Northwest Leaf -- Issue #59

NORTHWEST LEAF THE PATIENT’S VOICE since 2010

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May 2015

issue #59

THE

CONCENTRATES ISSUE

16-page special guide Begins pg. 48 centerfold

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contents

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MAY 2015

Mr. Spliff

24

eight questions

10

National News

68

Tasty Recipes

16

SB 5052 Opinion

74

Book Reviews

28

Q & A: Kirk Ludden

82

Health & Science

32

The Dabstars Circuit

88

May Growtech

Steve Elliott with the roundup MMJ’s endangered future

How I-1372 would protect patients

Traveling the globe to promote pot

32

Fresh. Delicious. Medicated.

Bring your joint to the library

Our country’s organic history

Dr. Scanderson on Mother Nature

36

Access Review

44

Ease Glass

48

Concentrates

I-502 in Spokane: Satori

Device of the Month

16-page special guide

OPINION............................16 PRISON...............................20 INTERVIEW.......................28 DABSTARS......................32 SPOKANE..........................36 GRANTS PASS............................40 RECIPES..............................68 STEALTH...............................78 DR. ROSE.......................................82 GROWTECH............................88 GRANDPA LARRY.......................94 COVER & CONTENTS PHOTOS

by DANIEL BERMAN COVER STYLING BY MALINA LOPEZ COVER PRODUCTS BY @X_TRACTED

contents

CONCENTRATES

48 True North Extracts’ Buddha Kong CO2 Oil

Photo by Daniel Berman/Northwest Leaf

NORTHWEST LEAF

the truth about the plant you thought you knew, IN every issue.

editor’s note

MAY 2015 ISSUE #59

Everything you wanted to know about concentrates and probably a little bit more... this month features our third annual concentrate special — one of my favorite editions of the year!

Across the world, Cannabis concentrates are making headlines, both good and bad. From home explosions to disappearing tumors, people are hearing about Cannabis through the use of concentrates. Widely used and loved, many patients have turned to them for a variety of reasons: easier and more accurate dosing, less smoking and increased potency.

This issue explores a variety of forms of oil and has excellent information about which type is right for you.

We also look at how to dose your dab and the best gear to dab with, and we provide a primer on concentrates.

The issue also highlights more than 30 products from companies across Washington, with some of the prettiest oils I have ever seen. Check out the special and break out the dab rig!

Contact editor Wes Abney to place an

Our issue this month is full of other great information, including an opinion from yours truly about how the state is handling the transition toward regulating MMJ. We also have a news roundup, a book review from Steve Elliott, new GrowTech and Dr. Rose columns, and a Q&A with the founder of Dabstars.

Don’t miss an outstanding interview with Kirk Ludden about his efforts to get on the ballot Initiative 1372, which would free the plant and protect patient rights. Please sign the initiative and share your views with friends and family.

For culinary fans, we have new recipes that are delicious, and we have a new Behind the Strain to get your genetics knowledge up to date.

This is a compelling issue to read and share with a loved one, especially if they are interested in using Cannabis concentrates as medicine!

-Wes Abney

advertisement or become a drop-off location to display our magazine. You can also feel free to just share feedback, send pitches, articles, story ideas and hot news tips. This is all our plant.

nwleaf@gmail.com // (206) 235-6721

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Wes Abney

PHOTOGRAPHER & DESIGNER

Daniel Berman

ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Wes and Kori Marie

STEVE ELLIOTT PAUL GRZELAK MALINA LOPEZ KORI MARIE TYLER J. MARKWART BOB MONTOYA SEAN O’NEILL DR. SCANDERSON DR. SCOTT D. ROSE ERIC SKELTON, DESIGN THOMAS SOERENES LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF

ADVERTISING nwleaf@gmail.com // (206) 235-6721 Please email or call us to discuss print and online advertising opportunities in an upcoming issue.

We do not sell stories or coverage. We offer design services with Kush Creative Group and can provide guidance on the best approaches for creating a successful approach for your medical or recreational or ancillary industry business.

FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF FOLLOW US @NWLEAF FREE DIGITAL ARCHIVES: ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF WWW.NWLEAF.COM

Department of Corrections

We misidentified the artist behind the Ease Fume Mini Tube on page 59 of the April 2015 Glass Issue. It is @Easeglass.

On page 61, John Ambrose, not Josh, created the Untitled Purple Bong, and it is $1,750, not $300. @Ambroseglass.

May 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion

Over half the nation wants legal Since 2006, approval is up 20 percent

A

new poll from Pew Research Center finds that 53 percent of people in the U.S. support the legalization of marijuana, with 44 percent opposed. As recently as 2006, just 32 percent supported legalization, while nearly twice as many — 60 percent — were opposed, according to Pew. Crucially, the poll finds that people are much more likely to change their minds from opposing legalization to supporting it than vice versa. Among the general public, 21 percent of people support legalization now, but once opposed it. In contrast, just 7 percent of people used to support legalization but now oppose it.

Those ages 18 to 34 lead the change, with 68 percent in favor. But across all generations, with the exception of those ages 70-87, support for legal marijuana has risen sharply during the past decade.

“The more that people learn about marijuana and look at the benefits of legalization, the more likely they are to support reform,” Tom Angell of Marijuana Majority told Northwest Leaf.

“Our opponents sure do have a lot to say about what they see as the benefits of continuing prohibition, but voters don’t want to hear it.”

The most frequently mentioned reasons for supporting marijuana legalization are its medical benefits (41 percent) and the belief that Cannabis is no worse than other drugs (36 percent), with many specifically mentioning they think pot is no more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco.

Those ages 18 to 34 lead the change, with 68 percent in favor of legalizing pot.

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Federal

Obama Declares Full Support for

Medical Marijuana

President announces change of heart during weed TV documentary

In

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

national

a dramatic CNN interview April 19, low the science as opposed to ideology on this President Barack Obama shared a long issue, but I’m also on record as saying that the overdue if still surprising bit of intel: more we treat some of these issues related to medical marijuana states have his full support. drug abuse from a public health model and not It was all part of “Weed 3,” a show featuring just from an incarceration model, the better off CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay we’re going to be,” the president responded.

Gupta, a neurosurgeon who changed his mind Obama said that more states will legaland began supporting medicinal Cannabis after ize recreational Cannabis and confirmed that reviewing the evidence. while marijuana remains illegal under federal During the program, Gupta delves into the law, the feds will not interfere in state pot laws. often frustrating politics of medical Gupta and Obama also took marijuana research and state by state time to briefly discuss the recent laws, and then sits down with Obama.

“I think carefully bill on the Senate floor introThe president advocated for alterna- prescribed duced by Democratic Sen. Cory medical use tive models of drug abuse treatment that of marijuana Booker of New Jersey, which don’t involve imprisonment, and then may in fact be would reschedule Cannabis from said he also was supportive of medicinal appropriate and Schedule I to Schedule II under we should follow Cannabis in general. federal law. That would be huge, the science “You know, I think I’d have to take a as opposed to monumental news. Obama was look at the details, but I’m on record as ideology silent on that particular topic. saying that not only do I think carefully on this issue,” the president prescribed medical use of marijuana may said in a CNN View “Weed 3” on CNN www.Tinyurl.com/cnnweed3 in fact be appropriate and we should fol- interview 4/19.

this judge doesn’t care

Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug in latest roadblock

U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller issued the ruling on April 15 in response to a motion by defense lawyers to dismiss charges in a case the authorities claim involves a marijuana-growing operation. Marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I drug under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act means the U.S. federal government officially considers Cannabis to be roughly on par with heroin (also on Schedule I) in terms of danger.

Schedule I drugs are considered to have no accepted medical uses and a high potential for abuse.

To rule that Cannabis is It was the first time in decades that a federal judge seriously consida Schedule I substance ered marijuana’s classification. To rule that Cannabis is a Schedule I means ignoring the vast body of medical evidence controlled substance means ignoring the vast body of medical evidence that has accumulated in recent decades, including hundreds of clinical that has accumulated in recent decades, including studies and thousands of patient testimonials.

Mueller’s move to hold a hearing last year to look at the issue is conhundreds of clinical sidered a significant step because it reflects growing skepticism about studies and thousands of federal marijuana laws, according to Sam Kamin, an expert on Cannapatient testimonials. bis regulation at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. “While this one came out the other way, what you see is a lot of momentum in changing federal marijuana law,” Kamin said.

Mueller claimed in a 15-minute hearing that she was “initially prepared” to grant the defense motion, but then decided from the facts of this one case that “this is not the court and this is not the time.” She explained away her unscientific decision by saying it was “up to Congress.”

Oregon Marijuana Campaign Hires Lobbyist to Pass Expungement Law

New Approach Oregon has hired a lobby-

ist to help pass bills in the Oregon Legislature that would reduce marijuana offenders’ jail sentences and clear marijuana-related offenses from criminal records.

The group behind Oregon’s law to legalize marijuana is also teaming up with the Bus Project to organize volunteers, host phone banks and win endorsements for House Bill 3372 and Senate Bill 364. Both bills await

hearings in the House Judiciary Committee.

SB 364 has already passed the Senate.

“We built a powerful organization to legalize marijuana,” said Anthony Johnson, executive director of New Approach Oregon, “and we plan to use it to make sure these bills are passed. Let’s stop ruining lives by treating marijuana as a crime and start saving money by getting people out of jail and giving them a fresh start.”

Quoted

Quick Hits!

2 6 7 11 98 160 407 150

The dispensary search service WeedMaps.com is donating $2 million to legalize Cannabis in California, lending big support to the Californians for Sensible Reform campaign.

The town of Granger, Washington just passed a six-month moratorium on producing, processing or retailing recreational Cannabis, showing how well legal pot under I-502 is going.

A family in Minnesota was raided over seven plants and accused of providing drugs to a minor after the father said he would “rather give a child Cannabis than Tylenol.”

After a 11-year-old boy told teachers during an anti-drug class that his mother uses Cannabis as medicine, police in Kansas raided the mother’s home.

Atlanta police busted a grow house last month with 320 plants and 98 pounds of marijuana, valued at $380,000, after investigating a call for a possible home invasion.

More than 160 people have been hospitalized in New York in April from the synthetic marijuana drug, K2 or Spice. Remember, marijuana is safer.

Michigan’s Ordinance 407 isolates medical Cannabis growers into a small strip of industrial zones, requires special use permits, and limits production.

A petition to legalize Cannabis in Arizona has been filed and now needs to collect 150,000 signatures

by July 7, 2016, to qualify for the ballot.

CHAINED TO THIS POLE, I FEEL MORE FREE THAN I HAVE IN MY MEMORY. WE ARE LIVING DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW. -David Keniston, a Washington, D.C. activist who joined several others in shackling themselves to a 42-foot pole at a tax and pot protest 4/15 on the National Mall.

‘‘

(The protest ends April 20). D.C. residents pay federal taxes but lack political representation in Congress — and the state’s rec pot laws haven’t been implemented.

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national

STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion

Washington

DISPENSARIES FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE House and Senate have approved SB 5052

T

he Washington Legislature on April 14 approved a bill essentially gutting the state’s medical marijuana program, sending to the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee a bill that eliminates medicinal Cannabis dispensaries now that the state’s recreational market is nominally in place. At press time, Inslee had not signed the bill, but is expected to. The Senate concurred with changes made to the bill in the House mid-April, then voted 41-8 to send it on to the governor, where he is expected to sign the legislation.

Among many other provisions, Senate Bill 5052 creates a database of patients. Recreational marijuana users don’t have to be part of any data-

14/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

base, nor do prescription painkiller users. This pro- ical marijuana dispensaries, which usually have betvision places medical marijuana patients alongside ter products at lower prices. Rather than up their child molesters in having to register with the state. own game, which admittedly would be difficult unChanges made in the House include making the der the onerous, bureaucratic regulations imposed registry voluntary rather than mandatory, as it was by I-502, they chose to lobby the Legislature to in the original Senate version. But unregistered pa- shut their competition down by casting dispensatients won’t be allowed to have the same amounts ries as dangerous, unregulated enterprises. of Cannabis or enjoy the tax breaks that registered Republican Sen. Ann Rivers of La Center patients will. claimed the state could “no longer wait” to “reconPatients who enter the database and have an au- cile” the medical and recreational markets, forcing thorization will be allowed to have 3 dry ounces of patients to pay the much higher prices in recremarijuana, 48 ounces of marijuana-inational stores, where employees are forfused solids, 216 ounces of liquid (such bidden to mention any medical uses. many as Cannabis-infused soda pop) and 21 Among “The reality is that we have a thriving other provisions, grams of concentrates. illicit market,” Rivers said, ignoring the Senate Bill 5052 Registered patients can grow up to creates a datafact that medical marijuana collectives base of patients. six plants at home, unless authorized have been legal in the state since 1998. to grow more by a health professional. Patients “It’s essential that we shut that down.” who don’t register but are considered qualified have SB 5052 also cracks down on collective garthe same limit as recreational marijuana users — 1 dens, eliminating the current structure starting July ounce. Such patients will be allowed to grow up to 1, 2016, but allowing four-patient “cooperatives,” four plants. limited to 60 plants. Locations would have to be Recreational marijuana store owners have com- registered with the state and more than 1 mile away plained about the competition represented by med- from a licensed I-502 recreational pot retailers.

