May 2020 — Oregon Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

# 7 1 | M AY 2 0 2 0

The Seed to Sale Issue FREE /OREGONLEAF.COM

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the SEED TO SALE issue

FEATURES 11 EDITOR NOTE 14 NATIONAL NEWS 16 LOCAL NEWS 18 HEMP INDUSTRY 22 HIGHLY LIKELY 24 STONER OWNER 26 ON THE FRONTLINE 28 WOMEN IN WEED 30 PATIENT OF THE MONTH 32 SHOP REVIEW 34 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 38 SEED TO SALE SPECIAL 46 PLANT PEOPLE PROFILE 54 CANNABIS RECIPES 56 CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH 58 TANNINS AND TERPENES 62 ON THE ROAD 66 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF MAY 2020

38 medford, oregon is home to urban pharms, which took us on a seed to sale exploration this month.

PHOTO by URBAN PHARMS @URBAN.PHARMS

All Things Cannabis For All People

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#61 Coronavirus Crisis Part 3: Essential Business #62 High Times w/Danny Danko

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Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating eects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the innuence 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 reach of children.

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T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

ABOUT THE COVER

For our first-ever Seed to Sale Issue, we set out with the noble task of documenting Cannabis at every step of the production process, literally, from the beautiful moment of sprouting from the ground all the way to the drying and curing and stocking at the retail store and eventually, in your hands at home. Enjoy the journey...

Photo by Professor P @ProfessorP420

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

Tom Bowers Features Amanda Day Features Steve Elliott National News Will Ferguson Reviews Simone Fischer Profiles Danielle Halle Features Professor P Photos Baxsen Paine Features Mike Ricker Features Meghan Ridley Editing Pacer Stacktrain Features Bruce Wolf Photos Laurie Wolf Recipes

WES ABNEY | founder & editor-in-chief wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com

STATE DIRECTOR max early | content production max@orleaf.com | 303-746-9067

ADVERTISING Max early | makani nelson max@orleaf.com makani@orleaf.com 303-746-9067 | 808-754-4182

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the Seed to $ale issue of the Leaf!

April showers bring May flowers, and while it feels like we have all been showered in bad news, there is hope for our future. We are still here, experiencing each day, quarantined or not. Life is a gift - that’s why they call it the present - and it’s one we should never take for granted.

I love that Cannabis is alive too! A plant whose purpose is to make us feel better. You can’t say the same for pharmaceuticals. And Cannabis makes me feel extra alive, especially in these strange times, which is worthy of praise and gratitude.

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THERE’S SO MUCH THAT HAPPENS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING PEOPLE SUPERBLY BAKED, AND IT ALL BEGINS WITH A SEED.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the frontline Cannabis industry workers still showing up to bring medicine and relief to consumers around the country. While Cannabis is a humble plant, it takes a lot of people to bring it to market, and I salute every essential Cannabis worker as we help to make the plant, and planet, better. Please be kind to your budtender and support your local Cannabis retailer. You’ll be sure to leave feeling uplifted!

There’s so much that happens in the process of getting people superbly baked, and it all begins with a seed. Join us as we track a seed all the way through the steps of the Oregon Cannabis industry, and check out our Plant People special as we profile amazing individuals who help turn plants into products across our five states of Leaf magazines. A special thank you goes out to Nate Williams and Tom Bowers for spending the better part of a year documenting the process of seed to sale.

Without Nate’s vision, we wouldn’t have this amazing story to share.

I hope that as you read this you can find a glimmer of hope, and it can be as simple as taking a toke while enjoying this magazine. Thanks for reading, please give us a follow on social media, and stay safe!

-Wes Abney may 2020

oregonlEAF.COM

We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.

WES

national news

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million dollars was spent by the Cannabis industry lobbying lawmakers on Capitol Hill in 2019 for access to banking, a rise of $2 million since 2018.

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US Senators are requesting that Cannabis businesses be eligible for assistance in the next coronavirus aid package, efforts backed by nearly three dozen US House Representatives.

CANNABIS LOBBY PRESSES FOR PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS he Cannabis lobby is seeking aid for small businesses in the next coronavirus pandemic relief package, reports The Hill.

Marijuana businesses have already gotten some help at the state level. Twenty states, D.C. and Puerto Rico are allowing medical Cannabis dispensaries to stay open during the pandemic. Eight states allow both medical and recreational facilities to operate.

Cannabis industry groups are now pushing for more states to allow legal marijuana outlets to remain open and are seeking funds in state aid packages.

But the push for federal help, while the federal government still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, hasn’t yet made any headway. The $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill passed by Congress in March prohibits Cannabis businesses from receiving any small business loans.

That’s unfair, according to Cannabis groups - and they are pushing to change that in the next aid package.

east coast

MARYLAND WOMAN ALLEGEDLY CAUGHT TRANSPORTING 100 POUNDS OF WEED

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percent more Cannabis was sold in March 2020 than in March 2019, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

Maryland woman allegedly caught with 100 pounds of marijuana prompted authorities to remind the public that they continue to investigate crimes and make arrests during the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Philly Voice.

Upper Merion Police and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau investigated.

According to Montgomery County D.A. Kevin Steele, Kayla Messinese of Edgewater had tried to use the COVID-19 outbreak as an “opportunity to transport a large amount of marijuana.”

Detectives followed Messinese to a parking garage where she met with two people to allegedly complete the transaction and they arrested her, authorities said. Investigators said they found three duffel bags in her car, each filled with vacuum-sealed bags of Cannabis. Cops claimed the 100 pounds of weed had a street value of $200,0000.

may 2020

63 10,000

million dollars is the amount spent by Arkansas medical Cannabis patients since the first dispensary opened in May 2019.

pounds of medical marijuana have now been sold in a new threshold for the still burgeoning Arkansas medicinal Cannabis industry, at a cost of more than $63 million, across 21 operational dispensaries.

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billion dollars is the projected amount of retail Cannabis sales in the U.S. in 2020, according to BDS Analytics.

“Marijuana has been illegal and demonized for decades.”

- Karen O’Keefe, Marijuana Policy Project director of state policies.

“In a lot of states, it went from being illegal to essential in a short amount of time,” she told NPR. economy

HUNDREDS OF PENNSYLVANIA JOBS GOING UNFILLED

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edical Cannabis organizations in Pennsylvania, designated ‘essential’ and ‘life-sustaining businesses’ by the state during the coronavirus pandemic, say a bottleneck has prevented them from hiring hundreds of employees, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Unemployment has hit more than one in six Pennsylvanians since the shutdowns began.

But legal Cannabis businesses say they are strugUNEMPLOYMENT HAS HIT MORE gling to fill jobs left open by quarantined workers who either may have the coronavirus, or THAN ONE IN SIX need to care for an ailing loved one.

PENNSYLVANIANS Hiring is frozen because prospective employees can’t get the required FBI criminal backSINCE THE SHUTDOWNS ground checks and drug tests. Many of the offices that processed fingerprints are closed BEGAN. due to being deemed ‘non-essential.’

health

D.C. ALLOWS MMJ DELIVERIES AND CURBSIDE PICKUPS Washington, D.C. now allows Cannabis dispensaries to provide delivery service and curbside pickups to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Marijuana Business Daily. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a democrat, has signed an emergency rule allowing dispensaries to deliver and provide curbside pickups until August 12. Medical Cannabis businesses in D.C. were already considered ‘essential,’ so they were allowed to stay open during the crisis.

legalization

VIRGINIA DECRIMINALIZES CANNABIS

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irginia will be “a more fair, just and more equal place” now that simple marijuana possession has been decriminalized, according to state attorney general Mark Herring.

“Decriminalization is an incredibly important first step, and one that many thought we may never see in Virginia, but we cannot stop until we have legal and “DECRIMINALIZATION IS AN INCREDIBLY regulated adult use,” Herring said.

FIRST Gov. Ralph Northam signed the decriminalization legislation into law in April. The IMPORTANT STEP, AND ONE THAT new law does away with criminal charges for simple possession and creates a $25 MANY THOUGHT WE MAY NEVER SEE IN civil penalty. It also creates a workgroup to study legalization, which will eventually VIRGINIA...” release a report on its findings.

By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

TAKE A

GRATEFUL BREAK See if you can find all fifteen words!

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GRATEFUL TERPENES SALE MUFFIN GREENHOUSE BLUNT

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local news

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OREGROWN INDUSTRIES, INC. LAUNCHES LAWSUIT AGAINST FOUNDERS On April 15, Oregrown Industries found itself wrapped up in a legal battle.

According to the Oregon Judicial Department’s case information, a court order was filed against founders Aviv and Christina Hadar and cites the complaint as “intentional interference in economic relations.”

