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NORTHWEST LEAF / OREGON LEAF / ALASKA LEAF / MARYLAND LEAF / CALIFORNIA LEAF / NORTHEAST LEAF / UTAH LEAF
WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com | advertising sales
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DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com
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ASHLEY HIRCHERT SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD ashley@leafmagazines.com
ABOUT THE COVER
Every year, the Northwest Leaf team and our trusty contributors have the unique opportunity to explore Cannabis being grown on the large scale. From the fields of our photogenic cover stars High Country Horticulture, to the intrepid crews of Canna Organix, Buddy Boy Farm, Dewey Cannabis, ZOZ Cannabis, and Free Rain Farms, this special issue highlights how Cannabis is created from seed to sale — the process that lets us consume our Cannabis safely and, ideally, with a copy of Northwest Leaf in hand.
PHOTO BY RURAL VALLEY LIFE
@RURAL_VALLEY_LIFE
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY, FEATURES + NEWS
ANGELA-JORDAN AGUILAR, FEATURES
DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS + DESIGNS
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES + DESIGNS
KETI CHIKHLADZE, PHOTOS
ERICK DOXEY, PHOTOS
JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION
DEAN HARE, PHOTOS
MICHAEL GREENMAN, VIDEO REX HILSINGER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
MATT JACKSON, FEATURES
TRAVIS MASON, PHOTOS
JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN
MIKE RICKER, FEATURES
RURAL VALLEY LIFE, PHOTOS
KELSEY STEVENS, PRODUCTION TERPENE TRANSIT, DISTRIBUTION
TERPODACTYL MEDIA, FEATURES + PHOTOS
LENA B. WHITE, AD SALES + PRODUCTION BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Northwest Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Northwest Leaf!
Exclusive Cannabis Journalism CONNECT WITH NORTHWEST LEAF!
WES ABNEY
Editor’s Note
I write this note not knowing who will be the new president of our principled country, but I stand in full support of the elected President of our democratic republic who will work to address the systemic issues in our institutions. America is surely the greatest country in history, a nation founded on the ideals of freedom here and around the world. Yet, we have much work to do to ensure our fundamental rights.
The pursuit of the American dream rings clear around the world because this is the land of freedom and prosperity, which is symbolized by the legalization movement. There is no cause greater than fighting for the sick, the oppressed, and the natural world, and our movement is composed of these elements that have risen like a seedling out of a concrete crack. As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, those fighting for survival in the Cannabis industry need more of this prosperity to land in the industry’s hands, and not in the endless tax coffers. We need to fight to be treated equally, as promised in our enshrined Constitution and Bill of Rights, where the pursuit of happiness and freedom go hand in hand with consuming Cannabis.
Weed might seem legal where you are reading this, but current laws enforce policies restricting gun rights, parental rights, and social service access for Cannabis users, all while over-taxation and overt censorship of Cannabis on social media make it clear that there is a narrative and an agenda against our plant and our community — and that’s on a good day. We aren’t far from a scenario where the fact-checkers turn on Cannabis and label the types of stories the Leaf has been publishing since 2010 as “misinformation.”
"WHY IS THERE A WAR AGAINST OUR MEDICINE AND NATURAL PLANTS?"
We live in a bubble in our legal states, and it’s easy to forget that a third of our country still faces criminal prosecution for possession of Cannabis. Our community makes light of drug laws surrounding psychedelics, but we sadly ignore that people are going to prison every day for these healing medicines, especially when used to treat ailments that big pharma has a chokehold on, like PTSD and depression.
Why is there a war against our medicine and natural plants? Because it threatens the pharmaceutical and military-industrial complex that dominates our society, and therefore the world. These forces market food full of ingredients and additives that are illegal in the EU and Canada, advertise alcohol and antidepressants, and push pro-consumption media that promotes pills to fix health issues. They do not, however, recommend exercise, natural medicines, dietary changes or spending time in nature with clean air and grounding, because there is no profit in that advice. Would a plant do well in this type of environment? No wonder America’s health is declining!
When I started the Leaf, weed was illegal. Consuming Cannabis, especially as medicine, was an act of defiance that opened consciousness to the lies of the system. The problematic criminal justice system that has locked up our community for 100 years became alarmingly apparent during this era of Cannabis enlightenment. Today I fear that awakening is lost as people legally choose the highest potency products to numb their minds. The defiance of using weed to open minds to promote health, well-being and healing has less impact now than the founding principles that legal Cannabis valued. I’ve always believed that Cannabis is a tool that could change the world, but it must be used as a tool for conscious growth. I still believe that Cannabis can change the world, but I’m convinced more than ever that it will take a great spiritual awakening to unite us and break free from the current zeitgeist that has divided Americans. Now is the time to fight against division, censorship, authoritarianism and mass media manipulation. We know the truth about our plant medicines, and we must hold that truth and guard it carefully. Just like the Truffula trees in Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax,” we must nurture the plant medicines that are connected to our spirits, our community and our health, and preserve them for a future that benefits all people, plants and animals.
SINGAPORE EXECUTES FOURTH PERSON IN 2024 FOR POSSESSION OF DRUGS
The island nation of Singapore, which has the strictest drug laws in the world, has executed a 64-year-old man for trafficking 36.93 grams of heroin.
ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT
REJECTS LEGALIZATION MEASURE
TW0 WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION
Astunning blow to legalization efforts in Arkansas was landed after the state Supreme Court ruled that the ballot initiative expanding medical Cannabis was too vague.
What’s unclear to voters is why the measure, which would have expanded access to doctors, added new conditions and allowed medical cards to last three years, was a threat to the justices’ views on Cannabis. The AP reported that in a “4-3 decision, the justices ruled the measure did not fully inform voters that it would have stripped the Legislature’s ability to change the 2016 constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana in the state.”
“The measure also included a controversial amendment that would have legalized recreational Cannabis up to an ounce.”
The percentage of all drug arrests made for Cannabis in more than a dozen states in 2023.
“Flights into the country feature normal landing announcements, and a quick reminder that “drug trafficking may be punishable by death.”
While most countries in the world are reapproaching the issues of drugs and criminal penalties by focusing on rehabilitation and decriminalization, Singapore maintains the death penalty for anyone caught with drugs, regardless of intent to sell. A person found with 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine, 250 grams of meth or 500 grams of Cannabis is subject to death by hanging if convicted. Only a handful of countries maintain these types of drug laws, including North Korea and Iran, where trafficking large amounts of illegal narcotics is punishable by death.
Flights into the country feature normal landing announcements, and a quick reminder that “drug trafficking may be punishable by death.” Citizens can also be drug tested by authorities if it’s believed they’ve consumed drugs, making personal freedoms regarding drugs nonexistent even when traveling.
CNN interviewed Kannon K. Shanmugam, Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law, who defended his country’s drug policies, where 40 inmates are awaiting hanging on death row. “Look around the world,” Shanmugam told CNN. “Any time there has been a certain laxity in the approach to drugs, homicides go up. Killings, torture, kidnappings … that goes up.”
Life in a Singaporean prison is tough. Prisoners sleep on small floor mats, aren’t allowed furniture and are fed through a slot on the bottom of the door. In the hot tropical climate, there’s no forgiveness from heat or humidity, and as Shanmugam said, “We choose to make it harsh.”
As the world watches the United States for cues on drug policy, federal legalization could bring respite to drug prisoners not just here, but overseas as well. Until the war on drugs is ended globally, victims will continue to struggle for rights, including the right to live after making a mistake. For Shanmugam, the fight against drugs is “a fight you never say you’ve won.”
The measure also included a controversial amendment that would have legalized recreational Cannabis up to an ounce, if Cannabis became legal under federal law. Arkansas voters declined to legalize recreational Cannabis in 2022, and this issue is still up for debate among the ironically named Natural State residents.
While the state currently maintains a limited medical Cannabis program, there are no plans to legalize adult use or expand medical access for patients. By adding in the legalization caveat and restricting the Legislature’s ability to modify the rules, the ballot was “doomed… and plainly misleading,” according to Justice Shawn Womack. Those hoping for legalization will have to return to the initiative process to bring freedom to Arkansas in 2026.
BHIP HOP ICON SNOOP DOGG REPORTS WEATHER ON TODAY SHOW, HIGH CHANCE OF CANNABIS FORECASTED
eloved rapper and stoner cultural icon Snoop Dogg dropped by the Today show last month to deliver a weather update laced with Cannabis jokes.
While the forecasts for Mary Jane Falls, Nevada, were clearly a joke, the overall message was that people are smoking Cannabis all over the country and that it’s as normal as the daily weather.
“...my favorite is when it’s nice, hot and misty outside, 84 degrees in Blunt, South Dakota,” Snoop said in the clip”
“Al, it’s 57 degrees in Mary Jane Falls, Nevada? And then I heard it’s gonna be 56 degrees in Stoner, Colorado. But my favorite is when it’s nice, hot and misty outside, 84 degrees in Blunt, South Dakota,” Snoop said in the clip, which is available on YouTube. While things are staying hot in Roach, Missouri, according to Snoop, the real buzz is that weed continues to make ground in popular culture and at the ballot box.
The percentage of polled voters who supported Florida legalization bid last month. 66%
It took two to tangle over a garbage bag full of weed, which led to one person shot and both arrested in Wilmington, Delaware.
220
The amount in pounds of Cannabis an errant flock of sheep ate this summer, prompting weird behavior on the Thessaly, Greece farm.
200,306 40%
The number of Americans arrested for Cannabis in 2023, according to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data released last month.