Federal

D.e.A. Chief Resigns Attorney General Eric Holder on April 21 announced that Michele Leonhart, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (D.E.A), was resigning. Leonhart was widely criticized by medical cannabis advocates as well as members of Congress for her unwillingness to adhere to the Obama Administration’s stated policies on medical cannabis. Leonhart worked for the agency for more than thirty years.

Under Leonhart, the DEA led increased raids against medical cannabis dispensaries and cultivators in defiance of guidance from the Department of Justice steer-

ing them away from cases that targeted state-legal medical cannabis patients.

The legacy of Leonhart includes opposing sentencing guidelines reforms embraced by the Obama Administration and other law enforcement agencies, working to maintain cannabis’ Schedule I status, and claiming that rising Drug War violence in Mexico was a sign of success.

During a notable Congressional oversight hearing in 2012, Leonhart refused to state if she thought crack or heroin were more dangerous than cannabis. When President Obama stated in a 2014 New York Times interview that he felt cannabis was no more dangerous than alcohol, Leonhart defiantly spoke out against the President.

“Following the official resignation of Ms. Leonhart as head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, I encourage the President to use this as an opportunity to fill this important role with someone who understands the outdated federal approach to marijuana isn’t working,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon).

“The American public has moved on. Most now feel marijuana should be legalized.

During a notable Congressional hearing in 2012, Leonhart refused to state if she thought crack or heroin were more dangerous than cannabis.

“Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized the adult use of marijuana, and more than two-thirds of Americans live in a state that has legalized some form of medical marijuana,” Congressman Blumenauer said.

“The President himself has said we have bigger fish to fry than going after state-legal marijuana users. I would urge him to put in place a DEA Administrator who will reflect his Administration’s position and can be a partner in creating a more workable system of marijuana laws.”

The D.E.A has come under considerable scrutiny in recent months after it came to light that agents had participated in sex parties with prostitutes paid for by drug cartels, The New York Times wrote.

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Opinion

By WES ABNEY

The awful trend to penalize patients Will the last politician who cares about medical marijuana in Olympia please turn off the lights?

Preparing to go to print with the 59th issue of

Northwest Leaf, I almost feel at a loss for hope.

As an activist, that’s a scary thought. But what is scarier than a thought is the turn our state has taken in regulating medical and recreational Cannabis.

When the small group that made up the Leaf in 2010 first sat down over a joint and started brainstorming, we had a lot of ideas and hopes, and especially ideology. Could pot ever be legalized? Will MMJ become a respected medicine? Can we help to change the world and free the plant? Hell yes!

I fell in love with organizations like NORML, events like Cannabis cups and media personalities like Radical Russ Belville. I truly believed that we could fight for freedom, for truth and most of all, for a beneficial plant.

For a while, our movement was doing just that.

But one fateful day, New Approach Washington presented Initiative 502, and things have never been the same. Groups and activists who fought for our plant seemingly stopped, compromising true freedom for a hint of legalization.

Washingtonians live in a world where Cannabis is “legalized,” but only for the few. This is my open

message to other states and Cannabis activists considering the future: Do not compromise for legalization or you will end up with your own version of I-502. Citizens here can’t grow their own plants, pay exorbitant taxes on pot and face jail time for possessing or growing non-502 weed.

This is not legalization. It is the marijuana tax stamp reborn, where a special piece of paper is the difference between making millions or rotting in a private prison for growing a plant.

Our Cannabis pioneers like Jack Herer would be sick to see what 502 has made of legalization, and so am I. The other day, a social media post by Russ Belville decried “Stoners Against Legalization.” I am proud to be a stoner against legalization, especially if “legalization” comes at the cost of freedom.

Since 502 has been implemented, some positive changes have occurred for recreational Cannabis users lucky enough to have a retail location nearby and the financial ability to purchase heavily taxed weed. But any benefits have been eclipsed by the damage done to medical Cannabis patients in the name of protecting legalization.

Senate Bill 5052, which has yet to be signed by

Patients are facing a dark hour in Washington. Should Inslee sign SB 5052, we will face a major time of change and potential crisis. Collective garden access points would have until July 2016 to close or convert to a Liquor Control Board regulated system, but there is little faith that a LCB system will meet the needs of patients.

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Gov. Inslee at time of print, severely limits the rights of patients. Myself, along with more than 100,000 other citizens, will be facing a federally accessible patient registry just so we can have less than half of our current medicine limits.

The biggest proponents of the bill have been the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, I-502 business lobbyists and our own Legislature. Whether motivated by hunger for tax revenue or a desire to keep a thumb on Cannabis, the bad guys won this year.

And not just in Washington. Bills in Oregon have already been introduced to limit patient rights and to re-regulate MMJ months before their legalization measure even takes effect. Other states, and even Canada’s long-running MMJ programs, are moving to limit patient freedoms and home-grows in favor of big business.

A humble plant remains at the heart of this movement and industry. It has grown for the benefit of humanity, providing for our each of our endocannabinoid systems a medicine or recreational wellness. Many of us find relief from the plant, and we all deserve to grow and enjoy it. But somewhere we forgot that truth.

Today patients are facing a dark hour in Washington. Should Inslee sign SB 5052, we will face a major time of change and potential crisis. Collective garden access points would have until July 2016 to close or convert to a Liquor Control Board regulated system, but there is little faith that a LCB system will meet the needs of patients.

Patients have two choices. Either we bow our heads and roll with the system and quietly accept our fate or we fight for our rights in a real and meaningful way. We don’t need a small group of passionate and over-worked activists at the Capitol (thanks to all who fought for patients this year).

We need tens of thousands! We need signatures on initiatives like 1372, whose author Kirk Ludden has an interview later in this issue. We need to fight for the plant!

Medical Cannabis patients will have next legislative session to make changes, but it won’t matter if we don’t begin to fight like those who fight for the right to bear arms, to practice religion or to marry regardless of sexual orientation. Until we view our plant as a civil and universal human right, we will continue to have that right spoiled for profit and control. And the same goes for everyone who has ever paid the recreational Cannabis taxes and wondered why they couldn’t grow their own.

We all deserve to grow our plant.

dispatch

By MIGGY420, MINDI GRIFFITHS, DANIELLE VITALE-O’BRIEN AND KRISTIN FLOR

MAY PRISONER UPDATE [ ]

>> NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES of THE HUMAN SOLUTION

PRISON OUTREACH This year on memorial day, think about the

OREGON NEWS

JOY GRAVEs: On March 26, Circuit Judge soldiers that have given up their lives, but also the William Cramer presided over a motion to men and women who have lost their freedom due dismiss in the case of the State of Oregon vs. to the persecution of one of the most diverse plants Joy Graves and Raymond Martin. Both were on the planet. It’s a plant, it’s a sacred right, it’s a charged with manufacturing marijuana within medicine, it’s Cannabis.

1,000 feet of a school. The evidence? A vidPlease think about those who are incarcerateo taken during the search of Graves property ed and those who are being persecuted over this and testimony by Sheriff Glen Palmer.

God-given seed we choose to plant. What separates Grave’s defense argued the search was illea farmer from being an outlaw? gal because the video shows That just ain’t right.

Sheriff Palmer entering Here’s something positive, without permission. The though: Last month, ex-Marine judge agreed with the deLarry Duke was freed from a life fense and granted the mosentence after serving 26 years tion to dismiss the evidence for a marijuana crime with no on April 9. The next day, victim. The misery is over for the judge granted the state’s Larry, a prisoner of the war on motion to dismiss the case. drugs. Larry spoke to us at THSI On a side note, pictures Radio Live about 72 hours after of Deputy District Attorbeing released, saying he was sit- Ex-Marine Larry Duke was freed ney Matt Ipson smoking ting around in his old bathrobe Cannabis and supporting from a life sentence after serving legalization have circulatand slippers.

Molly Fry was released from 26 years for a victimless crime. ed on the Internet. Graves Dublin Federal Prison Camp in appeared in court sporting California on March 30. Molly grew Cannabis to one of these images on her T-shirt, along with treat her breast cancer but regardless of the state’s a message about jury nullification. laws, the feds forced her to live shackled behind bars Graves approached Ipson with a flier of his for five years. Tom Korby, THSI Nor-Cal Chapter picture. He smiled, but declined Joy’s request coordinator, is helping Molly find a place to live for his autograph and promptly removed the when she must leave the halfway house. Molly is photos from his Facebook profile. To order a thankful for all the support and said she wants to T-shirt commemorating this case, go to thsinjoin our mission to end prohibition. tl.org/solidarity_store.

Last month, activist and compassion caregiver Todd Stimson lost a battle against the state of JASON ENDICOTT: He faces extradition from North Carolina. Todd tried his best to run a leOregon to his former home in Texas, which gitimate business; he purchased the state’s drug has threatened a 40-year prison term. The tax stamp allowing him to grow marijuana. A waiting game is very difficult. The attitude tojury found him guilty, but if just one juror had ward Cannabis seems to be quickly changing said “this is an unjust law, not guilty,” he would in Texas and Jason’s supporters are hoping all be free today. He was a contributing member of charges will be dropped swiftly so the Endisociety even as he stood up to an ignorant law. cott family can move on with their lives.

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WASHINGTON NEWS Josh & debbie: On April 15, the federal

court in Seattle indicted Josh Mauk and Debbie Brechler on several counts after picking up their charges from the state of Washington.

The indictment included counts of endangering human life while manufacturing a controlled substance, maintaining a drug involved premises, and manufacturing hash oil and marijuana. If convicted, the couple will have to forfeit any property constituting or derived from any proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as the result of the alleged offenses. The feds plan to take anything and everything the couple owns. Times are quite frightening for Josh and Debbie as they face the might of the federal government.

The couple have very generously given back to our MMJ community and now need as much community support as possible. Please visit www.thsintl.org/calendar for details on when and where you can show up for court support. On social media, Debbie wrote she was feeling like “we’ve done nothing wrong.”

Look for an update in the next issue.

Kettle Falls: Sentencing is scheduled for Rolland Gregg, Michelle Gregg and Rhonda Firestack-Harvey on June 10. They were indicted federally for manufacturing 50 to 100 plants. The charge doesn’t carry a mandatory minimum sentence so regardless of the prosecutor’s recommendation, the judge can refuse to send them to jail. The family thanks everyone for their continued support and wants to remind everyone that this is not over. Go to facebook.com/KettleFallsFive and find out how you can help save them from prison.

Bellingham 3: In March, several protests

were held outside the Whatcom County Courthouse, and pretrial was scheduled to begin April 20. The outcome of their trial will

be provided in the next issue. THSI honors the Bellingham 3 for their sacrifices. We salute their bravery to stand up and fight this war, regardless of the odds being against them. They are heroes. We thank them for their selfless contributions to the movement.

NATIONAL NEWS las vegas: In February of 2014, Terisa Deming, a

medical marijuana card holder from Las Vegas was in a motorcycle accident that left her hospitalized and unconscious for several days.

Upon returning home, still wearing her hospital gown via Medicaid-paid transportation, Terisa was met at her home by the same officers who had responded to her accident. At this time, Terisa was charged with one misdemeanor DUI, resulting from her allegedly telling an officer at the scene that she was a medical marijuana card holder and had been drinking, which she denies. Terisa has in fact been clean from alcohol for 30 years. Police confiscated the majority of Terisa’s Cannabis and equipment, and left without further charges.

Eight months later, Terisa was charged with a felony for possessing more than 1 ounce of Cannabis, a felony for having too many plants and two felony gun charges for guns that were legally registered. The previous misdemeanor DUI charge was dropped and replaced with two felony DUI charges.

The police were aware that Terisa was, and still is, a medical marijuana cardholder. Go to thsintl.org/ calendar for upcoming court support updates.

Kansas: On March 24, Shona Banda, a mother of

two, realized that her 11-year-old child had been detained by authorities during a school drug education program.

Banda is a published author who has been a Cannabis activist for many years and is a well-known inspirational figure within the medical Cannabis movement. They took her son right after he spoke up after the misinformation being given to the class.

He was questioned by authorities, which resulted in a raid on her home. Confiscated were 2 ounces of Cannabis flower and 1 ounce of Cannabis oil. Banda has yet to be charged and was able to go home after the raid.

Shona’s next court date is ironically scheduled for 4/20, and her son has not been returned. She has no idea what will ensue next as a result of her

son’s courageous words, but says, “They don’t have a clue that I’m walking in with [my] head held high, proud of who I am and what I do.”

Northern California: Jury nullification has set

Charred Richey and Linda Silvery free! The owners of Planet Herb have been fully exonerated of their charges. Shasta County was prosecuting them on eight charges. After six were dropped, they went to trial. A jury refused to convict them and found them not guilty of manufacturing. A trial is scary, but these brave women stood up against their charges. Jury nullification can save all of us — if our jurors are fully informed before entering the courtroom. They have the power to not only judge if the law has been broken, but to judge the law itself.