OREGON CANNABIS SEES RECORD SALES AMID “STAY HOME” ORDER

oregonlEAF.COM

The month of March brought Governor Brown’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” order and with it, a significant spike in Cannabis sales. According to statistics presented by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, Oregonians spent around $84,500,000 during March.

In an interview with KOIN 6, the OLCC told reporters that compared to March of 2019, sales were up around 30%. So what did Oregonians stock up on?

At the top of the list, and bringing in an estimated 48 million dollars, was “usable marijuana,” an official term designated to products like bulk flower and pre-rolls. Extract and concentrates saw the secondhighest total, with around 22 million spent, while edibles and tinctures brought in roughly nine million.

The official report (compiled of data extracted from the Metrc Cannabis Tracking System) didn’t show the same increase in patient spending, however.

Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cardholders accounted for around five million of said sales, an insignificant increase from previous months when compared to the jump in recreational purchases.

may 2020

The filing comes just four days after Christina Hadar announced on a personal Instagram page that her employment had been terminated by Kevin Hogan and Hunter Neubauer, two out of three Oregrown Inc. partners.

On April 12, the official Oregrown Inc. Instagram page made a post announcing an internal investigation, citing that two of the company’s executives “may have potentially taken unjustified actions by engaging in sexually discriminatory conduct towards female employees.”

The official court order was filed by acting attorney Nicholas Kampars on behalf of Oregrown Industries Inc. and included a declaration from co-founders Hogan and Neubauer.

THE HADAR’S ATTORNEYS According to the Bend Bulletin, the lawsuit claims the EXPLAINED THAT THE Hadars had already been removed as shareholders and COUPLE “DISPUTE THE ALLEGATIONS THAT THE directors in the company.

COMPANY IS MAKING” The Hadars were cited in the suit for violating a AND “INTEND TO nondisclosure agreement and accused of cultivating an VIGOROUSLY DEFEND AGAINST THIS BASELESS environment that left workers in fear of being laid off.

LITIGATION,” The court filing also includes a motion for a temporary restraining order and aims to have Aviv and Christina Hadar hand over control of web-based accounts, as well as paying $90,000 in damages.

At this time, it is not clear who composed the Oregrown Inc. post containing allegations of “sexually discriminatory conduct.”

In an email to MJBizDaily, the Hadar’s attorneys Joe Mabe and Dana Sullivan explained that the couple “dispute the allegations that the company is making” and “intend to vigorously defend against this baseless litigation,” also stating that “the Hadars care deeply about Oregrown and remain devoted to the company, its employees and the Bend community.“

OLCC Approves Random Testing

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n April 20, the “Audit, Compliance, and Random Testing” amendment went into effect. The rule change (approved at the monthly OLCC meeting) granted the Commission new permission to, "at any time, require a licensee to permit the sampling of or submit a sample of a marijuana item to the Commission for testing."

The move was triggered by a wave of vaping-related lung injuries earlier this year, many of which were suspected to be caused by harmful additives in Cannabis and tobacco vaping THE MOVE WAS products. The new rules allow for testing TRIGGERED BY A WAVE of any microbiological contaminant, heavy OF VAPING-RELATED LUNG INJURIES EARLIER metals, pesticides, solvents, additives or other THIS YEAR. contaminants “that may pose a risk to public health and safety.”

The OLCC news release and the official legal script didn’t specify the criteria for random testing. But their public statement made it clear that they’d be looking for undisclosed ingredients and product compliance.

STORIES by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

EXPERT OPINION

THE HEMP INDUSTRY JERRY WHITING for LEAF NATION L e B l a n c C N E . co m / N WL e a f

This summer is the second year that LeBlanc CNE will grow industrial hemp in Washington state. The marketing opportunities I described were ones I considered implementing. No more.

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oregonlEAF.COM

HEMP IN THE AGE of COVID-19 May 2020 marks my twentieth column for this magazine.

Looking back, I stand by almost everything I’ve written.

But I now need to revisit my March 2020 column, “Hemp is Legal. What’s Next?” in which I explained farmers are the key to integrating hemp into the mainstream marketplace, because it all begins with the plant. I then suggested six action items farmers should consider, but now in the age of coronavirus, all but one of them simply can’t be implemented.

may 2020

Marketing involves introducing people to the goods and services you offer. It’s an outreach effort to drive commerce. Yes, it can be done online but nothing beats meeting and interacting with potential customers face to face.

It’s not all about Instagram posts or YouTube videos. Sales often begin and end with a handshake, a social practice now curtailed due to coronavirus.

Farmers Markets - probably won’t open this summer because of social distancing.

Christmas Trees - no the holidays won’t be cancelled, but family gatherings and traditions may be modified to meet local restrictions. Don’t expect a lot of holiday travel this year.

U-pick farms with hemp mazes - forget farm stands, u-picks and hemp mazes. Trick-or-treating may be curtailed this year (don’t tell your kids yet).

Florists - weddings, funerals and large social gatherings are prohibited.

Hemp at the state fair - What state fair?

Tours, terroir and appellations - tours no, but hemp farmers can still hype the uniqueness of cultivars grown in their specific location that differentiates their crops from the competition.

Branding - it’s still all about the brand.

Hemp farmers like all farmers had enough to worry about before the pandemic.

Forget the trade wars and tariffs. Small, rural communities are at a higher risk of infection because so few people share the same stores, churches, post office, ATMs, etc. On top of that, these communities have less access to advanced medical care when they fall ill.

Conventional farmers are trying to fit hemp into their existing crop rotation, but who knows how much corn, soybeans or other crops to plant in these uncertain times, let alone hemp.

It’s hard to plan for Summer 2020 when the states without mandatory quarantines tend to be farm states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Iowa and Nebraska.

So what advice can I give hemp farmers? I struggle with these very issues myself. Just when something seems like a ray of hope, the headlines reveal another facet of the pandemic. I worry more about the supply chain than the weather.

I’m still committed to hemp. I will plant multiple fiber and medical cultivars this year.

I’m doubling down on my commitment as a hemp activist. To quote the song “Touch of Grey” I will survive, I will get by.

Again, please support your local hemp farmer any way you can. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not a train. I promise.

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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22

H i g h l y L i ke l y h i g h l i g h t s Ca n n a b i s p i o n e e rs w h o p a ve d t h e wa y t o g re a t e r h e r b a l a c c e p ta n ce .

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nown affectionately as the ‘godfather of marijuana growers,’ Frank helped to popularize both indoor and outdoor growing methods during a time in the 1970s when little information about the process was available.

Prior to his time writing about and growing Cannabis, Frank was a shipboard electronics technician in the U.S. Navy in the mid-60s. In 1968, upon leaving the Navy and moving to New York City, he started growing Cannabis inside his apartment. His first published piece appeared in the New York flyer of Rolling Stone magazine in 1971. By 1974, he was one of the first writers for the burgeoning magazine High Times.

By the mid-70s, Frank was working with his collaborator Ed Rosenthal on a large-scale grow - by the standards of the time. Frank began collecting seeds from all around the world (many of which became the landraces of today).

IT CAN BE HARD TO FATHOM IN THESE DAYS OF EASY CANNABIS ACCESS AND STATEWIDE LEGALIZATION WHAT A RISK HE WAS TAKING IN THE SIMPLE ACT OF WRITING ABOUT A PLANT. It was around this time that he also published his most popular book, “The Marijuana Grower’s Guide,” which would go on to become something like the Bible to the clandestine indoor and outdoor growers of the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The book became so popular that it put Frank and Rosenthal on the map of Cannabis culture in the late 70s and 80s, and their grow operation in Oakland continued to expand in size.

While Frank doesn’t consider himself to be an activist in regard to Cannabis prohibition, he certainly has been a fixture of the Cannabis legalization and cultivation movement.

In the 80s, he took a sort of ‘Johnny Appleseed’ approach to getting his landrace Cannabis seeds distributed around the country. It’s very likely that the Cannabis you’re smoking right now came from this stock.

Nowadays, Frank is still living in California and still helping people to grow the best Cannabis they can. It can be hard to fathom in these days of easy Cannabis access and statewide legalization what a risk he was taking in the simple act of writing about a plant. He survived the Reagan era, the Bush era - and even the strange era we’re currently living through. For all of that hard work and passion, we all owe Mel Frank a tremendous amount of gratitude.

In addition to all of this, Frank is still out there making great content.

His Instagram feed (@melfrank420) is a particularly good follow, consisting of over 40 years of photographs spanning the golden era of clandestine Cannabis cultivation and culture.

may 2020

MELFRANK MEL FRANK is the pen name of James J. Goodwin, an author, grower and activist who has championed the therapeutic effects of Cannabis for his entire adult life.

