MOVING FOR THE PLANT

uprooted

ON THE MOVE FOR THE PLANT

Whether searching for compassionate policy, seeking industry opportunity or fleeing persecution, Cannabis has people pulling up roots and planting new seeds all over the country.

ORIGINALLY FROM Salt Lake City, Jenn Doe fled the archaic and prohibitive Cannabis laws of Utah to Washington to ply her trade as a grower and hash-maker. She thrived under the medical marijuana program and eventually won the High Times NorCal Cannabis Cup in 2014, becoming the only woman to win the award for solventless hash – made by her from plants she grew herself. changing policies JENN DOE The offers should have rolled in for a champion extract artist, and yet she felt stifled by the restrictions that had been imposed on caregivers after recreational legalization passed in 2012. Jenn promptly moved to Massachusetts for a year to grow and wash her flowers in peace, until the laws there changed as well. A business opportunity arose and once again, she wound up back in Washington working for Gavita Lighting. Upon their “The amount of money it takes to have a business there, versus being a functioning caregiver business here in Maine is significant, and it’s not nearly as saturated of a market.” Utah to Washington to Massachusetts to Washington to Maine acquisition and the subsequent restructuring of the company, she decided to again relocate – this time to the state of Maine. Why Maine? Jenn tells me, “I couldn’t do anything in the Pacific Northwest without serious investment, due to the laws, by Dan Vinkovetsky @dannydankoht or I would have to work for someone else – which I’d rather not. The amount of money it takes to have a business there, versus being a functioning caregiver business here in Maine is significant, and it’s not nearly as saturated of a market.”

As recreational legalization sometimes guts medical patient protections, Jenn finds the caregiver laws to be more reasonable for the mom n’ pops and small businesses, and the irony doesn’t escape her. She laughs as she tells me, “Each of my moves corresponds to the shift from medical to recreational. … All I know is I will continue to seek favorable conditions for farming and hashmaking on a boutique scale, because that’s who I am and that’s what I want to do!”

industry opportunity

GIDDYUP

Oklahoma to Colorado to California to Nevada to Oklahoma

by Bobby Black @bobbyblack420

AS THE founder of Emotek, Jayson “Giddyup” Emo is the mohawked marijuana mogul behind 2012’s groundbreaking OBE-DOS closed-loop butane extraction system that immediately became the industry standard. He’s also the co-creator of live resin – the wildly popular style of concentrate that has taken the market by storm (and that his machine made possible). Giddy originally hails from Oklahoma – a state that, just a few years ago, had some of the strictest pot laws in the nation. “When you move to a new state with big plans, all that shit typically goes out the window when you get there,” he chuckles. Over the past decade, Giddyup has moved from state to state several times, always for reasons related to Cannabis. First, in 2010, he moved from Oklahoma City to Longmont, Colorado with the idea of growing weed for dispensaries, but that plan didn’t quite pan out.

“When you move to a new state with big plans, all that shit typically goes out the window when you get there,” he chuckles.

Building on the success of his extractors, in 2015 he launched his own brand of concentrates: Giddyup Extracts. After having established himself as an industry leader in Colorado, Giddy set out to bring his equipment and expertise to other legal states. First, he spent a few years in Nevada setting up licensing deals and selling to that market. Then in 2017, he moved to Hollywood to consult in the California market, which he described as a nightmare.

In 2018, Giddy moved back to Oklahoma and established a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse grow, followed by his own dispensary named Giddy’s OKC, which opened in January 2019. According to Giddy, states that are new to legalization are a smarter move for those seeking employment in the Cannabis industry.

fleeing persecution

THE STADLERS

Texas to Colorado

by Bobby Black @bobbyblack420

MIKE STADLER used to live in the small town of After returning home from Copperas Cove, Texas with his wife Sheena and the Denver Cannabis Cup their five-year-old son Kayden. An HVAC tech by in April 2014, they learned trade, Stadler sold weed on the side, as well as plainclothes police had growing a few plants for personal medicinal use. been snooping around Stadler also made an effort to set a good example their property. and help his community by starting a community vegetable garden in a vacant lot he called Grow Your Own. The garden was a hit around the neighborhood, but ended up drawing scrutiny from law enforcement.

First, City Hall changed local ordinances forcing them to shut down the garden. Next, after returning home from the Denver Cannabis Cup in April 2014, they learned plainclothes police had been snooping around their property. Then police tried bullying Sheena into letting them search their home without a warrant. A few days later, eight cop cars returned, accompanied by Child Protective Services. Luckily, she was out shopping at the time.

After being advised by their lawyer that they could likely lose custody of their son, the couple made a fast and fateful decision: They hurriedly packed a few bags, got in their car, and fled to Greely, Colorado.

“I don’t regret it at all,” says Stadler of the move. “I don’t have sleepless nights anymore, where I’m worried about whether a noise I hear is the police at my door, or if I get pulled over that I’m going to go to jail.”

Though CPS in Colorado was obligated to pay them a follow-up visit, Stadler had no trouble getting the accusations dismissed.

“I told them the whole story and they said, ‘We’ve had other families move here for the same situation … if anybody calls from Texas with any more complaints, we’ll tell them to screw off because you live in Colorado now.”

industry opportunity

RYAN SMITH

California to Alaska

CHECK OUT LEAF LIFE EPISODE #97 Cannabis MIGRATION ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS AND LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM

by O’Hara Shipe @shipeshots

FORMER PRO-SNOWBOARDER Ryan Smith has had his fair share of adversity to overcome. Whether it was the end of his athletic career or a tragic accident while firefighting, he has found ways to exemplify the Japanese proverb, “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”

But Cannabis has challenged the California-native in ways he never anticipated.

“I am completely self-taught and I have made a lot of mistakes over the years,” says Smith. “You know, it’s kind Nothing could have prepared Smith for what he would encounter on June 16, 2019, when a devastating fire engulfed the farm in flames. of been just trial and error – and screwing up a lot.” His dedication to his craft paid off when he relocated in 2018 to take over the position of Lead Cultivator at Wasilla-based grow Scorpion Grass. “I always wanted to live in Alaska, so when the opportunity came up, I jumped and haven’t looked back,” says Smith.

But nothing could have prepared Smith for what he would encounter on June 16, 2019, when a devastating fire engulfed the farm in flames. With nothing left to do but watch as his hard work went up in a cloud of smoke, Smith says he felt the pangs of despair. The next day, the flames extinguished, Smith walked through the gardens to see if anything could be saved.

It was in this devastation that Smith saw a small glimmer of hope.

“I had to walk through [the garden] and take cuttings of some of the plants so we could save the genetics. And then I saw a piece of my favorite strain – Ice Cream Cake – literally growing out from underneath these old burned trusses from the roof. It was this real sentimental moment when I took that clone,” says Smith.

The clone has since developed into one of Scorpion Grass’ signature strains, Attic Fire, and is the living representation of Smith’s moxie.