Events: Members of THSI will be proudly repre-

senting our organization at the Denver High Times event on 4/20. We are thankful to High Times for the booth, and to Danielle Muggi and Audra Ross for their devotion and organization of the event!

Hash Bash: THSI Executive Director Danielle Vi-

tale-O’Brien represented THSI at Michigan’s Hash Bash and ran into one of our newest members — Tommy Chong. Tommy was very happy to see THSI all the way out in the great Midwest after meeting other members previously all across the West. He even recorded an endorsement sound bite for THSI Radio, which can be heard at blogtalkradio/thsiradio.

Defendants: Have you recently been charged with

a Cannabis crime? Are you a new defendant who needs support from THSI? Please hurry and go to our website, go to “forms” and tell us your story. We will help organize community support or even a local chapter to help support your case. THSI has a system built to help keep you out of prison and to end the war on drugs. THSI recently launched our new operations manual, which will give our organization structure. Remember: No victim = no crime = not guilty.

No one should go to jail or die for our plant.

Learn more about The Human Solution You can help end the drug war!

Please call 951-934-0055 to speak with a team coordinator.

We need caring volunteers to help interview prisoners, write press releases, and prepare articles for release to the media.

We are also looking for talented graphic artists, social media ambassadors & videographers.

Please visit the national team website at www.ThsIntl.org to learn about this important and deserving mission today.

Members of the Kettle Falls family were indicted federally for manufacturing 50 to 100 plants but the charge doesn’t carry a mandatory minimum sentence so regardless of the prosecutor’s recommendation, the judge could actually refuse to send them to jail. may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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8 PROFILE

Questions for the breeder MR. SPLIFF

on seed genetics & the importance of probiotics in growing.

By TYLER J. MARKWART | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

24/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Better open a window.

www.gagegreen.org Instagram @ MisterspliffofCannabis @GageGreenGroup

#1 Tell us a little bit about Gage Green Group.

Gage Green Group is really a group of farmers and breeders trying to bring back seed production through organics and probiotics. We are actually setting up our headquarters here in Washington. We would like to work in recreational and medical to be an outfit that can supply seeds and cuts to other producers.

#2 What is your preferred growing method?

Definitely organic- and veganic-based amended soils.

We work heavily with Organics Alive and other large companies like Dragonfly Earth Medicine to provide clean herb with medicinal value.

#3 What is your favorite strain to grow and why?

Hands down, the Grateful Puff. It‘s something that we just started growing the last year. I’ve grown over 200 strains from clone — the Grateful Puff is Grateful Breathe x Cherry Puff. It’s really rad. It’s the most knuckle, gnarly, sour cookie. The funk is out of this world.

It looks like Blue Dream — it’s sappy and just delicious.

I think the Grateful Puff is my favorite of all time to grow and smoke.

#4 What is the important thing for new growers to remember to be a successful grower?

Don’t overthink it. KISS — Keep It Simple Stupid, and don’t pay too close attention. Enjoy it, because the beginning is very special when you start growing.

#5 Probiotics are becoming more popular. What is your take as far as the future of probiotics?

I honestly believe that there is no future without probiotics as disease and pathogens work their way into our soils and our lives. Probiotics is just a matter of being proactive. Probiotics isn’t a new idea, it is the foundation of all ideas, because we would not be here if it was not for probiotics.

What we are doing is adding bioimmunity to the plant and the seeds. There is readable RNA and DNA differences in our seeds because they are produced probiotically. My belief is probiotics is the touch of the most high and it’s the last touch we have. It’s the future and it’s the only responsible way to do it.

#6 How long have you been growing?

I’ve actually only been growing for five years. Ha ha.

Most people think because of coming up through the

IT’S THE FUTURE AND IT’S THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO DO IT. scene and ending up at Gage that I’m some old dude who has [grown] for 30 years. Then when they find out that I have only been growing a while they really start to question what I know. My flowers show what they are and I’ve always been a perfectionist. I grew up as a high-end athlete. I was supposed to play soccer professionally in Europe, but I lost my knees.

So then I started building houses and I was a framer. I love carpentry. Precision and hard work led me to understand how to build a plant. My mom almost died from cancer, and that’s when I saw how it was helping. So I became obsessed. When my mom beat thirdstage breast cancer that was supposed to kill her, I was not confused, but I was taken back. That was the moment in my life that I realized mankind has been cheated, and I feel like it is my responsibility to be a part of the boat that is bringing us back.

#7 You were a breeder with TGAGenetics.

How does that compare to what you do now as Gage Green group?

GG and TGA have different breeding aims.

I think Subcool is really focused on resin and flavor, as we all are, and I think that Gage

is more about the spirituality of the herb.

While genetics is still completely the focus, I think that there is a little bit of a different center. I don’t have anything negative to say about TGA — it just wasn’t a good fit for me. I’ve seen some really great gear come out of Sub’s work lately, but really for me it’s about being somewhere where I can believe in what I am doing. With Gage, I feel the harmony and the essence of remediation.

#8 Will we be seeing any entries in any of the competitions from you and Gage Green Group?

Yes. I’m not entering Denver, but I am hoping to enter San Francisco. My goal is not just to enter the Seattle Cup, but to sweep the cup. I don’t know anybody that is working with what we’re working with. I honestly believe I can take indica, sativa and hybrid, and I think that we have some really great hash makers.

It’s not a matter of ego, it’s a matter of setting the standard. I’m tired of seeing all this little kid shit. I want people to have like some type of authority to measure up against. I am not that authority, but the organics are, the genetics are.

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Feature

By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

EXPLAINING SENATE BILL 5052 After a rough session, countless patients are wondering how they’ll be affected by the news that the Washington state Legislature produced a widespread (you could say bulldozer-like) overhaul of our medical Cannabis laws last month. Washington state Governor Jay Inslee vetoed parts of the sweeping legislation April 24, 2015. The law goes into effect July 2016, shuttering hundreds of brick-and-mortar medical marijuana collectives and coercing patients to grow all their own medicine or purchase it from a few pricey recreational pot shops. Among many drastic changes, patients must register with the state to grow the measily six plants allowed under the new law.

Big changes: The Washington state Liquor Con-

on promises to license medical access points in trol Board becomes the renamed Liquor and Canits merit-based system. Currently, the details of nabis Board, which will handle the regulating. what will merit a “good” access point or producPatients will have the option to join a registry, er from a “bad” are uncertain, but we can assume which provides full protection from arrest. Patients several points of contention. Whether a compawho do not register won’t have complete arrest prony is properly licensed, paying taxes and testing tection, but they’ll have the right to an affirmative its products will surely come into play, but no defense, which now is in place under RCW 69.51a. collective is really safe at this point.

Patients can possess 8 ounces of The most heinous part of dry flowers if they are in the reg5052 is a section that would istry but only 3 ounces if unregmake it a Class C felony, afistered. Patients may possess up The intent of this bill ter July 2016, to share or sell to six plants if registered, and just is to severely limit the medical Cannabis outside of four plants if they don’t register. the proper channels of the new freedoms of patients The law eliminates collective gar- and force all MMJ licensed system. dens and replaces them with co- into a regulated and The intent of this bill is to operatives of up to four qualifying controlled system. severely limit the freedoms of patients or designated providers. patients and our current trade/ Cooperatives must be registered. There is a 60 plant sharing economy, forcing all MMJ into a regulimit for all operations to be permitted by the law. lated and controlled system. Patient lives will be 5052 requires all currently operating medical severely affected by the changes. The course of Cannabis dispensaries to enter the new regulated action for all Cannabis businesses should be to market or close by July 1, 2016. The effect will be try and meet new requirements, lobby the Lito shut down at least 50 percent of access points in quor Control Board rule-making process and the state, assuming that the LCB follows through fight to be able to help provide medicine.

Read the full bill at www.tinyurl.com/SB5052

28/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

(AND HOW WE

can

CHANGE IT) Kirk Ludden wrote I-1372 which

restores Cannabis as a botanical herb to be authorized according to state law, and restores patient rights to where they are now. The initiative would set up a revenue-neutral Cannabis board to oversee any rule-making, and would limit any city or municipality from using federal money to enforce federal law over state law. The initiative needs to gather the signatures of 246,372 registered voters, but they’re seeking 325,000 to factor in for common errors and incomplete signatures. The deadline for all of those signatures to be in and delivered is July 2, 2016 at 5 p.m.

What can people do to support I-1372?

Sign it! Then help distribute the signature sheets and share information with friends and ensure that local access points are aware. This mission is totally grassroots. Above all: we just want to get people to read the initiative and understand how it benefits the needs of medical Cannabis patients.

how to sign and support the initiative A total of 8,000 signature sheets are inserted in the Seattle-Tacoma area editions of Northwest Leaf, and at many access points such as Life Vine, Starbuds, Ibud, Have a Heart (all locations), Rainier Xpress, Mud Bay Meds, Go Green and Terra Healing Center Parkland. Ask for signature sheets or drop them at your local access point.

Visit the pages for Yes on Initiative Measure No. 1372, Passing 1372 and 1372 The Work Group on Facebook to print out the signature sheets.

The files are set up to be double-sided and can be printed on any type of paper.

Download the signature sheets at

www.cppwa.org or www.tinyurl.com/pass1372

Looking toward the 2016 session: It is vital that patients start contacting their legislators now. The main effect of 5052 will not be felt until July 2016, leaving an entire legislative session for patients to try and effect change. The time for getting involved is here and now. Cannabis businesses must act like normal businesses, which means lobbying effectively and professionally for their rights. The days of showing up to rallies or Senate hearings reeking of pot are over. Many in the Capitol have a negative impression of MMJ. Among the complaints are unprofessional attitudes, inappropriate clothing and uncivil language. When we meet with our representatives, we must treat them with respect, even if their decisions upset us. Our industry also needs to address issues of in-fighting and division. When we show up at the Capitol, arguing and pushing against each other, the only thing guaranteed is that nobody wins.

Don’t give up! Our community has been able to adapt and thrive in many adverse environments, and we will continue to do so. United we stand, divided we fall. Instead of focusing on how bad things might be in July 2016, we must work on making them better.

Referendum on 5052:

Sponsored by William Kurtz and Jesse and Vicca Thompson, the referendum would not erase the entire language of the bill. The referendum would strip the bill of registry language and protect doctors who authorize medical Cannabis.

Signature gathering starts May 17, which allows only 70 days to gather the required 123,186 valid signatures from registered Washington voters to qualify for a vote in November. A “no” vote by a simple majority will prevent the listed sections from becoming law. The remainder of the bill would remain enacted.

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Profile

By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

Q&A jonah tacoma DABSTARS

We sat down with Jonah Tacoma, the founder of Dabstars, a concentrates promotion company based here in the Northwest, to talk about the changing public perception of dabbing, rosin tech, and how they have harnessed social media to spread their message and give away products.

@Dabstars shares crazy concentrates

32/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Dabstars makes High Times

NW Leaf: When did you start Dabstars?

I literally started it at the first Annual Concentrate Cup. I had this concept for a sticker and shirt, so I put out a single sticker for sale for $3. And not one person gave me three dollars! I couldn’t sell it! So then I decided nobody knew what a Dabstar was.

So I started handing people who I thought were Dabstars the sticker and took a picture of them, and suddenly everyone loved it! By the time people asked for the sticker, it was no longer for sale. That night I created a Facebook page around Dabstars and loaded pictures online, and I immediately realized there was something here. The page went viral from inception.

Did you ever expect to be where you are today? How many followers does Dabstars have on Facebook, and what kind of impact does that make?

All I knew was that I wanted to put career-level energy into Cannabis. Still, I was plugging along waiting for a break, and didn’t know it was going to happen until it did. We just passed 780,000 likes today. That is amazing! We are on a strong push to a million, and we’ll see a million inside of the next two months. To a small-town kid from Colorado it is huge! I was born in a small town called Ouray, with a population of 5-8,000 depending on tourists. To come to this point where we have this huge voice is important, and we have a responsibility to do something positive.

The core model of our business is shining light on successes others created through Cannabis. We show and share a paradigm where people can follow their dreams without sacrificing or adjusting to [societal] norms. We need strong role models who can say you can go out and get a job in pot.

Fifteen years ago, a guy like me could not reach 5 million people a week. It used to be controlled by big press, by the 1% making a lot of money. Now the public decides what they like and don’t like.

People can be made or broken in an instant. Social media can be a double-edged sword, but for us it opened [an] entire world of possibility.

shape the industry, but nobody will be able to start a concentrate company in their back yard again. Companies that have been in Cannabis for a long time, but in shadows, need to come to the forefront with positive branding and perception or they will lose this game of musical chairs we are all playing.

What has been the most fun for you?

What do you think about new processing techniques, specifically rosin tech?

When we started doing rallies and giveaways on the ground, it changed everything. My heart and soul is in the giveaways. Where we talk about Cannabis, impact, possibility, and then we give away a ton of free shit. And then people listen. You don’t get 10,000 people to stand for 90 minutes without connections. That’s what this is. We’ve literally given away over $100,000 in products, and I say that with confidence. Just the closed-loop processors and vac ovens are worth over $25,000. We’ve given away Subzero, Bhogart, Across International and tons of medicine. On 420 weekend, we gave away 25 Dipstick E-Nectar Collectors valued at $250 a piece.

