THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
# 4 9 | M AY 2 0 2 0
The Seed to Sale Issue
FREE /AKLEAF.COM
INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
Ceramic* tablets pre-dosed with full-spectrum THC for a convenient, consistent vaporization experience.
* Dab Tabs are made from 100% USA ceramic. (Not from China)
the SEED TO SALE issue
FEATURES 11 EDITOR NOTE 12 NATIONAL NEWS 14 FRONTIER FARMERS PALMER 16 MATANUSKA CANNABIS CO. 20 SECRET GARDEN Q&A 24 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 26 SEED TO SALE SPECIAL 34 PLANT PEOPLE PROFILES 40 MOMO’S BAKERY BOINGOS 42 GOOD AK GG#4 WAX 44 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
MAY 2020
26 medford, oregon is home to urban pharms, which took us on a seed to sale exploration this month.
PHOTO by URBAN PHARMS @URBAN.PHARMS
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
ABOUT THE COVER
For our first-ever Seed to Sale Issue, we set out with the noble task of documenting Cannabis at every step of the production process, literally, from the beautiful moment of sprouting from the ground all the way to the drying and curing and stocking at the retail store and eventually, in your hands at home. Enjoy the journey... Photo by Professor P @ProfessorP420
CONTRIBUTORS
PUBLISHER
Michael Consalo Features Boom Media Photos Tom Bowers Features Steve Elliott National News Simone Fischer Features Brandon Palma Illustration Jeff Porterfield Design Meghan Ridley Editing Pacer Stacktrain Features Laurie & Bruce Wolf Recipes
WES ABNEY | founder & editor-in-chief Wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com
STATE DIRECTOR AND ADVERTISING joshua stahle | ADVERTISING SALES Josh@AKLeaf.com | 907-317-2536
We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the Seed to $ale issue of the Leaf! April showers bring May flowers, and while it feels like we have all been showered in bad news, there is hope for our future. We are still here, experiencing each day, quarantined or not. Life is a gift - that’s why they call it the present - and it’s one we should never take for granted. I love that Cannabis is alive too! A plant whose purpose is to make us feel better. You can’t say the same for pharmaceuticals. And Cannabis makes me feel extra alive, especially in these strange times, which is worthy of praise and gratitude.
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THERE’S SO MUCH THAT HAPPENS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING PEOPLE SUPERBLY BAKED, AND IT ALL BEGINS WITH A SEED.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the frontline Cannabis industry workers still showing up to bring medicine and relief to consumers around the country. While Cannabis is a humble plant, it takes a lot of people to bring it to market, and I salute every essential Cannabis worker as we help to make the plant, and planet, better. Please be kind to your budtender and support your local Cannabis retailer. You’ll be sure to leave feeling uplifted!
There’s so much that happens in the process of getting people superbly baked, and it all begins with a seed. Join us as we track a seed all the way through the steps of the Oregon Cannabis industry, and check out our Plant People special as we profile amazing individuals who help turn plants into products across our five states of Leaf magazines. A special thank you goes out to Nate Williams and Tom Bowers for spending the better part of a year documenting the process of seed to sale. Without Nate’s vision, we wouldn’t have this amazing story to share. I hope that as you read this you can find a glimmer of hope, and it can be as simple as taking a toke while enjoying this magazine. Thanks for reading, please give us a follow on social media, and stay safe!
-Wes Abney mAY 2020
AKLEAF.COM
NORTHWEST LEAF / OREGON LEAF / ALASKA LEAF / MARYLAND LEAF / CALIFORNIA LEAF
WES
national news
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million dollars was spent by the Cannabis industry lobbying lawmakers on Capitol Hill in 2019 for access to banking, a rise of $2 million since 2018.
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US Senators are requesting that Cannabis businesses be eligible for assistance in the next coronavirus aid package, efforts backed by nearly three dozen US House Representatives.
CANNABIS LOBBY PRESSES FOR PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS he Cannabis lobby is seeking aid for small businesses in the next coronavirus pandemic relief package, reports The Hill. Marijuana businesses have already gotten some help at the state level. Twenty states, D.C. and Puerto Rico are allowing medical Cannabis dispensaries to stay open during the pandemic. Eight states allow both medical and recreational facilities to operate. Cannabis industry groups are now pushing for more states to allow legal marijuana outlets to remain open and are seeking funds in state aid packages. But the push for federal help, while the federal government still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, hasn’t yet made any headway. The $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill passed by Congress in March prohibits Cannabis businesses from receiving any small business loans. That’s unfair, according to Cannabis groups - and they are pushing to change that in the next aid package.
east coast
MARYLAND WOMAN ALLEGEDLY CAUGHT TRANSPORTING 100 POUNDS OF WEED
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percent more Cannabis was sold in March 2020 than in March 2019, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
Maryland woman allegedly caught with 100 pounds of marijuana prompted authorities to remind the public that they continue to investigate crimes and make arrests during the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Philly Voice. Upper Merion Police and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau investigated. According to Montgomery County D.A. Kevin Steele, Kayla Messinese of Edgewater had tried to use the COVID-19 outbreak as an “opportunity to transport a large amount of marijuana.” Detectives followed Messinese to a parking garage where she met with two people to allegedly complete the transaction and they arrested her, authorities said. Investigators said they found three duffel bags in her car, each filled with vacuum-sealed bags of Cannabis. Cops claimed the 100 pounds of weed had a street value of $200,0000.
MAY 2020
63 10,000
million dollars is the amount spent by Arkansas medical Cannabis patients since the first dispensary opened in May 2019.
pounds of medical marijuana have now been sold in a new threshold for the still burgeoning Arkansas medicinal Cannabis industry, at a cost of more than $63 million, across 21 operational dispensaries.
quoted
COVID-19
T
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17
billion dollars is the projected amount of retail Cannabis sales in the U.S. in 2020, according to BDS Analytics.
“Marijuana has been illegal and demonized for decades.” - Karen O’Keefe, Marijuana Policy Project director of state policies. “In a lot of states, it went from being illegal to essential in a short amount of time,” she told NPR. economy
HUNDREDS OF PENNSYLVANIA JOBS GOING UNFILLED
M
edical Cannabis organizations in Pennsylvania, designated ‘essential’ and ‘life-sustaining businesses’ by the state during the coronavirus pandemic, say a bottleneck has prevented them from hiring hundreds of employees, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer. Unemployment has hit more than one in six Pennsylvanians since the shutdowns began. But legal Cannabis businesses say they are strugUNEMPLOYMENT HAS HIT MORE gling to fill jobs left open by quarantined workers who either may have the coronavirus, or THAN ONE IN SIX need to care for an ailing loved one. PENNSYLVANIANS Hiring is frozen because prospective employees can’t get the required FBI criminal backSINCE THE SHUTDOWNS ground checks and drug tests. Many of the offices that processed fingerprints are closed BEGAN. due to being deemed ‘non-essential.’
