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For The Harvest Issue this month, photographer Sarah Capparuccini documented the hustle and bustle of one of Maryland’s largest Cannabis grows at SunMed Growers. Their sprawling facility runs like a well-oiled machine, complete with industry-elevating technology that puts it in a class of its own. Check out the story pages 28-31! And if you want to see exclusive photos and stories from farms in the other states the Leaf covers, we encourage you to spend a sesh with our free digital archive at Issuu.com/nwleaf & LeafMagazines.com. Our sincere thanks to all the wonderful farms and farmers who welcomed our teams in this month!
PHOTO by SARAH CAPPARUCCINI @SARAHROSEFOTOS
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CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES SARAH CAPPARUCCINI, PHOTOS EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES PARI PATEL, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MIKE ROTHMAN, LAW COLUMN JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN
WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
PUBLISHER EARLY
EARLY@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN
DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
STATE DIRECTOR WYATT EARLY | AD SALES
WYATT@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 410-961-8779
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Maryland Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, LeafMagazines.com. Email wyatt@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Maryland Leaf!
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WES
ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Harvest Issue of the Leaf! WE’VE BEEN publishing our harvest issues for many years now and it continues to be one of my favorites. There is something truly special about outdoor Cannabis – and the people who put their livelihoods or medicinal needs on the line to grow a plant for six or more months – with no guarantee of success. Welcome to farming! On top of the sacrifices and risks they face, they also face stigma about the quality of the product they have worked so hard on. But let me tell you this:
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Cannabis is a plant. And the natural expression of terpenes and flavors that the plant produces when exposed to sunlight can never be replicated in an indoor environment. I encourage all of our readers to flip through our scenic harvest special, read the stories of true farm life and enjoy this magazine that we worked so hard on. But I also challenge you to purchase sungrown Cannabis and experience the plant in a natural form. Believe me when I say that while it may look different than indoor flower, it’s no less beautiful – and much more tasty than the mid-grade indoor Cannabis flooding the market.
“MY VOTE GOES TO ORGANIC FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR OUR FAMILIES, AND AN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM THAT GIVES BACK TO THE EARTH.”
On a sustainability note, our planet, societies and industries are all at a turning point, with our futures decided by us as enlightened consumers. Do we want synthetic, harmful products for our bodies? Do we want hothouse-grown and pesticide-sprayed vegetables or weed? My vote goes to organic fruits and veggies for our families, and an agricultural system that gives back to the Earth. So, what impact do we want our favorite plant to have on our planet? Society votes and decides its future with dollars, and I hope that everyone reading this gives outdoor Cannabis a try. It supports both the farmer and the environment. Not to mention, both your head and your heart will thank you for it! As always, thank you for reading – and please enjoy our Harvest Issue while sampling the bounty of this year’s crop!
-Wes Abney NOV. 2021