Quoted
“This is just evidence that the Legislature is completely impotent when it comes to taking this thing [legalization] on and doing this legislatively. They are unwilling to do the hard work because they don’t want the smell of the devil’s lettuce on them.”
-Former state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg, Florida Republican, who told Politico that “he believes that at least half of Republican lawmakers support Amendment 3 [to legalize Cannabis] privately even though they publicly oppose it.”
Compliant
At Airo, we thrive on local partnerships rooted in quality and consistency. Together, we’re driving innovation and delivering premium cannabis experiences nationwide.
CURRENTLY IN 25 MARKETS AND GROWING
JOHN SANDERS
NORTHWEST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
YOU LIVE OUT ON THE PENINSULA PRETTY DEEP AND COMMUTE TO PORT HADLOCK. IT TAKES A SPECIAL MENTALITY TO APPRECIATE THAT SORT OF SPACE IN YOUR LIFE. HOW DOES CANNABIS FILL THAT SPACE? My family and I have five acres and live completely off grid, and the plant accentuates all of it.
HAVE YOU EVER GROWN WEED?
Oh my god, way too much. I’m still trying to get it off me and it’s still sticking!
“I SAY THERE’S SOMETHING THERE FOR EVERYONE.”
WHEN THEY’RE NOT out enjoying the stunning sights of Olympic National Park, you might find John Sanders enjoying some Birria Street Tacos with his wife and son. He’s also passionate about paddleboarding, hiking, learning new languages and playing music with friends.
WHAT’S THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO GROW WHEN BUDTENDING? You know what you want to sell to people; you know what’s good; you know when it should be harvested; you know what to look for when it’s harvested properly; you know if it’s got some kind of disease going on. There are so many factors that come with growing [Cannabis] properly and having had to deal with those things teaches you what to look for.
AS A BUDTENDER, DO YOU SOMETIMES LOOK AT WEED AND SUGGEST A DIFFERENT PRODUCT BECAUSE YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT ISN’T YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE? I say there’s something there for everyone. So, if I don’t personally like something but a customer likes it, I’ll tell them that this was waiting for them. People appreciate different products for different reasons. What’s good for the indoor lover isn’t necessarily what satisfies someone who is looking for sun-grown organic. If it looks boofy but it’s grown the way they want it to be, I’m glad they appreciate it, and that’s all that matters.
IF YOU HAD TO SQUEEZE A SPECIAL SECRET OUT OF ANY GROWER. WHO WOULD THAT BE? Chemdawg. I wanna know — I really wanna know his story. He paints it out like some mysterious thing.
WHAT STRAIN WOULD YOU SMOKE WITH HIM? The Durr Burger.
SEA CHANGE CANNABIS 11323 RHODY DR., PORT HADLOCK, WA WWW.SEACHANGECANNA.BIZ @SEACHANGECANNA
ISLAND ENERGY
FAMILY VALUES
Famed Washington medicine woman Grandma Cat Jeter made this her home for years before her son, House of Cannabis co-owner Kevin Heiderich, took the reins to carry the legacy forward into the burgeoning recreational market, keeping the tribe vibe intact. With the House of Cannabis brand so well-recognized in other parts of the state, adding to the legacy in such a pastoral area gives it more breadth and luster. Anyone who loves this area of Washington understands that there is more to be gained spiritually here beyond any written contract, so he felt the license was undervalued and saw the opportunity to flourish professionally and personally.
QUITE QUAINT
Whidbey is where a liberal community shares space with a Navy base — a confluence of cultures that offers a rare snapshot of a purely American tapestry. Surprisingly, the acceptance of Cannabis as plant medicine is deeply revered in this enclave, a positive populace that loves great flower. In fact, you’ll find some of the best outdoor offerings here from the likes of High Country Horticulture, Binx Buds and Lazy Bee. There’s a truly Washingtonian feel when you step into this shop, one as indigenous to the terrain as the plant itself.
WHIDBEY HOUSE OF CANNABIS
25171 SR 525 #2
WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA
HOUSEOFCANNABIS.COM
@HOC.WHIDBEY
(360) 222-3646
9AM-9PM DAILY
STAFF PICKS
Flower
Washington Bud Company Afghani Hashplant - Will
Island Gro Forbidden Fruit - Shelbie
Cloud 9 Scotty 2 Hotty - Will
Washington Bud Company Blackberry Kush - Shelbie
Joints
Agro Couture Diamond Stix - Meg
Plaid Jacket Solventless Infused - Will
Captain Yeti Adulting is Bullshit - Meg
Carts
Flipside Tangie - Meg
Plaid Jacket - Will
Mfused Vibes Disposables - Meg
Dabs
Cloud 9 Abba - Zaba - Will
Green Envy Dabs - Shelbie
Agro Couture - Meg
Edibles
Doozies Strawberry 1:1 - Shelbie
Wildside MAX POG - Will
Lil’ Ray’s Huckleberry - Will
Sinners & Saints - Meg
Mary Jones - Meg
“PLANT MEDICINE IS DEEPLY REVERED IN THIS ENCLAVE, A POSITIVE POPULACE THAT LOVES GREAT FLOWER”
TRIBAL NATION RECLAMATION
RESTORING ANCESTRAL RIGHTS TO PLANT MEDICINE
AS THE LEAVES BLAZE IN HUES OF SUNSET GLOW, we welcome November, marking the start of National Native American Heritage Month — a time when Indigenous communities across the continent prepare their annual harvest as they kick off celebration season. This period of gratitude begins in late October, inviting communities to share in the bounty and reconnect with the earth’s rhythms. This year we celebrate a historic step forward for the reclamation of Cannabis as sacred Indigenous medicine, led by the Eastern Band of Cherokee. This bold move symbolizes a unified movement toward Native sovereignty and a celebration of the generational tribal relationship to Earth-grown medicine.
Native Americans have legal rights over commerce on their lands due to their inherent sovereignty as preexisting nations. This isn’t simply a privilege granted but a right embedded in U.S. treaty laws, which affirm the autonomy of Tribal Nations to govern themselves, including the regulation and sale of commercial goods.
According to U.S. Code Title 25, Native American tribes retain sovereign rights that include but are not limited to self-determination and control over local law enforcement. This autonomy allows the Cherokee Nation to circumvent North Carolina’s statewide prohibition of Cannabis sales, opening up recreational use for adults 21 and older — a decision deeply rooted in the tribe’s sovereignty and underscored by a spiritual connection to the plant and the land. This historic move is not only a reclamation of Native rights but a resurgence of access to a plant medicine that enhances community wellness. The U.S. Constitution’s Indian Commerce Clause grants tribes a unique legal status that enables Native communities to build self-sufficient economies, protect cultural heritage, foster land stewardship and assert their place within the nation.
This past September, the Eastern Band of Cherokee officially redefined the conversation around Native Cannabis sovereignty. In a state where Cannabis remains illegal federally and locally, the Cherokee Nation took a courageous stand with the launch of the Great Smokey Cannabis Company, North Carolina’s first Cannabis dispensary backed by in-house production gardens.
This unprecedented move represents a pivotal turn in U.S.-tribal relations, backed by the 2015 Department of Justice memo supporting tribes’ rights to regulate Cannabis independently of state laws if they meet specific regulatory standards.
“THE TRIBE HAS ALWAYS LOOKED TO THE LAND FOR HEALING AND SUSTENANCE. BY ALLOWING THE SALE OF CANNABIS, WE ARE ONLY AFFIRMING THAT CONNECTION AND RECLAIMING SOMETHING THAT WAS ALWAYS OURS.”
— JEREMY WILSON, CHEROKEE TRIBAL COUNCIL
More than just an economic step, the tribe’s decision connects to a cultural reverence for plant medicine — a relationship as old as Native cultures themselves. As Jeremy Wilson, a member of the Cherokee Tribal Council, shared on NPR, “The Tribe has always looked to the land for healing and sustenance. By allowing the sale of Cannabis, we are only affirming that connection and reclaiming something that was always ours.”
Public response has been overwhelming. Forrest Parker, general manager of Qualla Enterprises, noted that over 4,000 people visited the dispensary during opening weekend.
“It was just an absolutely humbling and insane turnout,” Parker told Blue Ridge Public Radio, reflecting the strong demand for Cannabis and unity surrounding this milestone within the Cherokee community. North Carolina residents — many of whom support Cannabis reform — are expected to visit Cherokee territory, creating new streams of employment opportunities and tax revenue set to be reinvestment in tribal services like healthcare, addiction recovery and education.
Following these bold steps, Commencement Bay, a dispensary on Washington’s Puyallup Nation land, exercised its sovereign rights by reintroducing deli-style Cannabis service. With flowers stored in bulk behind the counter, consumers experience a hands-on connection to the plant. Here, consumers are encouraged to visually examine the flower and even catch a waft of aroma from a freshly cracked mason jar before purchasing. This retail model also empowers consumers to cut back on plastic waste by reusing personal stash jars, reducing landfill impact — a noteworthy, Native-led step toward sustainability.
This wave of courageous restoration signals a new era where Tribal Nations can lead us back to full-circle, sustainable commerce inspired by Native wisdom. To our Native communities, Cannabis is not merely commerce; it is a legacy of spiritual wellness. We stand in support of all Tribal Nations reclaiming their rights to Earth-grown medicine — an enduring ancestral bond with native plants and their Indigenous history.