health
D.C. ALLOWS MMJ DELIVERIES AND CURBSIDE PICKUPS Washington, D.C. now allows Cannabis dispensaries to provide delivery service and curbside pickups to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Marijuana Business Daily. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a democrat, has signed an emergency rule allowing dispensaries to deliver and provide curbside pickups until August 12. Medical Cannabis businesses in D.C. were already considered ‘essential,’ so they were allowed to stay open during the crisis.
legalization
VIRGINIA DECRIMINALIZES CANNABIS
V
irginia will be “a more fair, just and more equal place” now that simple marijuana possession has been decriminalized, according to state attorney general Mark Herring. “Decriminalization is an incredibly important first step, and one that many thought we may never see in Virginia, but we cannot stop until we have legal and “DECRIMINALIZATION IS AN INCREDIBLY regulated adult use,” Herring said. FIRST Gov. Ralph Northam signed the decriminalization legislation into law in April. The IMPORTANT STEP, AND ONE THAT new law does away with criminal charges for simple possession and creates a $25 MANY THOUGHT WE MAY NEVER SEE IN civil penalty. It also creates a workgroup to study legalization, which will eventually VIRGINIA...” release a report on its findings.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
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the SEED TO SALE issue
Growing in a pandemic While many people are trying to find a way to keep their doors open, Cannabis growers like Frontier Farmers are waking up to business as usual.
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Josh Hunter, manager and grower at Frontier Farmers in Palmer
Cannabis businesses are not eligible to receive financial aid from banks via the federal government, as they are still considered federally illegal. So, any expenses for these guys are coming out of pocket - at least for now. On a more positive note, Josh had a chance to talk with me about their YouTube channel and “Grower’s Guide” - a series of videos aimed at helping new growers understand Cannabis. “Growing weed is easy,” says Josh. “It will grow outside - but growing great weed takes skill, knowledge and experience. We’re not giving out all the “I RECENTLY MOVED into a house across from my grow secrets, but it should help people become more so I don’t go anywhere else really. It’s easy for me to wake happy with their products.” up and be in my own little bubble,” explains Josh Hunter, Frontier Farmers started these videos a few manager and grower at Frontier Farmers in Palmer. months ago and have built a small library in part“I go to work and come back home, outside of a couple nership with Michael C. Marketing. deliveries or paying bills.” With social distancing and federal “We have an awesome marketing guy that helps protocols for Covid-19 in full swing, Cannabis businesses us get out there in the market and produce our have been fortunate enough to remain open. Granted, there YouTube videos. He helped us to think outside the are still challenges. box, so we came up with these videos together. “Getting cashier checks, paying bills, and getting ahold of There are so many little parts to producing great “Cannabis businesses companies we need right now are just a couple problems,” weed such as curing, watering, nutrients, cloning, are not eligible to said Josh. choosing strains and more,” explained Josh. receive financial aid “Although, I have seen some great business changes to “We try to talk about what products we use, how from banks via the make things easier for us, like MEA [Matanuska Electric we use them and why,” Josh said. “We have a federal government, Association, Inc.], but it’s still pretty crazy.” Josh’s received lot of knowledge to share and we want people to as they are still considassistance when their payment system was in flux - but with a avoid all those problems.” ered federally illegal.” simple call ahead - he was able to pay with no problem. Josh plans on continuing to provide these invalu“All these government policies and protocols are crazy and changing able pieces of grow knowledge. “We hope to keep doing these really fast,” emphasized Josh. “We’re doing whatever we can to keep our videos and reach more people. With veterans out there needing people healthy, because we can’t afford to pay someone’s payroll for 10 care, new growers getting supplies in Alaska and a thriving Cannaweeks if they get sick. It’s a big deal and things are changing fast.” bis community, we’re hoping viewers take advantage of this.” F R O N T I E R FA R M E R S . C O M | Y O U T U B E S E A R C H F R O N T I E R FA R M E R S A L A S K A
MAY 2020
STORY by MICHAEL CONSALO for ALASKA LEAF
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One day at a time
16
Matanuska Cannabis Co. Navigates the New World of Cannabis and Covid-19
aklEAF.COM
It’s easy to look around our community and see the economic impact of Covid-19, in just a few weeks. Shops closed “till further notice”, events cancelled or postponed and kids are home, much to their parent’s dismay. This is our world now, driving cautiously from home to work with little in between and staying home with our families. Sounds nice at first, but we all know it can’t last. Especially for the Cannabis industry. I HAD A CHANCE to talk with Chad Ragsdale, owner of Matanuska Cannabis Co. and the now waiting MCC Flight, which is a finished building sitting on a lot, waiting for the end of the crisis. Over the phone, Chad talked with me about the changes, expectations and surprises so far. “We jumped on this right away with extra cleaning and gloves, and we even had people wait on a bench if too many customers were in the store,” recalled Chad, explaining that he had his staff alert and prepared as they went into action fast. “We were one of the first places to start pulling back because I had a feeling this issue could grow,” Ragsdale said. “We thought we might have to close, so we ran a sale, but then the governor released the mandate. After closer examination and discussions with our lawyer, we came to the conclusion we could stay open.”
