THE FLOWER ISSUE
Do not attempt to smoke this magazine
Fresh New Look! Same Exceptional Flavor!
Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. Keep out reach of children.
Live Kind,Unwind
WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER
wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com
TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com
DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com
AMANDA LOPEZ STATE CONTENT DIRECTOR amanda@leafmagazines.com
MAKANI NELSON STATE SALES DIRECTOR makani@leafmagazines.com (808) 754-4182
BOBBY BLACK LEAF BOWL DIRECTOR & HISTORIAN bobbyblack@leafmagazines.com
KAYL WOHL COPY EDITOR kayl@leafmagazines.com
ABOUT THE COVER
This month’s cover has more Cannabis buds on it than possibly ever before, all lovingly captured by the eye and mind of Oregon Leaf Content Director Amanda Lopez, better known as Terpodactyl Media. This special issue is dedicated to reviewing the state’s finest flowers, with an eye to the small independent craft growers producing truly exquisite Cannabis. Read all about these 28 cultivars in these trichome-coated reviews by Terpodactyl Media and longtime Leaf contributor Jamie Owens, pg. 28-44.
COVER PHOTOS BY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA
DESIGN BY @BERMANPHOTOS
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY, FEATURES
DANIEL BERMAN, DESIGN + PHOTOS
BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES
JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION
TOM BOWERS, FEATURES
JEFF DIMARCO, PHOTOS
REX HILSINGER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
MICHAEL GREENMAN, VIDEO
MATT JACKSON, FEATURES + ART
TODD MCCORMICK, PHOTOS
JOSHUA MONTHEI, PHOTOS
JAMIE OWENS, FEATURES
JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN
MIKE RICKER, FEATURES
SARAH SANDOVAL, SALES
TERPODACTYL MEDIA, FEATURES + PHOTOS
BRUCE WOLF, PHOTOS
LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in an upcoming issue of Oregon Leaf. We do not sell stories or coverage. Email makani@leafmagazines.com to learn more about our range of affordable print and digital advertising options to help support Oregon Leaf, the state’s longest-running Cannabis magazine!
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Editor’s Note WES ABNEY
Thanks for picking up The Flower Issue of Oregon Leaf!
This is our ode to weed: the buds, the nugs, the plant that fil ls our minds and lungs with healing and happy smoke! Frosty trichome-covered flower is the input for every product we find on a dispensary s helf, processed into concentrates and then into edibles and topicals. It all starts as a plant, and that’s why we’ve picked the best buds to share with you!
I vividly remember the first time I picked up a High Times magazine, in the early 2000s, and saw a fully flowered plant covered in trichomes, red hairs and edgy leaves under a blue light filter. It looked almost alien! This illegal exotic plant could put you in jail, yet it looked so crummy in the dime bags and e ighths of BC bud around Seattle at that time. I was stunned and intrigued. I wanted to see the plant in the dirt, sending my roots into the weeds that day.
In my youthful era, Cannabis was illegal, and I was told that the Devil’s Lettuce would give me testicular cancer, ruin my brain like a fried egg, and steal my motivation. If only the warnings about alcohol had been equally as serious. It might seem trite, but seeing a weed plant in that magazine changed my entire view on Cannabis as a drug. How could all this fear be about something similar to an orchid or a tulip?
The first time I held a pot plant, in a red Solo cup, I was again struck by the juxtaposition between the reputation of the plant and the r eality of a little green seedling. I was reminded of the Parable of the Mustard Seed — how faith is like a tiny seed that can grow into a large tree that provides food, an environment for other animals and a safe space for birds and critters. What better example than the humble pot seed, which provides food, fuel and fiber as hemp and delivers medici ne and a safe recreational high as Cannabis? Surely the plant that can do it all is a gift from God, and definitely not comparable to lettuce!
“SEEING A WEED PLANT IN THAT MAGAZINE CHANGED MY ENTIRE VIEW ON CANNABIS AS A DRUG.”
I’ve been to the Portland Rose Garden, tripped in the Seattle A rboretum at the peak of blooming season, and yet no plant I’ve ever seen or sme lled compares to the beauty of Cannabis. Our favorite plant can share the same scent and flavor of a sugary strawberry patch in bloom, have the creamy-cheesy-garlicky funk of ripe durian fruit, and even share the same chemical compounds as the spray from a skunk! All of nature is represented in the spectrum of flavors, from the swee t to the cat piss.
Cannabis is the only plant that can send us to the sky in euphoria, help us rest peacefully and get us totally ripped while healing the body. I believe that all use of Cannabis is medicinal, because even on a rainy spring day, if the only reason for smoking is to feel better, then the act is one of healing. How many people turn to alcohol, pharmaceuticals or the ever-present sugar to feel bett er while harming their bodies?
There’s only one plant we can smoke or vaporize to feel better, which is why we celebrate all the beautiful colors, shapes and flavors in our annual Flower Issue!
BY THE NUMBERS
In Massachusetts, this is the percentage of dispensary retail products out of 100 that failed mold testing requirements. According to Christopher Hudalla, Ph.D., founder and CSO of testing laboratory ProVerde, the results of the tests are alarming. He said, “Well over half of the samples submitted do not pass the state’s own criteria for safety.” Who knows what blend of respiratory, allergy and fungal infections and reactions could result from using these products?
£400,000
The value of a Cannabis farm dismantled by police in North Yorkshire, England. The grow was discovered by an electrical company that discovered an irregular amount of power being used on the property during a power outage inspection. According to BBC News, officers described the operation as “sophisticated,” even though only two people were on scene during the raid. The police caught the two 30ish-year-old men, who are believed to be linked to an organized crime group.
55% 20 lbs. $100m
The amount of Cannabis found along with a handgun in a traffic stop by the Florida Highway Patrol. The 27-year-old driver was stopped for illegal window tint when the officer noticed a heavy smell of fresh Cannabis. When asked, the driver admitted to smoking but could not provide a license or medical Cannabis card. The gun wasn’t loaded, but having random cash throughout the car and several large bags of different quantities of Cannabis didn’t help.
The Michigan Department of Treasury is distributing nearly $100 million among 302 local entities and tribes, according to a mid-February announcement. Detroit will receive $3 million in Cannabis tax revenue, the most of any community in Michigan. Of the counties, Wayne County rings the bell again this year with the most in tax revenue, around $5 million. The 10% sales tax provides counties with a little more than $58,000 per licensed Cannabis business in their jurisdiction.
$300
New York’s Cannabis Control Board issued 74 new adult-use geared licenses in February spread out across six distributors, 10 microbusinesses, 39 processors and 16 retailers. As of late February, the state has 307 legal Cannabis retail stores in operation. Many more licensed Cannabis businesses in New York have yet to open, but the market should see an exciting uptick in mid to late 2025.
In early February the Idaho State Senate voted 27-8 to approve a bill creating a mandatory minimum fine of $300 for simple Cannabis possession. Individuals 18 and older will receive this fine when caught with up to 3 ounces of Cannabis. With the amount of neighboring states that have lax Cannabis systems, this is only a small step in the right direction. This was almost the final hurdle after the House passed the bill just days earlier with a 54-14 vote. Now it goes on to Gov. Brad Little for consideration. If signed into law, it would take effect on July 1 of this year.
Since the first six months of Ohio’s recreational Cannabis program, state sales went to nearly $320 million. This number is eye-opening considering the medical program in Ohio did less than $15 million in revenue during its first six months. The state’s Division of Cannabis Control reports more than $2 billion in the medical market since 2019 across 37 cultivators, 46 processors, nine testing labs and 131 retailers.