That is the best part for me, sharing cool things and seeing how much happiness it brings people when we give things away!

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. A GUY LIKE ME COULD NOT REACH 5 MILLION PEOPLE A WEEK. IT USED TO BE CONTROLLED BY BIG PRESS, BY THE 1% MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.

What has been the biggest surprise for you?

For me I thought dabbing was such a counterculture corner of the overall industry that we would see a ceiling. Instead it’s gone very mainstream.

Cannabis is a pop culture thing now. We are in the national conversation. It’s in part because this is a social movement. A majority of people rose up and took something back that was illegal. There’s a sense of empowerment that comes with this. We have taken media out of the hands of big business.

What do you think the future holds for dabbing?

I believe dabbing will have a huge foothold in the future. The science is constantly developing, and now with access to lab feedback, processors are able to evolve and tinker closer to perfection. Now we are seeing fractionalization of THC or CBD, which looks like something you would see on Breaking Bad, but it’s the pure essence of the plant.

Dabbing is an evolution and it’s catching fire and growing faster than you can ever imagine.

As much as people differ in opinion about rosin tech, it gives people a safe way to create an extract that’s very similar to traditional concentrates but without the dangers of hydrocarbons.

I don’t think it’s gonna edge out solvent extraction, but it is creating a new way for people to springboard into extractions. Instead of going through risk and potential danger, they can grab a flat iron with zero danger to self or others. People will be able to experience new concentrates. I think it’s positive for the industry.

What is your advice to anyone trying to build a brand or social media presence in the future?

Jump in with two feet. The best performers will get on stage and perform for 100 people or 10,000 and give the same performance.

Speak like your audience is there and it will be. Personalize it! People really gravitate to you when you are honest with them.

We’re a perfect example of building brand first. We went hard before monetizing, which is what everyone should do. It is more important to create brand or entity than monetizing in the beginning, and that’s what everyone should be focusing on.

How is the perception of dabbing changing, and what needs to change to make it better?

I think public perception has been shaped largely by negative media. The visceral explosions and impact that you see when people do this wrong has tailored how the public perceives dabbing. It has also caused a lot of regulations to pop up, and it’s mostly for the better. As an industry, we self-regulated and decided open blasting is not safe or acceptable, and it’s almost entirely stopped, at least in medical circles.

The companies willing to invest real business-level money into processing will be fine and continue to

DabstarsLLC@gmail.com www.dabstars.com @Dabstars

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BROWSE OUR PRODUCT LINE

BROWSE OUR FULL MENU

DRY GOOD

OIL & CONCENTRATES

EDIBLES

ACCESSORIES

access An open floor plan shows off a variety of well-stocked shelves and glass art display cases.

Satori

Reviewed

STORY & SHOP PHOTOS by TYLER J. MARKWART for NORTHWEST LEAF | REVIEW PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Strains 5/5 SATORI has 55 flower choices.

It carries some of the top recreational producers, including Phat Panda and Root Down. The best part is the pricing is among the best of all the rec stores we’ve been to.

36/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Edibles 4/5 FROM BON BOMBS to GanJava Mocha Mix, Satori has a slew of options when it comes to edibles. It carries classics like brownies and cookies and also has interesting new items such as Wallingford Wanderlust, a medicated sauce.

Concentrates 4/5 VAPE CARTRIDGES, dry sift, CO2 and BHO

all are available at Satori and all of them are awesomely affordable. Concentrates range from $40-$55 a gram and come in a variety of flavors and effects.

It has a nice selection, fine pricing and something for everyone.

OATMEAL COOKIE PRODUCED by AN INCREDIBLE EDIBLE

10MG THC, $9.20+TX THE SCORE

This cookie was good but didn’t looks really do much of anything for those VALU E of us with a tolerance. Each cookie TAS T E is rated at 10mg of THC and the eas e package says that the entire cookie t o tal : 9/20 is one serving. his edible would be best for someone who is new to the edible cannabis scene as they can easily dose themselves up to a comfortable high and not worry about eating to much to fast. The packaging was pretty plain, and the cookie was a bit dry and crumbly but it was rather tasty with a nice hint of cinnamon.

GRAND DADDY PURPLE

23.2% THC, 3.5G: $36.80+TX THE SCORE

PRODUCED by PHAT PANDA

Excellent flavor and smell, this is just a beautiful bud to look at and the effects are perfect. This Grand Daddy Purple is a really nice example of this strain and we suggest you grab any of the Phat Panda line of products because they are all on point, consistently producing some of the best tasting recreational cannabis we have had the pleasure of sampling.

TRIP REPORT

a r o ma den si t y cure lo o ks ta st e ef f ec t t o ta l: 28/30 Clean, professional store

EASTERN WASHINGTON isn’t known for a welcoming attitude

SURFER’S BLEND CO 2 WAX

69.6% THC, 4.6% CBD, 0.5G: $30.00+TX

PRODUCED by THE GREEN SURFER While the sample did retain a fair

amount of terpenes that presented it with a very floral smell it just wasn’t good beyond that. The CO2 wax was very soupy when trying to pick up a sample with the dabber. When applied to the nail it sizzled and crackled, meaning that there was some residual water left in the sample that wasn’t purged completely.

Check with your budtender to see what the new batches of Surf Wax are like before you spend any money on them, because this one was not worth the money.

Environment 5/5 CONTEMPORARY, clean and ADA

accessible, Satori is what you would imagine a dream Cannabis shop to look like. With beautiful glass pipes surrounding the wall-to-wall selection of Cannabis products, it’s like walking into an art gallery.

THE SCORE

TASTE E FFE CT L OOKS EASE tota l : 7/20

toward the Cannabis community. But even so, Satori has created a wonderful Cannabis experience with its retail location on North Division. Everything about Satori is clean and professional while preserving the nuances of the Cannabis culture. This is a store for all Cannabis consumers, seasoned smokers and first-time tokers.

What’s even better is that it’s right next door to Peace of Mind, which has some of the best glass in Washington.

This is a store for all Cannabis consumers, seasoned smokers and first-time tokers.

Overall 18/20 IT’S AMAZING to watch this industry grow from Ziploc bag sales

in 7-Eleven parking lots to medical Cannabis access points and now to regulated Cannabis sales. Retail stores like Satori are creating a positive image for the Cannabis community so we can be taken seriously when it comes to operating our businesses within our communities. Satori gives back to the community, so stop by today and take a peek at what the future of Cannabis is going to look like — right now.

SATORI (RECREATIONAL)

9301 N Division St, Spokane, WA 99218 (509) 703-7191 www.satorimj.com

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STORY & PHOTOS by BOB MONTOYA for NORTHWEST LEAF

Finding solace at Crooks Creek Cannabis Ranch and Private Resort

NO RESERVATIONS 40/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Spring has sprung right into summer.

I took a ride south to the Illinois Valley of Southern Oregon with Farmer Tom riding shotgun. Our destination was a secluded valley tucked away in a stunningly quiet forest just outside of Selma.

Rumors of a new Cannabis-friendly private resort drew me out to see Mr. & Mrs. B’s vision of what this paradise can become.

The ranch is a half-hour drive from Grants Pass.

If you are heading to the Oregon Caves or the beach town of Brookings, you are in the neighborhood. The happy little valley is home to a variety of wildlife. With no pressure to move, an amazing flock of wild turkeys has taken up residence there. Birds of every shape and size are prevalent. The gobbles of turkeys can be heard all day and into the evening.

Mr. B wants to share this experience, and more.

He began with a tour of the more than 100-acre property. The back 40 where camping will be is isolated in a box canyon. We sat for a short while and saw scurrying life everywhere.

Our discussions about everything Cannabis went late into the night. Breakfast

The Ranch is just a half hour from Grants Pass by road or a mere 13 miles as the crow flies.

was all it was advertised to be. Cooked on a brick-oven stove in a vintage kitchen, the hearty meal would get us past lunch.

A Cannabis dude ranch and private resort would be an excellent destination for adults who like to mix the good leaf with fun. A lodge-style resort surrounded by roughhewn cabins and an infinity pool and spa would be the center of activity. You might zip-line down to the valley and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking and camping in the valley. Some sports lend themselves to the Cannabis life — disc golf is one of them. There is room on the property for a PDGA-approved 18-hole course.

The ranch will be a seed-to-shelf Can-

nabis farm and guests might participate in a variety of gardening and production practices. For those eager to get right at it, a stop at the country store at the resort would have every Cannabis product made on the property for sale to guests.

Educational seminars on every aspect of the plant could be had for groups and individuals. Topics could include organic growing, concentrate techniques and how to use the plant in its many forms.

The ride back north with Farmer Tom was a blur of ideas after hearing Mr. B lay out his vision. It seems we have all been doing a portion of this man’s dream. A critical mass of like minds is forming. Out of the shadows and into the light, Cannasapiens will have their day. Mr. & Mrs. B are making the history right before our eyes.

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CONCENTRATES ISSUE

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN Tyler J. Markwart prepares to dab

Dabbing Guide

By TYLER J. MARKWART, WES ABNEY & WILL FERGUSON

Domeless Titanium Nail

With an array of new companies, accessories and technolo-

gies available to patients, the talk about the proper temperatures for dabbing Cannabis concentrates comes up in conversations repeatedly.

With the focus of the topic of temperature on terpene and cannabinoid retention, patients have experimented with an array of temperatures when it comes to getting the most flavor and medicine out of each dab. Let’s take a look at a few of the industry standards when it comes to dabbing and what the pluses and minuses are of each product are.

Butane gas torches are a common and convenient way to get your nail to its proper temperature. It’s quick and portable, but not sustainable. Because canned gas has to be purchased in order to refill and use the torch, it ends up costing you and the environment.

Very hot e-nail

Types of nails A nail is the part of the rig that is heated up in order to vaporize the Cannabis concentrate. But what kind to pick? Quartz and titanium have both been the industry standards for dab rigs using nails. With quartz, patients are able to get a clean hit because it does not emit gas when heated. Titanium, on the other hand, has several grades at which it is produced and sold. Because of the differences in the production of titanium alloys, some metal nails can off-gas, which is not desirable for medical patients. Thankfully, those grades are becoming more standardized within the industry. So which one is better? Depending on how you handle your equipment and what your goal is, the chart below can help you compare the advantages and disadvantages.

E-nails are another dab accessory in which the nail is constantly heated by electricity. These stand-alone units plug into a standard wall socket, allowing patients to dab without having to use an open flame to heat the nail. With a high entry cost, the e-nail is not for everyone, but it works for patients who are constantly dabbing in the same location.

Vape pens are fairly new in the last few years on the scene and have been growing in popularity. With many styles available for various types of concentrates, patients have a variety of options to help them medicate wherever and whenever they need to. Vape pens are effective because they are discrete, portable and work instantaneously.

They don’t give the same size hit as a dab rig, but they are excellent for on-the-go use or in public places.

What temperature should you dab at?

When dabbing, hitting the right temperature is tricky. Concentrates that are dabbed too hot will burn off the terpenes, leaving a bland

50/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Shatter Extract Wax Concentrate CO2 Syringe

taste behind. Concentrates that are dabbed too cool might leave pooled-up residue and not fully vaporize. The best way to reach a happy medium is to use a carb cap, which sits on top of a nail once a dab is applied and holds both heat and vapor in. A carb cap will vaporize an extract at the lowest possible temperature. I find that letting the nail cool down sufficiently and then using the carb cap will produce a flavorful, fully vaporized dab. Solventless extracts such as full melt bubble hash/ice wax should be dabbed at slightly higher temperatures. To determine whether your temperature is right, check the color of the residue. If the residue is a blackish, it means your dab was taken too hot. If the residue is a light brown, it means the dab was vaporized at the optimal temperature.

Concentrates that are dabbed too hot will burn off most of the terpenes, leaving a bland taste behind.

What are concentrates made up of?

Looking at Analytical 360’s lab results for concentrates, we can see that

sample concentrate results have varied ratios of cannabinoids. A majority of the results are falling below the 70 percent cannabinoid range per sample, which means that there are other chemicals and matter present in the samples. Scientists have been able to identify hundreds of chemicals present in Cannabis flowers, ranging from cannabinoids to plant waxes. When flowers are processed into concentrates with solvents, they need to be purged and pasteurized for safe consumption. With CO2, dry sift and water extractions just the pasteurization process is needed to ensure proper processing because no residual solvents are left in the sample.

Patients should ask for test results that show the residual parts per million in the product that they are buying.

Proper purging is priceless Butane Torch

Oil Vape Pen

Electro-formed Dab Chubbler

Ethanol wash (winterizing)

Carb Tap & Dab Tool BHO

Quartz Titanium THE SCORE

d u r a bili ty: da b flavo r : da b w ind o w : heat up time: Ov e r a l l : 16/20

E-Nail Vape Pen THE SCORE

du r a b i l it y: da b f l avor : da b w i n dow : heat up time: Ov e r a ll: 15/20

THE SCORE

d u r a bilit y: da b flavo r : da b w ind o w : heat up time: Ov er al l : 16/20

RED = WINNER OR TIE FOR CATEGORY

THE SCORE

du r a b i l i t y: da b f l avor : da b w i n dow : heat up time: Ov e r a ll: 13/20

As far as the Leaf is concerned the first and foremost area to be testing concentrates in is residual solvency. Cannabinoid levels do not matter nearly as much as solvency, the testing of which is lacking in Oregon.