LIFTED CANNABIS MENU
SIGNATURE LINE
Boysenberry Creme Brulee
Guava Dawg x Wedding Cake
Boysenberry Creme Brulee x White Truffle
(Zkittlez x Kush Mints 11) x Kush Mints
Alcoholic Alligator x Boysenberry Creme Brulee
San Francisco Cookie Cut x Electric Gorilla Butter
Mimosa x Gorilla Butter
Biscotti
South Florida OG x Gelato #25
Luxuriotti x Runtz
Gelato #33 x Wedding Cake
Biscotti x Jealousy x Sherb Bx
Triangle Kush x Animal Mintz
Gorilla Butter F2 (GG4 x Peanut Butter Breath)
Zkittlez x White Truffle
Permanent Marker x Fruit Punch
Gorilla Butter F2 x Pancakes
Elon Musky (Rocket Fuel x Wedding Cake) x Boysenberry Creme Brulee
LUXURY LINE
25 EYES
Guava Gelato x Heavy Eye
Garlic Snake Breath x Gorilla Butter x Garlic Icing
Lemon Cherry x Z Animal
Wedding Pie (Grape Pheno) x Gush Mintz
Gorilla Butter F2 (Vegas Cut) x Alien Apple Kush
Permanent Marker x Malibu
Permanent Marker x Sour Diesel
Permanent Marker x Purple Push Pop
Permanent Marker x RS11
Runtz x Ice Cream Cake x Zoap x Zkittlez
Permanent Marker x Pineapple Fruz
SLURRICANE LIVE HASH ROSIN
KIWI DAIQUIRI LIVE RESIN DISTILLATE/HTE
LOCKTITE LIVE RESIN
“LAZY BEE’S CONCENTRATES START AS FLOWER GROWN IN SUPPLEMENTALLY LIT GREENHOUSES, PRODUCING CLEAN AND HEAVILY TERPED BUDS THAT ARE HARVESTED YEAR-ROUND.”
LAZY BEE GARDENS CONCENTRATES SPOTLIGHT
GROWN UNDER THE SUN and tucked safely in environmentally controlled greenhouses, Lazy Bee Gardens has been producing high-terpene flower and concentrates for years, so we were buzzing over their lineup of extracts from this summer’s harvest.
Lazy Bee’s concentrates start as flower grown in supplementally lit greenhouses featuring living soil no-till beds and organic methodology, producing clean and heavily terped buds that are harvested year-round and washed or extracted into hash. This single-source farm is sustainable, low impact and award-winning, making it the perfect choice for our Harvest Issue concentrate feature.
There’s no purer expression of Cannabis than hash rosin, so we started with the Slurricane, a fragrant cross of Dosidos and Purple Punch. This golden rosin oozes with floral roses and kushy tropical berries with a fizzy, nose-tickling zing as a low-temp dab heats up. First inhales are full of rich honey and gas, with a spumoni-berry finish that’s delicious and smooth. Instantly uplifting and ready for a happy dance, this is a sunny day buzz.
What floats up must be grounded at some point, so we turned to the gassy-gluey funk of the Locktite (Mt. Rainier x Original Glue) live resin. This golden oil has a sappy, crystally consistency that’s easy to load, melting into a bright, gluey lemon drop vapor that tickles the nose on exhale, brightening the mind
with a euphoric, stoney effect that’s productive but pleasantly drooly — great for a midday break.
We finished with the Kiwi Daiquiri, a blend of live resin distillate and high terpene extract. This creamy and syrupy sativa is ready for the 5 p.m. lull, powering through a heady and floaty high with a sedated energy that’s ready for cooking inspiration reels before ordering takeout.
With sun-kissed flower and a robust concentrate lineup that includes rosin, live resin and HTE carts, Lazy Bee has a buzz that’s ready for the harvest.
The premier recreational cannabis shop in Kitsap County
DECEMBER 7th, 2024
SOFT OPENING NOVEMBER 19TH
CBD MIXED, PLATINUM GSC RSO
SETTLE INTO WINTER WITH A DOSE OF FULL PLANT EXTRACT THAT’S READY FOR HEALING AND HIGHS AND PERFECT FOR HOMEMADE EDIBLE ADVENTURES.
WAY TO OBTAIN CANNABINOIDS, CLEAN AND PESTICIDE-FREE.”
SWEET NIRVANA BAKERY has built a brand and legacy around full-spectrum extracts, using them to power a robust lineup of edibles. RSO, a specific type of full-extract Cannabis oil, is named after Rick Simpson, who is credited with developing the first method for this medicinal extract. Today RSO is made using pure ethanol to extract cannabinoids, terpenes and beneficial plant matter, including flavonoids, alkaloids and the fullest essence of the plant. This full-spectrum oil is activated by the process and is ready to be eaten directly or used to make edibles.
RSO is an economical way to get Cannabinoids that are clean, and for Sweet Nirvana, pesticide-free. The applicator full of 1:1 CBD has 35.39% THC and 28.74% CBD. To calculate the amount of these Cannabinoids in milligrams, simply multiply by 10 to get the answer: 353.9 mg of THC and 287.4 mg of CBD. This can make a whole batch of potent brownies or be easily dosed into capsules that can be bought off Amazon. When dosing capsules it’s possible to create high-dose edibles that don’t have any sugar, processed ingredients or potential food allergies. Those seeking to treat pain, cancer or other serious ailments can find relief with RSO that is hard to achieve with 10 mg single servings of over-the-shelf edibles. With strain-specific options like the Platinum Girl Scout Cookies, which had a pleasant euphoria and relaxed muscles and tension with a grain-of-rice-sized dose (roughly 25 mg), we enjoyed the ability to pick our high. The CBD mixed had a warming, floaty and heady high that was perfect for our transition into daylight savings. A small dollop of oil can be dropped onto leftover Halloween candy — chocolate and RSO go well together — and within minutes the activated full-spectrum oil will be working on a buzz and ailments that are all too common. From serious conditions like cancer to daily aches and pains, RSO is an extract that should be in every stoner’s medicine cabinet.
LEFTOVERSREIMAGINED
MY FAMILY CONTINUES THE TRADITION of a big family dinner on Thanksgiving, but we are aware of the true nature of this day, and we feel shame. As we should. I am still in Mexico, and my cooking tends to be a mix of both cuisines, using some vegetables and spices that were foreign to me. I am dealing with a very limited herb selection. Living in Oregon really, really spoiled me. Waaaaaaah. Feel free to get in touch if you need any more ideas for leftovers. Laurie@Laurieandmaryjane.com
TURKEY EMPANADAS
Makes six, serves two
1/2 cup turkey, shredded
1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1/4 cup peas
2 tablespoons gravy
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
2 teaspoons canna-oil or butter
1 egg, beaten
Two sheets of pie dough
1. In a large bowl combine the turkey, potatoes, peas, gravy, cranberry sauce and cannabutter.
2. Prepare your work surface with a little flour, and gently roll out the crust just a bit. Using a 5- or 6-inch biscuit cutter, or a drinking glass, cut out 6 circles.
3. Divide the mixture between the circles of dough. Brush the edges with the egg and fold to close. Press well with the tines of a fork. Heat oven to 340°F.
4. Place the empanadas on a baking sheet, buttered or lined with parchment. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
POT POZOLE VERDE
Serves two, heartily
1/2 pound tomatillos, husks removed, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced
3 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/4 cups canned hominy, drained and rinsed
1 cup turkey, shredded
2 teaspoons canna-butter
Tortilla chips
Cotija cheese
1. In a blender, combine tomatillo, onion, poblano and blend for 30 seconds. Mixture can be chunky.
2. Add the garlic and salt, and blend till smooth.
3. Add the soup to a saucepan and gently simmer. Add the hominy, turkey and cannabutter. Taste for salt and pepper.
4. Garnish with chopped tortillas and maybe a little cotija cheese.
PECAN PIE TRIFLE
Serves two
2 slices pecan pie, cut in pieces 2/3 cup Greek yogurt, plain or vanilla 2 teaspoons cannabutter or oil
1. Place two wine glasses on your work surface. In a small bowl combine the yogurt with the cannabutter.
2. Alternate layering pie and yogurt. The tartness of the yogurt is terrific with the sweetness of the pie. Also works with apple pie!
There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product Should not be used by women that are pregnant or breast feeding For use only by adults twenty-one and older Keep out of reach of children
Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug Warning: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming Smoking is hazardous to your health. This product may be unlawful outside of Washington state. Caution: When eaten or swallowed, the intoxicating effects of this drug may be delayed by two or more hours
TESTED WITH CONFIDENCE
Starting in 2017 we became the first company to pesticide test all of our products through the Tested With Confidence program.
In 2019 we became the first company to test our entire line of products for additional pesticides and heavy metals, making us one of only three companies with DOH-compliant products.
Proud members of The Cannabis Alliance, Washington's largest and most effective trade group largely responsible for passing legislation that removed the excise tax for registered patients.
Washington’s first company to participate in the new Certified With Confidence program showcasing our commitment to the medical cannabis community.
We have now created our own enhanced testing standard called DOH+. All products will be tested for terpenes and DDT in addition to DOH-compliant testing.
Jon Boley & Carrie Strope
"Succulent Fire" | 2024
THIS AMAZING joining of artistic evolutions highlights what happens when two artists truly complement each other's styles, skills and strengths.
Carrie’s dedication to the consistency of the flower builds is magical; the blending of the colorways creates a literal and realistic feel that keeps the eye looking for the next detail. Jon’s ability to create something functional yet still make it a canvas to showcase an internal vision is always a shining light in his compositions. I think the artists put it best in their own words.