The number of Cannabis stores in Seattle that were hit with a smash-and-grab burglary on the same day in late February. The Reef Cannabis in Capitol Hill and Cannazone in SoDo had vehicles driven through their doors after hours, costing the owners tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. This isn’t the first time thieves have targeted these stores, with each store having $15,000 to $20,000 in merchandise stolen in previous years in the same style of burglary.
DREAMS DISPENSARY
Nestled behind Eugene’s bustling W. 11th Street in a discreet location under new ownership, Dreams Dispensary has blossomed from a struggling operation into a vibrant haven for everyone from bold bongloaders to private professionals. Michael Griffin, the heart and soul behind this revitalization, didn’t just open another dispensary — he reimagined what it means to create a co mmunity-centered Cannabis space.
“THIS WAS one of the worst dispensaries in the state of Oregon. It was failing, but I saw an opportunity to rebuild it from the ground up,” Michael said. For Michael, retail wasn’t just a business decision but a lifeline.
After years as a grower, he found himself disconnected from the people he’d once served. “I hadn’t seen a customer in almost seven years. That disconnect really drew the life out of me,” he said. “Being able to hear people excited about or finding value in the product has fed my soul.”
The shop is a dreamy experience rooted in nostalgia and personalization. Michael’s goal was to create a familiar and welcoming space — more ’90s throwback than commercial cookie-cutter. “I wanted it to feel like the old days when buying weed was an experience rather than just a transaction,” he explained.
That experience starts with the details. Dreams offers playful touches like two-dollar bills for change, trinkets in every bag and handwritten motivational notes. Michael’s team is even trained to go the extra mile: “If it’s your birthday, we might give you a discount matching your age or let you pick something from the glass shop.”
The dispensary’s inventory is another standout, thanks to its massive selection of flower. “Strain names matter,” Michael said. “Customers search menus for familiar strains like Blue Dream or Strawberry Cough, and we’ve prioritized having those staples.”
While trendy strains may come and go, Michael stands by the staying power of the classics. “I grew up knowing these strains, and they’re still our number-one sellers.”
Michael’s eye for deals keeps the selection expansive — Dreams frequently stocks about 140 strains.
“We don’t say no to a good deal. This lets us offer different price points so everyone finds something within their budget,” Michael said. For regulars seeking something unique, elite strains are stashed in the back for a personalized reveal.
Beyond the products, the dispensary’s atmosphere is a testament to its creative approach. Inspired by social media trends, the walls are adorned with colorful pop art, and a rotating living art wall keeps things fresh. Soon, claw machines stocked with Cannabis-themed prizes will add another playful layer to the experience. “We’re just trying to engage and have fun,” Michael said.
Michael’s “Dreams” extend beyond Eugene. “I want to expand and open more stores to give my staff growth opportunities,” he said. Most of his team members are in their 20s, and he’s passionate about helping them realize their potential. “I want them to see their value and know they’re capable of something extraordinary.”
For those lucky enough to step through its colorful doors, Dreams Dispensary is an invitation to experience Cannabis in a vibrant, nostalgic and unique way.
DREAMS DISPENSARY
1000 OBIE ST SUITE A, EUGENE DREAMSDISPENSARYOR.COM
@DREAMSDISPENSARY @OREGONDREAMS420
9 AM - 9:45 PM MON.-SAT. 10 AM - 9 PM SUN. (541) 505-7275
“I WANTED IT TO FEEL LIKE THE OLD DAYS WHEN BUYING WEED WAS AN EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN JUST A TRANSACTION.”
-OWNER MICHAEL GRIFFIN
c o n s i s t e n c y, p u r i t y a n d p o t e n c y y o u c a n c o u n t o n
LOCKING FLAVOR
WHITE RAINBOW X GAS DROP PAVE X GAS DROP
LOCKINGIN
Breeders are the backbone of Cannabis culture and cultivation, shaping the trends and pushing the plant to endlessly evolve around our needs and desires. But this community has come a long way from the days of the slanging bag-seed on the backstreets, and we’re here to give them flowers.
Flourishing in the fertile grounds of Southern Oregon, Shanoah, sole owner and operator of Ziplock Seeds, has cultivated a path of plant passion since his youth. His journey is as captivating as the cultivars he breeds, from childhood chores in the family garden to international acclaim.
Shanoah’s love for Cannabis sprouted early. “I started helping my dad when I was seven,” he recalls, describing childhood memories of carrying water and hiding pots from aerial detection. His young years in Hawaii hosted hands-on experiences, shaping a deep connection with the plant. Despite early obstacles like raids, Shanoah’s resolve only grew, and so did his genetic library. A pivotal moment manifested at the 2017 Emerald Cup, where the seed market’s potential became apparent. “I was blown away by how much money people were spending on seeds,” he explains. He had been distributing seeds in Ziploc bags — an organic gesture that inspired his brand’s name and ethos, but up until this moment, had been purely out of passion. With a new path toward some profit, he saw the limitless potential in continuing to share the plant.
Shanoah’s breeding priorities focus on producing high-yield, flavorful plants with desirable leaf structures and easy trimability. He also acknowledges the growing demand for genetics that perform well in concentrates, a trend he plans to explore more deeply.
Breeding Cannabis comes with its hurdles. Extensive pheno hunts and backup plant management are just part of the job. “We usually do 1,400-seed hunts and keep 1,400 plants backed up,” Shanoah explains. The space and labor demands are notable but necessary for digging to discover exceptional genetic traits.
Shanoah’s seeds have been exceptional enough to extend beyond Oregon, earning accolades in countries like Colombia and Argentina. There are plans to attend Spannibis in Spain and an expo in Rio de Janeiro. “I never imagined seeds would take me around the world,” Shanoah shares. While making a profit is necessary, it’s not his main motivation and he maintains that with a pricing strategy that caters to all growers, from novices to professionals. “I don't want anyone to be unable to afford good seed,” he asserts. Ziplock Seeds is seeking to seal in solid relationships. “Your success is my success,” Shanoah emphasizes. Cultivating long-term relationships with farmers and breeders (like the Cipher Genetics projects pictured) ensures that his genetics continue to thrive on shelves and in gardens across the globe.
Acknowledging the importance of heritage and innovation, Shanoah hails his Hawaiian roots by weaving tropical influences into his breeding. “A little uniqueness goes a long way,” he notes. This personal touch extends to his catalog, which boasts award-winning cultivar lines like Sinful (Watermelon Mimosa x Jealousy) and many Tropical Gas Fusions. In today’s saturated Cannabis market, standing out requires more than just potency. “Flavor is becoming number one,” Shanoah observes, noting the rising demand for highly aromatic cultivars. While THC percentages remain a key driver of the rec market, he laments the industry’s narrow focus. “Imagine if the alcohol industry was like us — there would be no wine or beer, just hard liquor.”
DIRTY ARM FARM
ROSINBARBARA BUD
Barbara Bud is a legacy cultivar bred by House of the Great Gardener over 20 years ago. Created by pollinating a female Shishkaberry plant with pollen from a Ghani AF plant, the resulting progeny is quite distinct from either of its parents.
IN ROSIN FORM, Barbara Bud has an intoxicatingly ambrosial peach aroma that practically seeps into the sensory glands. Touches of honey, melon and apricot round out the backend of the expression, coalescing into this natural sweetness with an effervescent, almost champagne-like quality. The cross takes the underlying mixed berry scent that its predecessor Shishkaberry is known for and magnifies it significantly, elevating the profile to a higher echelon of exotic fruit fragrance.
