Mar. 2024 - California Leaf

WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER wes@leafmagazines.com

MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com | advertising opportunities

TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com

DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com

BOBBY BLACK STATE CONTENT DIRECTOR bobbyblack@leafmagazines.com

MEGHAN RIDLEY COPY EDITOR meghan@leafmagazines.com

ASHLEY HIRCHERT SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD ashley@leafmagazines.com

ABOUT THE COVER

The Flower Issue is our annual exploration into the evolution of big beautiful buds from seed to shelf. To showcase this, we called upon the terrific talents of photographer Chris Romaine, a.k.a Kandid Kush. His crisp and colorful Cannabis close-ups (featuring Pink Boost Goddess flower from Emerald Spirit Botanicals@emeraldspiritbotanicals). For even more trichome-covered fun, be sure to check out our website and see all of the other unique covers decorated with Chris' photographs.

COVER PHOTOS BY KANDID KUSH @KANDIDKUSH DESIGN BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

WES ABNEY, FEATURES

MARK ARCHER,

COPELAND, PHOTOS AMANDA DAY, FEATURES

MAX EARLY. FEATURES

WYATT EARLY, NATIONAL NEWS

MATT JACKSON, FEATURES

KANDID KUSH, PHOTOS

BEN LOHRENTZ, PHOTOS

DANIEL PETERSON, PHOTOS

PYROSCOPIC, PHOTOS

JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN

MIKE RICKER, FEATURES + PHOTOS

MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING

ELLIOTT VECCHIA, PHOTOS

KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

WES ABNEY

Editor’s Note

Thanks for picking up The Flower Issue of California Leaf!

Seeds are a wonderful metaphor for life, especially to Cannabis activists and those whose pot journeys began prior to legalization. The humble weed seed stood as a defiant symbol through the war on drugs – the one drug that couldn’t be eradicated because it grew in the ground.

I never understood the hypocrisy of demonizing such a beautiful plant, one that smells and tastes like the most fragrant of nectar, whose expressions release wonderful feelings without the harms of alcohol and pharmaceuticals. This plant survived 100 years of eradication and persecution and emerged stronger, more diverse, and more loved through the advent of indoor cultivation and medical awareness. These are historic times and already the newly-adult crowd can’t believe weed was ever illegal!

"AS CANNABIS LEGALIZATION HAS GROWN, SO HAS THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE PROCESSES."

As Cannabis legalization has grown, so has the science and technology behind the processes – leading to the wide world of processed products including vape pens, hash rosin, transdermal patches, nano-emulsified drinks and the classic pot brownie. All are made from the plant, but in the glamorous brightly-lit display cases are shiny finished products, not plants in red Solo cups like the early medical collectives. In my home state of Washington, you can buy every type of weed imaginable – including suppositories and flash frozen Space Weed – but you can’t buy a plant or a seed at a store to grow your own.

This disconnect from the plant to the consumer is real, and it’s felt especially by the farmers in today’s recreational markets. Most growers remember a time when Cannabis was illegal, but also a time when it had a lot of value. But legalization has brought over-regulation and over-taxation with tax code 280E that prevents ordinary business deductions – creating a hostile environment for growers themselves. Add to that the predatory buying tactics of many retailers and it suddenly isn’t shocking when farmers throw in the trowel, or return to the traditional market to eke out a living from the plant.

We all owe our thanks to the farmers and the flowers, the plant that survived its own war and emerged from basements and closets to state of the art greenhouses and corporate business parks. The industry has and is transforming, which is why we must all appreciate the beauty in the plant and understand that change is as unstoppable as the seeds we’ve planted.

In the words of Cynthia Occelli, "For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction."

To all the growers, from the home gardens to the medical and recreational facilities around the country, we applaud and appreciate you for your commitment to this plant. Thank you for reading and sharing the Leaf!

GERMANY LEGALIZES RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

This marks a historic vote for Germany, making it the third country in Europe to legalize Cannabis use for adults. Beginning April 1st, adults will be able to cultivate up to three plants and possess up to 50 grams of Cannabis inside their homes, while allowed to carry up to 25 grams in public. Then in July, licensed non profit Cannabis clubs will open and allow a maximum of 500 members to join per club. Only members of any specific club would legally be allowed to consume the products it produces. “The aim is to crack down on the black market and drugs-related crime, reduce the amount of dealing and cut the number of users,” Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said ahead of the vote.

THE SOUTH

JAMAICA SENDS CANNABIS TO THE UNITED STATES, LEGALLY THAT IS!

INMISSISSIPPI PLACES HOLD ON CANNABIS PRODUCTS AFTER ANONYMOUS CALL MEDICAL CANNABIS COULD BE COMING TO NEBRASKA

Athe third week of February both the DEA and the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Wellness approved an export of Cannabis to be tested at a DEA approved laboratory. Pure Jamaican is the Cannabis company responsible for making this happen, with goals of shifting the age-old view of Jamaica and Cannabis to a more medical than recreational focus. This milestone “is a proud moment for Jamaica and for our group of companies.” “Jamaica has long been associated with ‘ganja’ but never before in this context as a producer and legal exporter of THC as a pharmaceutical-grade medicine,” Cathcart said in a statement from the company. “As the only company in Jamaica licensed for pharmaceutical manufacturing of cannabinoids, we are proud to be leading the way to elevating the role of Jamaica in the global Cannabis ecosystem.” - Pure Jamaica CEO Scott Cathcart

A“Jamaica has long been associated with ‘ganja’ but never before in this context as a producer and legal exporter of THC as a pharmaceuticalgrade medicine.”

$1.4b

The amount of Cannabis Missouri’s adult use market sold in its first year of operation.