“This one really turned out amazing, and I worked hard to keep it organic, purposefully off-balancing the flowers in different areas and canting the face slightly. This series represents how art and inspiration can take over our worlds, engulfing us within it,” said Jon, a.k.a Shaggy.
“I clustered 136 of Carrie’s freeze-cast flowers on top of one of my bottle vase pipes, leaving the fitting and mouthpiece slightly exposed to show how the pipe world is slowly emerging into the art world. For many years in our community, we have been hidden and looked down upon. Happily, over the years, we have begun to be accepted by the world as a whole.”
“I began working with glass in 2005, starting with soft glass at the furnace and a kiln-forming class in Napa, California,” Carrie said. “This collaborative piece with Jon is something I’m particularly proud of. It combines both of our aesthetics and skill sets: my expertise in color mixing and kiln forming and Jon’s incredible artistic vision and mastery of glass. The technique I used here is usually reserved for soft glass, which makes working with borosilicate in this way so exciting — it challenges many of the traditional boundaries of glasswork. This approach allows for more control over color gradients and the blending of custom colors that aren’t typically found in borosilicate work.”
Valued at $10,000, this 9"×5"×5" work of art was made entirely of colors by Northstar Glassworks (@ northstarglass) including Opaque Aqua, Lava, Cherry, Canary, Goldenrod and Black Jack.
“The intricate arrangement of succulents around the rig highlights the level of craftsmanship involved, with each one thoughtfully placed like a mosaic of flowers in a bouquet, creating a natural and vibrant effect,” she said.
“The warm gradients of oranges, reds and yellows add depth, making the piece not only a tool but a stunning visual centerpiece. To me, this piece represents a fusion of artistry and technique, pushing the limits of what glass can do. Whether it’s displayed as part of a collection or used for its intended purpose, it merges form and function, elevating both the experience and the appreciation of glass as an art form.”
@GLASSARTBYSHAGGY | @CALYXANN
GOBLET OF FIRE GOBLET OF FIRE
CULTIVATED BY
CANNASOL FARMS
“OPENING THE JAR RELEASES A WARM RUSH OF CHERRIES, GAS AND CITRUS WITH A KUSHY, EARTHY, CHOCOLATEY FINISH.”
GROWING FULL-TERM FLOWER WITH ORGANIC PRACTICES THROUGH THE WARM, SUNNY SEASON THAT EASTERN WASHINGTON OFFERS, CANNASOL FARMS CONTINUES TO DELIVER BEAUTIFUL BUDS THAT CELEBRATE THE HARVEST, ONE TOKE AT A TIME.
THE GOBLET OF FIRE is a badass name for a strain, whether you grew up reading “Harry Potter” or watching the movies. We wish there were a spell to make magic seeds grow quickly, but the real timeline of sun-growing Cannabis takes half a year. Planted in late spring, plants take months to develop, rooted in the earth and dancing in the elements that gently stress the plant into producing terpenes and flavors not found in indoor buds.
CannaSol’s husband-and-wife team, Jeremy Moberg and Sabina Boehm, have been growing weed outdoors for decades.
Catch Moberg’s black helicopter story on Leaf Life podcast episode #208, “When Weed Was Illegal.”
A tantalizing cross of Cherry Pie and Fire OG, the Goblet of Fire has golden deep green buds that are frosted with small trichomes tucked amongst red hairs. Stored and sold in glass, which helps preserve the buds, opening the jar releases a warm rush of cherries, gas and citrus with a kushy, earthy, chocolatey finish that takes strong notes from both parent strains. Breaking up the buds coats fingers in sticky trichomes as the dense, thick flower rolls between fingers to load a bowl, filling the air with fizzy chocolate cherries.
First hits are super smooth and sweet, with a warming orangey fuel that lingers on the palate as effects rush to the frontal lobes. This strain is euphoric, stoney and spacey, with the classic time-warping buzz that Cherry Pie is known for. Loading a second bowl allows a slow burn, as the heavily resinated buds deliver repeated blows to the head, leaving a clean white ash and a drooly couch-locked buzz that’s headed for the kitchen and feel-good movies, in that order. With a full lineup of flower, prerolls and concentrates, CannaSol and Lish deliver a fresh hit of summer in every jar.
CANNA ORGANIX
GROWING OUR OWN
GENETICS
AND BREEDING IS WHERE OUR PASSION CONNECTS AND MAKES THE PROCESS SUPER SATISFYING.”
-CO-OWNER STEVE OLSON
A SPRAWLING COMPOUND of greenhouses produces beautiful buds year-round in Sequim’s Blue Hole, taking advantage of a microclimate and a team of owners and friends whose passion for Cannabis has never dimmed.
Founded by a group of high school buddies who grew up locally in town and grew weed in California together, the friends were called back home in 2013 for a chance to operate a legal Cannabis facility. In the decade since opening doors, they’ve built and expanded a sustainable greenhouse operation filled with in-house genetics.
With natural sun and supplemental lights growing terpene-rich plants for the processing facility and huge demand for infused pre-rolls, the Canna Organix team of 43 is focused on the farm-to-rolling-table process. Selling over 100,000 units a month, the infused pre-rolls are the largest seller among the 52 products in the Canna Organix brand lineup.
SAUCED & TOSSED PRE-ROLLS ARE IN-DEMAND
“The laboratory sprays the bulk ground flower for a first infusion of terpene-infused oil, before loading joints into knockboxes that are hand twisted. Then they are sprayed on the outside with more terpene juice and rolled in diamond dust, THCA crystals, so each joint is triple infused and each unit contains two half-gram joints,” company “CEBro” Ryan Klock explained. “All of our flower and oil come from plants grown year-round in our sustainable greenhouses, here in the Blue Hole.” >> pg. 46
CANNA ORGANIX
THE BLUE HOLE EFFECT in Sequim is caused by a rain shadow from the Olympic Mountains, ensuring a window of land where there are 250 days of clear sky a year and only 16 inches of rainfall each year. Just 40 miles away, the Pacific National Rainforest receives over 200 inches of annual rain, drawing a striking comparison from Sequim. Touring on an October day that was rainy and windy in Seattle revealed blue skies, soft sunlight and a mid-60s temperature that felt otherworldly after a drive around the slick Tacoma Narrows.
Inside hand-constructed greenhouses are rows of tall plants that stretch happily to the sky, with roots in boxes set atop the local soil. On sunny days the lights inside are running as a supplement, but the technology is ready to add to nature, delivering a controlled environment with natural elements. They’ve bred unique strains that love the greenhouse environment, like Plu-Dough (Secret x Gelato 41), Rainshadow Runtz and the deliciously gassy Offendo (GMO x Gelato 41), plus a whole lineup of sativa strains like Super Silver Haze and Headbanger (Headband x Biker Kush) that are given more time to finish.
“Fifty-two products start in the garden with all in-house inputs for everything, and growing our own genetics and breeding is where our passion connects and makes the process super satisfying,” Co-owner Steve Olson said.
While most farms and labs have to buy outside flower from other locations to keep their products flowing, Canna Organix harnesses the power of the sun to keep everything in-house,
allowing for consistent quality control that has propelled the brand around the state. It’s still a surprise for dispensaries and other farmers that a greenhouse farm is lit up and delivering fire flower from Sequim.
“Growing outdoors, intuitively you would think of Spokane because it’s sunnier, but you’re fighting extremes on both ends — harsher summers and colder winters. The idea of the greenhouses is to keep a steady environment, so Sequim is the perfect place on the west side, the most stable yearround climate,” Kyle Canty, lead grower and co-owner, explained as we walked through the warm, double-walled greenhouses that felt alive with the mixing of air and plants gently waving under the sun and supplemental lights.
An employee garden of reclaimed 65-gallon pots is also outside, in a place where the team can take a break and grab fresh offerings from the earth. “This garden is for our family here, so anybody can pick fresh herbs. The team didn’t like eating fresh veggies, but they
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
SUPER SILVER HAZE SHINES
NICHOLAS REHLER & GARON TILLER TRIM “JEALOUSY.”
love the herbs, so you’ll see lemon balm, oregano, sage, rosemary, green beans, Thai basil, cilantro, chives, mint and a shitty little lavender plant,” Klock said with an infectious laugh, adding that the facility has a $12,000 annual budget for provided snacks, plus endless juice and java to keep the team jacked up. “Food insecurity is a real problem in this world, and everyone struggles to pay bills. So while we can’t provide everything, we do want to provide a little something extra for our amazing team.”
With five flowering greenhouses, two for mothers and clones, and an outside chilled curing container, there’s a lot of action under the sun. The team started with two greenhouses and a main building that was half the size, with expansions coming through reinvestment and hard work.
“It was a bare lot, so we built everything ourselves — from the fences to the camera lines to the original warehouse, and then the warehouse expansion. Our other partner, Tim Humiston, designs the environmental control systems for the greenhouses, all the coding and programming of controllers, so there’s lots of science and nerding out behind the weed,” Olson said.
“W
E’VE BEEN ABLE TO grow into funding the expansion and finding the capacity we shot for in the beginning, but it’s been a process of growing, getting efficient, getting to scale and improving,” Olson said.
“Doing it in phases has been a good move. Being established for 10 years now, I think we’re figuring out all the lanes to use our resources, bringing terpy products to market, and we’ve got other new things in the works.”
As the Cannabis market continues to adapt and develop in Washington, Canna Organix has built an island of sustainability in the Blue Hole, using greenhouses to grow high-terpene flower that feeds the entire operation.
The company pushes tens of thousands of terpene- and diamond-covered joints, tasty concentrates and top-shelf flower into 52 different products for the state each month.