The flavor on Barbara Bud is similarly impressive, presenting persistently peachy throughout each dab. The texture on inhale is so lush and mouthwatering that it could be described as juicy. The expression is sweet, succulent, and practically engulfs the palate. Midway through vaporization, the tiniest trace of tartness dances along the tongue before dispersing back into the surging sea of peachy savor. Subtle notes of plum seem to manifest toward the end of the experience, washing over the taste buds and leaving a remarkably pleasant aftertaste.
The effect secondary to consuming Barbara Bud is undeniably satisfying. Best characterized as even-keeled and meditative, it’s a perfectly balanced high that’s neither too racy nor too inebriating.
It’s a concentrate that’s ideal any time of day and in almost any circumstance; however, it’s hard not to picture how enjoyable it would be to kick back with a jar of Barbara and an ice-cold peach tea on a warm summer day.
Dirty Arm Farm’s single-source rendition of this eclectic strain is nothing short of stellar.
Sungrown in Southern Oregon terroir with strictly organic growing methods and amendments, this is some of the closest that consumers can get to “all-natural” hash rosin. It’s easy to see how this cultivar has a history of placing in every competition, from High Times to Spannabis to Legends of Hashish, and it’s exciting to see DAF bringing it back to the Oregon market. Many jars are great, but this one is just peachy keen.
“...even-keeled and meditative, it’s a perfectly balanced high that’s neither too racy nor too inebriating.”
I baked the quiche in jumbo muffin tins. The recipes make one full-size quiche or six large, individual ones.
Quichessential
Itseems like quiche is making a comeback. And I can’t say I’m sorry. This custardy, comfort food, with a base of eggs, cream and milk, is waiting for the addition of your favorite fillings. The most famous variety is cheddar and bacon. For personal reasons, I am making this classic quiche Lorraine both crustless and infused, and I will probably have it at least twice today. So I will probably stay home. I infused with the Prūf Cultivar strain Alien Apple Warp, an indica-forward hybrid that tastes great and the high is positive and fun. Long lasting too. I have to reach out to the folks there about what makes it longer lasting. Is it the potency, the terpenes? Inquiring minds want to know. Laurie@Laurieandmaryjane.com
Mushroom and Onion Quiche
1 package refrigerated pie crusts
Oil for muffin tin
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons canna-oil or butter, melted
Salt and pepper
1 cup mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
3/4 cup onion, chopped and sautéed
1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll thawed pastry dough. Using a biscuit cutter or large glass, cut into six 5-inch circles. Spray the pans with oil and place a disc of dough in each opening. Press down and onto the sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 340 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk and infused oil or butter. Add salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, onions and cheese. Gently place in the prebaked crusts.
4. Gently pour the egg mixture into each crust.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The center should be a bit jiggly.
Vegged Out and Dairy-Free
1 package refrigerated pie crusts
Oil for muffin tin
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons canna-olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped and sautéed
4 scallions, chopped and sautéed
1 1/2 cups yellow and red peppers, chopped and sautéed
10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in a clean hand towel
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll thawed pastry dough. Using a biscuit cutter or large glass, cut into six 5-inch circles. Spray the pans with oil and place a disc of dough in each opening. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Turn oven down to 340 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, almond milk and infused oil. Add salt and pepper.
3. In another bowl, combine the garlic, scallion, peppers and spinach. Mix well. Place in the prebaked crusts.
4. Gently pour the egg mixture into each crust.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The center should be a bit jiggly.
Crustless Keto Quiche
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons canna-oil or butter, melted
Salt and pepper
8 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup leeks, chopped and sautéed
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1. Heat oven to 340 degrees. Spray the pan with oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk and infused oil. Add salt and pepper.
3. In another bowl, combine bacon, leeks and cheddar cheese.
4. Place the bacon mixture into each prebaked crust.
5. Gently pour the egg mixture into each crust.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. The center should be a bit jiggly.
Zach Gates
In a world filled with limitless creative possibilities, some artists find their niche in the most unexpected places.
Zach Gates is one such artist, whose journey into glassblowing began in Baltimore and led him to Philadelphia. From being a collector to a creator of stunning borosilicate glass designs, he continues to allure with his incredible works and techniques.
A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND GLASS
When asked what he would do first with a time machine, Gates’ answer was simple: “I’m going back to the dinosaurs!” This playful remark reflects the sense of wonder fueling his artistic vision.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Gates’ interest in the medium started as a collector’s hobby. In 2017, he purchased his first glass art piece, created by Andy G, which ignited his passion and led him to explore what borosilicate glass could offer. That same year he had the opportunity to view live glass blowing by Scooby Meow Glass.
In 2019 Gates relocated to Philadelphia, where his journey as a glass artist began. He came with no prior experience, simply drawn to the material’s possibilities. His dedication culminated in his graduation from the renowned Salem School of Glass in 2021. Since then he has enjoyed the amazing artists’ community in the Philadelphia area.
“In 2019 Gates relocated to Philadelphia, where his journey as a glass artist began.”
FUMING: THE HEART OF THE CRAFT
When asked about his favorite aspect of glassblowing, the answer was simple — fuming.
Silver striking, a fuming technique, is especially fascinating to him. It involves metal vapor to color glass, and silver produces vibrant hues.
Achieving the entire rainbow spectrum through fuming is a key element that adds depth and complexity to his creations.
But fuming isn’t the only technique that draws his attention. Faceting, the process of cutting and shaping the glass to create intricate patterns, complements fuming perfectly. The interplay between the colors from fuming and reflective patterns from faceting gives a stunning, multidimensional quality that’s become his signature style.
THE ARTIST’S EVOLUTION
One of Gates’ current favorite designs is the “Bloopcycler,” which stands out for its unique, fluid structure.
He said that he prefers to select a combination of colors from Molten Aura Labs and Greasy Glass, and enjoys showcasing their rich colors that make the art truly pop. The vibrancy of Royal Jelly, Magenta and Pink are particularly striking, allowing techniques like sleeving and ghosting to come to life.
These elements — rich color, intricate technique and fluid design — are central to his work. With each new piece, he blends creativity with technical mastery, and his love for the material deepens.