$3b

Yes you read that right, billion with a capital B. An amount that was surpassed in Cannabis sales in Michigan during 2023 alone.

hold has been placed on a large number of medical Cannabis products in Mississippi after an anonymous call alleged that proper procedures were not being taken during pesticide testing at a lab called Rapid Analytics. This places a heavy strain on the market’s availability of products, with nearly 70% of the state’s licensed cannabis going through this facility. There are only two licensed Cannabis testing facilities operating in the state of Mississippi. “They have no basis for anything, except an anonymous call,” Lab Spokesperson Mamie Henry told the Mississippi Free Press.

“This places a heavy strain on the market’s availability of products, with nearly 70% of the state’s licensed Cannabis going through this facility.”

$158.7m

The new Massachusetts sales record for a single month of Cannabis sales in MA, which began in 2018. The shocking total comes from just 400 Cannabis shops in the Commonwealth.

new poll conducted for Neilan Strategy Group shows that 70% of respondents are eager to legalize medical Cannabis in Nebraska. “Nebraskans are clearly ready to legalize medical marijuana,” said Perre Neilan of Neilan Strategy Group. This is not a surprise to poll conductors who have seen very similar results in previous years. This will be the third year in a row Nielan is trying to get medical Cannabis in front of voters, with high hopes of finally making it happen. In order to qualify for the ballot, an initiative seeking a law change must gather the signatures of about 86,000 registered voters and get signers from at least 5 percent of voters from 38 of state’s 93 counties.

$787.5m

Maryland takes a step closer to the big B club with nearly 800 million in sales in 2023 between medical and recreational markets. Keep in mind recreational only went live in Maryland in July 2023.

First Smoke of the

Day Family Reunion

"Last year we were thrilled to have 800 people in attendance, and this year we clocked 1,860 family members through the door. It just warms my heart to see this kind of turnout,” says Lance.

Fans of one of the most-followed Cannabis podcasts on the planet swarmed the Penthouse Day Club in Los Angeles to toke out and stoke out at this yearly event where guests of the show gather to give listeners a taste of their sticky expertise.

First Smoke of the Day, featuring co-hosts Cody and Lance, launched this time two years ago and quickly catapulted to unprecedented success. So, at the behest of their loyal fanbase, they wanted to bring the show to life for a second year by inviting their guests out of the grows, freezer rooms, hashmaking halls and beyond, to meet the people who are pining to get a taste of some of the world’s finest delights.

“Last year we were thrilled to have 800 people in attendance, and this year we clocked 1,860 family members through the door. It just warms my heart to see this kind of turnout,” says Lance.

In the coming months and years, the fan fam will appear all over the U.S. and beyond – with a wicked 4/20 brunch in New York City at an epic location in Times Square (check out fsotd.com for deets). Eventually, the lung expansion will take hold in Germany and the UK, so look out world … the gentlemen are bringing a taste of the high life to your city!

SHAYLA MURPHEY

CALIFORNIA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

“I’VE BUILT A LARGE COMMUNITY OF ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS HERE – MORE THAN OTHER INDUSTRIES I’VE BEEN IN.”

She and Pacino, her American Pitbull mix, take neighborhood walks when they’re not chilling at home gaming. Also, fantasy worlds have always enticed her through books and movies, where she also delves into the interesting world of magic. Follow her on IG @lillcr0issant.

WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE A GREAT BUDTENDER?

It’s all about knowing your products and your customer, then effectively helping them identify what they’re looking for, depending on their budget and their needs. I really like being able to get insight on what people are smoking by initiating a conversation with them first.

HAVE YOU MADE NEW FRIENDS WORKING BEHIND THE COUNTER?

Yeah, I would say so. I’ve built a large community of associates and friends more than other industries I’ve been in.

SO, I HEAR YOU’VE GOTTEN INTO AERIAL ARTS. TELL US ABOUT THAT. I started about a year ago – I drive to Napa to take classes where I’m learning how to use silks, and one day I’ll venture into hoops. I’ve got a good group of ladies I practice with and it’s a great workout, as well as a fun social setting. I hope to get into performing live soon.

WHAT IS YOUR “GO-TO” WITH THE SILKS? I do Aerial Hammock, which is like one long piece of fabric, and you can do different poses and stuff. It takes lots of upper body strength and flexibility.

HAS CANNABIS BEEN A BENEFIT WHEN PRACTICING YOUR ACROBATS? Yes, sometimes. I smoke quite a lot, so I have a high tolerance – a lot of times I’ll hit a vape before I go into the class, and I don’t feel like it hinders my abilities at all.

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SMOKE WITH THE MOST? My stepdad, Craig. He was a huge stoner and lover of Cannabis. He loved to roll joints, his preferred way to indulge. He passed eight years ago but was a huge influence on my life. I’d love to smoke with him one more time. 335 O’HAIR CT SUITE A SANTA ROSA, CA OUTPOSTSANTAROSA.COM @OUTPOSTSANTAROSA_707 (707) 757-5756

KEEPIN’ITCLASSY

THE PB PERCH

In April of 2019 the east hill of the Pacific Beach area welcomed this friendly newcomer to their inviting sands and soft breezes. If you’ve ever hung out in PB, you know it’s a chill vibe of living in the moment – and the energy of this fun spot captures that feeling like a refreshing Cannabis cocktail spritzer with a pineapple and umbrella garnish. It’s wonderful how this aesthetic coalesces with this flip flop/tank top neighborhood of America’s Finest City. And not only can you fill up on Cannabis specialties here, but around the corner at the world-famous Rubio’s, why not finish with some fire fish tacos to make it an exceptional San Diego day?