“I love it and take satisfaction as long as it’s going well. It’s the exact opposite if it turns to shit, and there’s no growers out there that are batting 1,000. I’ve been growing weed now for 24 years, so I’ve seen a lot of change,” Canty explained passionately. Asked why he continues to grind through the highs and lows, he had a simple response.
“Because this is what we do. I could have been a framer or a plumber, but this is the path I chose. Running a Tier 3 operation, there’s a certain level of ADD you have to have to maintain. It takes a lot of focus to dive in and have it dialed, and the grow becomes a part of you. There are no holidays here. I’ve got a wife and four kids too, so juggling a commercial operation is a lot, but it’s what I love to do. Every day I come to work, I’m happy I’m in the garden.”
“CANNA ORGANIX HARNESSES THE POWER OF THE SUN TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE, ALLOWING FOR CONSISTENT QUALITY CONTROL THAT HAS PROPELLED THE BRAND AROUND THE STATE.”
CAMERON SHAW TRIMS CEREAL MILK
HIGHCOUNTRYHORTICULTURE
High Country Horticulture is nestled in an eastern Washington valley near Methow, where a microclimate and rich soil provide the basis for a living soil farm growing weed for hash and top-shelf greenhouse flower. With a small team but a big passion for growing, we sat down with Alex Adriance, operations manager and head grower, who drives this expanding farm that supplies premium fresh frozen to brands like Oleum. With a knack for hashy flower and a love for the earth, it’s all about care for the plant at High Country Horticulture. Adriance puts it simply: “If I didn’t love it, I would be out of the industry by now for sure; I don’t do this for the money.”
LEMON FRITTER DIAMONDS & SAUCE, WITH ORANGE COOKIES FLOWER (ABOVE), AND SUPERBOOF (RIGHT).
“ORGANIC LIVING SOIL IS DEFINITELY MY PASSION, AND IF I EVER GROW AN INDOOR GROW AGAIN, IT WOULD BE A LIVING SOIL GARDEN. THAT’S WHERE MY HEART IS AT.”
Farm Facts
Cultivating 25 strains
3 team members
5,000 plants
2,000 pounds of finished flower
50% of the harvest destined for fresh frozen
How did you get into the weed industry? I started growing in medical, saved money, and invested in a failing 502 grow license that I was trying to save and got really screwed over. So I was down and out but wanted to make it in the weed industry. My uncle had this property he had just sold to a bakery owner who wanted to grow but didn’t have the time. So I made the trip over here and met my future best friend and partner!
How has the farm developed from that chance meeting? Brick by brick, we have built the business. With him as the investor — and my partnership and stake earned through sweat equity — we’re brothers at this point, with nine years together. We started with a shed and a fence, a bare-bones structure to meet requirements. So we grew and sold some weed and built first hoop houses, then greenhouses, and over the years we’ve scaled into two 30-by-96-foot greenhouses that are going to be updated this winter.
It takes time to build a sustainable grow in this industry. How has that journey been for you? It’s a marathon, not a sprint! We’ve been selling weed each season, getting the tools or next building we need, and now we are finally 95% built out. We’ve finally reached that point of efficiency, improvements, and equipment needed for this Tier 2 to thrive. After nine years, we can call it built out, our grows pimped, and we can finally start saving money instead of putting it back in.
How has your focus on growing hashy strains led to success? The market has corrected after the last few years of difficulty, and so many people have gone under that wholesale has gotten better for us on fresh frozen. We work really hard to produce the highest quality fresh frozen that is trimmed and yields well for hash and live resin. We have a collection of really good hash strains, and we work hard to please the extract crowd. Our GMO is the biggest seller for hash, live resin and flower; 33% of our canopy is that [strain] each run, and we’ve had people hit 6.5% yield to rosin on that strain. We look for unique terpene profiles, like Sour Banana Haze, which has a unique banana peel with earthy lime profile and yields really well. >> pg. 52
METHOW VALLEY VIEWS
ALEX, JOAN & CORRINE
HIGH COUNTRY HORTICULTURE
How are you growing to produce such terpy plants? We are showing the full season for this interview, but the focus is two rounds in each greenhouse every year. We have really good soil on a plateau that’s extremely mineral-rich. When we tested the soil before starting, it had almost perfect desired levels for nutrients like calcium, magnesium and phosphate. It’s from the Missoula, Montana, glacial flood at the end of the ice age that dumped sediment this way, so the soil is sandy and rich. We used grassroots fabric beds without a bottom in the greenhouse, took a bunch of peat moss and compost to add more organic matter with a ton of worms. For the last five years, it’s been no-till soil that we amend. The soil gets better and better each year, and I’m able to use less nutrients because of the nutrient cycling of the natural soil.
“THE HARDER YOU WORK, THE LUCKIER YOU GET”
Do the plants respond better to that environment? The resin we produce for extracts is so great that companies pay more for our greenhouse flower than for indoor products. The returns for high terpene extract have a night-and-day difference. Other agricultural growers have known for a long time that stress and natural environments are good for plants. The best lavender in the world comes from Provence, France, where the soil is mineral deficient, so the plant produces more linalool. Our soil and microclimate produce the same effects for the plant: the right amount of stress to push the plant to produce terpenes.
Is living soil your preferred methodology now as a grower? I grew up doing indoor hydroponic gardening and mixing 10 to 15 different nutrients, and now I’ve pretty much switched to the opposite way where I work with nature. Once you get good soil going, you can maintain top dressing, leaves and compost, and amend a bit; it really does get foolproof. Organic living soil is definitely my passion, and if I ever grow an indoor grow again, it would be a living soil garden. That’s where my heart is at.
Despite all the hard work and isolation as a farmer in Eastern WA, you really do love the weed industry and working with the plant! What keeps you excited for the future? The harder you work, the luckier you get, and I finally met someone good and a great place to grow weed. It’s just like the restaurant industry. I went to culinary school, and restaurants are so tight and hard to turn a profit. I feel like it was a really good crash course for growing weed — to focus on being efficient.
When I started I had stars in my eyes and wanted clout, but now I realize that I love growing weed, horticulture in general and living on the mountain to grow the best weed. I want people to know we grow in an earth-friendly way, and I hope that in the future, a vineyard-style license will be available so we can share with people how we are growing, and let them taste our terps directly!
HIGHCOUNTRYHORTICULTURE.COM @HIGHCOUNTRYHORTICULTURE
ALEX, JOAN & CORRINE WITH DOGS ELSIE & BARKLEY
CHERRY RUNTZ
BUDDY BOY FARM
Buddy Boy has been operating as an outdoor producer since the beginning of recreational Cannabis in Washington, heading into their 11th year of farming. The sprawling facility has 24 greenhouses holding 6,000 or more plants, all growing in a single-source operation that brings quality flower, prerolls, vape carts and now ice hash at fair prices. We sat down with General Manager Galadriel Walser to discuss the journey and how Buddy Boy’s focus on single source has allowed the company to grow while maintaining high standards and putting the customer first with every product they sell.
What were the early days of Cannabis like? A little chaotic, because no one had ever grown Cannabis on this scale before. I mean, people in general — there were black market people growing — but when it was illegal, you did a whole bunch of small houses, not one huge place. So there wasn’t any equipment; you had to kinda figure it out. It was a complete learning process.
learning how to grow in greenhouses year-round. Now we are all greenhouses. We don’t do any full-sun outdoor for the last seven years because our greenhouses have lights, dehumidifiers, heaters… everything an indoor grow does. But we can roll back the blackout tarps and use the light and sun. So I think it’s actually better than indoor, because you have both.
Did you start out with the big greenhouses? We started as a full-sun outdoor grow, but by the third year, we were reinvesting and started putting up greenhouses. We needed more weed and to grow more than one season, so we started slowly
So the greenhouses have lights to keep them running year-round? We started with high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights, but we’ve slowly converted the greenhouses over to LEDs, which has been a four-year process. We are constantly trying to
find ways to not only be innovative but to cut costs because you have to in this market right now. You have to be as efficient as possible, so we are constantly finding new ways to do that.
What’s an example of the efficiency process?
Last year we installed a fertigation system! We used to have to mix the nutrients in individual buckets, and the guys would take the buckets to the greenhouse and put them through the Dosatron to get them to the plants. Now in our facility it’s all centralized in big containers. You go to a screen with a menu, select what you want to feed a house and it shoots it out to the greenhouse.
It’s way more efficient, and humans always have errors, so when you have a machine, most of the time you get more precise. We also added a nano bubbler that oxygenates the water to get more water to the plant.
How did your family get into farming? My dad, Steve, is one of the owners, and he’s been an organic farmer for over 40 years. Buddy Boy sits on part of my dad’s 640-acre organic farm, so we are surrounded by acres of organic blueberries. Our water comes from a fresh artisanal spring, and while we aren’t organic, we grow with the most natural methods we can. His farming background led us to do things differently. An example is our dirt machine that’s used in traditional farming, but we’ve had a dirt machine for six years that fills the pots with dirt and sends them on conveyor belts down the line to the greenhouse. It makes this all not such hard work, and then people don’t mind doing it. Why not be more efficient?
“WE STUCK TO TRYING TO GROW THE BEST WEED BECAUSE WE ALWAYS FELT THAT IF WE TRIED TO TAKE ON TOO MANY THINGS, WE WEREN’T GOING TO DO ANY OF THEM VERY WELL.”