“With every new piece, his love for the material deepens, and his craft continues to evolve.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Looking to the future, Gates has several exciting projects on the horizon. One of the most anticipated is a drop at Ignite Glass and Gifts, where fans can get a chance to see new creations firsthand. An innovative project is also in the works: “Gemception,” a captivating piece that features a gem within a gem. This unique idea promises to push the boundaries of glassblowing even further, combining the natural beauty of gemstones with the skill and intricacy of glass art. With exciting projects on the way, the world of glassblowing surely will see more of his captivating creations in the years to come. @GATEZGLASS | GATEZGLASS.BIGCARTEL.COM
Lofty Baby Cakes
loud af skunk no. 1
focus north mango mojito
flyte co. grape snowcone
earl baker frozen bag
resin ranchers five eighty derby’s farm double baked cake
left coast farms jordanz bald peak farms mandarin grape gelato
eugreen jimmy hoffa
high winds farms ruby slippers
pdx organix pup cup trichome farms pineapple tang
hqfarms truffle jelly
luvli the rizz the crop shop sub zero
THE FLOWER ISSUE
pacific grove chem daquiri white wolf cannabis bubble bath
archive hawaiian lemons eastwood hard candy slim’s top shelf chi chi
deep creek gardens black sesame
heights co. animal tsunami evans creek farms pi chew urban canna petrol potion
high noon cultivation sour dragonfruit midnight fruit co. sour candylope
lowd snow day
Beefy, bright green buds
Loud AF Farms
Skunk #1
(Afghan x Colombian Gold)
x Acapulco Gold
In honor of the late Skunkman Sam, we’re filling a fresh bong with the historic cultivar that inspired his namesake and ushered in a new era of hybridization (read more on page 50). Loud AF Farms shared this robust representation, a cut they claim goes all the way back to ’93. Beefy, bright green buds deliver a sweet, tropical fruit palate that leaps into an earthy funk, finishing with a hint of skunk. But don’t let Skunk #1’s sweet side fool you; this flower packs a punch as heavy as its history. @loud.af.farms
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
fruit forward on the tongue neither sweet nor sour
Urban Canna Petrol Potion
Grape Jubilee x Drip Station
Bred by Exotic Genetix
A pungent plant beckons you back to the jar for a faceful of fuel and fruit. Like the cakey smells that follow, it’s layered. Cracking the nug open releases another staggering diesel stench that slaps you back in your chair. Each huff has a noticeably intoxicating effect far before lighting a bowl. The flavor layers itself on your palate, placing fruit forward on the tongue and fuel further back in the throat, bringing the best of both worlds. @theurbancanna exoticgenetix.com
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
earl baker frozen bag
B.A.G. x Banana Butter Cups
Bred by Robin Hood Seeds
This flower smells like grapes wrapped in a ripe banana peel that, to its demise and our pleasure, was once dropped in gasoline. It’s neither sweet nor sour, and it’s completely intriguing. There’s even an undertone of eucalyptus hidden in there. This is one of those flavors that’s fun to share with friends, with each nose picking up on a different part of the profile. Balanced but far from bland, with a puff to match. @earlbakeroregon | earlbaker.com robinhoodseeds.com
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
blissful, baked basket of berries
Lowd snow day
Mt. Hood Magic x Northern Lights Snow Day sparks feelings of similar childhood memories. It feels like a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle of daily life, like sleeping in on a school day and waking up to the smell of mom’s blueberry muffins. After the blissful, baked basket of berries, it cascades into a crisp inhale that is as refreshing as it is relaxing, the chill factor enhanced by the oddly pleasant sensation of actually smelling cold. Count us confused but very (very) content.
@thelowd | lowd.com | Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
TUESDAYS 4-8 PM March
taunts the back of your tongue
White Wolf Cannabis Bubble Bath
The Soap x Project 4516
Bred by LIT Farms
This unique profile oozes cheesy, creamy gelato with a Runtz candy finish. The dense nugs are dripping with a dreamy, blue cheese dessert bite that boasts a bit of sharpness. There’s something magnificently musty that lingers in the nostrils too. After teasing the nose, it taunts the back of your tongue while the remainder of the inhale rests comfortably in the realm of sweet cheese and nostalgic candy. @white_wolf_cannabis
@litfarmsflower | Review by Terpodactyl Media
@terpodactyl_media
one of those delightful profiles
Trichome Farms Pineapple Tang
Golden Pineapple x Poontang
Bred by Trichome Farms
A second of spicy haze introduces a bright, tropical pineapple and a distinct sweet citrus tang. It’s one of those delightful profiles you want to see produced as a candy, savoring the mysteriously mouthwatering momentum that the tang takes on. Each puff provides a delicious, juicy piece of pineapple, but it’s the tartness gently tickling the sides of your tongue that elevates this toke and taste to the next level.
@trichomefarmspdx trichome-farms.com
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
delicate peek of Gelato cream
Bald Peak Farms Mandarin Grape Gelato
Mandarin Tart x Slurty 3 x Frenchy’s Grapes
Bred by CHAnetics
A peculiarly charming medley of warm citrus, freshly picked berries, and tart wine with a floral finish make this a delicious mulled wine-like experience. The nice, big nugs — light in color and in the hand — effortlessly pop open to reveal a delicate peek of soft Gelato cream. It’s a perfect dessert pairing to the end, boldly asserting itself as the Gelato gushes into play on your palate puff after puff. @baldpeakfarm baldpeakfarm.com
www.cha.education
Review by Terpodactyl Media
@terpodactyl_media
buckle up for the buttery finish.
Eugreen Farms Jimmy Hoffa
Sundae Driver x Triple Burger
Bred by Brave Hearts Private Reserve
This is a cultivar that would not make a cute date doobie. Like an uncorked bottle of Sex Panther perfume, it “stings the nostrils,” garnishing a garlicky gasoline and mighty meaty funk that we’re personally attracted to. But it’s not for everyone because it does border on “bad” breath… Now that we have the heads’ attention, buckle up for the buttery finish. This potent potion turns into a rich two-course meal that feels like cheating on your diet.
@soil_goons | eugreenfarms.com @bravehearts_pr
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
like a bowl of Fruit Loops
The Crop Shop SubZero
Superboof x Oreoz bred by Grow More Fire Genetics
Wreaking of citrus rind cushioned by cream, this densely decorated trichome tree is a gorgeous collage of vibrant green and dark purple down to its stem. It draws you inside with a sweet and grainy surprise, like a bowl of Fruit Loops, if you found out (post-pour) that there was no milk and made do with juice: refreshing, exotic, and exciting — there’s nothing like a wellbalanced bowl for breakfast! growmorefire.com
@growmorestressless
Review by Terpodactyl Media
@terpodactyl_media
the complex funk of umami
a hardy, hashy hit
Left Coast Farms Jordanz
Gary Payton x Runtz
Bred by LIT Farms
Hashy Runtz, floral-sweet candy, Jordanz is a slam dunk. Jumping off with a hardy, hashy hit, it’s one of those plants you can almost taste the potency of. The full flavor has several courses to offer as you break into the nugs. Neatly tucked away beneath each bract, there’s a hint of rubber and onion. But this smokes slightly sweeter than you’d expect, returning to some of its Runtz parentage before circling back to bewilder your taste buds with palate pivots. @left_coast_farms | @litfarmsflower
Review by Terpodactyl Media
@terpodactyl_media
Heights Co. Animal Tsunami
Animal Cookies x Caramel Tsunami
Bred by Tsunami Seeds
Focusing on a strong, earthy ammonia aroma at first whiff, this unique flower finds itself in a category of its own. The more you carefully break into these intriguing buds, the more you catch its nuanced nose, finding the complex funk of umami underneath yet another distinct layer. There’s even a delightful nuttiness that settles in seconds after that first smoke, and it rounds out the experience with an easy and satisfying finish.
@heights.co | theheightsco.com @tsunamiseeds | tsunamiseeds.com
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
draws you in out of intrigue
Deep Creek Gardens Black Sesame
GMO x Bubba Kush Bx
Bred by Deep Creek
Popping this jar instigates an aggressive assault on your olfactory organs. It’s offensive, but in a way you’re not ashamed to admit enjoying. Like a chemical spill at a meat factory, this flower draws you in out of intrigue. Stick around to be served a meaty main course topped with peppery, grilled onions and cream of mushrooms on the side. If you’re not salivating yet, a bowl of this beautiful bud will do the trick, with its silky smooth smoke that sticks around long after the last hit has left the lungs. @deepcreekgardens
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
heavy, hazy and hitting
Archive
Hawaiian Lemons
(Hana Lemon x Zkittlez) x Planet Purple F2
Bred by Archive
Offering sweet, nutty Asiago cheese and a bountiful bouquet of tropical fruit, this cultivar has all the richness and flavor contrast of your favorite charcuterie board. You might be tempted to eat a nug when you pop the jar, but rest assured a bong rip or joint has something special in store. There’s a nostalgic smoke about Hawaiian Lemons: heavy, hazy and hitting right in the eyes for an absolutely face-melting feeling. @archiveoregon2.0 | @archiveseeds archiveseedbank.com | Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
Every bowl is somehow smoother
Evans Creek Farms
Pi-Chew
Z-Pie #14 x Zuyaqui bred by Ronin Seeds Robust gasoline and tires roll out this powerful pick. But like any great bud, Pi-Chew puts out layers. The second is a surprisingly sweet tartness until undertones of young pine plow through — like a racetrack nestled inside of an orchard. Plump and absolutely oozing pleasantry, it’s a flower that you’re tempted to wedge right up each nostril. Every bowl is somehow smoother than the next (trust us, we tried many… for science), dripping sweet, milky hits that cool the body from toes to teeth.