MAY 2020
MATANUSKA CANNABIS CO. not only shortened their hours, they also reduced staff from 11 people to four, increased cleaning protocols, implemented the use of masks, eliminated any menus handled by hand, and installed plexiglas in their ‘cage.’ But just how did customers react to these changes? “We’ve had a crazy amount of people that don’t believe this is a real situation,” said Chad. “They’ve been very vocal to myself and the budtenders and it’s disappointing. Thankfully, my team has been amazing during this entire process. They’ve been patient, understanding and calm in all situations despite the challenges.” Matanuska Cannabis Co. is not the first to mention customers having an attitude. Numerous posts on ACR (the Alaska Cannabis Review Facebook page used by many in the industry) from budtenders “I spend most of my day just are flooding news feeds, with making sure we are followdiscussions of kindness and ing the most current guidepatience. lines and mandates from “We’re simply following the guidelines, but if people the State and CDC for our don’t believe this is real, business to stay open. I’m they’ve had a little edge to in contact with my attorney them,” Chad said. constantly and I’m working “It’s important to us to to make sure the informaprotect our staff and customers. We’ve encouraged tion I get is accurate from people to be kind no matter the CDC or Alaska DHSS.” where they are shopping. CHAD RAGSDALE | OWNER People are allowed to have MATANUSKA CANNABIS CO. feelings and opinions, but we need to follow guidelines to stay open.” Like many situations, this problem has created two sides: the people who seem to be staying at home, overly cautious of infecting their families, and then the people who simply believe it’s all a hoax or not as bad as the media says. I think we can all agree that the mass public media and social media have not helped U.S. citizens, or their businesses, during this trying time. Here, misinformation plagues business owners and consumers alike. “A huge thing I’ve learned is that it’s important to stay on top of the information regarding Covid-19,” Chad continued. “I spend most of my day just making sure we are following the most current guidelines and mandates from the State and CDC for our business to stay open. I’m in contact with my attorney constantly and I’m working to make sure the information I get is accurate from the CDC or Alaska DHSS. At this point I’m hoping things can recover quickly. I am glad the state government took action to keep people safe, but there is more work to be done. We will need options in the Cannabis industry if things start getting completely shut down.” Chad is right. If Cannabis businesses have to completely shut down it could be horrific. While people have this perception that Cannabis businesses are ‘killin it,’ they have more regulation and red tape than I’ve ever seen. No ability to deliver, limited customer base, strict advertising rules, limited sponsorship opportunities and being cash only makes owning a business in this industry complicated to say the least. Hopefully Chad’s second location - MCC Flight - will be able to open in late May or June, but only time will tell. Until then, there’s a building on a lot with rent due, and little help is in sight. M ATA N U S K AC A N N A B I S . CO M
STORY by MICHAEL CONSALO for ALASKA LEAF
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(1) "Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive;” (2) "Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence;” (3) "There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana” (4) "For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children;” and (5) "Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding;”
SHOP REVIEW
SECRET GARDEN How this Anchorage Cannabis shop is encouraging social distancing and best practices for the safety of their customers and staff members
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Q&A | Owner James Thornton Let’s talk a little bit about how Secret Garden came to be. What inspired you to open up your facility? Cannabis is a plant I strongly believe in. Its applications and uses are so numerous that I believe we have yet to tap into its full potential. The prohibition and stigmatization of Cannabis since the war on drugs began, really held back our ability to advance Cannabis education through research and development over the years. Now that many states have legalized Cannabis and its values and benefits are more openly acknowledged, I feel like we are entering a new Cannabis renaissance. This new age will come with its share of challenges, including the attempted corporatization of Cannabis and Cannabis culture. I truly hope that with its challenges, this new age will facilitate a better understanding of the plant we love so much, its compounds and our physiological relationship with them. My personal journey with Cannabis began in college when I was introduced while hanging out with friends. Immediately, I felt its effects were complimentary to my artistic and athletic hobbies. As time moved on, the need for a consistent supply of Cannabis that had the attributes I was looking for became elevated. 726 E 15TH AVE, ANCHORAGE (907) 748-9333 SECRETGARDENCANNABIS.COM OPEN 8AM-MIDNIGHT DAILY
MAY 2020
At that point, I began growing my own flower in the personal use market - a Secret Garden. I know it was a long journey to get the facility to be what it is today. Has it turned out like you envisioned it would be in the beginning, or was there a lot of change along the path? Unforeseen changes are something you become very accustomed to when building out a commercial Cannabis facility in Anchorage. Thanks to many skilled and knowledgeable craftsman and women, laborers, and tried and true SGC crew, the Secret Garden has surpassed my expectations of what we could accomplish here. Let’s pivot to the recent events that have taken the world by storm. You have been extremely proactive implementing safety procedures as the situation has unfolded. What steps have you taken to help improve the health and safety of your clients and employees? The COVID-19 pandemic has really challenged our collective definition of ‘normal life’ and made all of us realize how truly fragile life can be. At this time, not knowing what the future holds is a very surreal experience for all of us, whether at home or at work. When the reports of escalating coronavirus cases worldwide
started coming in and it seemed inevitable that it would come to Alaska, we took it very seriously. We closed our showroom to the public shortly thereafter and began selling product through our retail entry windows exclusively. This sales option had previously been added to our operating plan and approved through the State Marijuana Control Board, so we were good to go. Position markers were installed to help with customer distancing. We gathered up as much fabric as was available and cut bandanas and face coverings to be available upon request for customers in need, as well as installing a foaming sanitizer dispenser in the retail entry room. One customer came into the retail entry room with toilet paper in his nose. He took bandanas home for his whole family. Sanitation standards have been of the utmost priority at the Garden since we opened our doors and began operating three licenses last summer, 2019. COVID-19 only fortified our standards and added more purpose to our protocols. Gloves and facial coverings became a requirement for employees in the retail store, along with hourly surface wipe downs. Staff facility-wide was strongly encouraged to wear facial coverings early on as well. Social distancing and group gathering limit signage was installed in the front and back of the house, and employees were asked to follow CDC guidelines on frequent hand washing or sanitizing.
Six feet apart, please
Any employees reporting illness or exposure to other ill relatives or friends were asked to stay home until they felt better and were symptom free for at least 72 hours, when the mandate called for 24 hours. If any of the symptoms were COVID related, we asked that they not return until receiving negative test results. Luckily no one has tested positive. What made you put these procedures into place so early? My number one focus at the Garden is the health and wellbeing of our staff and clients, so with even a slight probability that COVID would come knocking, we wanted to do everything in our power to not only protect our vulnerable and elderly populations, Front desk clerks but also continue to provide safe access to regulated masked, behind glass Cannabis products. How has your staff reacted to the changes? Everyone working at the Garden has taken the mandates and new internal protocols very seriously. Their professionalism and dedication through these times has been noble. I’m very proud of my team’s ability to stay positive and perform at such a high level during this world changing event.
"I’m very proud of my team’s ability to stay positive and perform at such a high level during this world changing event."
Have the store’s customers been supportive of the actions? For the most part our customers seemed to appreciate our early response to the impending outbreak, and many of them started wearing masks on their own when visiting the Garden. Not everyone agrees, but -Owner James Thornton most people at least understand that we are looking out for them by changing the way we do business. We have had very few complaints about the new sanitation protocols, social distancing requirements and reduced customer interactions. Personally, I miss the candy bowl. Looping back to the journey that it has been from the start of your vision to where you are now, what are you most proud of at this point? Right now, I can only think of all the amazing people who have worked through this pandemic. When most have watched the news from the uncomfort of their own home, they have gone to work under stressful conditions to keep our society functioning in crisis mode. Thank you for keeping a cool head and showing the world what Alaskans are made of!
Finally, if there were one thing you would want everyone to know about Secret Garden and the people who put in the hard work to make it all happen, what would it be? Sorry Josh, it’s a secret.
INTERVIEW by JOSHUA STAHLE / ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by JAMES THORNTON
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/greenjarak
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STRAIN OF THE MONTH aklEAF.COM
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IS H T ITH F O W L T I W O G H HIP, B A TIN W ND G S ’ T I N N I E M K A G O KE M THE S OF M O S LI R W TO AVE S EL NDE G IN H W A. E F I WO CKIN WIT HOR Y P A CR BOD Y EU D APP N A H MAY 2020
WONDER
WOMAN
GROWN BY SWEET MATANUSKA GREEN
I t ’ s a b o u t t i m e w e h a d a s u p e r h e r o s t r a i n n a m e d a ft e r a w o m a n , a s w e a l l l o v e t h e fe m a l e e n e r g y o f C a n n a b i s t h a t p r o d u c e s s u c h l o v e l y f l o w e r s . Wonder Woman is a heroic power plant worthy of the title, growing impressively while in flower and producing large and beautiful buds. The finished nugs are equally thick, with medium density and a classic round bud structure that looks undoubtedly strong in a bag or jar. Opening the packaging releases bright orange and lemon fuel aromas, with a deep earthy skunk scent lurking in the background. Smoking a bowl of this feels like getting hit with Wonder Woman’s whip, cracking into the mind and body with waves of happy euphoria. A uniquely balanced hybrid, this 20.81% THC strain is perfect for any time of day - after all, superheroes don’t take breaks. No matter what activity is chosen while channeling this awesome power, it’s a great one because you’ll be blissfully stoned. This lovely feeling will last for several hours before an easy come down, unless you decide to crack the whip again!