-GENERAL MANAGER GALADRIEL WALSER
How has efficiency played into the quest to grow great weed? For a long time, we tried to figure out how to grow really good weed instead of branching out into edibles or tons of other products. We stuck to trying to grow the best weed because we always felt that if we tried to take on too many things, we weren’t going to do any of them very well. Once we had a really good grasp on growing consistently good weed, then the question was, now what do we want to do? >> pg. 56
GREENHOUSE VIEWS
MAGAN GILBERT (BELOW LEFT) & ANDI WILLARD (ABOVE) HARVEST SWAMPWATER FUMEZ LAST MONTH.
BUDDY BOY FARM
“ANYTHING YOU BUY FROM US IS FROM A SINGLE SOURCE.”
What’s something new for the farm? We wanted to start making ice hash, so we found who we thought was the best hash maker and hired him as a consultant, Michael Mazzola. Our brand is called Ice Queen, and we’re really excited because we get to use the premium flower we are already growing in a new way to make a really clean product. We’re finding that some of the strains that we’ve always grown have turned out to be really good hash strains, like the MAC2D2 or our GMO.
That’s exciting news that Buddy Boy is the newest single-source flower and hash rosin company in WA! We’ve stuck to making products with our weed and material, so we don’t ever source material from anyone else because we want to know what we are putting out into the market. We are a single-source company. We also know the benefit of focusing on our strength: growing great flower. So we didn’t try to build a lab but [we] send our material to Pur Form as an oil house, who then returns us our carts. I believe that this is super important, so we know what we’re putting out, and we have all the confidence in the world in what we share with our consumers, and it’s not sourced from 10 different farms and thrown together. Anything you buy from us is from a single source.
Has this been a great harvest for the team? We harvest weekly yearround, so it’s always harvest season at Buddy Boy, which also keeps our flower super fresh. We usually harvest six greenhouses a month. Our favorite strains at this time are actually our classics, with day-one strains like Presidential Kush, Montana Silvertip and God’s Gift. People and retailers love them! We tried new strains, but stores kept calling asking for the classic landrace strains, so we’ve kept growing those!
What should Buddy Boy to be known for?
We want to be known as a company that produces a good-quality product at a fair price. We’re not trying to get the highest price but to put out the best single-source product possible. From the beginning, somebody said they didn’t want to be the Budweiser of weed, but we wanted to be the Budweiser of weed. The flower is ours, the oil is ours, and the entire product line comes directly from us. We put out a great single-source product that everyone can afford to try! BUDDYBOYFARM.COM
ICE QUEEN HASH
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DEWEY CANNABIS
Dewey Cannabis Co. is a Tier 2 producer that’s built a reputation for using science to create award-winning strains and new knowledge that can benefit the entire industry. With a team of plant scientists and the full capabilities of an in-house testing lab, Dewey is a shining example of the intersection of science and farming that makes the Cannabis industry so beautiful. We chatted with Founder and CEO Jordan Zager, who launched Dewey in 2018 after earning a Ph.D. in biochemistry.
How did you start working with the Cannabis plant?
My origins with Cannabis go back to my parents — I’m a second-generation Cannabis entrepreneur. I got really excited in California’s Prop 215 days and grew medically while I was also going to school for biochemistry. I was learning all these cool things about genetics and working with the plant on a daily basis and decided that I wanted to combine these two things and contribute to what we know about Cannabis science.
What led you to Washington’s industry?
In 2014, shortly after legalization kicked off, I worked at both the University of Nevada and UW, looking at how genetics influence how plants make special compounds, mostly working with mint and tomatoes — how mint makes its flavor components and how tomatoes make natural compounds to ward off pests. As I was wrapping up my Ph.D., I launched Dewey. It started with a small tissue culture lab in my house, which I used to raise money, and eventually acquired a license and have been breeding and producing Cannabis ever since! >> pg. 62
Testing capability for potency and terpenes
Testing for 75 different terpenes
Released 16 new strains this year
Discovered the gene for powdery mildew resistance
PURPLE MANGO
HEAD BREEDER KARL EFFERTZ & FOUNDER JORDAN ZAGER HOLD UP MODELS OF THC AND LIMONENE MOLECULES
LOVELY ROWS OF CARIBBEAN CHOCOLATE
ALLI ZAGER, VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMERCIALIZATION, WITH FOUNDER AND CEO JORDAN ZAGER
DEWEY CANNABIS
How do you use science in the day-to-day work of growing at Dewey? It’s involved with every aspect of what we do: whether it’s monitoring grow room conditions like light, temperature, humidity, or soil sensors for our coco to see moisture and salt contents. I can pull up an app and look at the grow from anywhere, anytime. Really at the base of what we do is breeding. We were lucky enough to start with a genetic library of old-school strains, and at our facility, we have all the capabilities of a testing laboratory, except for pesticides. So during our breeding process, we can run potency testing and look for over 75 different terpenes to zero in on a target from a potency or aroma standpoint. If you look at our portfolio of genetics right now, we’re really checking all those boxes on aroma classes, and if you look at the Leaf Bowl, every aroma class we’ve submitted into has won an award.
A grow with a testing lab is unheard of! Do you hire scientists to work on your breeding team? Our breeding team has Ph.D. plant breeders — folks that cut their teeth breeding wheat for Washington State University or barley for the USDA. We have a slightly different approach. These guys come from other industries, where any issues in a seed lot reflect poorly on their breeding. We’ve tried to maintain the ego of a more traditional plant breeder while coming out with exciting things so that in the future we can offer our seeds and genetics to other growers. My co-founder is a professor of biochemistry at WSU, so we recruit new scientists from school to work with us. We’ve been blessed to provide his knowledge from being on the cutting edge of plants making special compounds, whether for atoms or cancer. Working with his mind has been a real advantage.
What’s an example of science that’s been developed by Dewey? In 2020 we discovered a rare gene responsible for powdery mildew resistance. We didn’t lock it up; we shared it with the world — anyone can find the research and take advantage of the finding. We passed on this gene for PM resistance because it’s a major problem for the industry, and important for consumer safety.
That’s walking the walk when it comes to truth and integrity with science. What other areas have you been focused on? There’s so much we don’t know as plant scientists and chemists. We’ve focused on terpenes and flavors and have been testing to understand where smells in Cannabis come from. The skunk aroma is a great example because conventional wisdom was that myrcene drives the aroma, but it doesn’t really smell skunky. In 2021 a California research group published a paper about a compound called MBT that the animal
ALPINE APE
HARVEST CREW MARK YOCHUM, LEFT, AND CORAL HINSON
TISSUE CULTURE SAMPLES
JERRY PROUT HARVESTS CARIBBEAN CHOCOLATE WITH ALLI
CARIBBEAN CHOCOLATE
“WE’RE NOT JUST BREEDING FOR POTENCY; WE’RE UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF FLAVOR TO ELEVATE THE ENTIRE CANNABIS EXPERIENCE!”
skunks make and is present in Cannabis. So we took that knowledge and have been applying it to our breeding program. We are testing and looking for flavors that come from esters, ketones and other elements with low odor thresholds that have been undetected or largely ignored.
So there’s more to Cannabis flavors than terpenes? There are flavor profiles that are driven by chemicals that smell strong to us in really small amounts: their odor threshold. Most terpenes are detectable to humans in parts per million, but compounds like MBT, blue cheese or tropical flavors are smellable in parts per billion, so you need way less, and these chemicals get drowned out by terpenes in most scientific tests. So much of the focus has been on terpenes because they are components of essential oils and present in Cannabis, but they are not the whole story.
has an incredibly refreshing terpene profile with really rich citrus notes and a backside kushy funk. It’s a cross of OG Kush and Lemon Cake. The aroma is next level, and the bud form of beautiful little purple nuggets up and down the plant is a combination we’ve been working with to find varieties that are purple with sativa-like effects. Another favorite is the Glitter Party, a Leaf Bowl-winning cross of Cosmic Pie and Island Cookie. We named it because of how trichome-rich and frosty the buds are, like little disco balls!
So you’ve focused on breeding and releasing strains that are high in potency and rich in flavors? We built the breeding program selecting for potency and yields to build a base so that we could then diversify into aroma. Now when we pheno hunt, we have high odds of potency and yielders, so now we are looking for strong aromas. With that focus, we’ve been able to hone in on things like the blue cheese aroma. We now have a testing standard for that aroma and are breeding for that trait. We’ve released 16 new genetics this year, all unique to Dewey, and have another nine lined up for 2025.
What’s a strain you were excited to release this year? The Yuzu Kush Cake
Using science to breed award-winning strains is really the future of breeding, and with so much information here, we’re definitely going to return to Dewey for the Leaf’s 2025 Flower Issue. Until we can dig into the science again, what has you most excited for the future of Dewey and the industry? I hope for us and our industry to get relief from the taxes and elimination of 280E. Our industry is struggling so hard right now, and it’s the only one where prices have dropped as costs have gone up. For Dewey, we want to continue building our genetic library so we can get our products into the hands of more people in more states. We work to provide a high-quality product efficiently and sustainably, and we want to continue to share what we learn about Cannabis science as we do it. We aren’t shy about sharing our research and publish most of what we discover so we can contribute to the general knowledge of the plant!
DEWEYCANNABIS.COM @DEWEYCANNABIS
NEW PHENOS
A LEGACY OF WELLNESS AND CRAFT
ZOZ PRODUCTIONS
NESTLED IN the lush expanse of Washington’s Skagit Valley, ZoZ Productions is more than just a Cannabis farm; it’s a harmonious blend of tradition, craftsmanship and a deep respect for the earth. Owned and operated by the inspirational Natali Schutz and her partners, Darryl Cloer (recreational side) and Justice Reign (hemp/CBD side), this female-led enterprise is rooted in a legacy that predates the legal Cannabis industry. From its early days in medical marijuana cultivation to its current multifaceted I-502 and hemp operations, ZoZ thrives with a unique ethos that blends small-batch passion with a wellness-oriented vision.