@evans_creek_farms | @ronin_conduct Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
potent, chemical kick
Resin Ranchers Five Eighty
The Y (Bx1F2 #55 out of 120)
Bred by Deep East
Warm cherries over a bowl of cereal is the first impression here, only for this palate to pivot sharply to a potent, chemical kick — reminiscent of a tire dipped in nail polish remover. With each deep inhale, we get only the gentle, baked good side, however, making this a wonderfully warm and inviting experience that kept us repeatedly coming back to the jar. Overall, this is a cozy, comforting experience akin to a delightful home-cooked pie, nudging nostalgia and sweet memories. resinrancherspdx.com | @deofarms
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
fragrant bouquet of fleshy fruits
Focus North Gardens Mango Mojito
Dawgy Treats x Mango
Bred by Tyler D’s Trees
Notes of fresh stonefruit are bright and sweet, and they slide effortlessly through with vibrant variations each and every time you return to the jar — mango is almost obvious, but we detect a fragrant bouquet of fleshy fruits, plum, perhaps? Once you crack a little deeper into the dense, dangerously sticky stuff, there’s also just enough stank to intrigue tokers who take a strong liking to less fruity flower. Blazing up a bowl of Mango Mojito is as refreshing as it sounds. @focusnorthgardens focusnorthgardens.com | @tylerdstrees | Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
dense forests of shimmering trichomes
Pacific Grove Chem Daiquiri
GMO x (Maui Waui x Tutti Frutti)
Spicy earth and berries poured into a rustic pine wood bowl waft enticingly from these caked, colorfully contrasted nugs. They nestle thick among dense forests of shimmering trichomes, creating an alluring effect that truly begs to be broken down for yet another bowl. Puffing this potent potion provides a blissfully biting, distinctly metallic taste that adds a mouthwatering wrap to the delicious exhale. @pacificgrovepdx pacificgrovepdx.com | Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
UNCOVER
AN almost tape-like essence
HQFarms
Truffle Jelly
Happy Hour x White Truffle
Bred by HQ Farms
Imagine clean, crisp herbal tea poured over warm, yeasty dough, filling your senses with sweet black tea and a buttery, berry-drenched biscotti finish. Crack open these tender buds to uncover an almost tape-like essence — fresh and clingy. Just like a well-loved adhesive, you’ll find yourself sticking around the jar for another whiff as each layer unwraps a sticky new scent. Bowls billow with bites of berry and buttery baking, going down with ease. @hqfarmspdx | www.hq.farm
Review by Terpodactyl Media @terpodactyl_media
an array of intricate smells
High Noon Cultivation Sour Dragonfruit
(Sour D x Blueberry) x Mendobreath UV Bred by High Noon Cultivation
The nose on Sour Dragonfruit is sour and blueberry-centric, engulfed in a swell of savory, diesel-soaked funk. It’s a complex, layered expression that’s bursting with an array of intricate smells all the way from fruity to gassy. The flavor is similarly robust, embodied by an earthy, umami, and fuelheavy relish. A sweet tang scintillates atop the tongue midway through consumption, which, when combined with the overall savoriness of the strain, leaves the salivary glands practically watering. It’s a smooth, substantive smoking experience with a high that’s both satiating and terrific for medicating. @high_noon_cult | Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
luscious, syrupy grape fragrance
Flyte Co. Grape Snowcone
Wedding Crasher x Cake Crasher
Grape Snowcone features one of the most true-to-form grape expressions that can be found in modern flower. A luscious, syrupy grape fragrance radiates off each nug, consisting of a broad range of sweet and bitter tones akin to the actual fruit. Rounding out the aroma is a doughy, patisserie-like scent supported by more subtle notes of allspice and petrol. Every facet of the presentation translates perfectly to taste, generating a lip-smacking flavor that’s evocative of freshly baked grape pie or grape tarts. Many a cultivar overpromises fruity flavors, but this is one strain that actually achieves grapeness. @flyte_co_oregon | Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
Lofty Baby Cakes
Oreo Cake x Obama Runtz
Hunted by Lofty, bred by BeanFiendz
Before even cracking into a nug of Baby Cakes, the candied citrus smell that wafts from the flower is prominent. Orange zest, passion fruit and banana fragrances are on full display with a presentation so succulent and juicy that it’s better matched for the inside of a Jamba Juice than a bag of weed. Sweet vanilla cake undertones provide an aromatic complement to the fruity forward and also manifest significantly on inhale. In contrast, the exhale has this effervescent air of citrus piquancy, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg that grow sharper and more textured as the flower burns. @loftygrowersloftygrowers.com @beanfiendz1.0 | beanfiendz.com
Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
cherries, mixed berries and roses
Layers of melon, pine and dieseL
Midnight Fruit Company Sour Candylope
Devil Driver x Ogre Breath #5
Bred by Of Love and Life Genetics
This scrumptious strain features a sweet and sour lemon rind scent with a tangible air of sugary zest. Juxtaposed over a background of fresh pinewood with just a dash of fuel funk, the resulting fragrance is surprisingly similar to that of a green and yellow sour gummy worm. Layers of melon, pine and diesel gasoline fill out the flavor along with a palate-painting tart tang that overtakes the expression during combustion. Bringing in some of the best qualities from both sour and haze lineages, this cultivar is a treat for new and old-school connoisseurs alike. @midnightfruitcompany midnightfruitcopdx.com @ofloveandlifegenetics www.oflovegenetics.world
Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
Slim’s Top Shelf
Chi Chi
Ghost OG x Dosidos
Bred by Tamagani Farms
Chi Chi from Slim’s Top Shelf has a unique aroma that’s savory, fruity and minorly bitter, complete with an in-depth floral fragrance that fills the nostrils. Indications of cinnamon, hops and ginger are apparent deeper in the profile, encapsulated by an aspect of sweetness that’s simultaneously mild and pervasive. Flavorwise, the strain is reminiscent of red wine or sparkling sangria containing an elusive composition of cherries, mixed berries and roses that washes across the palate on each hit. The effect after consumption is both balanced and satisfying, making Chi Chi a choice cultivar for medicating any time of day. @slimsoregon | slimstopshelf.com
Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710 so succulent and juicy
weighty and cognitively stony
PDX Organics Pup Cup
Platinum Candy Mints x Platinum Cake
Bred by PDX Organics
Bred and hunted in-house from a cross of their award-winning Platinum Candy Mintz, Pup Cup is PDX Organic’s latest offering to the Oregon market. A treat in and of itself, the aromatic profile is sweet, earthy and cakey, with contrasting notes of creamy vanilla and petrol gas on the backend. In terms of flavor, it’s similarly earthy and kerosenetinged with an enveloping, dulcet vanilla finish. Great for end-of-day or beforebedtime usage, the effect on Pup Cup is simultaneously physiologically weighty and cognitively stony — in the best way. @pdxorganicfarms pdxorganicfarms.com | Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana.