By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by MEL FRANK/M+B GALLERY LOS ANGELES

stoner owner

24

JESCE HORTON JESCE HORTON is well-known and respected for his work with the MCBA (Minority Cannabis Business Association) and the Nuleaf Project, which he cofounded with his wife, Jeannette. He is also the co-owner of LOWD, an OLCC licensed producer focusing on in-house genetics and highly sought after strains.

‘‘

oregonlEAF.COM

L O W D. C O M / / M I N O R I T Y C A N N A B I S . C O M / / N U L E A F P R O J E C T. O R G `

WHEN DID YOU START WORKING IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? In 2012 I quit my job as an automation

sales engineer to focus on growing medical Cannabis in my basement. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

We still had the desire to continue the mission at MCBA, ensuring those disproportionately affected by Cannabis prohibition enforcement have the ability to benefit from Cannabis legalization.”

HOW DID THE NULEAF PROJECT GET ITS START? I met my wife and NuLeaf Executive Director, Jeannette Horton, while building the Minority Cannabis Business Association in 2015. After leaving MCBA to focus on our new family and businesses, we still had the desire to continue the mission at MCBA, ensuring those disproportionately affected by Cannabis prohibition enforcement have the ability to benefit from Cannabis legalization. The NuLeaf Project is squarely focused on increasing the business success of these same communities in the Portland Cannabis market, specifically.

YOU’RE ALSO THE CO-OWNER OF LOWD, AN OLCC LICENSED GROW. WHAT ARE SOME STRAINS WE CAN EXPECT TO HIT MARKET AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES? Yes,

LOWD is a Tier I indoor cultivation company in Portland. We primarily grow strains that my partner and I, Dave, love to smoke.

503 WiFi - our own classic Dope Cup winning cut of White Fire OG - is a staple in my jars and on our partner dispensary shelves.

I’m really excited about Mule Fuel, which has a Garlic Cookies nose with a pinch of gas from Mendo, and I’ve been constantly reaching for Grape Tape, our in-house cross of Grape Pie and Duct Tape. It will hit shelves this summer.

WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING ON RIGHT NOW? ANY CURRENT FAVORITE GROWERS OR PROCESSORS? I don’t usually go

to the dispensary to grab flower because our phenotype hunts usually give me enough variety. So when I do go, it’s usually for some hash rosin or high dose edibles. I’ve been really geeked about the Bo’s Nose selections I’ve been running across, and you can usually find some Dirty Arm Farm Adabinol in my adult fridge.

WHAT’S ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST CONCERNS WITH THE STATE OF THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I’m concerned

that the real stoners, Cannabis lovers and risk takers that paved the way for this awesome freedom we’re lucky to experience (Cannabis legalization) will get lost in the shuffle of the industry.

It’s up to us stoner owners to make sure that doesn’t happen.

A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Look for the Stoner Owner stamp when purchasing fine Cannabis, and let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.

may 2020

INTERVIEW by WILL FERGUSON @710DENCIES__ | PHOTO by JAKE GRAVBOT @WALK.INTO.THE.LIGHT

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health & science

Classified as essential workers during the Covid-19 crisis of 2020, Cannabis shops are rising to the challenge to serve their communities.

Oregon Leaf’s Simone Fischer spoke to industry workers to learn how the pandemic has affected the jobs they hold dear.

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oregonlEAF.COM

On the Frontline CANNABIS HAS BEEN DEEMED as an ‘essential’ economy in the midst of a global pandemic. In this new brave world, dispensary jobs are potentially high-risk occupations because budtenders are on the frontlines of the industry that connects Cannabis to the public. Despite a struggling economy, Cannabis business continues to soar since the quarantine began in March. I interviewed multiple Cannabis workers in Portland to get a better perspective on how the Cannabis industry has adjusted since COVID-19 hit, and insights on how shops have handled keeping both employees and consumers safe as business booms.

My primary concerns were consumer and employee safety. I wanted to know how safe budtenders felt to keep working through the anxiety of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Since most people are quarantined at home and safely isolating themselves, Cannabis provides a natural way to help alleviate looming anxiety as society continues to take it day by day. Medical patients and recreational users who cannot grow their own medicine depend on dispensaries for access indefinitely.

I spoke with Diane, dispensary manager of Progressive Collective, Robert, budtender at Brothers Cannabis Club, and Valerie, the shop manager at Treehouse Collective, about how they have adjusted their operations since the quarantine began.

may 2020

* Diane

| Progressive Collective Dispensary Manager

“I was really worried about keeping my staff safe, so providing enough hand sanitizer, soap and masks (PPE) was extremely important. I purchased masks for my staff so they feel safe when interacting with the public, and all transactions have shifted to curbside pick-up to protect my staff and customers as much as possible. We stopped all in-store purchases to limit physical contact. In this industry, we take hits year after year, but luckily the OLCC has been flexible and has supported dispensaries trying to stay open and as safe as possible.

We have limited our store hours because I don’t want my staff taking curbside deliveries outside when it gets dark.

We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are taking it “WE ARE TAKING IT day by day and trying to serve our community as best as we DAY BY DAY AND can while protecting our staff.

TRYING TO SERVE Business has not slowed and I am so thankful to be open.”

OUR COMMUNITY AS

* Robert | Brothers Cannabis Club Budtender & Security

BEST AS WE CAN WHILE PROTECTING OUR STAFF.”

“Right now we are just trying to keep our customers safely distanced from each other and keep them happy. We have stopped all in-store purchasing to keep our staff and customers safe and at a distance during the pandemic. We installed plexiglass on our entry screen door to take orders from customers. We labeled the sidewalk to give customers a visual on how much distance to keep from each other.

“I THINK WE It feels like business has picked up because everyone is at home and PROVIDE A times are very stressful. I think we provide a service that helps people SERVICE THAT calmly get through day by day.”

HELPS PEOPLE “As an employee, I feel safe working at Brothers. We are gloved and CALMLY GET masked up, and extra careful about sanitation practices. Now that we THROUGH DAY work with people through plexiglass and additional PPE, I feel safe to

BY DAY.” continue to work and provide Cannabis to the public.”

* Valerie | Treehouse Collective Shop Manager “During this change we have provided masks to all our budtenders and we all wear gloves when handling any product or money. We disinfect our physical menus and any other area that customers and employees come in contact with continuously throughout the day. We have limited exposure to customers and have put up protective glass in our waiting room where we deliver products and interact with customers. We have an amazing staff and we’re so grateful for them during these uncertain times!”

“We know this is a difficult time for everyone and we’re so thankful for all the positive support our customers provide us! Change is hard for everyone, but people have been great with adhering to our new policies in order to keep the community at large healthy and safe. We’re here for them and they’re here for us!”

“WE HAVE LIMITED EXPOSURE TO CUSTOMERS AND HAVE PUT UP PROTECTIVE GLASS IN OUR WAITING ROOM WHERE WE DELIVER PRODUCTS AND INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS.”

Curbside Pickup | A User’s Guide Since the quarantine began in March, most dispensaries have moved from in-store to curbside pick-up or delivery purchase options to ensure customer safety. The game has changed and it’s time we hash out new curbside etiquette for Cannabis consumers. After interviewing multiple budtenders around Portland and purchasing Cannabis from my favorite dispensaries during quarantine, I have compiled a list of common sense recommendations on how to conduct seamless and safe Cannabis transactions as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once thought of as a luxury service, contactless Cannabis sales are a reality as local businesses strive to please consumers & protect themselves.

Be patient and be kind Be understanding of your budtender’s time and don’t stress them out over frivolous things. They are busier than usual and have to navigate online/phone orders without hardly any time to transition. Try to limit the length of phone calls when placing orders to free up bandwidth for others to place orders and keep things moving.

Order ahead of time over the phone or from the store’s website Most dispensaries keep their menus up-to-date online, so take your time when researching online menus, then call it in once you have decided. I prefer to place my orders via phone, but you can also order online through Leafly, which helps dispensary staff get ahead and serve customers quickly and safely. Most shops will still take walk-up orders, but ordering ahead of time speeds up the process and ultimately reduces wait times. After you place an order, dispensaries will provide further instructions once you get to the store for low-contact pick-ups.

Bring cash & have ID ready Not many dispensaries are keeping their lobbies open, so access to ATMs might be cut off for the time being. Bring the amount of cash you need before you pick up your order. Also have your ID handy so you don’t have to fumble around and waste time. Preparation is key!

Tip your budtenders, big time!