TEAM AND FAMILY AT ZOZ WELLNESS
USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC HEMP FARM
PHOTO BY JASON KWAN
BURNIE MAC (ABOVE) AND TROPICANA COOKIES (BELOW) PHOTO BY DANIELLA PICCIONI
Farm Facts
1 hemp garden / 1 rec garden
2.5 Acres of outdoor
USDA-certified organic hemp
5 full-time employees
6 seasonal employees
Tier 2 I-502 Licensed Garden
7000-square-foot indoor garden
40 unique cultivars kept in rotation year-round
4 flower categories to look for on shelves: Earth, Fire, Air, Water
A GARDEN FULL OF STRAINS AND STORIES
With a rotating selection of over 40 unique strains, ZoZ Productions captures the spirit of variety and innovation. This diversity in strains allows the team to respond to seasonal shifts, emerging trends and consumer requests, with the goal of always keeping things fresh and exciting. ZoZ, one of the few active propagation producers, has recently embarked on sharing extensive genetic lineage with Washington. They are now offering their genetics for sale to other licensed producers and medical cardholders, enhancing accessibility and collaboration.
A FAMILY AFFAIR, ROOTED IN COMMUNITY WELLNESS
ZoZ is a family-owned and-operated business, a rarity reflecting the close-knit dedication of Natali and her team. Working side by side with her partners, this family-driven approach to cultivation ensures that every plant reaches its optimum potential. Nurtured with love and resonating with the authenticity that only family-run operations can bring, ZoZ has proven to produce flourishing gardens both indoors and outdoors. The team is committed to the craft, backed by a spirit of stewardship echoing a wellness legacy passed down and refined from the community collective medical Cannabis model.
A HISTORY STEEPED IN GRASSROOTS CULTIVATION
Natali Schutz’s journey into Cannabis began long before medical authorizations became mainstream. With a seasoned background that spans pre-legalization days, Natali and her team are no strangers to the challenges and rewards of Cannabis cultivation. Today, she brings that legacy to ZoZ, where her team cultivates Cannabis with an old-school, craft-oriented approach. Natali describes the operation as “a small-batch, craft Cannabis garden,” where every plant is grown in soil, hand-watered and hand-trimmed with care. Unlike many operations that lean heavily on automation, the team at ZoZ takes pride in hands-on, manual cultivation — a testament to their dedication to quality and a genuine love
for working directly with this sacred plant. The team at ZoZ stays busy year-round with both an indoor Cannabis garden for recreational consumption and an outdoor hemp cultivar garden that fuels their line of wellness-related products.
AN INDOOR OASIS AND SUNLIT HEMP SANCTUARY
ZoZ Productions has an I-502 licensed indoor space sprawling across a cozy yet efficient 7,000 square feet. With eight individual grow rooms, each housing around 100 to 150 plants of varied strains, the setup allows the team to stagger their harvest, providing a fresh weekly yield of approximately 25 pounds of high-grade flower. According to Natali, the indoor harvest season “ends every week,” meaning there’s always something new and freshly harvested in store for Cannabis lovers.
In addition to its indoor Cannabis garden, ZoZ Wellness proudly operates a USDA-certified organic outdoor hemp farm on 2.5 acres. The outdoor space, dedicated to crafting wellness-focused CBD products, underscores the team’s commitment to natural practices.
“Our experience with outdoor growing has been beautiful,” Natali shares. “It’s given us a deep respect for sun-grown Cannabis.” The result is a fusion of indoor precision and outdoor inspiration, allowing ZoZ to honor both the controlled beauty of indoor cultivation and the wild, sun-drenched benefits of growing outdoors.
Though strains come and go, there are a handful of classics that Natali and her team keep flowering year-round, nodding to the beloved cultivars that make this garden feel like home. You’ll often find flavors like Strawberries and Cream, Trop Cherry and Mimosa, to name a few. However, the true gem of the ZoZ lineup is King Sherb, expertly bred by In House Genetics — the team’s absolute favorite cultivar. King Sherb is an indica strain crafted from a genetic blend of OGKB and Blue Sherb. It boasts a pungent, gassy aroma that can permeate any room — a true OG classic. The flavor profile features earthy, spicy and citrus notes, with caryophyllene as the dominant terpene. With aromatics of myrcene and limonene backed by THC levels surpassing 28%, this strain is an excellent choice for seasoned Cannabis enthusiasts. King Sherb is the ultimate nighttime companion for those seeking tranquility and comfort. With its soothing and euphoric effects, this strain can allow for a smooth transition into deeper, more restful sleep. ZoZ enthusiasts rave about its ability to deliver relaxation, sleepiness and pure happiness — a useful wellness ally for tackling insomnia, pain and stress. Natali says, “This is definitely one of our team’s [more] challenging varietals to grow, but the outcome is always worth it.”
KETI CHIKLADZE
KETI CHIKLADZE
FREE RAIN FARMS
STANDING TALL among the fields in northwestern Whatcom County, just miles from the border and the beach, is the behemoth that is Free Rai n Farms.
This state-of-the-art Tier 3 Dutch Venlo glasshouse, spanning 30,000 square feet, utilizes both nature and efficiency to create the future of growing. The farm is powered by PAR (photosynthetic active radiation), which refers to the wavelengths of light that plants need for photosynthesis, sourced from the sun and complemented by the abundant Pacific Northwest rainfall — hence the name, Free Rain.
MAINTENANCE
SUPERVISOR
MATT HAGER SMELLS THE DON MEGA
ON
THE TECH SIDE, everything in this facility is fully automated, including its own weather station. The blend of technology and nature allows the sun and local rain to further reduce overhead, which passes on in savings to their clients and consumers. A full water treatment facility exists on site as well.
At the heart of this giant is an array of more than 1,000 next-generation Philips TLC 1925 lights. Due to the relationship they have with Philips, this facility was actually the first in North America to get outfitted with these marvels. The comprehensive control these units provide allows for seamless control and adjustment of the lumen output based on the PAR provided by natural lighting and, of course, temperature. This creates a sound ecosystem with balanced humidity and happy plants!
I haven’t personally seen a better utilization of current technology while keeping a hands-on approach to plant care.
This brings life to the plants and ensures that Free Rain, often marketed as Viking Cannabis, maintains its high level of quality in the connoisseur market of Washington Cannabis.
That level of care doesn’t end at the garden: it continues to the post-harvest processes that bring their amazing product to market. You can see in the curing, hand trimming and hand packaging that a lot of love is put into all of their offerings.
A team works together to bring this plant from seed to sale in a way that other gardens should note.
Next time you’re at your favorite retailer, give Viking Cannabis a try; you won’t be disappointed!
They also produce a high-value product that goes under the branding Dubsax and Absolute Fire. The same high-quality flower goes into these brands, but with reduced overhead on the post-process and packaging side of things, allowing them to pass on the savings to consumers. @FREERAINFARMS
CONCENTRATE REVIEWS
HIGH SOCIETY
Wow, amazing flavors right out of the gate! Definitely has an old-school gassy flavor with subtle earthy overtones. This cross of the epic Biscotti and Jet Fuel does not disappoint the palate, delivering a large serving of limonene! The high is immediate but very relaxing, easing away pain and anxiety without that couch-lock effect.
MONSTER BERRY
Funky, fruity, frothy! I had immediate juicy jaws from the berry finish! Smooth yet bold on the vapor side of things, my lips were left a little sticky from the abundance of resin glands. The Monster Berry buzz kicks in with a slight delay but is very sociable, with a friendly but not overpowering head high and a pleasant, relaxed body high.
CANDY MAC
VIKING CANNABIS
WATER TREATMENT
DUBSAX
Master in Disguise
In a career spanning half a century, author Jorge Cervantes has published some of the most influential grow guides of all time — establishing him as one of the world’s most renowned Cannabis experts. Which is why, despite being forced to hide his true identity for decades, High Times once referred to him as “the most trusted name in marijuana cultivation.”
WEED & WANDERLUST
The man known as Jorge Cervantes was actually born George Van Patten on October 10, 1953, in Ontario, Oregon. A gardener from the get-go, he began growing radishes at just five years of age. In his youth, he worked as a paperboy (for The Argus Observer) before being promoted to the press room, where he acquired valuable knowledge about writing, photography and printing techniques.
It was in 1971, while in high school, that George and his friends got stoned for the first time — scoring a “three-finger lid” (about an ounce) of Mexican dirt weed, stuffing one of his father’s pipes full of it, then sitting in his car and puffing away until it was all gone.
“It took forever to get high, but once I was high, it was great,” he told Oregon Cannabis Stories last September. “It was surreal, like I was in a movie. I loved it.”
After high school, Van Patten used the money he’d saved to fund a trip to Spain, where he studied at the University of Valencia (1973-74). A year later, he continued his education down in Cholula, Mexico, where he truly fell in love with “mariguana” (spelled with a ‘g’, he notes).
“I’ve been fascinated with Cannabis since I took my first hit when I was 17 years old,” Van Patten told softscrets.com last year. “A few years later, at the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico, I started consuming daily. All I could think about by the time I graduated university was growing more and better Cannabis.”