For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana.
slapping the taste buds on the front
Derby’s Farm Double Baked Cake
Layer Cake x Wedding Cake
This cultivar takes the cake — twice. A cross of Layer Cake and Wedding Cake, Double Baked Cake has a trueto-form bakery expression that’s sweet, doughy and creamy. Under the confectionary forward, there’s a skunky, garlicky raunch that’s concurrently subtle and striking. The taste amps up the funk by several notches, slapping the taste buds on the front end with a spiced gasoline taste that’s so strong it can be felt in the nasal cavity. When it comes to sweet and skunky, this is one time consumers can have their cake and smoke it too. @derbys_farm | Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
white grape and grapefruit scents
LUVLI The Rizz
Leftovers #2 x Grape Stank
Bred by LUVLI
The Rizz is an in-house breeding project comprised of LUVLI’s award-winning strains — Leftovers #2 and Grape Stank. The flower exudes sweetened white grape and grapefruit scents with an aerated, cider-like characteristic. Undercurrents of savory gas wrap into the fruity front end, adding an extra bite to the aroma without overpowering it. Soft citrus, light hints of sour and an increasingly pronounced garlic spice form the building blocks of the flavor here, with the cultivar growing noticeably spicy on the lips. A charmer in its own right, this one is sure to Rizz. @luvlipdx | Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
a
High Wind Farms Ruby Slippers
Panama Red x Dosi-Shoes
Bred by High Winds Farm
Sweet and piney, with a light, peppery piquancy, Ruby Slippers is mostly reminiscent of an old-school haze. Breaking the flower down releases a bold, lemon-citrus scent along with a sapid, sour aspect that’s so tart it basically claws at the sensory glands. The flavor is entirely consistent, rife with haze-learning pine and lemon terps that will leave the consumer coming back for hit after delectable hit. A delightful choice for a daytime smoke, it only takes a couple of puffs of this energizing, euphoric strain to feel somewhere over the rainbow.
@highwindsfarm | www.highwinds.farm
Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
dances across the tongue
Eastwood Hard Candy
Zkittles x Kush Mints (Rabid Hippy cut)
Bred by Ronin Garden
Living up to its namesake, Hard Candy is a compellingly confectionary and sugary cultivar. Despite being complemented by a complex, kush-heavy foundation of earth, pine and wood, the aroma on display here is unmistakably Z-dominant. The kush-forward taste apparent on inhale serves as a jumping-off point for the sweeter side of the expression, conjuring a mouthwatering candy flavoring that dances across the tongue on exhale. In terms of effect, Hard Candy boasts a palliative head high paired with soothing body sensations making it a stellar option for both medicinal and recreational uses. @eastwood_flavors @roningarden | Review by Jamie Owens @pnw_chronic710
iDO ROBOTS GROW WITH ELECTRIC SEEDS?
compound genetics, node labs and the hunt for synthetic seeds
WAS AT A PARTY when Felipe Recalde from Compound Genetics came up and pulled out a vial filled with these clear, gelatinous bubbles. Inside each orb was a tiny green shoot suspended in goo like an embryo in a fish egg. He shook them up and poured some into my hands to show they weren’t as delicate as they appeared. “These,” he said, “are Cannabis seeds.”
When you think of planting fields of Cannabis 100 years from now, what do you imagine it will look like?
Certainly far different than the hoop houses or even the giant indoor facilities we see today. Looking at the progression from small farms to large facilities and seeing the title of this article, it’s hard not to start picturing some kind of science fiction garden from “Blade Runner” or “Alien.” Certainly the term “synthseeds” sounds like it was made by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The concept of a synthetic seed, or seed analog, was actually first discovered back in 1958.
A SEED BY ANY OTHER NAME
Presented as a concept in 1977, the very first synthseeds were reproduced in 1984 with somatic embryos from alfalfa.
Even looking the concept up online you’ll find YouTube videos dating back to five and six years ago from places as far away as Australia. The National Library of Medicine lists a 2022 study examining artificial seeds as an alternative approach for the commercial-scale use of clones. Because, to be clear right from the start, we’re not talking about a solution for traditional Cannabis cultivation methods but rather another tool in the playbook for large-scale cultivation.
There will always be a need for natural seed stock in the world of Cannabis and the genetic diversity it provides. However, as more commercial facilities open up, synthetic seeds have undeniable applications in those environments — particularly for transferring genetics. Many different laws and regulations still apply to seeds. Remember that while a package might say “novelty use,” it’s still subject to agricultural restrictions. Many tourists have come back from Amsterdam only to discover their “novelty” seeds taken at customs. In speaking with Compound for this article, Recalde says the meristem cell contained inside an artificial seed represents base cells and can’t simply be planted in the ground to grow. Therefore, they’re excluded from many of the situations traditional seeds can find themselves in.
To learn more, we headed to Compound Genetics’ facility in Santa Rosa, Calif., where they maintain a lab as well as a facility to work on long-term projects like synthseeds. Part of Node Labs and connected to an antique barn, the facility can house a staggering 450 different cultivars, but Production Manager Emily Hsu says they normally store around 300 strains. These range from Compound and other recreational flower brands to a section for private client storage and a space for their work with the Origins Council to offer free genetic banking for farmers stewarding
California’s legacy outdoor genetics. Together with Lauren Avenius, CEO of Node Labs, Hsu walked us through the breakdown of the parts of a synthetic seed and how they’re made, a process they say all starts with meristems cells.
WHAT ARE MERISTEMS?
A meristem is a cluster of cells within a plant containing a bunch of actively dividing initial cells, along with derivative cells that have an intended purpose. Avenius says, “Think of it a bit like the stem cell of the plant world.” They collect these meristems and then prepare them into synthetic seeds which they refer to in the lab as “boba.” When asked why the reference, Avenius said, “I think we've all had boba tea before, and you understand how it has that outer casing within that little bit of a pop when it opens up, and then it’s filled with a sugary sort of fluid, right? That's basically what this is. We simulate everything that’s inside a seed: all of the food, the little bit of hormones, all of the sugars and starches that that seed embryo gets, we put in here.” Softer than your traditional seed, the shell is made of sodium alginate, a completely organic, edible substance that the plant can easily break through but requires a bit of force to burst from the outside.
"
To anyone who can recognize how important genetics are to the future of Cannabis, this represents a possible game-changer."
in tissue culture, and eventually replacing clones is Avenius and Recalde’s long-term goal. “Our vision for the project is that these become a viable product to replace clones so that you’ll get all the benefits of a sterile clone and genetically identical plants, with all the agronomic data, so you can dial in your room and be able to have that perfect product output,” Avenius says.
From there, we went to the lab station where Shannon Healy, manager of R&D, was sitting down to create the artificial seeds by collecting the fluid and meristem into a scientific turkey baster, dropping it into the sodium alginate, where it instantly formed a tiny egg, and was scooped out into a sterile container. We asked Healy if the recipe for the liquid starter was universal to the process, and she says they actually went through several different mixtures of sodium alginate and calcium chloride before achieving a successful autoclavable solution. When asked how long these stay viable, Healy said they have some in cold storage that are as old as five months. Even the ones I was sent home with sat in and out of my fridge for six weeks before tiny sprouts started to poke through the shells.
THE FUTURE IS NOW
Currently, Recalde says Node and Compound are stress testing to see how long the meristem stays viable, as well as running trials on how to eventually plant these straight into rockwool cubes. He believes that with a tissue culture lab in Colombia and partners in Germany, Canada, Israel, Thailand and Australia, “we need to simulate that supply chain now to be ready.” Long term, Avenius says, they want home and commercial growers to be able to plant these just like seeds. The result would be a healthy, harvestable plant grown straight from nothing but the tiny bit of tissue and its boba bathtub. Recalde says he sees one of the most important long-term benefits as the ease with which synthetic seeds allow us to transport plants.
