds 1. Heat oven to 340º F. In a large baking dish, combine the vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoons of infused oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast until the vegetables are getting tender, stirring occasionally, approx. 45-50 minutes.

2. Place the vegetables in a large sauce pot and add the vegetable stock. Simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

3. Carefully purée the soup with either an immersion or regular blender. Be careful, and if using a regular blender, purée in small batches. Add more vegetable stock if too thick. Heat again a few minutes and divide among 6 bowls.

4. Drizzle sour cream over each bowl. Top with the pepitas.

nov. 2023

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF @LAURIEANDMARYJANE for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF @BRUCE_WOLF

nov. 2023

THE ENL IGHTENED VOICE

@REVERE GLASS

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

#152 | FEB. 2023

THE CULTURE ISSUE

EXCLUSIVE

CHEECH AND CHONG LEAF NATION'S BOBBY BLACK & MIKE RICKER INTERVIEW THE STONER COMEDY ICONS F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

THE ENL IGHTENED VOICE

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

#110 | AUG. 2023

THE PSYCHEDELIA ISSUE F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

THE ENL IGHTENED VOICE

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

# 5 5 | J U LY 2 0 2 3

THE

CONCENTRATES

F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

@EMILYEIZEN

From Arrest to Protest THE LEAF has always stood as a free publicaGrowing up in a Seattle suburb, weed was in a weird letion dedicated to medical patients and freedom for gal space. Seattle had decriminalized the plant and the few the plant, telling stories of healing and loss, and times I had interactions with cops and weed, it was only to sharing the truth as we see it through the lens of have it confiscated or be told to step on it, crushing a bag the sick and oppressed. of BC Bud into the dirt. But only a few months before my While today’s patients have a lot of options, in 21st birthday, as captain of the college tennis team and 2010 the best case scenario for MMJ seekers was business manager of the student newspaper, I was arrested laughter – and the worst, jail or death. I have interfor possession of a gram of “leafy vegetable matter.” viewed patients from prison and their deathbeds, It was a Wednesday in June, and my good friend Daniel and seen children with intractable epilepsy live Berman (our Leaf Creative Director) and my very preghealthy lives because their parents defied laws and nant girlfriend headed down to a local beach for a quiet big pharma to give their children a plant. bonfire. Our lives were changing, mine quite majorly, and The fight for access to a plant that heals, and so we lit a fire and Daniel and I each cracked a single to end a drug war that hurts, has often felt like a 24-ounce beer – preparing to smoke battle of good versus evil.

“Suddenly the very sad looking gram of weed we But it’s not that simple, because a bright had between the two of us. Suddenly our government and teachers and flashlight a bright flashlight lit us up and behind police officers told us that pot lit us up and the glare a cop appeared, smoking a was evil. The devil’s lettuce. The behind the glare cigar and wearing a cowboy hat. His gateway drug. A message repeated a cop appeared, partner had circled behind us, and with blindly and taught by DARE – one smoking a cigar a classic “we got ya” attitude, the cops that has to be reprogrammed, a and wearing a proceeded to arrest us. narrative that must be retold. cowboy hat.”

This was in a suburb and the local When the Leaf began in 2010, it high school had senior graduation was a project that I thought would that day, and these cops were the party patrol. While they take me to Law School – my own testament to couldn’t believe that we were in college, or that the pregfighting for the oppressed, which is what attracted nant woman wasn’t secretly drinking one of the two beers, me to using the law in defense of those wronged they arrested myself and Daniel before releasing us on the by the system itself. To date, this project has never beach with a court summons. stopped … instead spreading like the weed we Weeks later, as my mom cried while we waited for my once feared. Northwest Leaf has published an court hearing, she asked me a tough question: “Wesley, issue every single month in Washington since June is this what you want your life to be?” She did not like 2010, with our November 2023 Harvest Issue my answer, but it burned inside me like a fire. I told her being the 161st monthly issue. directly that I didn’t believe I deserved to be in court We’ve published in Oregon since 2014, Alaska for Cannabis. This planted the seeds for my belief that 2016, Maryland 2018, California and our eightnobody should lose their freedom or rights for a plant – state Northeast edition since 2020 – and now which would matter greatly when I was first introduced to Utah begins our first quarterly edition with the medical Cannabis. partnership of Salt Baked City.