SOCAL SWAGGER

There’s a reason why there’s a “t” on the end of their title – it’s because they are specialized! This ever-changing market requires a lot of adaptability and they’ve learned to roll with the incessant changes of the industry while never impacting the customer’s experience. Clearly, this is a boutique production where there’s very little employee turnover – a place where you feel comfortable chatting with your like-minded tribe. Take your time and window shop through the open layout and you may just find something you didn’t know existed, like a quality brand of CBN that can change your life with better sleep, or CBG that may help lift your mood. Bottom line: These budtenders are all about finding solutions that improve your life.

GOOD FOR THE HOOD

Since the inception, this team of bright enthusiasts hustled hard in their objective to create a higher experience for Cannabis lovers through word-ofmouth messaging around quality and consistency. Now, that reputation reaches to the far ends of the I-5 corridor, upon which this shop is closely nestled. Their beach cleanups have gotten incredibly popular through the nonprofit Purpose First, where on the first Saturday of the month for three years they’ve galvanized over 100 volunteers, regularly picking up 300 pounds of trash per event. In addition, they’ve teamed with Weed for Warriors to get veterans free meds thanks to legislative bill SB34. Teamwork makes the dream work!

CANNABIST

4645 De Soto St, San Diego

gocannabist.com

@cannabist.california

7AM-9PM Mon-Fri

8AM-9PM Sat & Sun

(858) 324-5130

“TAKE YOUR TIME AND WINDOW SHOP THROUGH THE OPEN LAYOUT AND YOU MAY JUST FIND SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED.”

STAFF PICKS

FLOWER

The Plug Half Ounce Variety Reina

Farm Cut Pink Boost Goddess Emma

CAM Permanent Marker Shaggy

JOINTS

CBX Kush Mountains Preroll Joe

KOA Banana Jelly x Guava Gas 10pk Infused Levi

Artisan P90 Infused Blunt LV

CARTS

Amber Clear Pineapple Express Patrick

Cake Alien Lemonade Disposable Jay

Rosin Tech ZMO Disposable Molly

DABS

Amber Grape Pie Diamonds Sarah

The Plug Apple Tart Sugar Levi

Community Polar Pop Rosin Carter

EDIBLES

Press Rally Tablets Kevin

Gelato Mint Chocolate

Last Bite Cones Andres

Kanha Tranquility CBN Gummies Danny

GHOST RAINBOWZ ROSIN GHOST RAINBOWZ ROSIN

Experience teaches one a lot of things. It can teach you how to emulate methods. It can teach you how to avoid others’ mistakes. And sometimes, it illuminates the road less traveled – allowing you to buck the prevailing trends.

IT’S THIS SENSE OF ADVENTURE born from experience that drives Raw Sins, the NorCal brand launched in Fall 2023 by Monte and Natalie Ferguson with their third partner, Inger Airheart.

After years in the industry (Monte notably had a stint as GM of 710 Labs), the group founded the dad-joke inspired, pun-intended brand to produce high-quality rosin priced reasonably in the $30-$40 range.

“Raw Sins is our attempt to bring a brand that is stripped of the bright and fruity frills that are too often the commercial path to marketing, and bring a high quality product for an extremely competitive price point,” said Monte. “[It’s] supposed to represent our roots and the raw nature that we came from, while also celebrating our extremely ancient need to get intoxicated in so many different ways throughout time – with Cannabis prevailing as one of the main options in so many cultures for over 10,000 years.”

Being one of the more affordable wash-and-squish brands on the market isn’t the only goal of the Raw Sins team. They also do something that most brands aren’t doing in the solventless dab space: They’re blending for flavor.

Rather than go single-strain, Monte and his team take a cue from the wine industry and blend rosins from multiple strain sources – or sometimes blend flower strains before washing and pressing into rosin – in order to discover new flavor combinations.

“We feel like the flavor range of Cannabis is amazing within a single strain selection,” said Monte. “However, we also believe that finding new exotic flavors that otherwise may not be achievable within a single strain, can be attained by curating a blend of two, or sometimes three, strains. We try not to get caught up in the dogma of it and leave the ego at the door about what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ about making rosin and just focus on making rosin people are excited to smoke … ensuring that the rosin coming out is clean, attractive and delicious. And hopefully a unique experience too.”

They currently have a line of jarred small-batch rosins, offering Ghost Rainbowz (Ghost OG + Zkittlez), Cream Pie (Papaya Pie + Strawberry Bang), Poison Apple (Apple Tartz + Garlic Juice), Harambe’s Revenge (Grapes & Cream + Banana Punch), and the newest flavor, Fat Bastard (Fatso + Wedding Cake + Zkittlez). We sampled the Ghost Rainbowz and loved the way the stank pine and fruit of the Ghost OG played against the bright candy Z terps of the Zkittlez. It was a creamy dab worth the experience.

The entire lineup coming out of the Raw Sins lab is nothing short of enticing. Keep an eye out for their line of hash holes and hash hole hemp-wrap blunts, their upcoming line of rosin edibles, and definitely don’t sleep on the new flavors Monte and his team are busy blending together for your dabbing pleasure.

“Rather than go single-strain, Monte and his team take a cue from the wine industry and blend rosins from multiple strain sources.”

TREVY METAL

"I've been immersed in art my entire life.”

Do you ever find yourself curious about where certain artists draw their inspiration from? Ever since I first laid eyes on Trevy Metal's artwork, I have been intrigued and beyond curious with the aforementioned – left pondering where he comes up with some of the mystical characters and cartoons that’ve been birthed from his brain.

BORN AND RAISED in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, Trevy spent lots of time around his father – a passionate tattoo artist – which fueled Trevy's imagination, along with a healthy dose of cartoons. "I've been immersed in art my entire life. I started working with glass in 2015 in Philadelphia at a studio called Krushmore, and learned carving and how to do it from Rye Glass (@ryeglass)."

Paving his lane in the art world, Trevy skillfully uses a dremel to engrave his immaculate works of art onto all sorts of incredible borosilicate glass pieces. Using everything from nostalgic imagery like Gameboy to ancient Egyptian designs, Trevy's artwork tells a story and elevates the smoking experience to a new level.