In 1976, he moved back to Oregon, where he graduated from Portland State University and grew his first crop of Cannabis. The following year, he moved to Santa Barbara, where he partnered with a Chilean buddy named Roberto to open a landscaping business called Green Thumb Gardening. On the side, he ran a guerilla grow in the Santa Ynez Mountains and became the top pot plug in the area. But soon, that travel bug was biting once again ... so, in 1979, George sold the business and drove back down to Mexico, then onward through Central and South America on a yearlong adventure before returning to Portland.
THE INDOOR GROW BIBLE
Once back in Oregon, Van Patten moved his operation indoors — transforming his basement into a grow room to avoid detection. But despite the explosion of indoor growing, there wasn’t much information available about how to do it right.
“I started asking questions at the new hydroponic/HID stores that were appearing at the time, and I found that many of the owners and employees really did not
know what the hell they were talking about,” he recalled in an interview with Wildflower magazine. “That’s when I started to write.”
Granted, there had already been a few grow guides published — most notably, “The Cultivator’s Handbook of Marijuana” (Bill Drake, 1970) and “The Marijuana Grower’s Guide” (Ed Rosenthal and Mel Frank, 1981) — but they were focused almost entirely on outdoor cultivation. So Van Patten began recording and analyzing his methods in the garden, then compiling his findings and recommendations into an indoor grow manual. In addition to writing the book, Cervantes also took the photos and drew the diagrams himself.
Of course, he couldn’t release a Cannabis cultivation book under his real name without drawing heat on himself. And so, using the
Jorge Cervantes in his disguise circa 2006.
The master at work out in the field.
Spanish translation of his first name and the maiden name of his wife, he adopted the nom de plume Jorge Cervantes. To further hide his identity, he devised a disguise for his new persona: a black dreadlock wig, black goatee, black beret and sunglasses — a get-up he would later refer to as his “Che Guevara/Bob Marley look.”
After shopping his manuscript to a dozen different publishers without success, he drew upon his past experience at the newspaper to publish it himself. The result was a 96page black and white manuscript first released in 1983 entitled “Indoor Marijuana Horticulture.” He then hit the road throughout Western Washington and Oregon on a mission to sell it to every headshop and garden store he could find — or, at least, any that were willing to carry it.
“Most hydroponic stores wouldn’t sell my book because it linked them to Cannabis cultivation,” Cervantes explains. “If they were connected to Cannabis cultivation, their store, bank accounts and all assets could be confiscated.”
“I’ve been fascinated with Cannabis since I took my first hit when I was 17 years old ... All I could think about by the time I graduated university was growing more and better Cannabis.”
Those stores that did carry it kept it hidden behind the counter… but despite its lack of visibility, IMH was a huge hit — selling 6,000 copies in its first year and landing distribution deals with Seattle’s Homestead Books and San Francisco’s Last Gasp. It was so popular and comprehensive, in fact, that its adherents began referring to it as the “Indoor Grow Bible.”
HIGH TIMES & HOLLAND
Over the next few years, big things started to happen for Jorge — primarily thanks to the pot publication of record, High Times: In February 1984, his book was first advertised in its pages (as part of Rosenthal’s Quick Trading ad); that December, he made his first editorial contribution to the magazine (“Sex and Cloning”); and in early 1985, he first saw the ad for the Seed Bank of Holland, through which he was able to connect with Dutch Cannabis breeder Nevil Schoenmakers. Later that year, he traveled to the Netherlands and paid the first of many visits to Nevil at his infamous “Cannabis Castle.” During these visits, Schoenmakers introduced him to new breeding and growing techniques (e.g., Rockwool) and shared with him lots of weed and seeds, including one renowned cultivar that became his alltime favorite to grow and smoke.
“That Nevil’s Haze he got from [Skunkman] Sam … I couldn’t get enough of that!” he gushes.
GREEN MERCHANTS
Besides High Times, there was really only one other notable Cannabis magazine at the time — Sinsemilla Tips (see our Nov 2021 issue), run out of the Full Moon Farm Products shop in Corvallis, Oregon. Being just an hour and a half south of Portland, Cervantes occasionally drove down there for equipment. It was there, in 1981, that he met the shop’s owner (and ST’s publisher) Tom Alexander, who later enlisted Cervantes as a regular contributor to the magazine, carried his book, and became a lifelong friend.
Another cultivation shop owner/author turned lifelong friend was Steve Murphy (aka Murphy Stevens) — owner of the Indoor Sun Shop in Seattle, whose book “How to Grow the Finest Marijuana Indoors Under Lights” reportedly inspired the second edition of Jorge’s book. Released in 1985, this re-writ-
ten, expanded and professionally printed version of “IMH” featured a full-color cover and improved illustrations.
In addition to his new edition, Cervantes also designed a proprietary high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting system and even opened a grow shop of his own to sell them: Jorge Cervantes’ Indoor Garden Store. Unfortunately for him and Alexander, their stores would be forced out of business a few years later, courtesy of Uncle Sam.
On October 27, 1989, DEA agents raided dozens of grow shops as part of a multi-state sting dubbed Operation Green Merchant. Though nothing these shops sold was technically illegal, undercover narcs had persuaded employees and customers to discuss Cannabis cultivation, then used that testimony to bust them. Luckily, Cervantes dodged that bullet; since none of his customers would implicate him, his shop was not raided, and he was never charged. Nevertheless, authorities were harassing him, and the heightened scrutiny by police had him especially spooked because Green Merchant had also targeted Schoenmakers — who, Cervantes confesses, he’d been illegally moving seeds to on occasion. Afraid of ending up in prison like many of his comrades, he decided to close his shop.
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
During the 1990s, Cervantes moved every couple of years: first to Washington, then British Columbia, then Amsterdam, before ultimately expatriating to Barcelona in 1998. Throughout that time, he continued to build upon his past successes. In 1990, he founded his own company, Van Patten Publishing. In 1993, he released a third edition of his book, retitled “Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible,” featuring new chapters by fellow cultivation experts Ed Rosenthal and Robert Connell Clarke. After the passage of Prop 215 in 1996, this edition became the textbook of choice for new educational programs that emerged to train medical Cannabis cultivators in California. In 2000, when Rosenthal ended his long-running HT column “Ask
Ed” over legal issues with the magazine, Cervantes took over the slot, renaming the advice column “Jorge’s RX” and writing it monthly for the next decade. In 2006, he partnered with HT to release the how-to DVD series “Jorge Cervantes’ Ultimate Grow.”
And, of course, he remained a fixture at the annual Cannabis Cups, hosting seminars and signing books — always as his incognito alter ego.
It wasn’t until after the Obama administration announced its hands-off policy toward medical marijuana that he felt confident enough to come out of the grow closet. On February 8, 2010, in an interview on NPR’s “Tell Me More,” Cervantes finally came clean about his secret identity. His real-life American debut followed that June at the first-ever High Times Medical Cannabis Cup in San Francisco, where he hosted a medical cultivation seminar without his disguise for the first time.
THE ODYSSEY CONTINUES
Over his half-century-long career, Jorge Cervantes has published more than 50 books in 11 languages. To date, IMH alone has sold over a million copies. He’s been honored with a Gold Benjamin Franklin Award by the Independent Book Publishers Association in 2015, High Times Lester Grinspoon Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, and a 420 Icon award from World of Cannabis/Cannabis Business Awards in 2020. And just this year, Toronto’s Grow Up conference inducted him into their Hall of Fame. But perhaps most meaningfully, he’s taught countless pot smokers around the world how to grow their own Cannabis.
“The Cannabis community has been my life,” he once professed. “Standing here today, reflecting upon the path traversed, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride … this journey has been nothing short of magical — a green odyssey that has touched lives across continents, breaking barriers and cultivating friendships that span languages and borders.” Muchas gracias, Señor Cervantes.
To read the full, unabridged version of this story and listen to the interview on our podcast, visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JORGE CERVANTES
Los Alamos Gardens in California (2022).
Tom Alexander, Jorge & author Jeff Lowenfels.
MEDICAL CANNABIS SUMMIT
The Cannabis Alliance is excited to host a comprehensive Medical Cannabis Summit on December 12, bringing together experts, policymakers, and industry peers to discuss the current state and future of medical cannabis in Washington state.
December 12, 2024 10:00am – 4:00pm
Seattle Public Library
Tickets $10 in-person or live online
Generously sponsored by:
‘TWASN’T IT SHAKESPEARE WHO WROTE
“a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose”? Whether he did or not, it’s a play on words. And from what the history books tell us, he was the best at making plays out of words.
Or organizing words into a play.
What we learn from this is that, as useful as language can be, it can also prove confounding. Through all the channeling to the place in the brain where comprehension is gained by translating your senses into images or ideas, there is always the opportunity for misinterpretation.
In the English language alone, there are currently 20,000 words, so chances are very good that a few of them are going to be doppelgänged. I mean, to a foreigner, it can’t be easy to discern the nuance of building a building. Or how a minute can be minute, much less how a solution can become a solution.
I know, it’s fucked.
They are called heteronyms. And as I’m sure you know by now, the key to differentiating terminology is by understanding the context of the word. Meaning, you just need to know the subject matter you’re talking about.
By the way, did you know they found a pipe in Shakespeare’s grave and they’re pretty sure the dude smoked weed? So, what did he mean when he wrote that “a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose”? Well, there are many ways to refer to a rose in literature. And actually, ‘twasn’t he who wrote that — I just looked it up. He wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” which is from “Romeo and Juliet” and means love transcends applied labels like Montague and Capulet.
And speaking of love, if a jar is ajar, it most likely means I’m preparing to pack a bowl. Just like Bill Shakespeare would’ve done.
In case you’re studying English.