Most budtenders do not have healthcare benefits or paid time off (PTO). I hope that changes in the future, but until then, please tip your budtenders extra if you can. As a person who is privileged enough to be able to stay home and self-isolate, I can only imagine the anxiety of going to work in the public. Ease the stress and tip your budtenders well!

STORIES by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR/OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

women in weed

women in weed Krantz loves to paint and cook in her free time.

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JESSICA KRANTZ has been a positive influence in my life for the last few years upon our introduction in Seattle.

I have reminded her many times of my gratitude to have her as a role model in my life, as a mentor and most importantly, a friend.

Her impressive career inspired me to expand my horizons in both the Cannabis industry and as an artist, having completed my very first art show with her encouragement.

She even helped me land my first job in the California Cannabis industry, giving me every single tool I needed to be successful in that position.

Her work ethic is like nothing I have ever seen before, where she rises to every challenge that is set before her.

may 2020

JESSICA KRANTZ TERRITORY MANAGER | OLD PAL

“I love a good challenge and one of the biggest challenges that I face as Territory Manager is getting that face-to-face time with dispensary buyers. They’re a tricky, fickle bunch and the challenge is real - but I’m also insanely persistent and truly believe that my authenticity, drive and belief in Old Pal will outshine even the biggest skeptic.”

How did your journey into the Cannabis industry begin? Getting into the industry actually started as an art show for me. At the time, I didn’t have any connections within the industry and although I was very knowledgeable, I didn’t have any experience behind the glass. Knowing this, I devised a plan to convince the local dispensary owners of Hashtag in Seattle to let me have an art show. I was already showing my art in San Diego and Los Angeles, so to me, it seemed like a great opportunity to use my talents and put me face-toface with the connections that I needed to land a job within the industry.

I was given permission to have my art show, was introduced to five of my favorite Cannabis brands, and worked with them closely to create pieces of art based on the strain effects of the strains that they were currently growing. On Aug. 12, 2015 my show “Cultivate and Create” opened and was a huge success. I made 25 original pieces for the show and sold every one of them, cementing my invitation into the industry. About two weeks later, I was offered a position at Have a Heart’s flagship location in Belltown as a budtender, but then was quickly promoted to Social Media Coordinator.

The rest is history.

What was the transition like from the Washington market into California’s?

How did your experience in Washington help you land roles in California? Coming to California from Seattle was quite different. At that time, Seattle had already gone through the recreational movement, whereas California was still only medicinal. This was an advantage as well as a disadvantage. The advantage was that I had already gone through the recreational movement, so I was a little bit more prepared for the madness once California did transition to recreational sales. The disadvantage was that I didn’t know anybody in the California market and even though my resumé was killer - showing that I had worked with companies like Have a Heart, Dope Magazine and Berner - the likelihood of me landing the sales position I wanted was unlikely. This industry is very much about connections. At the time, I didn’t have those in the San Diego market, so I knew that I needed to get my ass in gear and start making them. I applied for a budtender position at Urbn Leaf, and

worked extremely hard to become one of their top sales employees within a matter of months. I knew going into my job at Urbn that I didn’t necessarily want to be there forever, but that I did want to learn from them, make great connections and use that as a stepping stone towards my larger career goals. Which is exactly what I did. I owe a lot to Urbn, and appreciate them for the experience and connections I was afforded while working there.

What are your current responsibilities as Territory Manager for Old Pal? My job is to get quality, affordable weed to the people! I travel between San Diego, Perris and Coachella Valley, visiting dispensaries to develop and maintain individual relationships with them. Each dispensary that Old Pal partners with is very individual and comes with its own unique set of challenges and opportunities.

By visiting each of these dispensaries, I’m not only visiting with my buyer and learning of their needs and concerns, but I’m also providing my team with feedback, ideas and insight to improve products, services and sales.

My favorite responsibility, however, is getting to educate, train and hang out with my fellow budtenders. I miss being behind the glass at times and thoroughly enjoy interacting with them. We talk about Old Pal, we talk about politics, we talk about their future, the future of this industry - we pretty much talk about everything!

Most people agree that budtenders and retail staff are essential employees to the Cannabis industry at all times, not just during a pandemic. Why is that? How does your team work to support retail staff and vice versa? Having been a budtender for quite a few years I definitely agree with this.

Budtenders are not only essential, they have the ability to make or break your brand.

They are the first line of information when a customer comes into a dispensary. If they don’t know anything about you, your brand or what you stand for, you might as well just assume you’re going to be collecting dust. Although they are not doctors, they are educated informants.

In a dispensary, customers don’t select their orders from a shelf, then pay a cashier.

They approach the counter and speak with a budtender.

Some customers know their order, others need to ask questions. A good budtender will have an extensive understanding of the inventory available, and can help guide patients towards products that can be used recreationally and/or will help aid them in their search for medicinal relief. A budtender’s experience and recommendation carries weight and should be treated as such.

At Old Pal, we recognize this and are always thinking of ways to help support our fellow budtenders. We provide educational days, deliver weekly snacks, lunches, give out special gift packages, and are working on future incentive plans to help reward those who go above and beyond for our community.

Will you explain some of your greatest accomplishments within your career? Your biggest challenge so far? My ad campaign “Meet Your New Connects” was published on the back of Dope Magazine in 2017 and I even got to work with Berner on a few occasions. But my greatest accomplishment so far in my career has been working for Old Pal. This is absolutely the kind of job that individuals like myself dream of having.

I not only can take care of myself, but I am able to take care of my family, which is very important to me. Having your dream job, though, comes with hefty responsibilities and I don’t take them lightly. I have hundreds of people counting on me daily, which can be a little daunting at times, but also something I find exhilarating. I love a good challenge and one of the biggest challenges that I face as Territory Manager is getting that face-to-face time with dispensary buyers. They’re a tricky, fickle bunch and the challenge is real - but I’m also insanely persistent and truly believe that my authenticity, drive and belief in Old Pal will outshine even the biggest skeptic.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

I have this motto I follow: Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Till your good is better, and your better is best.

In the future I want to be better. I am a firm believer that there’s always room for improvement - always. The Cannabis industry is constantly changing and being flexible is imperative in being able to survive and thrive within this industry. Working in Cannabis is not for the faint of heart, it’s for the hustlers, go-getters and do-ers. Although I have a few years of learning to do, in the future, I absolutely see myself wanting to be a sales director in some capacity, while still working for Old Pal. Right now I’m focused on expanding my current territory, being the best that I can be, while still aspiring to be better.

What are some of your passions outside of Cannabis and how do they work together?

I have a very wide umbrella of talents and having been everything from an up-cycler and painter, to a published writer and favorite auntie, I’d like to think that they all coincide and don’t necessarily rest outside of each other.

I love to paint, love to cook, love my family and I love to smoke. Each of these interests are individual, yet intertwined into my daily existence. I’ve been smoking Cannabis medicinally since my early 20s and have since also discovered that I smoke to create, and I create to smoke.

I also smoke to maintain my sanity and help with my own medicinal issues. I cannot have one without the other.

They each make up a part of myself that would be incomplete if one were missing. I’m perfectly OK being a passionate stoner and Jill of all trades.

STORY & PHOTOS by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION | OLDPAL.COM | @OLDPAL

PATIENT OF THE MONTH

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ADAM ELLIS oregonlEAF.COM

(AKA BAXSEN PAINE)

“I CHOSE TO CREATE SOME MAGIC, AS I LOVE TO DO, WHILE KEEPING MY CAMERA SKILLS FRESH AND MY HEART OPEN.”

may 2020

As a photojournalist, it’s always easier being situated behind a camera, a laptop or a microphone. It’s in the role of Clark Kent that I find myself a superman - using the power of words and art to lift others to a better place. That was my calling for a long time and I loved it. I won national awards, had thousands of followers on social media, and was the proud, blushing recipient of chanting crowds across Massachusetts, including on the hallowed grounds of the Boston Garden. “AD-AM EL-LIS!” Nowadays, you’re my only audience. And if anyone is yelling, “Baxsen Paine!” well, it’s me, because my back has been in pain for quite some time.

THE MARYLAND LEAF CONTRIBUTING WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER SHARES HIS OWN MMJ JOURNEY

I

LEFT THE COMFORTS of that promising career to follow my longtime girlfriend, a Division I women’s basketball coach, to a university in Baltimore in 2016. A job is a job. And as spectacular as mine was, it couldn’t replicate what we have together. So, I chose love and moved some 400 miles down the East Coast. Or for those of you familiar with the Boston-based movie Good Will Hunting, “I had to go see about a girl.”

I didn’t find immediate work in the field of journalism, so I took my photography skills to the likes of Under Armour and Amazon.