You can tell there's a ton of intentionality put into his collaboration pieces, as Trevy works with other world-renowned artists including Stormin Norman (@stormin___norman), Buck Glass (@buckglass), Darby (@darbyholmglass) and WJC (@wjcglas), creating customized artwork in synergy with their bodies of work. But he also channels his creativity in many different expressions and forms of art, including clothing, smoking accessories, canvases and beyond.

He's recently offered his imaginative services to multiple Cannabis brands like Archive Portland and Dabrite, while also doing design work for clothing labels such as Market and OHGEESY's brand OTX.

When asked what he's smoking on these days, the response was simple yet on the money. "A good OG will always have my heart, but I'm repping hard for the East Coast with Pleasant Effect's Zoap!"

CALIFORNIA

THE TALE behind the genesis of the Blue Lobster cultivar may as well be a superhero origin story in the strain world, with minds and palates on multiple coasts to thank for its immense power. Let’s hear the story from the person who gave birth to the legend.

“Maine Trees selected and named the Blue Lobster cut,” said Chris Lynch, the longtime West Coast breeding pioneer whose new company, Cipher Genetics, has been churning out serious heat since its inception in 2023. (See more about Lynch and Cipher on page 34.)

“I released the seeds several years ago as part of the Apples & Bananas seed collection. Maine Trees acquired seed packs of the Eye Candy x Apples & Bananas and found a standout selection that they named Blue Lobster. I heard about the Blue Lobster cut after it won the 2023 East Coast Zalympix. Several months later, Maine Trees shared the Blue Lobster cut and I’ve been working with it ever since.”

The success of the cultivar on the East Coast led to Cipher linking with West Coast cultivator Umma in Santa Rosa, Calif., to coordinate drops utilizing the Maine Trees cut. The bicoastal collab continues to grow in notoriety, in large part due to the pheno’s Instagramworthy looks, mouth-watering nose and scrumptious smokability. The collective minds behind the strain definitely have the magic recipe for this Blue Lobster –it’s been at the top of everyone’s strain list since release. Including ours.

“I think Blue Lobster has notoriety and continues to trend because it’s extremely loud and the effects are incredible,” Lynch said. “It’s won prominent awards, like East Coast Zalympix and Ego Clash. It looks amazing on social media in pictures and videos. It checks the boxes for taste, smell, appearance and high. Combine all of these together with the cool name like Blue Lobster and you have a recipe for success.”

“AT THE TOP OF EVERYONE’S STRAIN LIST SINCE RELEASE. INCLUDING OURS.”

But how does it smoke? One word: deliciously. The flavor lasts all the way through the joint, and the bliss it brings on is undeniable.

Right now, Blue Lobster is only available in depressingly small quantities via Green Wolf dispensary in Los Angeles, and flower drops sell out same-day when they happen. For the time being, you’ll have to keep your ears and eyes open and be quick on the draw, or hope for the day to come when it’s more widely available.

Until then, Blue Lobster drops are almost as rare as superhero sightings. And almost as exciting.

washington

#1 Wedding #2 GG4 #3 Blue #4 Runtz #5 Golden #6 Ice Cream #7 Gelato #8 OG Chem #9 Purple #10 MAC oregon Runtz Super Boof Bananas Ice Cream Cake Blue Dream Junky

Garlic Gelato Donny Burger Strawberry

nevada

Cookies

7 Pineapple #8 Purple Kush #9 Wedding Cake #10 Funk Master

california Dream Cake Milk

#4 OG #18

#5 Biscotti #6 Garlic #7 Kush Mints #8 Lemon Cherry Gelato #9 Gelato #10 Runtz

THE STAGGERING complexity of the Cannabis plant creates a kaleidoscope of shapes, colors, aromas, flavors and effects – enticing people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds. Concurrently, these people have a diversity of tastes and preferences –translating into a Cannabis landscape where a strain can be a hit in one corner of the country, while not even on the radar in another. For our annual Flower Issue we teamed up with Headset, a company specializing in retail-level sales data for the Cannabis industry, and dug into some of the trends surrounding strains in different regions of North America. Here’s what people around the country are smoking on.

#1 LA Kush Cake #2 Runtz #3 Wedding Cake #4 Lemon Cherry Gelato #5 Jenny Kush #6 Afternoon Delight #7 Gelato #8 Head Cheese #9 Kush Cake #10 Bananas

arizona

colorado

#1 MAC #2 Blue Dream #3 Ice Cream Cake #4 Lilac Diesel #5 White 99 #6 Glueball #7 Bubba Fett #8 Strawberry Banana #9 Gelato Cake #10 Runtz

#1 Wedding Cake #2 Kush Mints #3 Jealousy #4 Guava #5 Mule Fuel #6 Gelato #7 Las Vegas Triangle Kush #8 Apple Fritter #9 Blue Dream #10 GG4

TOP OF

missouri

#1 Ice Cream Cake #2 GMO Cookies #3 Crescendo #4 Sherbet Cake #5 MAC #6 Gorilla Pie #7 Florida Kush #8 Bubba Fett #9 Truffle #10 Star Cookies

illinois

#1 Brownie Scout #2 Pineapple Express #3 Sherbert #4 Kush Mints #5 Bananas #6 Banana Daddy #7 Georgia Pie #8 Sour Diesel #9 Gelato #10 GG4

#1 Runtz #2 Kush Mints #3 Super Boof #4 Bananas #5 Rainbow #6 Cream #7 Ice Cream Cake #8 Wedding Cake