DUSTIN REVERE X PYRO F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

THE GLASS ISSUE

@ CHRIS_DYER

<< From the first issue published in June 2010, the Leaf has existed to serve as advocacy journalism for a plant that has healed for millenia, and to right the wrongs of the War on Drugs which has criminalized a seed that is a gift to our human race.

#36 | APR. 2023

CAL I F O R N I A

ISSUE

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

@MARYLAND.CONNOISSEUR

rehashed TOS NPHO MA @BER

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HISTORY OF THE LEAF

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D V O I C E | 3 RD A N N I V E R S A R Y E D I T I O N

Available anywhere you listen to podcasts!

LISTEN TO LEAF LIFE PODCAST SHOW #238

THE HISTORY OF THE LEAF

THE ART & SCIENCE OF PAIRING CANNABIS & TASTY BEVERAGES

The Hash Frontier's Lemon Dough flower paired with color-changing Unicorn Butterfly Pea Vodka in a classic lemon drop cocktail.

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

@JOSHUABOULET

F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

See nearly 14 years of free and exclusive Cannabis journalism in our vast archive of past editions at Issuu.com/nwleaf and LeafMagazines.com. Toke. Read. Enjoy!

I lived a boy’s life growing up: Fishing and dirt-biking and generally being as risky as possible, without breaking bones or rules.

For my best friend David the limits were more fluid, and it wasn’t long after my pot arrest that he crashed in a motocross event and fractured his pelvis in three pieces. To put him in traction, doctors at a prominent Seattle hospital drilled a pencil-sized hole through his knee and then promptly overdosed him on morphine. He died and was resuscitated on the operating table, and they could not provide NORTHEAST him painkillers for the first two weeks of an incredibly painful recovery.

When I first saw David after the accident, he looked many years older – more frail and had more pills than I had ever seen. I snuck him off to get high and the Cannabis helped with his pain. He began pushing his father to allow him a medical Cannabis authorization and facing the prospect of long-term opiate dependence, David became one of the first minor medical Cannabis patients at age 17 (he was a few years younger than me) in Washington.

The plant healed him, helped him recover THE WEED & WELLNESS ISSUE without opiates, and turned us both into something more than just “stoners.” He began growing and after a trip to California for canna-tourism, he returned in a twist of fate with Cannabis magazines.

By this point I was 21, had a one-year-old daughter, and I’d left a Division 1 tennis scholarship behind and was splitting time between contracting as a builder and moving furniture. But when I saw the magazines writing about weed, I knew that it was something I could do – because Daniel and I had worked on our college paper, and David knew business. We outlined a plan over the winter for a first edition that would be distributed to the dozen or so MMJ collectives in Seattle, found a printer, and convinced David’s dad to loan us $1,600 to print the first issue of the Leaf. It was 16 pages and the same dimensions as this magazine you hold, but printed on newspaper and unstapled. It was a tabloid, it was underground, and it created a spark in the Seattle medical Cannabis scene that still burns today.

# 2 9 | J A N . 2 02 3

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

@KET.IMAGES

THE TANNINS & TERPENES ISSUE

Medical Roots

#89 | SEPT. 2023

@TONYSIMONELLI

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

“We believe in the right to grow Cannabis at home, and that homegrow doesn’t pose a threat to the medical industry. And we believe in the right for brands and companies to advertise and share their products – if we can allow big pharma companies to dominate television advertising, how does hiding the benefits of medical Cannabis products serve the patients of Utah?”

@BERMANPHOTOS

Fighting for Freedom Nationwide

At the Leaf, we believe that all use of Cannabis is medicinal – because it heals without causing harm. No other drug can make this claim. We believe that all people should be free to use Cannabis medically or recreationally, in any form, from topicals and tinctures to smoking flower.

We believe in the right to grow Cannabis at home, and that homegrow doesn’t pose a threat to the medical industry. And we believe in the right for brands and companies to advertise and share their products – if we can allow big pharma companies to dominate television advertising, how does hiding the benefits of medical Cannabis products serve the patients of our country?