Somewhere along the way, my back gave out.

Arthritis, two bulging discs, degenerative disc disease and sciatic nerve pain turned me into an old man at 33. But I didn’t want a life-altering spinal fusion, nor was I big on painkillers. I grew up sheltering my younger siblings from substance abuse, so I’ve always preferred the natural remedy of Cannabis. It alleviates pain, loosens tight muscles and lifts my mood when I’m not feeling quite like my happy-go-lucky self.

When I got my medicinal card, I immersed myself in the Maryland medical Cannabis industry. I served as a budtender at two dispensaries, becoming well-versed on products and more importantly, you - the patient. In 15 months of service, I brought a kind heart and listening ears, delivering more hugs than dime bags.

My belief that medical Cannabis saves lives was confirmed on a daily basis. I bore witness to that miracle for as long as I could until my back tired once more.

My spinal issues intensified this past winter, requiring the use of crutches to walk. So I turned my talents to impact the world around me, creating an animal sanctuary in my backyard that just so happens to make for an excellent Cannabis lounge. Residing just a few miles from Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium, it is aptly named Birdland.

He did what?

Yeah, you read that right. It’s still a rather strange story to tell.

I get some puzzled looks on the faces of family and friends when they hear about it. But as this nationwide lockdown persists, they’re gaining an understanding of the desire to do more than watch Netflix or turn to the news during darker days.

I chose to create some magic, as I love to do, while keeping my camera skills fresh and my heart open. And well, once people see it, the mood of the conversation changes to awe.

With a pair of anti-gravity chairs to recline in, guests can kick back and watch as over a dozen species of flying creatures breathe life into a quasi-deserted Baltimore neighborhood - and they arrive by the dozens!

The acoustics provided by surrounding row homes make for a beautiful symphony - a cacophony where wildlife and city meet. It is a peaceful oasis, an urban jungle that has the potential to serve as a lounge, a studio, an interview set and much, much more.

It was supposed to make its debut during the National Cannabis Festival’s CannaTank Contest this April, but that was postponed due to the coronavirus. Should good fortune allow, perhaps we’ll be revisiting this lounge again in the Fall.

The virus however, is why I jumped in as the Patient of the Month for May. We here at Maryland Leaf Magazine didn’t want to jeopardize the health of our patients, many of whom may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.

So we agreed it was a good time to introduce me as a writer, having been onboard since the New Year.

Next month, I’ll happily return to writing about another superhero I think you’ll find inspirational. I like sharing those comeback stories because they tell us what the view from the mountaintop looks like.

Like so many of you I’ve met over the past two years in this wonderful community, I’m still climbing that mountain, fighting to improve daily.

I’m still working on crafting my own comeback story.

And if it turns out to be about a nationally-recognized sportswriter turned Cannabis activist who runs a wildlife Cannabis lounge, well then, that sounds bizarrely brilliant.

And if it’s just about a guy who uses Cannabis to overcome health issues and helps others share their Cannabis story, that sounds fantastically wonderful, too.

Either way, as long as I’m here on this page, you have my promise that you have a Cannabis advocate, a friend, a fellow patient, and a guy who prides himself on making his corner of the world a little brighter. Be safe and stay awesome, Maryland.

STORY & PHOTO by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF

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shop review

TJ’s ONWILLAMETTE

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Founders Travis Mackenzie and James Orpeza originally started out growing medicinal Cannabis for patients.

TJ’S ON WILLAMETTE 1027 WILLAMETTE ST. EUGENE, OREGON OPEN 10A-7P DAILY (541) 505-7961 VISITTJS.COM @TJSONWILLAMETTE

may 2020

ENVIRONMENT TJ’s on Willamette is located in the heart of downtown Eugene. The building is easy to spot, as there is clear signage facing the street and the sidewalk, and parking is available directly in front of the building.

Due to the restrictions set in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, TJ’s is now offering curbside pickup in two reserved parking stalls.

The outside of the building is made of red bricks, giving off a very historic feel. As you enter the shop into the waiting room, the inside transitions to a sleek and modern style. The walls are a hue of dark blue, which contrast nicely against the brighter floors.

The product floor has a square-like island in the center. This is where the products are displayed in glass cases, with the flower shelved behind the budtenders. The lights shine brightly on the products, highlighting the reason why you are there - to purchase Cannabis!

Typically a free flowing room, TJ’s has taken precautions to minimize the area where germs can spread, and has sectioned off half of the floor.

Keep in mind that this is only temporary and implemented to create a safer environment for employees and customers.

PRODUCT SELECTION TJ’s intake management provides customers with excellent offerings from various sought after producers and processors throughout the state, such as TJ’s Gardens, Eugene local hits like Flowersmith and Tao Gardens, and other favorites like Evans Creek and Deschutes Growery.

Flower tiers are listed as Top Shelf, Quality Shelf and Value Shelf.

TJ’s has an extremely impressive lineup of concentrates and extracts, boasting an array of Happy Cabbage Farms, Bo’s Nose Knows, Archive Portland, Willamette Valley Alchemy and Echo Electuary. There are also two separate cases for numerous different strains and types of cartridges. You can be rest assured that all applicable products are stored away in a fridge to preserve maximum freshness.

Edibles such as Grön, Nelson and Co.’s Carefree Jellies, Dirty Arm Farm’s Adabinol, Loud Lollies and Laurie & Mary Jane give users looking to ingest their Cannabis endless amounts of options.

There is also an array of topical products available, including Synergy Skin Worx, Medicine Farm Botanicals and Sacred Herb Medicinals for those looking for pain relief.

HISTORY AND VALUES Hailing from Washington state, TJ’s has been a namesake in our Cannabis community for years. Entering the Oregon medical market first as a producer, TJ’s established their flagship dispensary in 2015.

The TJ’s on Willamette location opened their doors for the first day of recreational sales in October of 2017.

Founders Travis Mackenzie and James Orpeza originally started out growing medicinal Cannabis for patients.

These values still hold true, as TJ’s has established The Forest Initiative, a foundation offering no-cost medications for 140 local children with life-altering or debilitating conditions. TJ’s has also collaborated with WVA to provide free of cost Re-Treats (a WVA brand edible) to medical patients in need.

TJ’s values and cares for the reason why we have recreational Cannabis - the patients.

If it weren’t for them, then we would not be where we are today. It is important that we never forget this, and that we continue to do our best as a community to support them.

Happy Cabbage Farms

PURPLE STARBURST OG ROSIN POPPED AND PHENO HUNTED by Happy Cabbage Farms, this cut of Purple Starburst OG bred by Symbiotic Genetics was given to TJ’s Gardens in a collaboration between the two producers. Upon giving the rosin a whip, the familiar aroma of Purple Punch reveals itself. This terpene profile, however, is different. There is a strong sweet diesel scent that I attribute to the Starburst OG lineage. The first dab I took had me in my head. I sensed a pressure behind my eyes and felt as though my arms were floating while my body stayed still. Next thing I knew, I was sprawled out on my couch passed out. Needless to say, if you are looking for an excellent terpene profile and effect from two top tier producers in the state, this is it. $60/g | 84.3% Total Cannabinoids | 66.2% THC | 0.87% CBD

Manager Joanna Woods, Budtender Nephi Sena, Heady Budtender Cole Wangen, and Budtender-Drivers Jaredd Rictor and Kasey Buckley at the shop last month.

BUDTENDERS AND SPECIALS TJ’s budtenders are active and involved in their jobs.

Many know the products by heart and genuinely care about providing their customers with the best products possible. In lieu of waiting for a customer to ask what their favorite product is currently, TJ’s provides a ‘Budtenders Favorite’ board on their wall. Daily specials are offered for each day of the week. These include discounts on specific products depending on the day, such as Munchie Monday (20% off of edibles). My favorite special is that all extracts, concentrates and cartridges are 20% off every Friday and Saturday!

QUICK HIT TJ’s on Willamette is a beyond standout dispensary. It is clear that the staff has put tremendous thought into curating their menu and shop. Shelves are filled with excellent offerings from top producers and processors throughout the state, the space is clean and modern, and the budtenders are knowledgeable and engaging. If you are looking for the fire, TJ’s on Willamette is where you will find it.

TJ’s Gardens x Echo Electuary

MONKEYTAPE LIVEBUDDER KNOWN FORMERLY AS GG4, Monkey Tape is TJ’s Gardens’ rendition of this classic clone-only cultivar. Echo Electuary ran a live, or freshly harvested and frozen, batch of Monkey Tape, to bring us a flavorful live budder consistency. The budder is so enamored in terpenes that it almost gives off a saucy look.