Also, Avenius points out, unlike seeds you can’t just plant a meristem and have it grow into a plant for harvest. “Those meristems need that direction, the right growth medium and hormones to get it to grow into what you want. Sometimes that can make the plants have a strange morphology,” she says. That’s the reason they don’t recommend using tissue culture as a flowering crop but instead recommend growing it out to become a mother plant.
For now, they want boba seeds to become a replacement for the traditional storage methods
This leads me back to what put me into this story in the first place: the idea that you can wander around with a container full of healthy clones right in your pocket, ready to be delivered anywhere you can reach in at least six weeks. To anyone who can recognize how important genetics are to the future of Cannabis, this represents a possible game-changer. Despite the 40-year-old technology still being 10 to 15 years away from what Node and Compound are picturing, this is something they see as part of prepping for the future.
This year at Spannabis in Barcelona, Avenius says they hope to unveil the project to commercial growers with a simplified explanation: “How do we combine the best thing about seeds, which is they’re cheaper and healthier, with the best thing about tissue culture and clones, which are genetically identical and have proven commercial viability?”
Salute to the SKUNK MAN
DAVID WATSON 1949-2025
Remembering the legendary breeder known as Sam the Skunk Man.
by BOBBY BLACK
The Cannabis community is mourning the loss of yet another of its greatest icons — breeder and entrepreneur David Watson (better known as Sam the Skunk Man), who passed into the great beyond on Monday, January 27, 2025 (the same day that medical marijuana activist Dennis Peron died seven years earlier), at the age of 76.
“Every Cannabis breeder operating over the past 40 years owes a debt of gratitude to the Skunk Man.”
Watson — aka Skunkman Sam, aka Sam Selezny, aka Sadu Sam — was, by most accounts, the most influential Cannabis breeder in history. Starting out in Santa Cruz County in the early 1970s, he began collecting, cataloging and crossing Cannabis cultivars from around the globe, eventually creating several classic strains, including — as his nickname suggests — the legendary Skunk #1, whose genetic fingerprints can be found within many of the popular varieties enjoyed today.
Watson shared the unique genetics he’d procured and produced with the public through the seed company he founded, Sacred Seeds (America’s first commercial seed bank). Then, in 1984, he brought around a quarter million seeds to Amsterdam, where, under the new name of Cultivator’s Choice, he sold his genetics (including Skunk #1, Afghan #1, Durban Poison, Hindu Kush and the original Haze) to all of the Dutch growers, who then used them to help create the iconic strains and seed companies we know today. It’s not overstating things to say that every Cannabis breeder operating over the past 40 years owes a debt of gratitude to the Skunkman.
Beyond breeding, Watson made numerous other groundbreaking contributions to Cannabis culture and science. In the late 1980s, he published the first pamphlet explaining how to make water hash and is credited with coining the phrase, “If it don’t bubble, it ain’t worth the trouble.”
He later went on to co-host the infamous Legends of Hashish dinner party and competition (held in Amsterdam each November during the Cannabis Cup) with his lifelong friend, botanist Robert Connell Clarke, and Marcus
“Bubbleman” Richardson. He and Clarke also co-founded the International Hemp Association, as well as the genetics company Hortilab, and Hortapharm, the world’s first privately funded pharmaceutical cannabinoid research company.
Regarded by many as a kind-hearted curmudgeon, Watson was almost universally beloved by growers around the world. But despite his revered status in the community, he eschewed all accolades and recognition, preferring to live a very private life as an expat in Amsterdam (where he resided with his wife and partner Diana since the 1980s) and forbidding photos of himself to be made public. It’s only now, after his death, that friends have begun posting images of him.
As part of his final wishes, Watson’s ashes have been portioned out into small, custom-blown glass vials to be shared with his friends and other prominent growers around the world, with the intention that they be sprinkled into the soil of their next crops so that his remains can nourish the sacred plant he so loved and devoted his life to.
Skunk Man’s ashes in glass vials to share with friends and fellow growers.
Sensi Sensibility
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Holland’s Sensi Seed Bank is the world’s oldest and most influential Cannabis seed company still in operation.
EARLY DAYS
Sensi Seeds was founded in 1985 by Dutch cultivator and entrepreneur Ben Dronkers.
Born on Dec 25, 1949, Dronkers was raised in Rotterdam, where he first gained an appreciation for horticulture while spending time with his mother in their garden.
In 1963, at the age of 15, he began working as a boatswain’s boy (an assistant deck hand) for the Rotterdam-based Holland-America merchant shipping line. While visiting ports of call in various countries, he sought exotic fabrics for a clothing company he hoped to start. Three years later, Dronkers had already married and had his first son, Alan. In 1968, he and his wife did indeed open their own clothing boutique… but by then, his passion had already started shifting towards another pursuit: Cannabis.
INTRODUCTION TO CANNABIS
Dronkers smoked his first joint (tobacco and hashish, as was typical in Europe at the time) at 17 while walking on a pedestrian bridge across the Nieuwe Maas River with a friend. Soon, instead of just collecting hemp fabrics on his voyages, he was also collecting seeds. And since there was nowhere to get hash or weed there in Rotterdam, he and his friend began riding down to Amsterdam to cop.
Like in America, the late ’60s saw a counterculture beginning to emerge in the Netherlands. In June 1970, around a year after Woodstock, Rotterdam had a psychedelic rock festival of its own. Billed as “Europe’s answer to Woodstock,” the Holland Pop Festival — aka “Stamping Ground” and the “Kralingen Music Festival” featured a stellar lineup, including Santana, Jefferson Airplane and Pink Floyd. It was this concert that many cite as the birthplace of the Dutch’s famous tolerance towards Cannabis use, or gedoogbeleid — and Dronkers was right at the heart of it.
“Everyone knew that at the festival a lot of people would be smoking, so the police said they would take it easy, that there would be no arrests because they were afraid there would be riots,” he told High Times in 1996. “So we made a ‘Hash and Marijuana Here’ sign and sat under it and sold it.”
CULTIVATING THE DREAM
By 1975, Dronkers had begun growing his own Cannabis in makeshift greenhouses using seeds he’d acquired abroad or culled from some of the better quality weed he’d come across.
“Back then we were experimenting with the first indoor grow techniques, using cool-tubes shaped as a tipi to try and get some buds. The weed was not good, but it worked,” he once explained. “For us, it felt amazing that we could just put some seeds in the ground, water it, and grow your own weed.”
Dronkers began setting up larger-scale grows, then tried to sell his harvests to coffeeshops. But ironically, since the Dutch market wasn’t used to seeing kind bud, he initially encountered resistance.
“The first two to three years that I grew Cannabis in greenhouses, no one wanted to buy it,” he explains. “The Dutch had only seen brown Thai and African weed, which was pressed into blocks and dried out. So when they saw green buds, they didn’t know what to do with it. They even called it ‘spinach.’”
Eventually, though, he convinced a few shops to take a chance on his “spinach,” and they they were not disappointed: it was flying off the shelves, thanks in large part to American tourists.
“[People] were getting so stoned that they would literally fall off their stools!” Dronkers emphasized.
BUILDING THE BANK
From 1978 to 1984, Dronkers spent much time traveling to various regions along the infamous Hippie Trail (e.g. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Morocco), procuring quality hashish and landrace genetics.
Sensi Seed Bank owner Ben Dronkers in front of his shop in Amsterdam.
Dronkers with a Skunk bush in his greenhouse (1983).