There are a nearly a dozen different dangerous chemicals that can end up in concentrates, and they must be tested for to ensure a product is safe.

In the purging process, pressure and heat are combined to help purify the concentrates by removing processing chemicals.

Most medical patients can handle butane consumption in low levels of 50 to 1,000 parts per million, but it is not pleasant on the consumer.

Butane can also cause serious side effects when consumed continuously and in larger amounts, especially by patients with compromised immune systems. With side effects ranging from excessive coughing to death by chemical poisoning, patients should ask for test results that show the residual parts per million in the product that they are buying. A properly purged product will dab fantastically at a lower temperature with less irritation on the throat and lungs, leaving the patient with more available medicine and flavor and an overall better experience.

The cell walls of the Cannabis plant can sometimes contain large wax concentrations. This is an evolutionary advantage for land race genetics because Cannabis has adopted itself in almost every single environmental condition on earth. Some areas such as mountain ranges and higher altitude locations are susceptible to colder weather and more intense solar radiation. The waxy coatings help protect the Cannabis plant against pests and radiation damage in more intense environments. For patients, these plant waxes often lead to excessive coughing when dabbing. When it is dropped onto a hot nail, the wax melts, exposing the water to the heat.

By washing the concentrate sample with alcohol, the wax will remain in the container and the cannabinoids will be absorbed into the alcohol and distilled off as the alcohol evaporates in a separate container. Concentrates with higher amounts of plant waxes and lipids will require a higher temperature to dab and as pointed out earlier, will cause more irritation on the throat and lungs. Special note- Any concentrate that has an ethanol wash should be tested for residual alcohol. Residual alcohol can be harmful if vaporized at high ppm’s.

Pasteurize your dabs?

Pasteurizing is a process that heats a product to a certain temperature for a determined period to reduce the amount of pathogens that can be harmful to humans when eaten. Heat at 160 F for five seconds can help reduce the amount of pathogens such as E. coli when cooking with extracts.

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

By NORTHWEST LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

EXTRACTS 101 One of the best parts of the medical Cannabis world is that

new products and innovations are constantly emerging. The downside can be a lack of information, especially for innovations that haven’t reached the average user. A perfect example? Cannabis concentrates.

While most veteran patients are familiar with Rick Simpson Oil and highgrade bubble hash, the dabbing movement has caught many by surprise.

The following primer is meant to break down the types of concentrates, the attributes to look for and avoid, and the common lingo, prices, and best practices you should expect.

What is a concentrate?

A concentrate is an extraction of Cannabis and can be produced with or without a solvent such as butane, ethanol or CO2. Anyone consuming concentrates for the first time should do so with extreme caution.

THC levels in concentrates range from 20 percent to 90 percent, so they can be overwhelming for many initial users.

Butane Hash Oil Butane hash oil refers to Cannabis concentrate processed with butane. All BHO should be tested by a lab for residual solvency, which is the amount of butane or other potentially harmful hydrocarbons left in the mixture. All medicinal use should be less than 500 parts per million, with the best range being 0 to 50 parts per million, especially for those at risk of cancer and other serious diseases. BHO commonly donates for $30-$50 per gram for quality product.

CO 2 Oil CO2 extraction is one of the cleanest and safest methods of extracting any type of plant matter. Carbon dioxide is pumped at supercritical temperatures under high pressure to pull cannabinoids from the plant material, leaving a pure and intensely flavorful concentrate. CO2 is not toxic to humans and kills any microbial growth in the process Be mindful of the of extraction. Plus, CO2 can three-second rule: be used for more than just Don’t hold your hit in Cannabis concentrates. It can longer than three to be used to create natural essenfive seconds because tial oils. Mainstream products you’re not increasing processed with CO2 include the amount of herbal essential oils, hops for cannabinoids beer and decaffeinated coffee. absorbed into your Because of the considerable system. You are investment required to process merely decreasing CO2 (roughly $75,000), the the amount of oxygen your lungs average gram sells for about are able to take in. $30 to $60 per gram.

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TANGIE BHO

by KNOTTyY @Knottyy

Solventless Hash & Bubble Hash Solventless or bubble hash refers to hash or keif that has been processed using just water and ice or a dry-sift method to gather Cannabis trichomes and cannabinoids into a smokable form.

Full Extract Cannabis Oil Full extract Cannabis oil, or Rick Simpson Oil as it’s commonly referred to, is a pure Cannabis extract that has been used for decades to fight cancer and other diseases. FECO pulls a range of beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes and flavinoids that are successful in treating a variety of conditions. It should only be made with pure alcohol (food-grade ethanol or grain alcohol) and should be properly purged of residual alcohol before ingestion.

FECO should never be vaporized or dabbed because inhaling alcohol is bad for the central nervous system and the brain. When eaten, the alcohol is safe for use. With the average dose being the size of a grain of rice, a little FECO goes a long way. While FECO should be made available at a compassion rate at most collectives, the average price is $25 to $50 per gram.

What is dabbing?

Dabbing refers to vaporizing a herbal concentrate. But it does often involve a torch, and a vaporization surface commonly called a nail attached to a water pipe. The nail is heated until hot (see our dab temperature article for more on this) before a small amount of concentrate is touched to the surface. The user inhales through a water pipe, and the clean and easy vapor is exhaled without excessive smoke or coughing. Patients can also use dab pens or vapor cartridges, both of which allow for portable vaporization of concentrates without the use of a torch.

Dosing Your Dab Few health risks are associated with secondary or residual butane consumption in small amounts, including dabbing or smoking Cannabis by using a butane lighter. However, conflicting reports have been posted on the Internet about people suffering from collapsed lungs because of excessive dabbing.

Because dabbing is relatively new to the community, no major media reports address hospital admissions with patients who are strictly dabbers.

People who are at higher risk of collapsed lungs should take that into consideration in their Cannabis consumption by smoking and dabbing. When smokers inhale — especially Cannabis smokers — they tend to inhale as deeply as possible and then hold the smoke as long as they can. Coupled with the action of coughing, it could accelerate small tears inside the lungs that could lead to a pocket of air being created between the lung and another organ, or the rib cage, resulting in a lung collapse. Be mindful of the three-second rule: Don’t hold a hit in longer than three to five seconds because you’re not increasing the amount of cannabinoids absorbed into your system. You are merely decreasing the amount of oxygen your lungs are able to take in.

WHERE TO GO &WHAT TO KNOW

By WILL FERGUSON for NW LEAF

Many collectives offer concentrate specials on certain days of the week, which you can plan your trip around in order to save a few bucks.

When shopping for quality concentrates, I always keep a few things in mind. If I’m searching for solvent extracts such as BHO and PHO I’ll consider a couple of important questions: who is the processor? Was it processed in a Closed Loop System or not? Was the starting material grown with synthetic nutrients or not (you don’t want to be ingesting concentrated pesticides, do you?)

Many extractors are transparent with their processes on

Lobster butter by clear concentrate

@TheClearConcentrate

social media, which is a good way to tell whether you want to be ingesting their products. Quality BHO and PHO extracts should be light, golden in color and have good terpene retention. I always take a close-up look at the concentrate I have my eye on. Also, keeping a watchful eye on a collective’s social media information and Leafly menu helps me find the best deals.

Many collectives have concentrate specials on certain days of the week, and I sometimes plan my trip around those specials to save a few bucks. As far as prices, I usually won’t pay more than $30 per gram for a trim-run concentrate and no more than $40 per gram for a nug-run concentrate. Solventless full melt/ice wax is another concentrate I often shop for. Water hash is hard to find at many access points, so finding it can be difficult at times, but some shops carry them when they can. What I look for in good bubble hash is solid terpene retention, stable trichome heads (not greasy or cakey), a light blond color with little to no contaminants and a full melt with little to no residue left behind.

Clean, organic starting materials are also of utmost importance to me because it truly captures the flavor of the plant and indicates how it was grown. Good bubble hash is more expensive than solvent extracts because of its lower yields, so my price cap is around $60 per gram. I don’t often shop for CO2 concentrates, but when I do, I ensure they meet my requirements.

When looking for a CO2 concentrates, I look for extracts that have a nice amber color, are derived from organic material and are processed using a state-of-the-art, supercritical C02 system. CO2 concentrates are more costly than BHO extracts so my price cap is around $40 per gram.

Processed correctly, concentrates are worth the time and money to be able to use — it’s just a matter of knowing what to look for.

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Butane Hash Oil

RYZALOPE bho shATTER

by SKUNK TRAIN Extracts

79.34% THC | 0.58% CBD | 2.51% CBG 2.19% Terpenes. This mysterious and sugary sour concentrate has a sinfully tart taste. @SkunkTrainConcentrates

lemon marmalade

by platinum Extracts

94.36% THC | 0.98% CBD

6.52% Terpenes, 20 ppm Solvent Total.

Tastes like the sweetest jelly nectar of the Gods. @PlatinumExtracts

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Sour Tsunami cbd bho

by PLATINUM EXTRACTS

5.21% THC | 67.12% CBD

pURPLE NEPAL BHO 90/10 indica by pEACE oIL

85.26% THC | 8.15% Terpenes

6.56% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Cherry syrup flavors melt into a smooth relaxing vapor. @PlatinumExtracts

8.15% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Terp-sauce with purps on top. @PeaceOil

APE COOKIES

pure white bubblegum by jolly bee extracts

by terpene dreams

80.31% THC | 0.78% CBD

8.57% Terpenes, 30 ppm Solvent Total.

Kush and mint flavors blend with a heady euphoric high. @Terpene_Dreams

99.02% THC | 0.29% CBD If it’s energy you’re after, this is a lip-smacker to try. @JollyBee.Extracts

Jesus [White widow x bLUE dyNAMITE]

by solstice | processed by X-Tracted 87.69% THC | 0.61% CBD

Harlequin 25/75 INDICA

by Peace Oil

37.66% THC | 41.23% CBD

Diablo Blanco

by terpene dreams

83.34% THC | 0.69% CBD

7.34% Terpenes, 40 ppm Solvent Total.

Fresh, heady BHO with a light and flavorful smoke. @Terpene_Dreams

4.0% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Nicely balanced body and mind high. @SolsticeGrown @x_tracted

2.87% Terpenes, 190 ppm Solvent Total.

Sweet and smooth, with a beautiful appearance and smell. @PeaceOil

Blackberry Kush Honeycomb

by White Label Extracts

by skunk train concentrates

PINEAPPLE HAZE LIVE RESIN

by FIRE BROthers

3.82% Terpenes. Thick and sappy CBD medicine full of joy and positive feelings. @SkunkTrainConcentrates www.CashHydeFoundation.org

8.58% Terpenes, 120 ppm Solvent Total.

Fresh and creamy oil with a tropical flavor and mellow vapor. @FireBros206

85.12% THC | 0.96% CBD

A gorgeous dewaxed honeycomb testing at 0 ppm residual solvency. @White_Label_Extracts

Cashyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Honey

24.73% THC | 46.48% CBD

75.99% THC | 0.48% CBD

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Butane Hash Oil

Sour Tsunami CBD oil by solstice processed by x-Tracted 4.42% THC | 67.54% CBD

4.17% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Dark cherry meets delicious Kush, and decide to be friends with dabbers. @SolsticeGrown @x_tracted

tangie bho

by Knottyy @Knottyy

79.28% THC 0.51% CBD

2.14% Terpenes, 110 ppm Solvent Total.

Bright citrus flavor with solid sativa effects.

MR. AFGOO BHO BEE by jolly bee extracts

Headband [sour dix (og kush x master kush) by solstice | processed by X-Tracted

Strong kush and earthy notes with an easy and mellow vapor. @JollyBee.Extracts

4.32% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Perfect strain representation with an intensely energetic and euphoric high.

67.73% THC | 4.11% TERPENES

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92.44% THC | 0.60% CBD

CO2 Oil

hAPPY CAT CO2 alien moonshine sativa hybrid by CO2 ORGANICS

VENICE OG CBD Cartridge Cartridge by o.pen vape

hAPPY CAT jack herer cartridge

by CO 2 ORGANICS @CO2Organics

3.83% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Cherry and berry meet with CBD bliss. @CO2Organics

Convenient cartridge offers smooth, relaxed OG flavor on the go. @Openvape

5.79% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Smooth and rich vapor that tastes natural with attention to true strain representation.

by evergreen extracts

mixed Berry Kush CO2

hAPPY CAT SOUR DIESEL sativa

by CO 2 ORGANICS

4.54% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Easy berry flavors with a pleasant and heady cerebral high @Evergreen_Extracts

6.94% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Sour high THC powers through the palate, with terpy lemon afterglow. @CO2Organics

25.95% THC | 47.25% CBD

48.56% THC | 1.56% CBD

54.30% THC | 0.64% CBD

84.49% THC | 0.73% CBD

76.18% THC | 1.77% CBD

cbd blend by eVERGREEN EXTRACTS

26.78% THC | 42.81% CBD

1.32% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Strong pain and anxiety relief with great flavor. @Evergreen_Extracts

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Solventless Concentrates

hindu kush rosin tech

by Raw zen

85.14% THC | 0.65% CBD

5.81% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Flavorful heat-pressed goodness to get you moving and elated. @HypeHerbally

24k gold 6-star bho by fire broTHERS

82.27% THC | 0.90% CBD | 1.35% CBG

5.88% Terpenes, Solvent-free.