#9 Gastro Pop #10 Oreoz michigan

#1 Sour Diesel #2 Runtz #3 Gas Face #4 Blueberry Muffin #5 Lilac Diesel #6 Gush Mints #7 Glitter Bomb #8 Biscotti #9 Alaskan Thunder Fuck #10 Wedding Cake

massachusetts

#1 GMO Cookies #2 Orange 43 #3 Ice Cream Cake

#4 Animal Face #5 Frosted Kush

#6 Biscotti #7 92 Cookies

#8 Brownie Scout

#9 Layer Cake #10 Garlic Breath ohio

#1Bananas #2Mimosa #3Runtz #4WeddingCake #5BlueDream #6BrownieScout #7Oreoz #8ChocolateOG #9SourDiesel #10MandarinZkittlez

#1Bananas #2Mimosa #3Runtz #4WeddingCake #5BlueDream #6BrownieScout #7Oreoz #8ChocolateOG # SourDiesel # MandarinZkittlez maryland

THE POTS

The Ups & Downs of Cross-Country Cannabis The Ups & Downs of Cross-Country

Do they love RS11 out in Colorado as much as they do in California? Is Grape Gas what they’re rolling up in Arizona, and does New York still love smoking Diesel? These are the kinds of questions you have to ask yourself when you’re a multi-state brand in the Cannabis sphere. Whether it’s expansion through a licensing deal or the creation of a new cultivation site, bringing a company up to this level gives someone a unique perspective about what consumers are smoking from coast to coast – something that’s becoming increasingly more valuable as a Gallup news poll reported in 2023 that now half of Americans have at least tried Cannabis. In honor of The Flower Issue, and hitting the halfway mark, we reached out to Anna Willey from CAM, Dave Polley from Preferred Gardens, and Ted Lidie from Alien Labs to get their take on creating weed for stoners across the country.

tHERE’S NO quick answer on how you build a menu for diners with different palates, but one thing each person we spoke to mentioned was having faith in the foundation they’ve built –particularly forging their path in California’s challenging Cannabis market. Polley admitted that, “Being in California for over a decade comes with a form of respect. I’d have to say it’s a faster track when you’ve done it the hard way for so long and been successful.” The ability to rely on track record is something Lidie also asserts has been one of the most valuable parts about swinging into a new market. “We’re an established brand, so people are excited to see us come to town,” he told us. Being a name that maintains their own operations in Arizona, and operates in Florida through Trulieve, he mentioned how the strains they’ve developed over their decade-long history have helped in troduce them to consumers in new states before they even get there – primarily by having so much user-generated content available to describe Alien Labs products. And as for Willey – who has already moved her brand once from Colorado to California before now being in multiple states – she says, “You have to trust in what you’ve built in one state, take your staple strains, and hope folks in a new one will like it.”

In the end, when it comes to what’s easy about serving stoners across state lines, Polley summed it up best: “There’s nothing easy about it.” You might assume a strain’s popularity moves like fish along a current from the Pacific towards the Atlantic, but it’s a much more unpredictable process. Something that flies off shelves in California or Arizona might attract flies in Michigan or Florida. Lidie mentioned again how they’ve mitigated much of this through brand recognition of the strains they offer, but there are a host of unforeseen rules and regulations that pop up – forcing brands to rename strains, redevelop packaging, or even change cultivation methods completely in order to comply. Polley shared how Preferred Gardens has turned down big opportunities because partners weren’t able to get cultivation setups to Polley’s strict standards for product quality. Founded in California back in 2015, Preferred Gardens has put in the work – expanding into Florida through a partnership with The Flowery and projects already underway in Arizona and New York. One interesting issue Lidie pointed out was how, coming from California, there’s a lot we take for granted (such as how much of an educated trimmer community there is on the West Coast). Still, no matter how it's grown or trimmed, the one constant seems to always be that it has to be good. As Willey, the largest female Cannabis producer in the country told us, “What hits in one state usually won't be as effective in the next, but quality rules over everything.”

to be honest it gets overwhelming – even for the most decorated smokers.” Lidie, who also strives to check every batch that Alien Labs puts out, stated, “It’s a lot of work that on the surface, just looks like smoking weed – but I feel like quality control is a big part of how we hold ourselves accountable for what the work looks like and your personal standards are a big part of what drives your brand.”

These rigorous personal standards are not only something each of these individuals highlighted as part of their recipe for staying on course in new waters, it’s also what can take the longest in terms of delivering the same experience to new smokers. This point was further echoed by Marc Hammond, who along with his brother Scott, operate Kalya Extracts in California and Oregon. Being a hash-making company, they not only have to look at flower trends from state to state, but also at which producers are creating the best material. They said the hardest

part they’ve seen about a brand branching into new territory is the time it takes to rev up to the same level it was known for at home.

To echo Polley’s statement from earlier, there really doesn’t seem to be anything easy about serving a national stoner audience. But speaking to these individuals, a very important point was made: Take the time to understand the regional differences and develop the product, so it’s a top shelf example of Cannabis in that state – instead of holding it against your work in another state. Each has different rules to live by, but both need to be reflections of a brand standard. After all, regardless of what you light in your bowl, we might have differences from state to state but one thing is clear: We all want good weed … or at least half of us do.

camdispensary.com | alienlabs.org kalyaextracts.com | preferredgardens.com

“What hits in one state usually won't be as effective in the next, but quality rules over everything.”

ROADBLOCKS AHEAD

Along with the issue of educating consumers with such a wide degree of knowledge about Cannabis from stateto-state, each shared how the one hurdle you might never consider is how quickly quality control becomes a much bigger situation than you bargained for. “I’m very hands-on,” Polley said, “so every batch needs to be smoke-tested by me and the crew. That might sound fun and easy to most people, but

Anna Willey | CAM

The Pursuit of

Cultivators are typically going for buds with the best bag appeal. It’s all about growing out the fluffiest and fattest nugs that will sit looking pretty in their flower packaging. On the other hand, solventless extractors making hash and rosin are in pursuit of one very important (but often more inconspicuous) thing: resin.