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS | SWEETMATANUSKAGREEN.COM
the SEED TO SALE issue
1 PROPAGATION/PLANTING 2 PLANT CARE 3 HARVEST 4 DRY + CURE 5 TRIMMING 6 PRE-ROLL MANUFACTURE 7 BHO & CO2 EXTRACTION 8 SOLVENTLESS EXTRACTION 9 EDIBLE PRODUCTION 10 TESTING THE PRODUCTS 11 PACKAGING & FULFILLMENT 12 EDUCATION & CONSUMPTION
Seed to $ale
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For most of its modern history as a medicine and recreational consumable, Cannabis remained shrouded in mystery. Patients and stoners alike found vague answers to prying questions: What strain is this? Not sure - the guy called it Purple Princess. How high will this brownie get me? One will get you pretty high, two will get you really high. Where did this come from? BC, I think. Wait, no - Humboldt?
aklEAF.COM
Every step from behind Prohibition’s curtain offers clearer answers. Now, with two thirds of the United States employing some form of legalization or decriminalization, tracking systems and testing requirements have made it possible to follow - and track - a product from the geneticist who bred the seed all the way to the joint in a patient’s hand. For more than a year, our editorial staff has been working closely with Oregon breeder Hermetic Genetics, cultivator Urban Pharms and distributor The Sweet Life, in order to track a locally bred strain from seed to consumption. It has taken a monumental amount of work and logistical wizardry to bring you the story package you see here. So heat up your banger, pop your gummy or spark up your joint, and give some love to the people that make it all possible. MAY 2020
INTRO by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
Propagation and Planting
1
Our story begins with seeds bred by Oregon-based breeder Hermetic Genetics and popped by Seth Marsh, owner and founder of of Urban Pharms. The seeds spend 12-24 hours in a high moisture environment - wet paper towels in plastic bags in this case - which cracks the seeds open and begins the life cycle for the plant. The seed and its protruding taproot are then gently placed into four inch soil plugs, where they’ll reside for their infancy and toddler stages of life. Once they’re a few weeks old and about six inches tall, the plugs are removed from trays, planted into one gallon pots and transferred to the greenhouse to grow. After a couple weeks vegging in the greenhouse, they spend about a week living outside the greenhouse to begin becoming acclimated to the outdoor environment before being transplanted into custom made, 360 gallon pots for later vegging and flower.
Plant Care
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Upkeep and maintenance are absolutely critical to growing a successful crop. There are dozens of different techniques, but clipping fan leaves and interior nodes, and supporting a plant with trellis netting are two of the most widely practiced forms of maintenance. Clipping fan leaves and interior nodes promotes airflow and helps defend against the development of powdery mildew. Plant upkeep has less agreed upon methodology, with essentially every grower implementing a slightly different strategy to keep their plants healthy and happy. These days, one of the most commonly practiced forms of plant upkeep is integrated pest management, which is the practice of implementing human-safe and ecosystem-friendly methods of pest prevention, instead of using offthe-shelf pesticides. Ladybugs are natural predators that feed on both aphids and mites - two pests that love to munch Cannabis.
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MAY 2020
the SEED TO SALE issue
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Harvest
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During Fall harvest season, when the leaves are changing and the Cannabis flowers have ripened into plump, chunky buds, life on the farm buzzes with an energy that can be best described as organized chaos. Dozens of seasonal workers descend on the property, where towering 12- to16-foot Cannabis trees are chopped down, deleafed, quartered, bucked and prepped to be hung to dry. It’s a sight to behold - the hum of activity, the positive energy and the exhilarating rush of bringing down thousands of pounds of flower as part of a well-oiled operational machine. At Urban Pharms, the teams constantly move the plants from one stage to another assembly line style, each step in the process fitting together efficiently like the gears of a clock. Harvest is, by far, the most labor-intensive stage in the life cycle of a Cannabis plant, and everything needs to happen within a narrow window of time to ensure peak quality for the resulting product. STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS
the SEED TO SALE issue
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Drying & Curing
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Executing a proper dry and cure might be the most important step in growing a Cannabis plant. Dry too fast and your volatile (and highly desirable) terpenes dissipate, leaving you with buds that smell like hay. Beginning your cure with too much moisture left in the buds can cause mold and ruin a perfectly good harvest. Most commonly after harvest, branches are chopped from the plants and hung in a temperature and humidity controlled environment for 7-10 days before being moved into the curing steps of the process. Urban Pharms built a brand new 8,000 square foot drying and curing facility in 2019 no small investment and a testament to the importance of this step in the process. During the curing process, bags are ‘burped’ in order to release evaporating moisture and off-gas CO2. This step is one of the keys to finishing quality flower.
MAY 2020
Trimming
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Trimming generally occurs twice for outdoor plants. First, immediately at harvest, large fan leaves are removed either by hand or by machine - depending on the size of the crop. Then, after drying, the plants are ready to be more finely manicured and are cleaned up with more precise trim machines, by hand, and sometimes both. Generally speaking on scaled farms, the second step occurs only for buds headed to market and not destined for pre-rolls or processing, as the cost of trimming is a significant portion of a farm’s annual overhead. This important step helps bridge the gap between a plant in a field and a finely manicured, purchase-ready product at a dispensary.
Rolling Deep
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Generating thousands of prerolls per day for statewide distribution takes a lot more than a Diamond hand grinder and a pack of RAW king size papers. Flower is milled to a fine grind - often using industrial machinery - before being loaded into joint-packing equipment. The industry standard cone-filler is the Futurola Knockbox - some of which can handle up to 300 pre-rolls at a time. One of the biggest challenges of this step in the process is ensuring that operators successfully fill each cone precisely to the desired level. At this scale, being a fraction of a gram off the mark adds up quickly.
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BHO & CO2 Extraction
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The art of solvent based extraction has come a long way since backyard blasting, but the end goal and fundamentals of the procedure remain the same: to extract the highly valued cannabinoids and terpenoids using a combination of precisely dialed pressure and temperature. In solvent based extraction, such as butane (BHO) and supercritical CO2 methods, a solvent is put in contact with the flower, drawing out the beneficial compounds. The resulting oil can be further refined using ethanol distillation and is often clarified through winterization, during which fats and waxes are removed using a combination of ethanol and sub-zero temperatures. Cartridge manufacturers have traditionally favored refined solvent based extraction, as it often results in clearer oils, which offer ‘shelf appeal’ for case-cruising consumers.