Opening the container, I was blasted by the familiar smell of funky pine and fuel. The taste coated my mouth and left me licking my tongue.

I felt focused and able to concentrate easier. It didn’t have a heavy sedative effect, but I was also not bouncing off the walls. I was calm and ready to work. Fans of this classic strain will love TJ’s Gardens’ collaboration with Echo Electuary on this Monkey Tape. $50/g | 78.10% Total Cannabinoids | 67.2% THC | 0.14% CBD

REVIEW by MAKANI NELSON @CHOICENUG | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

GROWN BY RE UP FARMS For May’s first ever Seed-to-Sale Issue, our team had the pleasure of highlighting one of RE UP Farms’ newest elusive offerings: Mint Chocolate Gelato. Over the past year-and-a-half, RE UP Farms pheno hunted between seven and eight different phenos to select one keeper, offering one of the best Gelato profiles we have come across to date.

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B

red by Exotic Genetix, Mint Chocolate Gelato is a cross of Gelato and Mint Chocolate Chip. This complex mixture combines Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint GSC with SinMint Cookies and Green Ribbon.

Upon opening up a jar, the nose is filled with a scent reminiscent of an ice cream shop - rich, sweet and velvety. Each nug is hand-trimmed to perfection, all the while retaining freshness and remaining extremely sticky. This trichome flaunting cultivar nearly makes your eyes pop out of your head, as the contrast of lime green and dark purple hues complement the rich orange pistils.

After taking a few snaps out of a freshly cleaned bong, my mouth was coated with a waffle conelike flavor, a taste that I often get from Sunset Sherbet strains like Gelato. This strain also leaves a bit of a citrusy taste on your palate, indicative of the Green Ribbon lineage.

I was sent into in a rather relaxing and spacelike daze, as this strain helped alleviate anxiety and take my mind away to a happy place during these uncertain times that we are all currently experiencing.

It is more than apparent after consumption that RE UP Farms is only using organic inputs, as well as being loyal to the soil. With their plants being hand-watered and cared for daily, you can truly feel all of the love put into each marvelous genetic RE UP Farms has in their garden.

I would recommend this cultivar to those who are looking to unwind and take a load off. Check out RE UP Farms’ other astonishing offerings like Bachelor Party and Wedding Cake the next time you are browsing through flower options. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for new strains releasing later this summer including Runtz, Biscotti, Frosted Zkittles, Raspberry Mochi and much more!

REUPFARMS.COM | @REUPFARMS

May 2020

Mint Choco

24% THC UPON OPENING A JAR, THE NOSE IS FILLED WITH A SCENT REMINISCENT OF AN ICE CREAM SHOP - RICH, SWEET AND VELVETY.

olate Gelato

REVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST| PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS | STYLING by KORI MARIE @KORIMARIE206

the SEED TO SALE issue

1 PROPAGATION/PLANTING 2 PLANT CARE 3 HARVEST 4 DRY + CURE 5 TRIMMING 6 PRE-ROLL MANUFACTURE 7 BHO & CO2 EXTRACTION 8 SOLVENTLESS EXTRACTION 9 EDIBLE PRODUCTION 10 TESTING THE PRODUCTS 11 PACKAGING & FULFILLMENT 12 EDUCATION & CONSUMPTION

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For most of its modern history as a medicine and recreational consumable, Cannabis remained shrouded in mystery. Patients and stoners alike found vague answers to prying questions: What strain is this? Not sure - the guy called it Purple Princess. How high will this brownie get me? One will get you pretty high, two will get you really high. Where did this come from?

BC, I think. Wait, no - Humboldt?

oregonlEAF.COM

Every step from behind Prohibition’s curtain offers clearer answers. Now, with two thirds of the United States employing some form of legalization or decriminalization, tracking systems and testing requirements have made it possible to follow - and track - a product from the geneticist who bred the seed all the way to the joint in a patient’s hand.

For more than a year, our editorial staff has been working closely with Oregon breeder Hermetic Genetics, cultivator Urban Pharms and distributor The Sweet Life, in order to track a locally bred strain from seed to consumption. It has taken a monumental amount of work and logistical wizardry to bring you the story package you see here. So heat up your banger, pop your gummy or spark up your joint, and give some love to the people that make it all possible. may 2020

INTRO by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415

Propagation and Planting

1

Our story begins with seeds bred

by Oregon-based breeder Hermetic Genetics and popped by Seth Marsh, owner and founder of of Urban Pharms. The seeds spend 12-24 hours in a high moisture environment - wet paper towels in plastic bags in this case - which cracks the seeds open and begins the life cycle for the plant. The seed and its protruding taproot are then gently placed into four inch soil plugs, where they’ll reside for their infancy and toddler stages of life. Once they’re a few weeks old and about six inches tall, the plugs are removed from trays, planted into one gallon pots and transferred to the greenhouse to grow. After a couple weeks vegging in the greenhouse, they spend about a week living outside the greenhouse to begin becoming acclimated to the outdoor environment before being transplanted into custom made, 360 gallon pots for later vegging and flower.

Plant Care

2

Upkeep and maintenance are absolutely critical to growing a successful crop. There are dozens of different techniques, but clipping fan leaves and interior nodes, and supporting a plant with trellis netting are two of the most widely practiced forms of maintenance.

Clipping fan leaves and interior nodes promotes airflow and helps defend against the development of powdery mildew. Plant upkeep has less agreed upon methodology, with essentially every grower implementing a slightly different strategy to keep their plants healthy and happy. These days, one of the most commonly practiced forms of plant upkeep is integrated pest management, which is the practice of implementing human-safe and ecosystem-friendly methods of pest prevention, instead of using offthe-shelf pesticides. Ladybugs are natural predators that feed on both aphids and mites - two pests that love to munch Cannabis.

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may 2020

the SEED TO SALE issue

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Harvest

3

During Fall harvest season, when the leaves are changing and the Cannabis flowers have ripened into plump, chunky buds, life on the farm buzzes with an energy that can be best described as organized chaos. Dozens of seasonal workers descend on the property, where towering 12- to16-foot Cannabis trees are chopped down, deleafed, quartered, bucked and prepped to be hung to dry. It’s a sight to behold - the hum of activity, the positive energy and the exhilarating rush of bringing down thousands of pounds of flower as part of a well-oiled operational machine. At Urban Pharms, the teams constantly move the plants from one stage to another assembly line style, each step in the process fitting together efficiently like the gears of a clock. Harvest is, by far, the most labor-intensive stage in the life cycle of a Cannabis plant, and everything needs to happen within a narrow window of time to ensure peak quality for the resulting product.

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS

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Drying & Curing

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Executing a proper dry and cure might be the most important step in growing a Cannabis plant. Dry too fast and your volatile (and highly desirable) terpenes dissipate, leaving you with buds that smell like hay. Beginning your cure with too much moisture left in the buds can cause mold and ruin a perfectly good harvest. Most commonly after harvest, branches are chopped from the plants and hung in a temperature and humidity controlled environment for 7-10 days before being moved into the curing steps of the process. Urban Pharms built a brand new 8,000 square foot drying and curing facility in 2019 no small investment and a testament to the importance of this step in the process.

During the curing process, bags are ‘burped’ in order to release evaporating moisture and off-gas CO2. This step is one of the keys to finishing quality flower.

may 2020

Trimming

5

Trimming generally occurs twice for outdoor plants.

First, immediately at harvest, large fan leaves are removed either by hand or by machine - depending on the size of the crop. Then, after drying, the plants are ready to be more finely manicured and are cleaned up with more precise trim machines, by hand, and sometimes both.

Generally speaking on scaled farms, the second step occurs only for buds headed to market and not destined for pre-rolls or processing, as the cost of trimming is a significant portion of a farm’s annual overhead. This important step helps bridge the gap between a plant in a field and a finely manicured, purchase-ready product at a dispensary.

Rolling Deep

6

Generating thousands of prerolls per day for statewide distribution takes a lot more than a Diamond hand grinder and a pack of RAW king size papers. Flower is milled to a fine grind - often using industrial machinery - before being loaded into joint-packing equipment. The industry standard cone-filler is the Futurola Knockbox - some of which can handle up to 300 pre-rolls at a time. One of the biggest challenges of this step in the process is ensuring that operators successfully fill each cone precisely to the desired level. At this scale, being a fraction of a gram off the mark adds up quickly.