IN FACT, growing specifically for solventless production has been dubbed “resin farming” and inspired an entire industry of breeding for “hash plants.” But if we’re going to get into resin farming and hash plants, we’ve got to talk trichomes first – the small, wispy structures on the surface of the Cannabis plant that look like little hairs.

The trichome head sits on top of the stalk and contains the highest concentrations of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and more. It’s basically where all the good stuff that determines the taste, aroma and medicinal effects of that particular plant is stored. Here the glands produce a sticky substance called resin to hold all those valuable compounds together and keep them safe from threats like pests and UV radiation. When a plant produces lots of trichome heads, its flowers will be visibly glistening with a thick, solid layer of sparkling resin – almost like they’re wearing a frosty fur coat!

Resin farmers are essentially growing to maximize the amount of these trichome heads (and therefore resin) on their plants, which are then extracted from the rest of the plant material to create solventless products. They for sure want to see that frosty fur coat.

Factors like the density, structure and consistency of trichome heads can all contribute to whether or not a strain is a “dumper” – meaning it dumps these large amounts of resin. While the way a plant is grown (e.g. the lights and nutrients used) can have a slight impact here, most of these trichome traits are controlled by the genetic makeup of the plant. Hence the need to create new Cannabis genetics tailored to trichome quality and resin production. Simply by nature, some strains tend to yield better or create higher quality solventless extracts than others. It’s why GMO and Papaya are known to be dumpers while old-school Kush and OG varietals rarely extract well.

ABOVE: A 200%

close-up of Papaya hash. RIGHT: Harvest Moon Gardens' GMO.

Resin

Household Names in Breeding for Resin

Bloom Seed Co.

Exotic Genetix

Oni Seed Co.

Little Lake Valley Seed Co.

Ras Kaya Paul of Pacific Northwest Roots

Masonic Seed Company

Top Dawg Seeds

DNA Genetics

Archive Seed Bank

Garden of Grease Seeds

3rd Gen Family Farm

So, breeding new strains for solventless production becomes like a puzzle. These breeders are identifying existing genetics with traits ideal for extraction, then putting them together to create something new that is (hopefully) even better than its individual components. For example, taking a GMO plant that absolutely dumps resin and crossing it with an OG strain that doesn’t yield high enough for commercial solventless production, but has an incredibly sought-after terpene profile. The goal here would be to breed these strains together and find a phenotype that yields well enough (thanks to the GMO parent) without losing that unique flavor from the OG parent.

Owner and Operator of legacy brand Pacific Northwest Roots, Ras Kaya Paul is one of the OGs when it comes to putting together these puzzles. He started working with the plant in the mid-’90s and grew his passion and knowledge into a successful growing and breeding enterprise, developing hash genetics now known across the country such as Kaya’s Koffee and The Freeze.

Ras Kaya explains, “When breeding for ‘hash plants’ there are many things to consider. Chief among these are exceptional terpenes, trichome type and proper yields. Many seed makers are recombining known hash plants and having success creating poly-hybrids for the masses – and that’s good for the people.”

“It’s also important to make a distinction and recognize the folks like Archive, 3rd Gen, and others like myself that have been at the craft for decades,” he continues, “developing those cornerstone genetics and hash-making techniques for others to build on. As with breeding for flowers, this kind of innovation for our industry requires testing and processing the genetics, then making thoughtful selections based on those results.”

With that, the pursuit of resin continues…

"Growing specifically for solventless production has been dubbed 'resin farming' and inspired an entire industry of breeding for hash plants."

breeding brilliance

WHEN YOU LEAVE THE DISPENSARY with the newest heat from your favorite cultivator in-hand, you may not realize it, but decades of genetic cross-breeding, thousands and thousands of scrapped batches, painstaking rounds of assessment and data gathering, all led to that weed strain ending up in that jar. Each year, The Flower Issue aims to shine a light on this beautiful bud we all enjoy and the people who spend their entire lives trying to make sure we don’t have to smoke the same old strains every day. We caught up with some of the world’s premier Cannabis geneticists to learn what really pops their seeds … and to hear what they have in the works for 2024 and beyond.

Humboldt Seed Company brings a familial approach to the concept of a global Cannabis genetics business. Run by father-daughter team Nat and Halle Pennington, along with Nat’s partner Ben Lind, HSC currently produces new genetics in facilities on multiple continents.

Their efforts in 2023 included a massive, multi-farm collaborative pheno hunt that provided them with the data they needed to enable them to bring the world’s first Cannabis triploids to market – which possess three copies of chromosomes instead of the usual two – and are 99% seedless due to natural breeding techniques and selective pressures. That project also solidified some new winners they’re bringing to market: the juicy Orange Creampop and the tasty treat called Granny Candy.

Pennington shared some of his vision for the future with the Leaf for this issue. >>

On what he looks forward to in 2024: "We're excited to see folks’ reaction to new strains like Granny Candy and Orange Creampop, of course the triploids too. We'll be producing true breeding F1 Hybrid seed over the summer and that is the result of 20 years of breeding pure lines. This means that seeds will be uniform from plant to plant, like clones, and will display vigor like we've never seen in Cannabis."

On the implications of the new triploid genetics: “It is definitely a new frontier – triploids can increase yields, cannabinoids, terpenes and even make a strain much better for hash production, as we showed in our study with Resin Dial. Hopefully triploids can increase the chances for small farms and lower carbon production and the burden on the nation's power grid.”

On their current projects on the global Cannabis scene: “We just completed a massive phenotype hunt in the Caribbean and we are spending time in Morocco this spring – planning research and phenotype hunting projects there, as well as learning about the traditional hash production that the area is known for.”