Cannabis opens minds and generates empathy and understanding, so let’s lay down our stigmas and instead embrace our community, and end the War on Drugs that has caused so much harm. I have high hopes for Leaf Magazines and it is an honor to serve this beautiful state and community with Cannabis journalism. I hope and pray to do so for many years to come.

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | ART DIRECTION by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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Spenard 4707 Spenard Rd 907•339•9333

Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding. License #3a-11638 • #3a-23821 • #3a-31418

catalystcannabisco.com

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nov. 2023

THE harvest ISSUE

MAT-SU VALLEY

bonah-fide T

ucked away along a winding road in the Valley is a limited cultivation that has earned its title of Bonah-Fide with award-winning Cannabis and a legacy

that goes back to the ‘90s. Growing under a limited license is basically like the craft brewing version of beer, where the grower cares about the plants on a personal level. It’s how weed was grown for decades – underground, in an environment where it is being loved – despite being a secret affair. The plants do better when they are cared for and while it may sound like hippie legends, when you smoke weed that comes from a small garden versus weed that comes “INSIDE JONAH’S from a commercial grow, it LIMITED GROW feels and hits quite differently.

THAT RUNS LED Inside Jonah’s limited grow that LIGHTS AND runs LED lights and an efficient AN EFFICIENT rotation of space, he plays every ROTATION OF role from grower to trimmer, SPACE, HE PLAYS packager to salesman.

EVERY ROLE A true one-man band, his FROM GROWER garden cranks out top-shelf TO TRIMMER, Cannabis each harvest – PACKAGER TO sending his flower to select SALESMAN.” stores and trim to processors for concentrate collabs. You may have come across Jonah’s Blueberry – well known in Alaska for its rich and creamy sorbet flavor that smacks with a berry-forward brightness. It’s a classic for a reason, and if you happen to know the man behind the flower, you know he’s the kind of character you want growing your weed. With a friendly demeanor and a deep, hearty laugh, it’s this good energy that’s cultivating such great ganja and capturing the spirit of craft growing at its best.

>> STORY CONTINUES NEXT PAGE

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

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bonah-fide How does it feel to be growing weed legally?

I wanted to stay small because I didn’t want greed to overtake the spirit that I put into the weed. Cannabis gives what you put into it – I really feel that I'm the only one who works here, so I put all of me into it.

It’s what I love. I get to live my passion finally, and out in the open.

When did you first start growing? I’ve been growing since 1996 … the days of hidden bookshelves and secret elevators, and as a dirt excavator, I have dug a lot of holes in the ground out here in the Valley. I built this place originally as my man cave.

And where I park my dump trucks, and I ended up digging and designing and built this property to my needs to grow.

You are a team of one! What’s that like?

Literally from seed to shelf. I grow it and trim it, I’ve touched every piece that goes onto the shelf. If there's something I’m not happy with, I don’t sell it.

And I don’t feel like I work a single day. I come here seven days a week, but I don’t work because I do what I love. After living in the dark, being a secret squirrel for so long that even my friends didn’t know I grew weed – it was living a double life. Back in the old ways the only safe way to be, was not to be a big ego. Today this place is growing organically – in the sense of as the weed grows, so does the business.

What is different about how you grow and distribute your Cannabis? I’m not interested in a sale – I’m interested in the business relationship with the shops that I do work with. This is small handcraft Cannabis, grown by hand, and it’s not meant to be everywhere commercially. I've known this Blueberry strain for a really long time and have an ongoing relationship “THIS IS SMALL with this strain, and my plants. They HAND-CRAFT rely on me and I rely on them – it's a CANNABIS, symbiotic relationship for sure.

GROWN BY HAND, AND IT’S NOT MEANT TO BE EVERYWHERE COMMERCIALLY.”

Is there a quality difference between craft and commercial Cannabis? I always compare it to Mrs. Field’s pie. I imagine that when she was making those pies, they were amazing – whereas now she got bought out by some massive corporation that produces them, and you know it’s not the same Mrs. Field’s pies as when she was making it.