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BHO & CO2 Extraction

7

The art of solvent based extraction has come a long way since backyard blasting, but the end goal and fundamentals of the procedure remain the same: to extract the highly valued cannabinoids and terpenoids using a combination of precisely dialed pressure and temperature. In solvent based extraction, such as butane (BHO) and supercritical CO2 methods, a solvent is put in contact with the flower, drawing out the beneficial compounds. The resulting oil can be further refined using ethanol distillation and is often clarified through winterization, during which fats and waxes are removed using a combination of ethanol and sub-zero temperatures. Cartridge manufacturers have traditionally favored refined solvent based extraction, as it often results in clearer oils, which offer ‘shelf appeal’ for case-cruising consumers.

Solventless Extraction

8

Solventless extraction relies on purely mechanical methods. Rosin, hash, dry sift - these comprise the old school.

They keep more of the plant’s overall profile intact, as they’re not winterized or distilled - the fats and waxes stay in the mix. Current trends in developed markets are showing that what’s old is new again - connoisseurs increasingly prefer solventless to solvent based extracts.

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415

the SEED TO SALE issue

Edible Production

9

Differing types of extracts are added to edibles at various stages of production, depending on the product.

Some manufacturers use ethanol extracted FECO - which contains a significant amount of plant matter, and offers an extremely strong flavor profile and heavy, medicated effects. Most edible producers currently serving the market use nearly pure cannabinoid distillate or isolate, as these showcase little to no flavor or aroma though they sacrifice full spectrum efficacy in the process. Dialing in the process of adding extract to edibles is of paramount importance - batches undergo rigorous testing to ensure that each serving is dosed properly.

Just a fraction of a milligram off, and a producer can lose hundreds - if not thousands - of dollars to product loss.

44

oregonlEAF.COM

Testing The Products

10

After cultivation and before consumption comes the most intricate and expensive stage in the entire process: testing. This is the step that separates the pro from the amateur, in terms of consumer confidence. Samples are sent to testing labs after any stage in the process where the product may end up in a consumer’s hand: after cultivation, after extraction and after extract is added to edibles. Each stage gets a separate test, which is undoubtedly costly. At the lab, scientists employ methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography to identify and measure the compounds in the plant or product’s chemical composition. This tells producers, regulators and consumers exactly what is in the product. All legal states require cannabinoid, pesticide and moisture testing. Some states also require terpene and heavy metals testing at an additional expense. Savvy producers in states where this additional testing is optional often choose to add these tests for greater transparency and marketability.

may 2020

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS

Packaging & Fulfillment

11

Product is packaged and custom printed batch specific labels are affixed to each sales unit before the products are locked in the vault to await delivery. Each product can be traced all the way back to the seed using the state’s tracking system. Next, inventory managers update the state tracking system as products are secured for delivery to retailers. One of the keys to a robust market is a well maintained relationship between the sales representatives, drivers and retailers.

This relationship determines the product mix available to customers, and if the brands and retailers aren’t talking to one another, consumers miss out.

Education & Consumption

12

Budtenders spend time educating their customers, finding the best products to suit each individual situation. Like the distributor-retailer dynamic, the budtender-customer relationship determines the quality of the overall experience.

So, now you’ve purchased your Cannabis - the best part. After arriving safely home, you open the childproof packaging. Whether you’re binge-watching Netflix, recording the next great album or tending to your own garden, one thing’s for sure - it took an army of people and a mountain of effort to bring you this experience. Savor the moment. And tip your budtender.

the SEED TO SALE issue

PLANT PEOPLE LOS ANGELES, CA

Compliance Officer CANBY, OR

Grower

MAX WHITE | AROMA CANNABIS DIRECTOR OF CULTIVATION AND CO-FOUNDER

You were previously a vital part of the operation at House of Cultivar in Seattle, then you moved to California for a new role. What does a Compliance Officer do? I see that all our actions

How long have you been cultivating Cannabis?

How would you describe your approach to Cannabis cultivation at Aroma?

How does it differ from other growing experiences you had in the past?

Having to deal with said governing body for Cannabis, what do you do to make your job enjoyable? It is great going back to a facility and see-

At the age of 12, I suffered an eye injury leaving me blind and with a condition ironically called chronic glaucoma. I became a medical marijuana patient in 1999 at the age of 16-years-old and immediately began growing for myself and other patients. I’m the ripe age of 37 today and there hasn’t been a year in which I wasn’t cultivating Cannabis.

When I started in the good ol’ Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) days, it was a vastly different arena. Prices were double or more what they are today. I had one employee - me.

I didn’t have to pay attention to operating costs or budgets because let’s face it, the margins were glorious. I only had up to 48 plants at one time, so I could give the ladies names if I liked.

As far as techniques and grow styles, I did it all growing up. I grew in outdoor fields, greenhouses, attics, basements, warehouses. The first grow I ever did was in the corner of our family room growing up. At 16-years-old, my dad helped me build an 8x8 plywood box. I threw a 1000watt China hat fixture in there and torched my crop - learned and moved on.

Today I find myself behind a computer screen a lot more. With my team, we watch numbers and data constantly. We prepare budgets and projections. The recreational market was a tough start. It has been a crash course in running a business as efficiently as possible. Naturally with scaling up into a more commercial approach, some of the personal intimate touches do not pencil in any longer, but I can say quality is still the main focus.

oregonlEAF.COM

Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ

are tracked and traced from seed to production to nursery to manufacturing, distribution and retail. If that’s tough to stomach, an easier way to explain it is I’m a detail coordinator for compliant actions within the facility.

Basically, what the Bureau of Cannabis Control wants is someone who is there to avoid product diversion and ensure product safety.

Interview by Tom Bowers @PropagateConsultants

46

ARAKSI VARTANIAN

What is the most challenging part of running a Cannabis cultivation facility?

Learning to run a business. Whether you are selling kind nugs, shoes, cars or cheeseburgers, it’s all the same in regard to running a business. I don’t have any formal business education or degree. I was a simple Oregon dope grower with a drive to succeed. Learning to work with governing agencies, the county permitting process and the tax man has taken some practice - but a good challenge is always healthy and rewarding.

What advice do you have for cultivators (professional and amateur)?

Be open to learning more than one way of doing things. Ask a lot of questions from a wide circle of professionals. If you can, join community groups or volunteer in a field of desired expertise.

Become a good networker! I love the phrase “your network is your net worth” because it is absolutely true. Today, when I don’t know the answer, I do know somebody that does. And they are happy to share that knowledge with me, as I am happy sharing with somebody else in need.

may 2020

ing that the company is taking the appropriate measures that I incorporated. The fact is that people generally do what they want, but there are fiery hoops to jump through, so it makes my job enjoyable to see this function from the black market to a compliant market.

Where do you see the regulatory aspect of Cannabis heading? The biggest issue right now we

need to get resolved is banking. We have no banking in California. Other states have implemented financial security for the industry, but unless we go with some crazy, random Russian bank, we’re hung out to dry. We make a lot of money for the state and they need to take care of us. We are really scrutinized and our money is just as good as someone who is not playing the game as well, but they are a federally legal industry like insurance or liquor.

What is your preferred way to wind down after spending your day as the last line of defense against the pot police? (Giggles) I love going for a walk with the dogs, smoking a joint, and taking a good minute to appreciate where I am in life and that I’m a part on this revolution, because this is a time in history that is never going to happen again. This makes me want to go to work the next day.

A grateful look behind the scenes with a member of the Cannabis industry responsible for each step of the Seed to $ale process...

ANCHORAGE, AK

Trimmer

CHRIS CLARK | CODE GREEN

Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ You have a trimming company which is unique to the Alaska Cannabis industry. What prompted you to start a business trimming flower for other companies? I saw a need. There were a lot of farms doing

everything right, but when the time came to handle the product, either the task was too overwhelming for them or the other options weren’t viable. So, that’s when I trained up a group of people and set a basic standard for the whole procedure. I have to say that there was a company before me, but in my opinion, they were ripping off growers and I just saw a much better way to do it.

What is your trade secret to making a successful business out of trimming? Consistency. I know what

I want to see when I go into a store. I know how I think bud should look. When the person taking in the product at a store sees 100 eighths that all look the same, I know we’ve done our job right.

Why is trimming a noble profession? I honestly believe that trimmers can make or break a product. You can do everything right on the grow end, but if your product isn’t handled properly at the end of the day, it can end up looking like shit - you know?

If you handed off your earbuds to the person next to you right now in the middle of a trimming sesh, what would they hear? They’d be getting into some Mike

Love or Nahko Bear. That’s Nahko and Medicine for the People.

Since you’re in Alaska, have you ever considered opening a beard trimming company, and if so, would you consider trimming a Bearded Lorax?

I’ll trim anything you put in front of me, brother (laughs).

Hear “Bearded Lorax” Leaf Nation Editor Wes Abney on the Leaf Life Podcast

IRVINE, CA

Lab Technician

MIKE TUNIS & ADAM FLOYD THINK20 LABS

Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What is the process a bud or concentrate takes from entering to exiting the lab?