On the trends they see across the global markets: “We've seen candy strains have a big run over the last couple months in LA and parts of the rest of the country. The European community is still coveting anything that's not a Haze or Cheese strain, while at the same time New York City seems to love a Haze strain called The Piff. We've learned that a ‘one terp fits all’ philosophy just doesn't work, which is why we breed such a diverse variety of strains. We've always said that the best Cannabis is having a bunch of different kinds of Cannabis!” Humboldtseedcompany.com

ABOVE: Granny Candy cultivated by Terp Mansion @terp.mansion

RIGHT: Orange Creampop cultivated by Casa Flor @casaflorfamily

“We just completed a massive phenotype hunt in the Caribbean and we are spending time in Morocco this spring.”

breeding brilliance

James Loud is a former awardwinning chef from the San Francisco culinary scene who took his 30+ year love affair with Cannabis and turned it into a career as an award-winning seed breeder, educator and hype man for the plant.

Operating out of his James Loud Genetics facility in Northern California, Loud produces seeds under his own label and also grows them for some of the largest seed sellers in the world. His podcast features an ever-expanding list of respected figures in the Cannabis scene, and he recently published

james loud

On his origin story as a Cannabis breeder: “I started smoking Cannabis in 1991 in the Bay Area. In the early ‘90s, my brother had plants that were hidden in the neighbor's backyard at night before my parents got home. I started growing indoors in a closet with a phototron shortly after. Breeding was something that just came naturally. It was an evolution to growing. ... We wanted something different. Back then there wasn't as much genetic diversity. I envisioned breeding early on – most of my friends thought it was a joke that I wanted to do a seed company and they didn't quite get it ... in 2008, 2009. I was making crosses and really kind of eyeing the seed model – I was thinking, ‘Man, this could be really good.’ Because we can have pot and we can also make money selling seeds – we could have our own version of Sour Diesel, which was the big thing. We were all about Sour Diesel back then. And so that kind of evolved. There was Sour Diesel, OG Kush, Chem Dog. Those were all the rage before Girl Scout Cookies. Those were the exotics of their time, and we all wanted our own versions of those things.”

On his new book, Cannabis Breeding: “I've been working on it for five years; it’s the fifth version of the book and finally we got it down. I got a really good team together – the best editor, the best layout person. Angela Bacca did the editing along with my wife Jeanette, and we got contributions in the book from so many people. It's a 380-page book and I'd say there's like 15 other people that contributed something … it's a group effort and I think the book came out really, really good. I'm super happy – it's been quite the journey and it’s still not over. Now we have to market it.”

On the cultivar that impacted him the most in his life: “The most impactful cultivar in my life was Cat Piss. It was so strong and pungent that you could walk in a room and you could smell the Cat Piss – whether it was the flower or the smoke – you'd know right away it was Cat Piss. It tasted good all the way down to the roach. You could smoke a roach a week later, and go, ‘That's the Cat Piss roach.’ And that's what made me fall in love with weed, to be honest.”

On what makes a winning strain: “How does it smoke and how does it taste? I want to know the effect. I want to know all these things. I feel like those things are really what makes it, and some of that stuff gets lost with people. People get so excited about the way stuff looks, and the way it films for social media. Social media has taken us into a bad direction in breeding a little bit, because it’s

On finding his place in the genetics world: “I believe in self-improvement, and I think that self-improvement over time equals succes s. Being passionate about what you do, that's super important to me. … I'm not trying to be the biggest and the best. I'm just trying to be the best that I can be. Training Jiu Jitsu has taught me that. As a business owner, you learn how to fail a lot and you learn to accept failure. … If you love it, keep doing it – and eventually you're going to be good at it. And I feel like that translates to anything that you do, whether it's growing or whether it's cooking or whether it's swimming – whatever it is, you do it enough, you get good at it. If you're passionate about it, you're going to get really good at it.” jamesloudgenetics.com

ABOVE: Zour Diesel bred by James Loud and grown by House of Cultivar.

RIGHT: Seed Cabinet and Podcast Recording.

“Those were the exotics of their time, and we all wanted our own versions of those things.”

breeding brilliance

mario guzman sherbinskis

On how he knew he wanted to be a Cannabis breeder: “I’ve never been a very technical person when it comes to tech. I am more of a high EQ, hands-on person. When I started growing and working with plants, I found a huge admiration for the hard work and satisfaction of a hard day's work. Building my first grow myself and all the ones that came after, and building a team and a community drove me – and I fell in love. This was the early 2000s.”

There isn’t a Cannabis brand on the market today that doesn’t owe a debt of thanks to Mario Guzman. The Sacramento-born Bay Area legend developed the Sunset Sherbert strain, and followed that up with Gelato. Every head stash in the past decade has had something that came from that lineage at one time or another. His company Sherbinskis continues to develop new genetics and push the boundaries of the Cannabis genetics scene.

On his sources of inspiration: “I’m inspired by the people that do the heavy lifting in life and don’t look for pats on the back or accolades. They just do the work selflessly. They are who they are behind closed doors when no one is looking. They still do the right thing. These are the people that I look up to.”

On the growers he admires: “The garage growers around the world who put their heart and soul into every gram they grow. And also the generational outdoor farmers that this industry is built on. The generations of farmers that came before the social media era, and have nothing left of their faces now but the legendary stories of the people that lived this life before us, and paved the way for the life that we now know as the ‘industry.’”

On when he knew Gelato was going to be a hit: “I knew it would be a hit when I started smoking some of the first batches I grew. The look, smell, feel – they were all something new. The Sunset Sherbert as a parent is one of the keys to why Gelato is so good and makes you feel amazing. To this day it’s one of my favorites, the parent to the Gelato.”