Then, in the early to mid-1980s, Holland’s tolerance toward Cannabis began attracting some of America’s top pot pioneers who were eager to share their cultivation knowledge and genetics with Amsterdam’s burgeoning marijuana market. From grow gurus like Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, “Seattle Greg” McAllister, and Sam the Skunk Man, Dronkers obtained now-classic strains like Skunk #1, Early Pearl, Original Haze and Northern Lights. Using these cultivars and those he’d curated from his travels, Dronkers began developing and stabilizing his own hybrids.
SENSI SMILE
In addition to selling his weed to coffeeshops in Amsterdam, Dronkers also opened his own shop in his hometown in 1983. The first Cannabis cafe in Rotterdam, Sensi Smile, was originally just his clothing shop with a big pot leaf in the window from which they sold weed and hash.
Additional locations were later opened in Amsterdam, Groningen and other parts of Rotterdam. Unfortunately, raising his public profile like that also led to unwanted scrutiny from the law. And though Dutch authorities tolerated the sale and possession of small amounts of Cannabis, growing more than five plants was still considered illegal, so Dronkers’ large-scale grows inevitably led him to run afoul of the law. Luckily, though, penalties for Cannabis in Holland weren’t very harsh.
“Altogether, I’ve been arrested about 80 times in my life,” Dronkers confessed to HT. “I’ve been convicted about 15 times and jailed four or five times, but always for a short time. The longest period I’ve been in jail was six weeks.”
As the story goes, it was during one of these jail stays that Dronkers began researching the legal basis of Cannabis prohibition in Europe, the Opium Act (celebrating its centennial this year), and discovered a loophole of sorts: apparently, Cannabis seeds were exempt from the ban. After verifying this find with his lawyer, he decided to shift gears and sell seeds instead of weed. And thus, the Sensi Seed Club (aka Sensi Connoisseurs’ Club) was born.
SEEDS OF SUCCESS
In 1985, Dronkers rented a storefront in Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District and began selling their seeds. The shop was an immediate success, attracting aspiring home growers and pros worldwide.
Sensi’s most famous strain, Jack Herer, has become one of the most popular “sativas” in the world.
Of course, Sensi wasn’t the only seed company operating out of Holland at the time: Super Sativa Seed Club (SSSC), Lowlands Seed Company, and The Seed Bank were also in the mix. Of these, The Seed Bank was the first and most successful, thanks to founder Nevil Schoenmakers’ bold move of selling to Americans via ads in High Times. Unfortunately, that strategy backfired when he became the target of the Bush administration’s Operation Green Merchant sting in 1989.
In 1991, Schoenmakers was arrested in Australia and faced extradition to the U.S. During his incarceration, he struck a deal to sell his entire seed and plant stock — as well as his mansion known as the “Cannabis Castle” — to Dronkers. With the acquisition of Nevils’ Seed Bank, Sensi Seed Club became the Sensi Seed Bank… and with the dissolution of SSSC, Lowlands, and Cultivators Choice soon after, emerged as the largest seed company in the world.
THE CANNABIS CUP
With a vast genetic library and no serious competition, Sensi Seeds began cranking out phenomenal new strains (e.g., Silver Haze, Black Domina, Sensi Skunk, Big Bud and Hindu Kush), some of which would go on to win awards at High Times’ newly-created (1988)
Cannabis Cup competition — even sweeping the Seed Company category in 1993.
But it was the 7th Annual Cup in 1994 that would prove to be the real game-changer for Sensi. That was the year Sensi first opened up the Cannabis Castle for tours and, during a special ceremony there, premiered what would become their most famous strain — one that bears the name of the weed world’s most legendary activist, Jack Herer. Allegedly a cross between Haze, Northern Lights, and Skunk, this sativa-dominant sensation ended up taking home the top prize that year and has since become one of the most popular “sativas” in the world.
After 2002, Sensi took a decade-long hiatus from participating in the Cannabis Cups. It wasn’t until 2013, at the 26th Cup, that Dronkers finally decided to re-enter the competition, and High Times celebrated his return by inducting him into their Counterculture Hall of Fame.
HEMP COMPANY & MUSEUM
In addition to his seed company, Dronkers has spearheaded several other groundbreaking projects in the Cannabis space.
The same year he launched Sensi Seeds, Dronkers also opened the Cannabis Info Museum — the world’s first Cannabis museum — just a few blocks from his seed shop. With help from Rosenthal, he curated an ongoing exhibit showcasing some of the countless Cannabis-related artifacts he’d collected on his travels. After an expansion in 2008, then a complete remodel in 2012, it transformed into the iconic Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum we know today. A sister museum was opened in Barcelona mere weeks after the Amsterdam location’s reopening.
Next, in 1993, Dronkers founded HempFlax, a company that grows hemp in several European countries and processes it into fibers for textiles and plastic substitutes. It’s the largest CBD oil producer in Europe.
Then, in 2004, he created the Cannabis Culture Awards — an annual ceremony at the museum honoring individuals who’d taken an extraordinary stand on behalf of Cannabis, including Herer, Rosenthal, Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Todd McCormick, and Sir Richard Branson.
A NEW CHAPTER
Now, at 74, Dronkers lives in Malaysia in semi-retirement, passing the proverbial torch to his son (and executive director) Gio Dronkers. Under his stewardship, Sensi has continued to thrive — now offering over 500 unique and classic cultivars. And at MJ Bizcon last December, Sensi announced that they would be merging with both Nor-Cal’s ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) and fellow Amsterdam icons Barney’s Farm Genetics, and plan to take the new conglomerate public later this year. This would make it the world’s first publicly traded Cannabis seed company.
“This partnership strikes a balance between honoring the legacy market and shaping a brighter future for the Cannabis industry,” Dronkers said of the merger. “We are devoted to innovation, quality and preserving the seeds of this rich, diverse and extraordinary plant.”
For our podcast and more Cannabis history content visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.
Sensi Seeds’ Cannabis Connoisseurs Club (1992).
Dronkers in a Cannabis field in Afghanistan in the 1970s.
Jack Herer celebrates the debut of his namesake strain at Sensi’s Cannabis Castle (1994).
Dronkers & Rosenthal at his Rotterdam coffeeshop during the1980s.
Amsterdam’s Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum: before and after. Sensi catalog (1996).
DRAGON ASS SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH DRAGGING ASS.
Dragging ass is something we all do when our energy is low, especially in the moments upon waking before the requisite black brewed stimulant sparks the body’s motor that consumes fuel and burps exhaust.
We all know that feeling of lethargy. For so many of us, the first 30 minutes of the day is like boot camp. And if you happen to find yourself in a bizarre situation where that previously mentioned human gasoline called coffee is not available, motivating your brain toward a direction of productivity is like tugging cement through water. You are a recoil starter on the lawn mower with an empty tank. Regardless of how many times you tug on that sucker, the engine ain’t turning over until it gets some gas.
It’s not dissimilar for some stoners, you know. Different kind of gas, of course.
Anyway, dragon ass is something completely separate. However, these intelligent lizards have been known to be unapologetically lazy when perched atop their spoils of plunder, enjoying a good snore. At least that’s what we learned from the “The Lord of the Rings.” They’re kinda like cats when the belly is full. They will aimlessly drift into a back nap with the loins exposed — dreaming colorful fantasies of torching small village rooftops while blissfully unaware of the dribble of drool leaking through the muzzle’s lower incisors.
But then the interruption can be so very abrupt when the scent of hairy feet fouls the nostrils, alarming the defenses of little pint-sized thieves called Hobbitses. And nothing pisses a dragon off more than getting his favorite hood ornament jacked from his booty. So, with a burst of smoke and a toss of the tail, he boldly rises with awesome drama and devours him in one swallow.
And then he sniffs for a mate. Preferably one with nice booty.