You also have a project to grow vegetables, which makes you a true farmer! I’m working on a commercial vegetable garden down below, so that all my runoff water can go down to water the vegetables. All the root balls can get tilled into that garden and I reuse a lot of the material from it, with no pesticides – just like with my Cannabis. There’s so many other options, from bugs to natural ways. I want to have a greenhouse and summer open-air vegetables to provide fresh produce to the local community – with my own version of Blueberries for adults!

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

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MAT-SU VALLEY

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thenoble K dudes

risterfer Byers began growing before he was an adult, operating a closed-loop hydrocarbon system at only age 17 – ultimately leading him into the legal market as the owner/operator of a limited cultivation called The

Noble Dudes. Byers followed his passion to grow and process Cannabis through the black market and when he turned 21, began the transition to go legal. His entire adult life has been focused on the mission to cultivate and process the best weed possible, and after seven years in the game, The Noble Dudes is setting a shining example for craft Cannabis at scale. We sat down over Zoom to discuss his love for the plant and hear how the hand-crafted scale of a limited grow, that’s literally in the backyard, has led to Leaf Bowl award-winning products. >> STORY CONTINUES NEXT PAGE

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Cody Hobson & Kristerfer Byers STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

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How old were you when you first started growing and extracting Cannabis? I started extracting at 17 – I had a small, closed-loop hydrocarbon system and was growing too. The reason I started extracting was the low quality on the black market – everything was black or tarry and I didn’t feel like it was healthy to smoke any of those things. So I chose to do it the correct way and fell in love with it!

the Valley with my grandparents and we found a really nice property with a big excavation shop that had already been built. So I took my savings – and it was a loan from Green Jar – that really got me started to where I am today.

When did you go legal? As soon as I turned 21 I was putting in paperwork to go legal – this was in 2017. I knew that Cannabis was what I wanted to do with my life, so it was either black market or the legal market … and I knew that the future was going legal.

How did it feel when you first harvested and shared your weed with the legal market, and what's your favorite part of growing legally? It was a scary feeling at first because you don’t know what other people are going to think, but after the first couple harvests it became comfortable. My favorite part is being

You chose to go with a limited growing license, meaning 500 square feet of canopy, which is basically the craft-scale license.

How did you make it happen? I moved out to

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able to put a reputation behind the products that I make – being able to be proud instead of hiding.

That’s why we called the grow Noble Dudes, because we wanted to be the guys who did things right, and for our name to represent that.

Do you feel like a limited grow with handson experience makes for happier plants?

We grow in a coco base and have a drip hydro-

“MY FAVORITE PART IS BEING ABLE TO PUT A REPUTATION BEHIND THE PRODUCTS THAT I MAKE – BEING ABLE TO BE PROUD, INSTEAD OF HIDING. THAT’S WHY WE CALLED THE GROW NOBLE DUDES, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE THE GUYS WHO DID THINGS RIGHT, AND FOR OUR NAME TO REPRESENT THAT.”

ponic cycle for feeding, but we still hand water.

I could have switched to an automatic watering system, but I really like being close to every single plant, every day. We have between 300 to 450 plants growing at any time and I get to see what’s happening in real time … the garden is only 40 feet from my back door. Growing from home is one of the coolest things I could do …

I’m sitting around lights and plants all day and we breathe their food, so every minute we can be around the plants is another minute they’re doing better.

What do you look for when selecting genetics to grow? It’s quality above all else.

I know a lot of people look for quantity, but it’s a quality game. It’s gotta be frosty, dense, and taste and smell great. We grow Frosted Cherry Cookies, Barry White, Sunset Sorbet, Tropicana Punch and many more. We like to mix up the lineup and are always looking for new strains – whether popping seeds or working with other breeders.

What’s the best part of growing and processing your own Cannabis? I love processing from my own grow because I can guarantee the quality, but we also process for other farms.

I love the pour when we process – it’s just a beautiful sight when you get to pour out the oil into a container. And for growing, it’s gotta be

the harvest. When you spend three to four months growing something and you finally get to cut it down, it feels so good and makes it real. From start to finish we are soil to oil, and we’re touching every part of the process.