On selecting genetics to release into the world: “The world’s needs are growing! There is such a huge variety of needs for certain markets and climates/environments. My work with genetics has broadened my learning and understanding of those needs and it goes way beyond just Gelato, which is really exciting to me. My library goes much further as I’ve been fortunate to be given genetics by the top breeders in the world and have opportunities globally to pursue.”

On his current focus: “I’m 1000% completely focused on delivering flower to the global market through EUGMP facilities. And also the development of my new platform/brand called ‘Voice of the Plant.’ It’s my passion project and vision of creating a platform for all plant medicine thought leaders, and connecting people with plants through creative interactions with music, art and food.”

On Genesys, the mysterious space-age social media series he posted on the Sherbinskis Instagram: “I had some fun telling a story with AI. It was for the people that saw what it was at its core. The world is changing.”

sherbinskis.com

way beyond just Gelato, which is really exciting to me.”

chris lynch cipher genetics

Chris Lynch has been churning out hype strains from his facilities on the West Coast for years. As the mind and palate behind Grape Gas, Horchata, Gastro Pop, Pink Certz and a number of collabs with Berner from Cookies like Apples & Bananas, Lynch needs no introduction among heat-seeking flower fanatics. His latest release, Blue Lobster, dropped in exclusive collabs on both coasts. (Find more on Blue Lobster in this month’s California Leaf and Northeast Leaf magazines.) Leaf connected with Lynch to learn more about his new company, Cipher Genetics, and hear his thoughts on the state of the strain world.

On his origin story: “My love for Cannabis started around the age of 14. I saw pictures of Cannabis for the first time in magazines at the grocery store, and thought it looked so unique and special. Over the next 20 years, I became more and more fascinated with everything related to the plant. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and always had access to high-quality flowers and this fueled my love and passion. In 2013 a friend named OneEye made the cultivar Dog Walker OG. The market was starting to become saturated with similar strains and prices were going down. OneEye was able to maintain a strong demand for his flower because he had exclusive genetics. Dog Walker was trending in the state and everyone wanted it. This opened my eyes to the power of Cannabis genetics and how unique flavors were very appreciated. This spurred my desire to focus heavily on genetics and pushed me over to the next level. I already loved all things Cannabis, but this experience propelled me to see things in a different light. From that point on, I became obsessed with collecting rare cuts and breeding with them. I was constantly testing the new strains and I enjoyed giving them unique names.”

On his influences: “The time I spent in Amsterdam was my first burst of influence. I had impactful experiences hanging out with Soma that were a major source of inspiration. I was also inspired early on by Exotic Genetix, Archive Seeds, DNA Genetics, Cannarado, Jungle Boys, and a handful of others. Over time, I’ve learned to trust my personal taste for genetics and listen to my inner voice for guidance. This combined with daily feedback from the Cannabis community helps guide my direction and vision.”

around the world about how my genetics improved their quality of life and health is so powerful. Some of my favorite creations are Apples & Bananas, Blue Lobster, Gastro Pop, Pavé and Grape Gas.”

On his new company, Cipher Genetics: “We’re focusing on breeding new cultivars with strong therapeutic benefits at Cipher Genetics. All the new strains we create awe us with impressive terpene profiles, cannabinoid levels and flower morphologies. I’m working with Kate, my partner, who has a strong molecular genetics background. She brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and insight to Cipher that makes for a strong work dynamic together. Our next big project is the Blue Lobster seed collection in collaboration with Maine Trees, which is scheduled to drop later this year.”

On what he considers when selecting new genetics: “I look for genetics that check all of the boxes for desired traits and stand apart from the rest. I want to bring new profiles to market, not more of the same.”

BLUE LOBSTER

On candy terps and the future of trends in the flower market: “Limonene, a main terpene in the ‘candy nose,’ is highly regarded in pharmacology research for its anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing effects. Limonene and another candy terpene, linalool, increase THC potency. Candy and dessert terpene profiles also activate the dopaminergic areas in the brain when smelled, so there’s another reason they’re so popular. I think skunk and gas strains will still keep a sizable foothold in the industry. Skunky B-myrcene, spicy B-caryophyllene, a-terpineol and gamma-terpinene are noted as pain-relieving compounds as well. I think the industry will stay focused on the highest terpene content strains because their effects are impressive. The gas and spicy profiles won’t be lost in favor of only candy strains, because every terpene has a high medicinal value.” cipher-genetics.com

“Our next big project is the Blue Lobster seed collection in collaboration with Maine Trees, which is scheduled to drop later this year.”

EVERY ONE OF US suffers from some form of dysfunction – one that charges our need to act out in dramatic ways. It’s OK … there’s no need to build a defense. Because whatever it is that causes us to project our suffering, we all need to express emotion.

You see, we are often unaware of the root of our anger since it has generally developed from personal trauma endured during the formative years. And when you add the unforgiving stresses that come with modernity, everyone’s pot eventually steams with a piercing whistle. And although every individual’s experience is unique unto themselves, the forum to where much of this frustration is projected is the most common place for public interaction: the grid of shared asphalt.

And what makes the highways and byways the easy arena to cast one’s flared opinions? It’s the fact that each person is secured by a housing of locked doors and fast wheels. This is the haven from where spitting vitriol and emphatic threats towards an utter stranger two times her size will insulate an otherwise pleasant grandmother. Where most ordinary individuals would normally buckle in fear at any face-to-face confrontation with an adversary, within this automobile they personify the confidence of a professional wrestler.

The dissatisfaction of our core sometimes manifests in uncharacteristic ways.

But no one should ever internalize accusations on the blacktop, as it is only someone else’s personal anxiety manifesting outwardly. Self-control has never been a strong suit amongst most people when pushed into small spaces, and therefore the discomfort is sometimes blamed on the obstruction preventing them from their desperately needed open space.

Which is exactly why driving stoned should be legal.