Solventless Extraction
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Solventless extraction relies on purely mechanical methods. Rosin, hash, dry sift - these comprise the old school. They keep more of the plant’s overall profile intact, as they’re not winterized or distilled - the fats and waxes stay in the mix. Current trends in developed markets are showing that what’s old is new again - connoisseurs increasingly prefer solventless to solvent based extracts.
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
the SEED TO SALE issue
Edible Production
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Differing types of extracts are added to edibles at various stages of production, depending on the product. Some manufacturers use ethanol extracted FECO - which contains a significant amount of plant matter, and offers an extremely strong flavor profile and heavy, medicated effects. Most edible producers currently serving the market use nearly pure cannabinoid distillate or isolate, as these showcase little to no flavor or aroma though they sacrifice full spectrum efficacy in the process. Dialing in the process of adding extract to edibles is of paramount importance - batches undergo rigorous testing to ensure that each serving is dosed properly. Just a fraction of a milligram off, and a producer can lose hundreds - if not thousands - of dollars to product loss.
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Testing The Products
aklEAF.COM
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After cultivation and before consumption comes the most intricate and expensive stage in the entire process: testing. This is the step that separates the pro from the amateur, in terms of consumer confidence. Samples are sent to testing labs after any stage in the process where the product may end up in a consumer’s hand: after cultivation, after extraction and after extract is added to edibles. Each stage gets a separate test, which is undoubtedly costly. At the lab, scientists employ methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography to identify and measure the compounds in the plant or product’s chemical composition. This tells producers, regulators and consumers exactly what is in the product. All legal states require cannabinoid, pesticide and moisture testing. Some states also require terpene and heavy metals testing at an additional expense. Savvy producers in states where this additional testing is optional often choose to add these tests for greater transparency and marketability.
MAY 2020
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS
Packaging & Fulfillment
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Product is packaged and custom printed batch specific labels are affixed to each sales unit before the products are locked in the vault to await delivery. Each product can be traced all the way back to the seed using the state’s tracking system. Next, inventory managers update the state tracking system as products are secured for delivery to retailers. One of the keys to a robust market is a well maintained relationship between the sales representatives, drivers and retailers. This relationship determines the product mix available to customers, and if the brands and retailers aren’t talking to one another, consumers miss out.
Education & Consumption
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Budtenders spend time educating their customers, finding the best products to suit each individual situation. Like the distributor-retailer dynamic, the budtender-customer relationship determines the quality of the overall experience. So, now you’ve purchased your Cannabis - the best part. After arriving safely home, you open the childproof packaging. Whether you’re binge-watching Netflix, recording the next great album or tending to your own garden, one thing’s for sure - it took an army of people and a mountain of effort to bring you this experience. Savor the moment. And tip your budtender.
the SEED TO SALE issue
PLANT PEOPLE LOS ANGELES, CA
Compliance Officer CANBY, OR
Grower
MAX WHITE | AROMA CANNABIS DIRECTOR OF CULTIVATION AND CO-FOUNDER
You were previously a vital part of the operation at House of Cultivar in Seattle, then you moved to California for a new role. What does a Compliance Officer do? I see that all our actions
How long have you been cultivating Cannabis?
How would you describe your approach to Cannabis cultivation at Aroma? How does it differ from other growing experiences you had in the past?
Having to deal with said governing body for Cannabis, what do you do to make your job enjoyable? It is great going back to a facility and see-
At the age of 12, I suffered an eye injury leaving me blind and with a condition ironically called chronic glaucoma. I became a medical marijuana patient in 1999 at the age of 16-years-old and immediately began growing for myself and other patients. I’m the ripe age of 37 today and there hasn’t been a year in which I wasn’t cultivating Cannabis.
When I started in the good ol’ Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) days, it was a vastly different arena. Prices were double or more what they are today. I had one employee - me. I didn’t have to pay attention to operating costs or budgets because let’s face it, the margins were glorious. I only had up to 48 plants at one time, so I could give the ladies names if I liked. As far as techniques and grow styles, I did it all growing up. I grew in outdoor fields, greenhouses, attics, basements, warehouses. The first grow I ever did was in the corner of our family room growing up. At 16-years-old, my dad helped me build an 8x8 plywood box. I threw a 1000watt China hat fixture in there and torched my crop - learned and moved on. Today I find myself behind a computer screen a lot more. With my team, we watch numbers and data constantly. We prepare budgets and projections. The recreational market was a tough start. It has been a crash course in running a business as efficiently as possible. Naturally with scaling up into a more commercial approach, some of the personal intimate touches do not pencil in any longer, but I can say quality is still the main focus.
What is the most challenging part of running a Cannabis cultivation facility?
aklEAF.COM
Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ
are tracked and traced from seed to production to nursery to manufacturing, distribution and retail. If that’s tough to stomach, an easier way to explain it is I’m a detail coordinator for compliant actions within the facility. Basically, what the Bureau of Cannabis Control wants is someone who is there to avoid product diversion and ensure product safety.
Interview by Tom Bowers @PropagateConsultants
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ARAKSI VARTANIAN
Learning to run a business. Whether you are selling kind nugs, shoes, cars or cheeseburgers, it’s all the same in regard to running a business. I don’t have any formal business education or degree. I was a simple Oregon dope grower with a drive to succeed. Learning to work with governing agencies, the county permitting process and the tax man has taken some practice - but a good challenge is always healthy and rewarding.
What advice do you have for cultivators (professional and amateur)?
Be open to learning more than one way of doing things. Ask a lot of questions from a wide circle of professionals. If you can, join community groups or volunteer in a field of desired expertise. Become a good networker! I love the phrase “your network is your net worth” because it is absolutely true. Today, when I don’t know the answer, I do know somebody that does. And they are happy to share that knowledge with me, as I am happy sharing with somebody else in need.
MAY 2020
ing that the company is taking the appropriate measures that I incorporated. The fact is that people generally do what they want, but there are fiery hoops to jump through, so it makes my job enjoyable to see this function from the black market to a compliant market.
Where do you see the regulatory aspect of Cannabis heading? The biggest issue right now we
need to get resolved is banking. We have no banking in California. Other states have implemented financial security for the industry, but unless we go with some crazy, random Russian bank, we’re hung out to dry. We make a lot of money for the state and they need to take care of us. We are really scrutinized and our money is just as good as someone who is not playing the game as well, but they are a federally legal industry like insurance or liquor.
What is your preferred way to wind down after spending your day as the last line of defense against the pot police? (Giggles) I love going for a walk with the dogs, smoking a joint, and taking a good minute to appreciate where I am in life and that I’m a part on this revolution, because this is a time in history that is never going to happen again. This makes me want to go to work the next day.