Perfect melt that tastes like the freshest bowl of the freshest flower, in dab form.@FireBros206

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lEMON SKUNK sYRINGE

by PEACE oIL

87.24% THC | 0.38% CBD

5.18% Terpenes, <10 ppm Solvent Total.

Eating this tastes like lemon meringue pie, smoking it is even better. @PeaceOil

chem dawg 70-micron

by nelson & co organics

74.65% THC | 0.14% CBD

Processed by Pua Extractions and Novus Rosa with high-end material. @PuaExtractions @NovusRosa

pure pear oil

by Clear CONCENTRATE

85.31% THC | 0.52% CBD | 2.35% CBG Light refreshing fruity and altogether stoney.

A perfect Indica nightcap for pain relief. @TheClearConcentrate @x_tracted

deep green remedy by pacific nw hemp company

52.4% THC | 21.4% CBD | 2.2% CBG

1.4% Terpenes, 78 ppm Solvent Total.

This Full Plant Extract is a great option for healing and real recovery. Grandmacat@gmail.com

Dabbing Gear Guide

By WES ABNEY | MAIN PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Helpful products to let you carry out your consuming in a safe and easy manner.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to explore your favorite local shop for an array of unique dab tools.

Kind Tray Art Set $119 Master the art

of the dab with this custom Kind Tray artists set. The silicon containers and pad are permanently attached to this hand-cut wooden frame, making it perfect for traveling. This release will be launching at the beginning of the new year. Check out more than a dozen styles and types on its website. www.kindtray.com

Titanium Carb Cap $30

We found this quality generic carb cap at Third Eye in Portland for only $30. Made out of grade 2 titanium, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a trustworthy and solid tool that will last. Carb caps range in price from $20 to $60, so pick the one that works best for your budget and your life.

Amazon.com or any local glass shop

Nail Crown $30

Love medicating on the go but hate worrying about dealing with a scorching hot nail? Worry no more.

This useful 100 percent pure silicon travel case opens up to hold your hot nail on the go, no burns required.www.

dabkings.com/collections/nail-crown

Happy Daddy Machete pick $40

When it comes to dab tools the Happy Daddy crew is the best around, period. They take quality metals and innovative design and bring it all together in an affordable form. We love this Machete dab tool! It makes you feel like a bad-ass dab ninja and is functional for a variety of concentrates. Check out their line of products and nails online! Happydaddyproducts.net

The Hollow Splatter Dab Rig $120

These sick little dab rigs hit hard everywhere but the wallet. The splatter comes in a variety of colors, including slime green or amber/gold. It looks like real oil is dripping off the piece. Check out their website for custom work and other dabbing options. www.thehollow.me

710 Oil Whip Electronic Ceramic Nail (seen above) $145

If you are looking for a quality e-nail on a budget, check out the 710 Oil Whip. This is an easy-to-clean and transport setup that can instantly transform any bong into a dabbing station.www.710.life

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

By TYLER J. MARKWART for NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Heat-Pressed Hash (Rosin Tech)

60/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Tools needed:

Rosin Tech, a new spin

on an old processing technique, requires a hair straightener, parchment paper and full buds to create high-quality hash in seconds. In the past year, the process has caught on quickly because it is First, take some well-cured buds that have decent safe, cheap and the results are water content. You don’t want them too dry and fantastic … as long as you begin you also won’t want to grind the buds up — that with fantastic buds. With dabbing makes it harder to collect the material at the end. becoming more popular, different techniques for processing will Take a large piece of parchment paper and fold it emerge and be refined. Rosin Tech in half. seems to be able to get the best of all worlds, combining flavor, Place a nice-size bud of your favorite flower potency, yield and quality into one between the edge of the paper and the crease. beautiful little golden dab.

Many cultures have considered Fold the paper so the bud is trapped inside the hash the standard way to smoke parchment paper. because it stores better and hits harder than flower. With the Place the paper and bud in the hair straightener application of heat-controlled hair and press hard for three to five seconds. straighteners, T-shirt presses and shirt irons, Cannabis consumers Release pressure and remove paper. Remove bud can now prepare and make their and let rosin dry. own high-quality dabs within minutes without the worry of blowing Repeat on the same bud for second, third and themselves up from using an even fourth runs, depending on the quality and explosive solvent. size of the bud.

If you plan to use a hair straightener, we suggest you buy a new Scrape and collect the rosin and enjoy. one. Most hair straighteners are used after chemicals have treated Justin Ruiz from HypeHerbally someone’s has seen the rapid growth in the The basic technique hair, which concentrate market and has moved is not new; humans contaminates quickly to set up a rosin processing have been pressing them and company called Raw Zen. Keeping and heating hash raises the a focus on knowing what’s in your for quite a while. possibility of medicine, Raw Zen is working with contaminatproducers Mana Gardens’ Purple ing your sample.

Think before you Nepal and Crop Circle’s Hindu Kush to bring this just grab something to press your product to market. buds with.

Rosin Tech at home requires some trial and error, but once you have the technique down it becomes simple. Take a few seconds to check the Internet for a slew of videos that show the technique in a step-by-step process and you will save yourself from some burned nugs — or worse — a produced by raw zen burned hand. Simple, cheap and straightforward, @HypeHerbally this technique is not new but small-batch home processing is achievable.

1) Hair straightener or T-shirt press 2) Parchment paper 3) Oven mitt or silicon pad

Hindu Kush Rosin Tech

by Raw Zen

Purple Nepal Rosin Tech

by Raw Zen

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THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE

By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Bubble Hash Guide (3 to 6-stars) When it comes to bubble hash, not all

products are created equal.

While there isn’t necessarily a bad hash, products can vary by strain and method of extraction. The hash rated here is made using bubble bags, hence bubble hash.

It’s a solvent-free concentrate and is safe for consumption by all patients. While much of the medical Cannabis world has turned to solvent-based concentrates, superior bubble hash has attracted connoisseurs, with some of the best in the world produced in the Northwest.

As trends go, the latest craze in the dabbing world has been full–melt, dabbable five- and even six-star hash.

This guide will help you pick the best products for your needs and budget.

Hash is thought to have originated in the Middle East, with its use dating back thousands of years. In places such as India, Cannabis grows naturally. Over time, specific strains were chosen and cultivated for their hash-making properties.

Traditionally, hash was made in two ways. The first method is to take the flowers of the plant and rub/roll them with your hands until enough trichomes are on your fingers to scrape off. The second method was perfected in Morocco, where hash makers slap cured branches over a silk screen to shake off the trichomes. It isn’t easy, but it can produce large yields.

Today, a huge variety of extraction methods and tools exist for making hash. Still, we find the best bubble hash comes from great starter product, ice, water and more than a bit of elbow grease.

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*

4

*

4

3

3

*

*

3-star

Dark brown & earthy with hints of original strain flavor. When heated, forms small bubbles on surface then combusts. Perfect for loading on a bowl of flower or rolling into a joint. Not dabbable, but with 35 to 50 percent melt. About $20/g.

4-star Light brown, less pronounced flavor profile but with stronger hints of original strain flavor. Bubbles into a puddle with heat. This is the lowest star level for dabbing, as it leaves a lot of residue on the nail and has a very earthy flavor. About $30/g.

5-star Blond, full flavor profile that invokes the strain it is processed from in smell and taste. When heated, fully melts into oil but still leaves a slight residue and flavor of plant matter when smoked. It’s dabbable and costs about $50/g or higher.

6-star Light-blond resinous gold, super fine texture. When pressed, forms into an almost transparent slab. This should taste and smell like the purest nectar of the strain.

Dabs easily on a nail, leaving zero plant matter taste and an extremely smooth smoke. It costs about $60/g or more.

the micron myth Bubble hash is made by filtering Cannabis

*

5

hash Produced by A Greener Today

*

6

@AGreenerToday Row 1: Rudeboi OG Row 2: Alien Express

*

5

*

6

trim/buds through bubble bags. The bags act as a net to catch THC trichomes, which separate and gather at the bottom of the bags. Much like fishing, the bag size, measured in microns, varies depending on the size of the trichomes the maker is hoping to catch. The quality of the hash is not necessarily dependent on the size, it’s based on two factors: harvest time and strain phenotype.

If a crop is harvested before the trichomes fully develop, the chances of having a four- to fivestar yield are minimal.

You simply won’t have enough trichomes. The second factor comes down to the strain being used. Some strains tend to have larger crystals, so a larger micron bag will yield higher quality hash, while other strains tend to have smaller crystals, making a smaller micron bag necessary for a good yield.

It is good to experiment with various methods.

Another pro tip for producing top-quality solventless hash is the adage, “put good in, get good out.” Treat your trim with respect and fresh freeze it for best possible results.

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The Joint Recreational 1510 N Wenatchee Ave. Wenatchee, WA 98801

This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

recipes

By LAURIE WOLF for OREGON LEAF | PHOTO by BRUCE WOLF for NORTHWEST LEAF

Makes 4 servings

MEDICATED

AVOCADO SQUARES Spring is here and farmers

markets throughout the Northwest are again bursting with fruits and vegetables that have revived after the dark, rainy days of winter.

Going shopping at these markets is always a treat. Although I pay a little more, our meals tend to be vegetablecentric, hence, less expensive. A farmer from southern Washington had early corn this past week that I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t resist. If I do add meat or poultry to a meal it is as more of a side rather than centerstage. Heavy dressings and sauces are no longer how we roll; we prefer fruity olive oils and a splash of lemon or vinegar.

From now through fall, you can count on some pretty sweet seasonal offerings. Light and lovely, no shortage of taste, easy and fast. When adding Cannabis, the dishes are taken to a new delightful level of enjoyment. High expectations? Good, we aim to please.

INGREDIENTS

12 small slices black bread 3 tbs. cream cheese, softened 1 tbs. canna-butter, softened 1 avocado, peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks 3 tbs. fresh lemon juice 8 radishes, thinly sliced 1 scallion, chopped Âź cup dill sprigs Salt & pepper

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1. Place the bread on your work surface, then, in a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and canna-butter.

2. Spread the bread with the cream cheese mixture.

3. Toss the avocado with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and mix with the radishes, scallion and dill.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Divide the mixture between the open face sandwiches and garnish with additional dill.

More recipes pg. 70

recipes

By LAURIE WOLF for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF for NORTHWEST LEAF

Continued from pg. 68

LETTUCE CUP CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

8 lettuce cups, cleaned and patted dry 1 cup cooked chicken, cut or shredded 1 small stalk celery, sliced 2 tbs. chopped scallion 2 tbs. mayonnaise 1 tbs. canna-oil Salt and pepper 2 tbs. blue cheese, crumbled

Serves four 1. Place lettuce on your work surface.

2. Combine the chicken, celery and scallion in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, oil and spices. Lightly toss the mayonnaise with the chicken mixture. Divide the chicken between the lettuce cups.

4. Distribute blue cheese between cups and serve.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbs. canna-oil 1 tbs. regular olive oil ½ cup bell peppers, any color. ¼ cup corn niblets 2 cups fresh spinach 1 scallion, chopped 4 eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup goat cheese ¼ cup cheddar cheese Smoked paprika Salt and pepper

Serves two 1. Heat oven to 340 F. In

an oven-proof sauté pan, heat the oils.

Do not sauté on high because that would affect the THC potency. Add the peppers and sauté 6-7 min. Add the corn and sauté 4-5 min.

Add spinach and sauté until wilted.

TWO-CHEESE FRITTATA

70/may 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

2. Pour the eggs into the pan and stir for a minute or two to mix well. Shred the cheeses and sprinkle over the egg mixture along with the spices and place into heated oven.

3. Cook until eggs are set and the cheese is melted — about 15 min.

If you want the top to brown, place under the broiler just before serving.

Slide the frittata onto a serving plate.

knowledgeable staff|welcoming environment|top quality

starting April 1, 2015

new store h Monday through Saturday 9am-10pm Sunday 11am-7pm

This April put the recreation in recreational.

urs This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twentyone and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

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ST. MARTIN’S PRESS, 2015 | 272 PAGES | $25.99

I

n 1979, Wisconsin native Tim McBride hopped into his Mustang and drove south. He was 21 years old, and his best friend had offered him a job working as a crab fisherman in Chokoloskee Island, a sleepy town of fewer than 500 people on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Eager to experience life, McBride jumped in.

He quickly learned this was far from your average fishing outfit. Tim had been recruited into a band of weed smugglers — middlemen between a Colombian Cannabis cartel and their Miami distributors.

“The Gulf of Mexico smelled like cow shit,” the book begins, and right off the bat you start to get the idea that this isn’t going to be a boring ride. (On McBride’s first weed pickup on the open water, the Colombian smuggling boat carried a load of cattle as camouflage.)