After seven years, does it still feel like living the dream each day? At the end of the day, this is a family-run business and we make it our responsibility to care for and ensure the quality of every single plant. That’s why we keep doing it – because people love our quality, and I want to keep pursuing that dream and learning more as the industry grows. I can’t say this will be a forever career for me, because life changes – but this is what I love to do!

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

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“WE’RE IN THIS BECAUSE WE CARE A LOT ABOUT THE PRODUCTS WE ARE PRODUCING. SO WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE SHARE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS MEETS OUR STANDARDS EVERY TIME.”

ANCHORAGE

secret garden nter the not-so-hush-hush Secret Garden in Anchorage for an in-person opportunity to gaze into an active grow room where plants are budding – but make sure to stick around for the dozens of in-house cultivars and cartridges that are sure to delight even the pickiest of strain hunters.

E

Secret Garden is a vertically-integrated operation that was hand designed and built by owner James Thornton and his family, with the goal of serving the community and industry with transparency and professionalism. Entering into the beautiful showroom retail location highlights this vision, giving customers a view into an active grow room to watch our favorite plants in action. Education is a major focus for the company, where customers are encouraged to ask questions about the growing process,

or smell CO2 extracted terpenes to learn more about favorite strains and the entourage effect of cannabinoids and terpenes.

Today the facility has a team of 40+ whose dedication and commitment to quality is what keeps the operation running smoothly. With several thousand plants in various stages of growth at any given time, plus an ever-busy extraction lab and edibles kitchen, the team has its hands full in the best of ways – turning Cannabis into delicious concentrates and gummies for a dedicated fan base. We sat down with Thornton to talk about his vision for Secret Garden, the amazing team behind the scenes, and his passion for lifting up the community of Fairview through outreach and high quality, affordable Cannabis. >> STORY CONTINUES NEXT PAGE

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

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SECRETGARDEN

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What was the inspiration for the name Secret Garden? A Secret Garden is how I started growing in Girdwood, because we were forced to hide it. In general, Cannabis has been something that people had to keep secret – so I feel that really resonated with a lot of people.

It’s ironic because your garden isn’t a secret, and you can view the plants from the retail store! Now that it’s legal, it's important to showcase what we do and how we do it – to show people the process of how the plants grow.

It aids in destigmatization and normalization. It’s just a plant that has so many amazing properties that we want to share with the world. Since day one, creating a facility that could focus on education and information for people who had no idea about Cannabis or were interested to learn more.

In the past, the knowledge about Cannabis – especially growing – was kept underground. Why do you want to change that?

Licensed cultivators have one of the hardest jobs in the industry, and it’s not easy, but anyone can grow a plant. I wanted to build out a design that allowed us a safe and sanitary way to showcase to our clients what we do – because we don’t have any secrets, everything is completely opensource and we’ll share the knowledge we have with anyone. As well as the back of house, where we want to have tours – not just for politicians and agencies to show that this is a normal business – but to explain how we do things. We don’t

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just bring anyone inside the actual garden spaces, due to potential contamination – so having the viewing windows into all the grow rooms is a point of pride for our team!

You have a big team, over 40 on staff! How do they help make the dream possible? We have the coolest team and while this facility is amazing, it's nothing without the amazing people who make it work every day. We care about each other and support each other, just like the plants.

We grow a plant here that speaks to us, we listen, and we care about our own quality of life and the plants’ quality of life – it’s a full circle, including the community. It only works if it all works together. And while not everyone in the industry shares that sentiment, I’m proud that it’s how we operate and will continue to.

How has your work in the community changed your views as a Cannabis operator?

This business has always been a community-minded effort. I’m so blessed and proud to work with so many creative and talented, amazing human beings – and that extends to the community we operate in: Fairview. When I found this place it was a dilapidated warehouse in a low-income neighborhood, but through this process I learned that there's a lot of amazing people in Fairview, and

How does education play into your selection? A lot of consumers look for high potency as their benchmark for what they purchase. We try to steer the conversation more towards the entourage effect of cannabinoids and terpenes.