A grateful look behind the scenes with a member of the Cannabis industry responsible for each step of the Seed to Sale process...
ANCHORAGE, AK
Trimmer
CHRIS CLARK | CODE GREEN
Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ You have a trimming company which is unique to the Alaska Cannabis industry. What prompted you to start a business trimming flower for other companies? I saw a need. There were a lot of farms doing
everything right, but when the time came to handle the product, either the task was too overwhelming for them or the other options weren’t viable. So, that’s when I trained up a group of people and set a basic standard for the whole procedure. I have to say that there was a company before me, but in my opinion, they were ripping off growers and I just saw a much better way to do it.
What is your trade secret to making a successful business out of trimming? Consistency. I know what
I want to see when I go into a store. I know how I think bud should look. When the person taking in the product at a store sees 100 eighths that all look the same, I know we’ve done our job right.
Why is trimming a noble profession? I honestly believe that trimmers can make or break a product. You can do everything right on the grow end, but if your product isn’t handled properly at the end of the day, it can end up looking like shit - you know?
If you handed off your earbuds to the person next to you right now in the middle of a trimming sesh, what would they hear? They’d be getting into some Mike
Love or Nahko Bear. That’s Nahko and Medicine for the People.
Since you’re in Alaska, have you ever considered opening a beard trimming company, and if so, would you consider trimming a Bearded Lorax? I’ll trim anything you put in front of me, brother (laughs).
Hear “Bearded Lorax” Leaf Nation Editor Wes Abney on the Leaf Life Podcast
IRVINE, CA
Lab Technician
MIKE TUNIS & ADAM FLOYD THINK20 LABS
Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What is the process a bud or concentrate takes from entering to exiting the lab?
When a sample enters our laboratory it is first weighed, received and accessioned into Metrc and our internal tracking system. Then the sample makes its way over to our photography lightbox, where we take high-resolution images of the sample and its packaging to be displayed on the certificate of analysis. For a full panel regulatory compliance sample, the first analysis conducted is the foreign material inspection. Here, we inspect the sample under a digital microscope, looking for adulterants such as dirt, mold, insects, fibers, hairs, etc. Once the foreign material inspection is concluded, the sample is then homogenized - the process of making the sample uniform throughout, so that any sub-sample taken from the homogenized sample will be representative of the entire sample. Proper homogenization is especially important when it comes to testing Cannabis flowers, primarily because they are very inhomogeneous - with the largest percentage of cannabinoids residing in the trichomes and the lowest amount coming from the leaves and stems. Once all the analyses required for a sample are completed, the compiled data package is reviewed by senior lab personnel to verify values are correct and that all the analytical instrumentation quality control checks are within specifications pursuant to internal and external acceptance criteria. Following this final quality assurance check, the certificate of analysis is uploaded to Metrc, the BCC, and released to the distributor who submitted the sample for testing.
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INTERVIEWS by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS
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PLANT PEOPLE Continued from p. 35
EUGENE, OR
Extraction Lab Processing Manager REGIS PHILBURN | ECHO ELECTUARY Interview by Amanda Day @Terpodactyl_Media Dealing with the plant up-close must provide a unique perspective. What have you learned about Cannabis through your processes? For the purpose of extraction, we seek out different traits such
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as unique terpene profiles, specific trichome morphology and lower THC to terpene ratios. There has been some breeding done specifically for extraction strains, but we hope to see this develop further in coming years into two distinct subtypes of varietals, similar to wine and table grapes.
What qualities do you look for in extraction source material?
Complex and unique terpene profiles, and clean growing practices and down to earth people/companies are essential factors in choosing our grow partners. Within our own grow we feel that organic sungrown Cannabis produces some of the most complex terpene profiles, but we also enjoy the range of flavor and repeatable results that come with the tight environmental control of indoor gardening. Cannabis enthusiasts are always looking for the next hot strain, so it is important to be aware of, and cater to, new strain trends.
Echo Electuary has been a staple of the Oregon market since before recreational legalization. What procedures have you utilized to provide your customers with consistent products?
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We have developed our own methods for flash freezing using dry ice (CO2) and/or liquid nitrogen, in order to best preserve the ‘live’ terpene profile. In our extraction process, we utilize sub-zero temperatures, passive recovery, and precision flow control to achieve a variety of different hydrocarbon extract consistencies. Every batch goes through our dewax/winterization process to remove lipids and other unwanted components. Cleaning is an integral function of making consistent extracts and we rigorously clean our equipment and purify our solvents between batches to keep the extracts pure and free of cross-contamination.
Modern consumers have many options when it comes to dab products. Do you have a favorite type of extract? What do you enjoy about that form or consistency? I enjoy variety and could never be
satisfied with just one consistency or type of extract, but in general, I prefer consistencies such as budder (badder) because of its well-balanced THC to terpene ratio, and its ease of use. Homogeneous extracts like budder tend to dab more evenly, with the THC and terpenes vaporizing simultaneously, which is the best all around effect for me personally. I am enamored by well-grown THCA crystals and enjoy vaporizing those as well, usually towards the end of the day.
MAY 2020
FREDERICK, MD
Packaging Manager NIKIA HARRISTON | GLEAF
Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What is your daily life like as a packaging manager?
Once we get the buds from harvest that have been manicured and trimmed, we start the packaging process. So, we start off with 10 pound batches and my team will package as much as they can from those batches into 3.5 gram drams. Depending on how light or heavy the different strains’ buds are, it can be anywhere from two to five pounds per batch going into eighths. We use a packaging machine we call Bimba, which funnels large amounts of Cannabis into small and precise amounts.
After being packaged, we place the containers into boxes of 224 grams (half of a pound). Each box must be labeled by hand with strain name, cannabinoid profile and terpene profile. To account for this Cannabis being prepared
to go to a dispensary, each box must be entered into Metrc. Then we can seal everything up and place them on the shelves for specific dispensaries to receive them.
What is left from that batch is called small bud, which is used for pre-rolls. All of our trim is sent to the lab to be processed into all of the concentrates we make. We have
a Futurola grinder to grind the buds, and use a Futurola machine to make pre-rolled joints and phillys. We have a ‘travel sheet’ that shows us which employee completed which process in packaging our products, for accountability and quality control. We track every single gram that leaves our facility, from seed to sale in the Metrc system. Whether it’s fresh bud, product that dropped on the floor, green waste or anything else, everything must be accounted for.
TACOMA, WA
Product Sales CHRISTA DANTINI MINGLEWOOD BRANDS
Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ Selling Cannabis takes patience and the ability to read individuals. How did you build this expertise?
I have been in retail my entire life, since I was old enough to work at the age of 16. And I’m a people person. I’m more about building relationships with the individual than I am with getting the sale, and when you do that you get a keen ear to listen, which leads you to find what they are really looking for. Then figuring out what they need is super simple. When people feel that you are naturally interested in them, you create relationships that last.