He was soon handling tons of marijuana, and living the life of wealth.

His operation caught the attention of the federal government in 1984, and very quickly the boss and most of the key players were out of commission. McBride somehow avoided the roundup and by default became the new go-to guy for the Colombians, the boss of an operation that was ultimately responsible for smuggling 30 million pounds of marijuana into the United States.

A self-proclaimed “saltwater cowboy,” McBride evaded the Coast Guard and the Drug Enforcement Administration for years, facing volatile Colombian drug lords and risking betrayal by romantic partners until his luck finally ran out. He ended up pulling a 10-year federal prison sentence.

McBride rebuilt his life after being released from prison, and now owns a construction business on the Florida Gulf Coast. He is a father of two.

McBride’s wild tale of crime and excess rings true and reads well; his book is one of those that, as you near the final page, you start reading more slowly because you don’t want it to end. The book won me over, and this was after some initial skepticism. Upon first examining the cover, I was ready to dislike McBride and his book, for no better reason than the cocky photo of the author.

But once I got started reading the thing, I realized this was the real deal: An actual story of how all that delicious, red and gold Colombian marijuana I enjoyed in Alabama in the 1970s had found its way to my rolling tray.

And if you successfully bring in 30 million pounds of weed, maybe you’ve earned the right to be a little cocky.

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By CHERI SICARD

ST. MARTIN’S PRESS, 2015 | 232 PAGES | $18.00

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t’s not often that one gets to witness the birth of a major volume that is going to change the way thousands of people think about the Cannabis plant. It was my privilege to do exactly that as my friend Cheri Sicard (Cannabis Cheri) wrote “Mary Jane,” the women’s interest and lifestyle guide to Cannabis released by the publisher on 4/20.

Sicard shared with me, as the book was written, the frustrations and joys of preparing a 200-plus page book covering the history, culture and politics of our favorite weed. And I’m happy to report that what emerged is nothing less than a masterpiece.

As women across the nation are finally coming out of the Cannabis closet, they are learning that marijuana offers many benefits. As Sicard’s book points out in its easy, conversational style, weed complements many aspects of women’s lives, and can even help treat problems that are distinctive to women’s health.

Far from a lofty treatise, “Mary Jane” is packed with numerous practical tips and facts to help women make informed decisions about Cannabis.

From responsible parenting to cooking with marijuana, this informal handbook gives plenty of information on the culture and lifestyle of Cannabis.

Topics in the book include extracts, concentrates, medicinal applications, using weed to spice up your sex life and Cannabis careers. Sicard covers all the important bases, including an absolutely stellar final chapter on “How To Win Any Argument About Marijuana” which every activist — male or female — would do well to read.

Once a closeted marijuana user, Sicard now works with reform groups, frequently helping organize rallies, speaking at city council meetings, and giving classes on various aspects of marijuana.

She is also a powerful and prominent advocate for prisoners serving life sentences for nonviolent marijuana offenses and authors the “Life For Pot” series at TokeSignals.com.

Once a closeted marijuana user, Sicard now works with reform groups, frequently helping organize rallies, speaking at city council meetings, and giving classes on various aspects of marijuana.

guide

By WES ABNEY

Hiding Spots When patients travel with medicine or medicating devices, keeping a low profile is essential to staying out of law enforcement’s way.

Stash cans and secure hiding spots are great for those with roommates and also anyone wary of tipping people off to their MMJ patient status.

Although we can’t guarantee you won’t get in trouble using these, they are a solid way to remain just a little bit safer and better organized.

Being Safe 1. Always keep your medicine in

a secure container, stored out of reach and visibility of children or non-patients. Don’t get casual with leaving medicine laying around. Keeping it airtight is also a plus — it will help preserve the freshness of the flower or bud.

FOOT POWDER STASH CAN

Embassy Wall Clock With Hidden Safe

Hanging Closet Safe

$16.99, bewild.com

$11.48, Amazon.com

$14.99, Bewild.com

This “value size” stash can is perfect for hiding meds in plain sight. Besides, the last thing a burglar would ever touch is a persons foot fungus treatment. If the desenex isn’t your style, there’s insect spray cans, high life cans, furniture polish cans...the list goes on.

One thing to keep in mind is that any stash can that looks like a drink is liable to be confused for one!

This fully functioning wall clock pops open to reveal a hidden space inside. Something like this is ideal for keeping an extra copy of your recommendation, an emergency amount of cash, and even keep meds safe.

With the non-assuming design and the fact it actually works, it’s definitely time to get an Embassy wall clock.

Of all the products for hiding personal documents, this hanging closet safe is the best choice. It looks like a plain black tanktop, and mixed into a closet of clothes is completely unassuming. But, it could easily be holding everything you need in a tough situation. The shirt unzips to feature nine different compartments capable of holding your medicine or even an extra copy of your authorization.

2. Keep all medicated products

or devices out of reach of children. So important, we had to mention it twice. If you only medicate in one room, get a lock for that room right now!

3. If you have a personal

garden, keep it secure! This includes cutting down on the smell, which is the number one way that grows get busted.

4. Keep an extra copy of your recommendation in a safe and secure space. Much like a passport, it’s only good if you have access to it. Also, if you lose a wallet/purse, you’ll still have proof of legal use of cannabis!

5. Invest in an air filtration

Knowing where to stash your stuff is essential for people from all walks of life — apartment renters, college students, professional types and anyone concerned with handling that one pesky odor.

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system even if your not growing.

It doesn’t have to be costly, you can buy a HEPA air filter that is designed for smoke at Walmart for about $50. It cuts the odor of stagnant smoke and encourages a healthy lifestyle.

health & science

Growing Organic Keeping it organic has tremendous benefits. Growing your own or-

BY NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCOTT D. ROSE

Why sustainable agriculture matters in a time of chemicals

magazine. Beginning in the 1940s, Rodale provided the most informaganic garden in your backyard, shopping locally at the farmers market or tion about chemical-free farming methods and was heavily influential in visiting a farm and getting to know the farmer who grew your food, bendeveloping crucial organic production methods. efits yourself and the planet. Organic farming and food processing methBy the 1970s, increased environmental awareness and consumer deods support health for the people who eat them and for the planet. With mand fueled the growth of the organic industry. General agreement exthe use of proper crop rotations and organically derived soil enrichments isted on philosophical approaches, but no standards or regulations existand fertilizers, soil fertility is maintained and pests are controlled without ed in defining organic agriculture. Each state or certifying agent could introducing toxins to humans or the environment. This is in contrast to determine standards based on production practices and constraints in the over-farming of the soil in conventional agriculture, where only one their region. This decentralized approach prompted Congress to pass the or two crops are grown at a farm.

Organic Foods Production Act in 1990 to develop a national standard Where there is less biodiversity, crops are more prone to the rapid for organic food and fiber production. National standards were not imspread of disease. Also, chemical fertilizers and pesticides often are used plemented under the OFPA until 2002. “Organic” then became a labelin mounting quantities with increasingly adverse environmental effects. ing term that indicates that food has been grown following the Organic One of the founders of organic farming was Lady Evelyn “Eve” Balfour, Foods Production Act. a British farmer who helped pioneer many production techniques central to the movement. In 1943, Balfour famously noted that “The criteria for All agricultural farms and products claiming to be organic must be a sustainable agriculture can be summed up in one word — permanence guaranteed by a U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved independent — which means adopting techniques that maintain soil fertility indefiagency and must meet the following guidelines: No application of pronitely, that utilize, as far as possible, only renewable resources; that do not hibited materials for three years prior to certification and thereafter while grossly pollute the environment; and that foster licensed; no genetically modified organisms or biological activity within the soil and throughirradiation (the Food and Drug Administration out the cycles of all the involved food chains.” has approved a variety of foods for irradiation Organic farming was known simply as farmin the United States, including beef, pork, crusing until the early 1920s. Later, synthetic pestaceans, fresh fruits, vegetables, lettuce, spinach, ticides for controlling pests, herbicides for conshellfish, poultry and seeds for sprouting (e.g., trolling weeds, fungicides for controlling fungal alfalfa sprouts); employ positive soil building, infections and large-scale growing operations conservation, manure management and crop were being introduced. rotation practices; provide outdoor access and The U.S. landscape of small, environmentalpasture for livestock; refrain from antibiotic ly friendly family farms began to morph into and hormone use in animals; sustain animals What’s In Your Basket? agribusinesses. But not all who succeeded gave on 100 percent organic feed; avoid contaminaup their green-conscious roots. J.I. Rodale is tion during processing, and keep records of all Consumer Reports suggests buying organic peachcommonly regarded as the father of the modoperations. es, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, ern organic farming movement, helped found Again, this was standard up until the 1920s. strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, spinach, the Rodale Research Institute, and started Remember the old saying? “Try organic food, lettuce and potatoes, otherwise they are highly susceptible to retaining harmful pesticides. publishing Organic Farming and Gardening or as our grandparents called it — food!”

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In some quarters,

organic is considered expensive and elitist. Organic food often does cost slightly more, on average, than conventionally grown food.

However, society bears the cost of conventional agriculture due to crop subsidies, a governmental payout to farmers and agribusinesses using taxpayers’ dollars to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities and influence the cost and supply of such commodities. The cost to society is borne also in food-borne illnesses such as E. coli, antibiotic resistance, water pollution and other hidden costs to the environment.

The choice really comes down to buying responsibly priced foods or buying irresponsibly priced foods.

That huge pile of conventionally grown GMO Arctic apples that don’t bruise at the grocery store might cost less money, but with organically grown foods, the cost is upfront. The FDA approved GMO apples in March, along with six varieties of GMO potatoes that refuse to bruise.

Organically grown foods might be the cheapest health insurance you can buy. Research findings are correlating environmental chemical exposures with autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and many cancers — no surprise, since 55 million tons of chemical fertilizer are used in the U.S. alone per year, and 5.6 billion pounds of chemical pesticides worldwide.

Many of these chemical compounds are retained in the soil and food as residue that, when eaten, can bioaccumulate in the body. Organic food is one way to reduce exposure to these harmful chemicals.

Organically grown food contains substantially higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than conventionally grown food. Organic foods contain up to 69 percent more of certain antioxidants, including vitamin C, thanks mostly to the fertility of the soil, said Alyson Mitchell, an associate professor of food science and technology at the University of California-Davis.

Organically grown foods might be the cheapest health insurance you can buy. Research findings are correlating environmental chemical/pesticide exposure with autism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and many cancers — no surprise when 55 million tons of chemical fertilizer are used in the U.S. annually alone.

5.6 billion pounds of chemical pesticides are used worldwide.

People You May Know

tHE ORGANIC PIONEER

The modern farmer

The small-big guy

Lady Evelyn Balfour (1898-1990), a British farmer and educator, and founding figure in the organic movement.

J.I. Rodale (1898-1971), influential agribusiness expert, helped develop organic growing methods in the 1940s and 1970s.

Joel Salatin (1957-) has become a national leader on small-farm high-volume growing from his fields in the Shenandoah Valley.

“With organic methods, the nitrogen present in composted soil is released slowly and therefore plants grow at a normal rate, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional fertilizers grow very rapidly and allocate less energy to develop nutrients,” Mitchell explained.

The more intense flavors in organic fruits and vegetables probably stem from two factors: The higher average levels of antioxidants and lower average crop yields. The high yields achieved today through chemical pesticide use on some crops have come at the expense of nutrition and taste.

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley runs one of the most productive and sustainable small farms in the United States.

He urges “relationship marketing” — people taking the trouble and expense to buy directly from the farmer. His approach is outlined in his book “Holy Cows and Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer’s Guide to Farm Friendly Food.”

Salatin recommends local farms serving the nearby community, not organic food grown on a large scale to supply large grocers. This approach reduces fossil fuels burned in shipping. Fruits and vegetables typically travel up to as much as 1,500 miles to reach the end consumer.

Community Supported Agriculture organizations are a locally based economic model for agriculture and food distribution. A CSA refers to a network or association of people that have pledged

to support one or more local farms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA members pay at the onset of the growing season for a share of the anticipated harvest.

Once harvesting begins, they periodically receive shares of produce. In addition to produce, some CSA services include farm products such as honey, eggs, dairy and meat.

Some provide for contributions of labor in lieu of a portion of costs.

With summer approaching, the farmers markets are opening up. Consider joining a CSA, visiting an organic farm or doing some relationship marketing by reaching out to the growers personally. Plant a garden and enjoy the pleasures of creating your own sustenance.

It’s always best to buy organic meats and dairy products. At the very least, try organic food for three weeks and see what you taste and notice. Organic cooking can even be done on a budget — rice and beans are a cheap and easy way to start on this healthful journey.

Planting, growing, harvesting and eating delicious organic food that you grew is an enriching experience. The Seattle Tilth is an excellent resource at seattletilth.org.

Organic farming techniques are proving to be healthier for people and the planet. It is, in a way, a revival of past practices.

Dr. Scott D. Rose has written about Cannabis and health for years in the Northwest Leaf.

He is an acupuncturist with a pain resolution clinic in the Crown Hill area of Seattle.