Before it was legal you didn’t ask for THC – but you knew great weed would smell and taste fantastic, and get you really high. And just like the Pepsi challenge, I guarantee if you took away THC percentDo you feel like having a Cannabis ages the industry would change. So we company that cares has helped really want to get people more educated, Fairview? I feel like Secret Garden has and oftentimes our budget eighths are been a positive influence in the neighlower in THC but high in terpenes and borhood, and we go above and beyond have great effects, so we give people a to let people know that we care about chance to try for themselves. We always more than just selling them Cannabis. We have higher-THC products care about their quality of too, but our Secret Garden life – working with individuals “AS A GUIDING products, whether gummies and meeting them where they PRINCIPLE OF or flower or cartridges, are stand, making an emotional THIS BUSINESS, the most affordable on the investment in their wellbeing, I’VE FOUND IT A menu. And in our opinion, and fighting for resources PARALLEL TO NOT the highest quality! and ultimately what’s right.

ONLY FIGHT FOR With the community’s supOUR COMMUNITY, What guides your port, we can do a lot more BUT ALSO FOR vision as you head into for the neighborhood, and CANNABIS. the future? One of our help right the wrongs for a IT’S THE SAME taglines is ‘Perfection is our population that has been Passion’ … that’s guided our disenfranchised and underSTRUGGLE.” development of these facilrepresented for decades. ities and the protocols and procedures to ensure that the product goYou’ve dedicated a lot of energy toing out meets our standards. We are the wards having a big menu selection consumers first, our families, and then our and maintaining a quality $25 eighth clients. We’re in this because we care a on it every day. How has Secret lot about the products we are producing.

Garden used vertical integration to So we’re going to make sure that whatprovide high-quality budget-friendever we share with our customers meets ly Cannabis? While a lot of Cannabis our standards every time, and myself and businesses are focused on money, this is the team take a lot of pride in that. I can a passion project for me. We wanted to sleep good at night knowing that my team provide our customers with a high-quality has the exact same passion and mission product at the most affordable rate in as I do. We’re all in it together! town. And starting during the pandemic, we’ve offered $25 eighths as a very high-quality product our customers can SECRETGARDENCANNABIS.COM count on. @SECRETGARDENAK a stigma that doesn’t have as much basis in reality as people think. These stigmas are similar to those about Cannabis, and the stigmas about low-income neighbors have pretty prejudicial foundations. So as a guiding principle of this business, I’ve found it a parallel to not only fight for our community, but also for Cannabis. It’s the same struggle.

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by STUART CONSULTING & MARKETING @STUART.CONSULTING

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UH OH, I’VE CROSSED THE LINE. Boy, am I gonna get my ass kicked now. I stated the opinion that everyone else is thinking, but is too afraid to actually voice … at least openly in public. And the last thing you want to do is belittle the thing to which these irrefutable enthusiasts attach their identity – because if you insult the motorcycle, you insult the person riding it. And that’s a surefire way to get stuck in the gut by a Hell’s Angel, Altamont style.

Hey, Harley Rider: I get it. You want people to think you’re a lion in the jungle, that your ear-curdling roar induces tingles of hair-raising fear. And that you just don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks. Which is ironic. Because it would appear that you care very much about what everyone thinks, otherwise your motor would be muffled. Intent on convincing us that you’re unconventional – a rebel, unique, fringe, anti-establishment. It’s just that it’s hard to be persuaded when the company you fiercely endorse had a spreadsheet of over $5 billion in revenue last year.

Now, motorcycles are cool. And if it’s not raining, they make an exciting form of transportation. It’s liberating when the sativa-soaked sun shines on your face with the unbridled summer wind sweeping your body while you harness a stout speed machine. And what do I care if your favorite pastime is standing around inspecting one another’s saddles like dogs sniffing their buddy’s backside?

To each his own.

But could you turn down the volume a little? It’s irritating when your conversation is jolted by a passing DC-10 on the street, that’s all.

Note: This never applies to a lady on a Harley. Baddies on bikes are always awesome, no matter what – and have a license to crank their volume any time they feel overcome with the need to express themselves.

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