You have children. Does selling Cannabis sometimes feel like negotiating with your kids? It used to
back when I was selling shittier products (laughs). But now that I sell the best brands in the Cannabis market, it’s easy - at least in my opinion. The people who were assholes back in the day, giving me the runaround, are now wanting to do business and are more flexible, which is kinda cool.
What is the most gratifying part of being in this business, compared to doing retail? I think people are really chill and kind overall in this industry. For me, having the flexibility to be a mom and take care of kids and still smash out work is everything. And I love Cannabis. It has so many healing properties and it’s so much more than just a recreational thing. I feel good about what I’m doing at the end of the day.
How do you feel about the new Trolls movie? I haven’t seen
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the new Trolls movie (laughs again). I think it’s the only one I haven’t seen yet.
ELLICOTT CITY, MD
Store Buyer
BRANDON COLEMAN | GREENHOUSE WELLNESS
Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What do you do as a buyer for a dispensary? As a buyer, you are tasked with many re-
sponsibilities outside of purchasing Cannabis for your store. To start, I am always keeping track of the inventory of the store in an effort to keep stocks high. I base my buying decisions on a variety of factors. Sometimes it’s feedback from patients wanting more of a certain product or producer, and my relationships with producers helps me do just that. Patients give me feedback routinely, sometimes multiple times daily - everyone has their favorites and wants to be able to buy them.
How do you decide what products to buy? When it comes to flower and concentrates, I
have personally used a vast majority of the products I bring in. I spend a majority of my time managing relationships between myself, growers, processors and patients. Almost everyone uses a different wholesale platform to showcase their product. The biggest systems used are Leaf Trade and LeafLink, as well as individual email blasts with certificates of analysis.
Why does a dispensary need a buyer? Not every dispensary has a singular person set as the buyer. A lot of times the owner of the dispensary will be buying the products for the store. I have autonomy to make buying decisions without approval from anyone, which I believe gives me a leg up. Combining all of these factors into a patient facing brand/dispensary is really what wraps up my job.
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INTERVIEWS by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS
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PLANT PEOPLE Continued from p. 37 COCKEYSVILLE, MD
Patient Consultant
DR. ALEX DIX | KIP CANNABIS DOCTOR OF PHARMACY, B.S. CHEMISTRY
Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What is your typical consultation experience like?
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When a patient comes in for a consultation, whether new or old to Cannabis, I always introduce them to our handbook and a few key concepts within that are crucial for them to understand. The handbook contains various basic topics about medicine, the endocannabinoid system, plant components, dosage forms of Cannabis, pharmacogenetics and a journal they utilize for their personal experience. We will begin the healing process by locking in their goals. Are they aiming to relieve pain? Sleep throughout the night? Sense happiness? Leave pharmaceuticals in the past? Regardless, once the goals are established, we then dive into the educational scope of Cannabis. With its multiple active ingredients/compounds - cannabinoids - and its terpene properties, the various patient goals are achievable due to the unique structure of the plant. I emphasize drifting away from buying decisions simply based on sativa or indica. Trust the terpenes they enhance the psychoactive components in Cannabis. The active ingredients and terpenes present in each strain allow for the potential to better target the release of specific neurotransmitters in our nervous system that regulate many processes within our body.
aklEAF.COM
Shortly following, we discuss dosing. Each patient starts with the smallest possible dose first, ensuring sufficient time to yield the full effect. Once analyzed, we can decide if more or less is needed. Different products have different optimal doses and we work together to find the most suitable, safe and convenient method for that person. It may fluctuate, but the journal allows for record keeping and efficient modification, if needed. The journal at the back of our handbook contains three sections: type, cannabinoid/terpene profile, and a number scale. The type section contains information about the method of ingestion - inhalation, sublingual, topical - dosage form, and information about the provider. Usually for the terpene profile/cannabinoid section it’s best to rip the label off or write down required information. The number scale is used before each dosage and after to assess the effect of each medication and its alignment with the patient’s goals. Additionally, the journal contains space for information regarding the time taken and technique - bowl, inhaled for three seconds, exhaled for two. Overall, the journal contains beneficial information to manage symptoms, track progress and modify accordingly. It’s important for our patients to understand how products relate to the learning points crafted in our handbook. This influences more knowledge and in turn confidence about the medicine regularly consumed.
PALMER, AK
Budtender
SHELBY SWANSON | MATANUSKA CANNABIS COMPANY
Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ Budtending is a profession. Where did you gain your expertise before entering the Cannabis industry?
In Alaska we have vertical integration, so I first began as a trimmer for the Matanuska Cannabis Company before coming on as a budtender. Before that I was in the service industry for a long time as a janitor, and worked at the post office and elementary schools. I like working with people and I felt like I’m more comfortable in this type of environment than being in a type that is, how do you put it…normal?
Where do you see the Cannabis industry heading in Alaska? What amazes me most is the amount of people in the com-
munity who use Cannabis as medicine, as opposed to recreationally. Especially with the virus going on, being considered essential business, I see this having a ripple effect in the community - but I’m not sure if it will improve anything moving forward with federal legalization. We don’t really know what it’s going to take to change the laws, so we just keep on doing what we’re doing, which is presenting Cannabis in a positive light. The fact that we are essential business is a great move in the right direction.
If you were to run for the Governor’s seat in Alaska, what would be your main selling point for getting elected? Oh man (laughs). I don’t know if it would be any one thing, but more like just changing the goal posts. I would rather take care of everybody in our community to make sure they are all provided for before giving big tax credits and free money to the oil industry. There are people out here who are really struggling to even make it to the next day. Our leaders tend to forget about the small people.
What strain would you recommend to a melancholy moose, if one were to mosey into the shop one day?
Ooooh, the Honey Banana by Althea’s Morning Bear. It’s a nice sweet indica that isn’t too dense, so you don’t have to grind it and you can just pack it into a bowl and hit it there.
Listen to Leaf Life Podcast show #61
MAY 2020
Coronavirus Crisis Pt 3: Essential Business
BELLINGHAM, WA
Distributor
AMBER VAUGHN |TERPENE TRANSIT Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ Distribution is an integral part of a moving society. What is different about doing it in the Cannabis industry compared to making deliveries for a company like Amazon Prime? I think it always boils down to the regulatory nature of what we do, in always having to remain compliant. And we do it with a smile! Comparatively speaking, the big difference is delivery schedules. With a big company like Amazon, you know you’re going to get your delivery sometime before 8:00 PM tomorrow. For us, every store, every situation is a little unique, so being flexible and being able to adapt to each store’s unique quirks is a challenge. But we are not just robots, either. It’s important to us to create a pleasant experience because we know that customer service is the name of the game. So, that is an area that we truly feel differentiates us from the corporate drop and go delivery services. We create relationships, we network, we make friends.
Are you worried about contracting COVID-19 by having contact with numerous people daily? It is
a concern and the best we can do is the best for ourselves. As long as people are doing their due diligence to prevent it, we are happy to be out on the road making this happen. We provide gallons of ISO, gloves and masks, follow protocol to sanitize every day, and everything is UV lighted every day. We just go above and beyond for the prevention of COVID.