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growtech Crops in Kansas viewed from above

AN INCONVENIENT FRUIT

Bound by laws and forces we are only beginning to understand, Mother Nature offers countless lessons for those willing to learn.

In

Western society, many of the lessons and practices responsible for our initial survival on this continent have unfortunately fallen prey to industrial agricultural practices. These practices in the past 100 years have created a consumption model of natural resources that has left our agricultural land barren.

Technologies have been invented and applied to account for the damage we have done in our desperate attempt to improve our agricultural practices and produce heavy yields, relying increasingly on technology to remedy our damage. With each step, however, an essential element is missing and continues to set us further from creating a sustainable solution. All of these behaviors have one detrimen-

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tal characteristic in common: They continue to im- Farmers then plant crops in this fertile soil and pose on nature our desire to grow more food. initially see explosive growth in the crops. But The practice of tilling or plowing the soil is just this practice doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t consider the plan that nature one farming practice that demonstrates that has already set forth to grow food-producing point. In this practice, the top layer of the crops. Instead, it emphasizes our desire earth, which includes the fragile and to produce more food in the way we

BY NORTHWEST LEAF limited topsoil, is dug up and exposed think is best. By plowing the soil and SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR to the air to remove all the ground covaccelerating the rate of decomposition, DR. SCANDERSON er. The benefit of this practice is that all many nutrients become available, but the organic elements embedded in the in doing so much of the organic matsoil become exposed to oxygen. ter where those nutrients come from are This dramatic increase in oxygen rapidly depleted. In the case of the Great Plains, it accelerates the rate of decomposition of the ortook only two generations of plowing the soil and ganic compounds in the soil, making huge amounts replacing nothing before the drier southern region of nutrients rapidly available. was depleted and the Dust Bowl began.

Continues pg. 90

growtech

AN INCONVENIENT FRUIT

Continued from pg. 88

D r i e d a n d c r a c k e d e a r t h i s v i s i b l e o n a n u n p l a n t e d f i e l d a t a f a r m i n c a l i f o r n i a . PHOTO BY NBC NEWS

We

never learned from these mistakes.

After conventional agricultural practices depleted the soil, the ground was deemed infertile. Synthetic chemical fertilizers soon were introduced into commercial agriculture once it was discovered that the petroleum molecule, controlled by the country’s largest private economic monopoly, could be made into fertilizer for commercial agriculture. These chemicals provided the crop with all the nutrients they needed, but they are salt-based.

The buildup of salts and application of chemical-based fertilizers continued to deplete and erode the land and the crops became entirely dependent on humans for nutrients. The practice of monocropping and row planting created a magnet for pathogens. With the land so depleted of any sort of life that would otherwise balance the infestation, the plants were treated with still more toxic chemicals.

Our effort to produce Frankenfood in soil that is so badly damaged has left us with farming practices that more closely resemble a medical experiment then food production. We are so intent on imposing our will on nature and disregarding the system she has in place that we think we can genetically modify

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the food we grow to be resistant to insanely toxic compounds and poisons that kill absolutely everything but the food crop.

It’s not all gloom and doom, at least if we don’t want it to be. In the past 30 to 40 years, a movement has emerged in the United States that offers a solution. We now can surely see that this approach not only heals the earth and accelerates the rate at which our agricultural lands return to a living, breathing, productive, natural substrate but it also is a more productive, lower-cost, lower-energy, lower-labor approach that also produces more food.

This is permaculture. Bill Mollison is considered the father of the movement, which has an ever-evolving definition. It is an approach to interacting with nature that models itself after existing symbiotic relationships and yields a regenerative result benefitting all beings and the earth. At its heart, it models itself after what has been working since long before we arrived and will continue to work long after we perish.

Many free and low-cost courses on permaculture are available locally and online. Because the topic is so vast, I’d like to examine just one small way that permaculture can change the way you approach

gardening, especially in outdoor applications.

Most people in the U.S. consider water to be an abundant and inexpensive resource. We pay hundreds of millions of dollars per year for Nestle to bottle our tap water and sell it back to us and we have building codes requiring the water that receives our excrement to be the same potable quality as the water that comes out our kitchen faucet.

Imagine: We have so much clean water we shit in it. But the value and scarcity of water is deeply disguised by government subsidies that make the access, along with our reliance on it, all but invisible.

Travel to most places in the world and you’ll see the measures that farmers, businesses and citizens take to preserve one of our most precious resources.

Changing the way we treat water will allow us to stop the continued deterioration of our clean water supply and increase the production of our food and medicinal crops. Clearly, our plants can’t hear our bullshit and are strictly concerned with efficiency. They simply respond to the variances from nature and adapt as best they can. They respond and perform best with untreated, natural rainwater, especially in many areas of the Pacific Northwest, where air pollution rates haven’t yet become tragic.

THREE ESSENTIAL WAYS you can change the way you treat water and start gaining the benefits at work all around us.

1) HARVEST IT.

In Western Washington, most places average over 35 inches of precipitation yearly. Use a rain collection barrel that channels your roof ’s water or other large sloped areas to a collection bin for reuse.

Permaculture provides another method to harvest water. Inspired by the ancient farming practice of terrace farming, notably employed by the Mayan and Inca civilizations, is the use of swales. A swale is a long, wide trench dug horizontally to the fall line of a property with the purpose of preserving the rainwater and keeping it on the land for use. A typical roof is a large area that obviously collects a bit of rain and is clearly angled, but so is all land. It will have a overall slope, however gradual, one way or another that continues down toward a creek, river or ocean and is bound by the water table.

With a post and level line, you can determine a rough topographic map of any area of land. Digging swales into the land, especially in hilly or obviously angled areas that can otherwise be difficult to produce food in, turns this land both into a water harvesting and filtering station. Besides becoming productive areas for crops of all kinds, swales provide habitat for animals, insects, bacteria and other beings. Swales can be dug in one long connecting switchback traversing laterally along a grade or individually. Both drop incrementally in elevation as they transverse an area and harvest an astounding amount of water — enough to return a barren area of land to a thriving ecosystem at an accelerated rate.

Build a swale to direct water underground

water we dispose of that comes from areas that usually don’t involve biological waste contaminants, including water from your shower, bathroom sink, kitchen sink and washing machine. Section-off any food that comes in contact with the soil to swales higher than the gray water deposit.

All of this requires only the effort to create and plant the swale system.

Afterward, allow the rainwater, land grade and the natural succession of the plant system to do the work. Little effort or maintenance is needed.

3) REUSE IT.

You might find that after digging swales to collect and channel water you’re able to collect some runoff. You can reuse water that is spilling over the banks by digging a pond. Not only will a pond allow you to collect the balance of any runoff, but it creates an amazing habitat for many beneficial creatures.

Reuse your gray water. With the exception of certain clothes, most of this water starts out as potable and then is only exposed to soaps and cleaners. While it’s no longer safe for drinking, it has many other beneficial uses. In areas where it’s needed, such as Arizona, they have finally created building codes that provide for the shower, sink and other gray water to fill the toilet and be used for sewage (black)water disposal.

While it’s still illegal in many states and is governed through the permitting process, you can easily and legally use the gray water from your washing machine and collect it for your garden. Look on the back of your A swale has far more uses than trapping water. Planting machine and you’ll see what’s usually a black flexible hose coming off the trees and other large rooting, long-living plants on the lower bank takes advanwasher and into the wall. That’s a drain. All the water from the multiple tage of the newly moistened soil, filters the water itself and provides structural fills and drains of your washing machine is pumped out of this hose and integrity to the land. These trees and plants can be harvested. For instance, fruit down the drain. Take the option to use it by removing the hose and extrees, which have deep roots to provide structural integrity and water filtration, tending it to a collection bin. can produce fruit as the swale matures. As the swale habitat ages, other plants As long as you use all-natural washing machine soaps, your garden’s will have the opportunity to thrive, improving soil conditions even further. soil and root systems will turn that gray water into water that can be used Eventually, the bank will be so rich with life and the swale will provide enough on other crops. Don’t worry about leftover commerefficiency that the soil will begin storing the extra water cial detergents in your machine. Most use some form trapped below the swale and the hardpan as it travels Get in Touch of ammonia as a cleaning agent, which is quickly and downward with the grade. thegreengardengroup@gmail.com efficiently broken down into nitrogen for the plants. It’s You can improve the efficiency of a swale by filling it with not uncommon to see gray water being used to “green a mulch or compost, then mulch. Although this detracts Like my Instagram up” areas. from the physical area, the mulch will absorb a lot more Follow @DrScanderson_gT These examples are just a tiny speck of an insight into water. During rainfalls, the water penetrates the mulch a more holistic way of living. It creates more harmony gathering at the low point created by the swale, effectively by acknowledging that we are just one of many facets of a system of genius harvesting the water. The mulch or mulch and compost will continue to hold provided through nature. One of my favorite teachers, Max Myers, is one water long after a rainfall allowing the land to absorb and ultimately store even of the pioneers of intermingling the principles of permaculture and aquamore water. ponics. One of his book’s chapters has a title that perfectly expresses this If you’re using compost and mulch, you can plant some annuals into one side ethos: “Waste is a resource not to be wasted.” of the mixture so the swale itself produces food right away. The other side you Our ability to observe nature and create systems that mimic it is the can save for a walking path. foundation for a more productive, more colorful, higher-flavor, lower-cost, You can direct any gray water to a swale and take advantage of the complex lower-labor and lower-energy way of living. HAPPY GARDENING! root systems and regenerated soil to filter and clean the water. Gray water is the

2) USE IT.

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BEHIND THE STRAIN

Drop me a line

Watch a video

thegreengardengroup@gmail.com Youtube.com/DrScandersonGt

GRANDPA LARRY With deep forest-green leaves, the formerly green- and orangehaired buds begin to shimmer with unmistakable violet hues that are deceptively rich in color.

BAG APPEAL & SMOKE REPORT This is one beautiful, chunky, dense bud. Bulky nugs display the

coveted “rainbow” look. The combination of evergreen and bright orange hairs is further accentuated by the dark purples that display the copious amount of trichomes. These blooms are definitely some of the most beautiful to be found on any shelf. Unlike other blooms with comparable looks and frost coverage, these flowers hit high and hard in the terp department. The danky Kush scent only dances momentarily on the senses before being overrun by a sweet and a bit of a sour Kush lemon candy fragrance that has a definitive Lysol and cleaner quality to it. Ground up and ready to roll, I get pungent redberry lemonade.

Skunky, gassy, sour Kush flavors creep down my lungs and assume attack position as they explode with lung-busting expansion. Pillows of smoke pour from my mouth with such exquisite candied-lemon flavor that I cock my head to the side in curiosity. The flavor of these blooms is one of the most durable of any Kush variety I’ve sampled. Candied lemonheads and Lysol flavors stay bright and prevalent, giving way to a sour cucumber-melon taste. It’s rare that I come across Cannabis that has such potent and lasting flavors.

HOW IT GROWS these plants start a bit on the slow side, similar to many of the

BY OREGON LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCANDERSON

Pillows of smoke pour from my mouth with such exquisite candied-lemon flavor that I cock my head to the side in curiosity.

LINEAGE

The lemon Larry OG Kush cut is a coveted cutting that unites some of the best lemon and Kush flavors. Taking a powerhouse like that and adding to it can be a tricky endeavor, but this wonderful strain pulls it off. Although I selected a pheno that only showed up twice out of two packs, the search was worth it.

GENETICS: LARRY OG (LUMPSTATUS’ CUT) X GRAND DADDY PURPLE NO. 5 BREEDER:

DUNGEON VAULT GENETICS (ORIGINALLY BY GRAND DADDY PURPLE)

FLOWER TIME:

65-68 DAYS

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elite OGs. The pheno I selected for is slow to get started in the first two weeks, and compared to the others appears shorter, bushier and features more indica in its growth pattern. It sports a more uniform growth structure but it’s combined with deep, dark, three-blade leaves. She’s a medium feeder and responds very well to topping, creating a balanced and even pattern with little bending and training. In flower, she is also a bit slow to transition and doesn’t stretch much, a welcome change from other elite OGs. She can take flower formula and higher levels of P and C earlier than most Kush varieties. Like her speed in veg, she’s a slow and steady winner. You have to be patient with this strain because during her last 30 days, and especially the last two weeks, she really starts to flex. In fact, everything seemed rather average until those last three to four weeks. It’s at that point that she starts throwing triches out like an East Coast snowstorm, adding chunk and girth at an alarming rate. With deep forest-green leaves, the formerly green- and orange-haired buds begin to shimmer with unmistakable violet hues that are deceptively rich in color.

EFFECTS a nearly instant head change hits hard with a nicely balanced

hybrid effect. The clear and inspired feelings I’ve come to love from many a sativa-leaning Kush is an excellent daytime medicine or anytime when inspiration is needed. With flavors like these, Cannabis enthusiast may not even need a second helping. With one bowl, I experience my scalp morphing into a rushing river, complete with waterfalls cascading behind my ears. It’s a gentle reminder of the indica heritage that makes this an exceptionally well-balanced medicine.

PHOTO BY SEEDFINDER.ORG