Has anything noteworthy happened on a delivery that you would like to entertain us with? The first year that we started, we got
pulled over by the state patrol and we told him we had 1,000 pounds of Cannabis in the back. We asked him if he wanted to see it and his response was, “I want to see it, but I don’t want to go through it.” Then he took a photo of it, which I assume he sent to all his buddies, then sent us on our way.
What is your preferred method for transiting terpenes into your body? Dabs all day. Except when it’s time to drive, of course.
SEATTLE, WA
Creative Director
MATTHEW MIKULSKI | CHATTER CREATIVE
Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ You were a sponsored skateboarder in your younger days. Where is the creative correlation between the two? I’ve always been influenced by
Thrasher Magazine and TransWorld, so a lot of my inspiration comes from the wheels, the skateboards and the graphics - that old school look and feel. Everything that Powell and Peralta was doing, Steve Caballero, Bones Brigade, Tony Hawk, that whole crew.
I know there is something special about marketing Cannabis compared to ordinary brands. What is it? Cannabis is different - wide audience - so you can’t really
hone in on one particular person because everybody’s different. So you have to cast a wide net. Keeping my designs simple and clean is important. I’m always thinking about the 21-year-old to the 75-year-old person, male and female. So, the challenge is not having one particular person you’re designing for. Another thing worth mentioning is 11 years ago when I started Chatter Creative; a lot of corporate clients were shunning me for taking Cannabis clients and it feels like some of them are coming around. And even with aunts and uncles, there is a degree of acceptance you can feel more and more of. The perception of Cannabis is changing and it’s cool.
Could you ever work in another field now that you’ve realized your dream of being in the Cannabis game? I’ll always be a designer. I love to illustrate, so if I wasn’t dealing with brands and marketing, I would probably shift into illustration. In fact, I could see myself doing children’s books.
INTERVIEWS by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS
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edible OF THE MONTH aklEAF.COM
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EDIBLES CREATED BY M O M O’S BAKERY | @MOMOSBAKERYAK
WE ESPECIALLY LOVED THE GREEN APPLE FLAVOR, MIXING SOUR FLAVORS WITH THE SWEETNESS OF AN EDIBLE HIGH.
BOINGOS MoMo’s Bakery is a family run, small batch, wholesale distributor of THC infused edibles based in Anchorage.
MAY 2020
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT HELP PRESERVE NORMALCY AND INSPIRE A SENSE OF CHILDLIKE WONDER, AND THE BOINGOS BY MOMO’S DELIVER BOTH WITH A NICE DOSE OF THC INCLUDED.
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ipping open a package of these cute pot leaf shaped gummies feels fun, and so does squishing the gummies between fingers before popping them into your month. Boing indeed! They are slightly rubbery for the first couple bites, before breaking down easily (nothing sticks to teeth) and finishing with a sweet flavor that tastes natural and delicious. With no Cannabis flavoring, it helps that they are shaped like pot leaves and a perfect treat for on the go. We especially loved the green apple flavor, mixing sour flavors with the sweetness of an edible high. With delicious flavors like peach, green apple and tangerine, there’s a tasty option for every palate. MoMo’s also makes a delicious lineup of other edibles, all made with love and ready to deliver a potent, easy eating high. Ask for MoMo’s at your favorite dispensary today for a smoke-free option that will be a treat for your taste buds!
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
concentrate OF THE MONTH
GROWN AND PROCESSED BY GOOD CANNABIS | GOODALASKA.COM | @GOODAKCANNABIS
THE GG #4 WAX SNEAKS SMOOTHLY INTO THE LUNGS BEFORE DROPPING HEAVY GLUE VIBES ON THE MIND AND BODY
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GG#4WAX AFTER WEEKS OF BEING GLUED TO THE MEDIA FOR ANY SEMBLANCE OF HOPE, IT’S HIGH TIME TO GET GLUED TO THE COUCH WITH THE GG #4 WAX FROM GOOD AK.
C
71.23% THC
aklEAF.COM
annabis really is the best drug for a quarantine scenario, and the GG #4 might be the perfect strain to bring 0.22% CBD enjoyment to the endless successions of dazy days. Originally called Gorilla Glue, a lawsuit by the parent company that makes traditional tape and glue didn’t really like the comparison to exceptional Cannabis products - so the classic strain was reborn as GG #4. This tasty strain features spicy and heavy earthy notes, with a sharp and sour taste that will leave lips puckered and the mind numb with happy euphoria. The GG #4 wax from Good AK sneaks smoothly into the lungs before dropping heavy glue vibes on the mind and body, exiting with big exhales and instant stoniness. The light and fluffy wax is a breeze to dab with, has a clean melt and easy toking vapor, and will definitely brighten even the dullest day with heady, happy vibes. But be warned: This glue sticks hard, so prepare for hours of couchlock with an entourage of snacks and entertainment before applying the GG #4 to your quarantine routine!
MAY 2020
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Grown in a proprie ary coco blend Fed wi h an in-house nu rien mix Whole plan hang dried Hand- rimmed Cured for 4 weeks t
SMALL BATCH CRAFT CANNABIS
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Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks
AVAILABLE IN SELECT STORES IN FAIRBANKS AND ANCHORAGE
associated with 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. icense
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by Mike Ricker Check Your Temperature It was the hot dab that did me in.
Thank you, my airheaded, rookie administrator, for enlightening me to what the inside of a barrel of a flame thrower is like when delivering a mechanical dragon’s demonstration of unbridled fury. And just when I managed to inhale something that resembled actual air, the entire experience was deepened upon identifying the sensation of having swallowed a sleeping porcupine into my lungs who, upon awakening in the cramped space, was overcome with fear - causing it to instinctually employ its quills in order to defend itself. Suddenly, I was the porcupine - anxiety ridden from the torturous enclosure of a war prisoner’s hurt locker, teetering on the brink of panic, gauging whether the extreme discomfort would cause claustrophobic madness before having the luxury of first offing myself. And then came the bong spins. At least that’s what they used to call it long before concentrates with 110% THC existed. So out of the place I fled, incapable of explaining myself. Not only because of the inability to formulate and convey a cohesive word, but also for the complete lack of oxygen flowing through my gills. The night had instantly taken a “Fear and Loathing” turn, forcing the retreat from the madness into the safety of the car where a judge from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” hammered down his gavel for the crime of a meaningless existence. That’s when the dizziness proved a harsh catalyst - churning the stomach into a pressurized brew of witch’s stew - conjuring the recently eaten food truck kung pao calamari and projectile launching it onto the misty pavement in the back alley. This was the worst Cannabis experience of my life. Thank goodness for cool dabs. And the cool mother fuckers who know how to heat a dab. But if you don’t, that’s OK. That’s why the good lord gave us the vape cart.
May 2020
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Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating eects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the innuence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children.