When a sample enters our laboratory it is first weighed, received and accessioned into Metrc and our internal tracking system. Then the sample makes its way over to our photography lightbox, where we take high-resolution images of the sample and its packaging to be displayed on the certificate of analysis.

For a full panel regulatory compliance sample, the first analysis conducted is the foreign material inspection. Here, we inspect the sample under a digital microscope, looking for adulterants such as dirt, mold, insects, fibers, hairs, etc.

Once the foreign material inspection is concluded, the sample is then homogenized - the process of making the sample uniform throughout, so that any sub-sample taken from the homogenized sample will be representative of the entire sample.

Proper homogenization is especially important when it comes to testing Cannabis flowers, primarily because they are very inhomogeneous - with the largest percentage of cannabinoids residing in the trichomes and the lowest amount coming from the leaves and stems.

Once all the analyses required for a sample are completed, the compiled data package is reviewed by senior lab personnel to verify values are correct and that all the analytical instrumentation quality control checks are within specifications pursuant to internal and external acceptance criteria.

Following this final quality assurance check, the certificate of analysis is uploaded to Metrc, the BCC, and released to the distributor who submitted the sample for testing.

>>

INTERVIEWS by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS

the SEED TO SALE issue

PLANT PEOPLE Continued from p. 47

EUGENE, OR

Extraction Lab Processing Manager REGIS PHILBURN | ECHO ELECTUARY Interview by Amanda Day @Terpodactyl_Media Dealing with the plant up-close must provide a unique perspective. What have you learned about Cannabis through your processes? For the purpose of extraction, we seek out different traits such

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as unique terpene profiles, specific trichome morphology and lower THC to terpene ratios. There has been some breeding done specifically for extraction strains, but we hope to see this develop further in coming years into two distinct subtypes of varietals, similar to wine and table grapes.

What qualities do you look for in extraction source material?

Complex and unique terpene profiles, and clean growing practices and down to earth people/companies are essential factors in choosing our grow partners.

Within our own grow we feel that organic sungrown Cannabis produces some of the most complex terpene profiles, but we also enjoy the range of flavor and repeatable results that come with the tight environmental control of indoor gardening. Cannabis enthusiasts are always looking for the next hot strain, so it is important to be aware of, and cater to, new strain trends.

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Echo Electuary has been a staple of the Oregon market since before recreational legalization. What procedures have you utilized to provide your customers with consistent products?

We have developed our own methods for flash freezing using dry ice (CO2) and/or liquid nitrogen, in order to best preserve the ‘live’ terpene profile. In our extraction process, we utilize sub-zero temperatures, passive recovery, and precision flow control to achieve a variety of different hydrocarbon extract consistencies. Every batch goes through our dewax/winterization process to remove lipids and other unwanted components. Cleaning is an integral function of making consistent extracts and we rigorously clean our equipment and purify our solvents between batches to keep the extracts pure and free of cross-contamination.

Modern consumers have many options when it comes to dab products. Do you have a favorite type of extract? What do you enjoy about that form or consistency? I enjoy variety and could never be

satisfied with just one consistency or type of extract, but in general, I prefer consistencies such as budder (badder) because of its well-balanced THC to terpene ratio, and its ease of use. Homogeneous extracts like budder tend to dab more evenly, with the THC and terpenes vaporizing simultaneously, which is the best all around effect for me personally. I am enamored by well-grown THCA crystals and enjoy vaporizing those as well, usually towards the end of the day.

may 2020

FREDERICK, MD

Packaging Manager NIKIA HARRISTON | GLEAF

Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What is your daily life like as a packaging manager?

Once we get the buds from harvest that have been manicured and trimmed, we start the packaging process. So, we start off with 10 pound batches and my team will package as much as they can from those batches into 3.5 gram drams. Depending on how light or heavy the different strains’ buds are, it can be anywhere from two to five pounds per batch going into eighths. We use a packaging machine we call Bimba, which funnels large amounts of Cannabis into small and precise amounts.

After being packaged, we place the containers into boxes of 224 grams (half of a pound). Each box must be labeled by hand with strain name, cannabinoid profile and terpene profile. To account for this Cannabis being prepared

to go to a dispensary, each box must be entered into Metrc. Then we can seal everything up and place them on the shelves for specific dispensaries to receive them.

What is left from that batch is called small bud, which is used for pre-rolls. All of our trim is sent to the lab to be processed into all of the concentrates we make. We have

a Futurola grinder to grind the buds, and use a Futurola machine to make pre-rolled joints and phillys. We have a ‘travel sheet’ that shows us which employee completed which process in packaging our products, for accountability and quality control. We track every single gram that leaves our facility, from seed to sale in the Metrc system.

Whether it’s fresh bud, product that dropped on the floor, green waste or anything else, everything must be accounted for.

TACOMA, WA

Product Sales CHRISTA DANTINI MINGLEWOOD BRANDS

Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ Selling Cannabis takes patience and the ability to read individuals. How did you build this expertise?

I have been in retail my entire life, since I was old enough to work at the age of 16. And I’m a people person. I’m more about building relationships with the individual than I am with getting the sale, and when you do that you get a keen ear to listen, which leads you to find what they are really looking for. Then figuring out what they need is super simple. When people feel that you are naturally interested in them, you create relationships that last.

You have children. Does selling Cannabis sometimes feel like negotiating with your kids? It used to

back when I was selling shittier products (laughs). But now that I sell the best brands in the Cannabis market, it’s easy - at least in my opinion. The people who were assholes back in the day, giving me the runaround, are now wanting to do business and are more flexible, which is kinda cool.

What is the most gratifying part of being in this business, compared to doing retail? I think people are really chill and kind overall in this industry. For me, having the flexibility to be a mom and take care of kids and still smash out work is everything. And I love Cannabis. It has so many healing properties and it’s so much more than just a recreational thing.

I feel good about what I’m doing at the end of the day.

How do you feel about the new Trolls movie? I haven’t seen

49

the new Trolls movie (laughs again). I think it’s the only one I haven’t seen yet.

ELLICOTT CITY, MD

Store Buyer

BRANDON COLEMAN | GREENHOUSE WELLNESS

Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What do you do as a buyer for a dispensary? As a buyer, you are tasked with many re-

sponsibilities outside of purchasing Cannabis for your store. To start, I am always keeping track of the inventory of the store in an effort to keep stocks high. I base my buying decisions on a variety of factors. Sometimes it’s feedback from patients wanting more of a certain product or producer, and my relationships with producers helps me do just that. Patients give me feedback routinely, sometimes multiple times daily - everyone has their favorites and wants to be able to buy them.

How do you decide what products to buy? When it comes to flower and concentrates, I

have personally used a vast majority of the products I bring in. I spend a majority of my time managing relationships between myself, growers, processors and patients. Almost everyone uses a different wholesale platform to showcase their product. The biggest systems used are Leaf Trade and LeafLink, as well as individual email blasts with certificates of analysis.

Why does a dispensary need a buyer? Not every dispensary has a singular person set as the buyer.

A lot of times the owner of the dispensary will be buying the products for the store. I have autonomy to make buying decisions without approval from anyone, which I believe gives me a leg up. Combining all of these factors into a patient facing brand/dispensary is really what wraps up my job.

>>

INTERVIEWS by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS

the SEED TO SALE issue

PLANT PEOPLE Continued from p. 49 COCKEYSVILLE, MD

Patient Consultant

DR. ALEX DIX | KIP CANNABIS DOCTOR OF PHARMACY, B.S. CHEMISTRY

Interview by Wyatt Early @ErrlyWyatt What is your typical consultation experience like?

50

When a patient comes in for a consultation, whether new or old to Cannabis, I always introduce them to our handbook and a few key concepts within that are crucial for them to understand. The handbook contains various basic topics about medicine, the endocannabinoid system, plant components, dosage forms of Cannabis, pharmacogenetics and a journal they utilize for their personal experience.

We will begin the healing process by locking in their goals. Are they aiming to relieve pain? Sleep throughout the night? Sense happiness? Leave pharmaceuticals in the past? Regardless, once the goals are established, we then dive into the educational scope of Cannabis. With its multiple active ingredients/compounds - cannabinoids - and its terpene properties, the various patient goals are achievable due to the unique structure of the plant. I emphasize drifting away from buying decisions simply based on sativa or indica. Trust the terpenes they enhance the psychoactive components in Cannabis. The active ingredients and terpenes present in each strain allow for the potential to better target the release of specific neurotransmitters in our nervous system that regulate many processes within our body.

oregonlEAF.COM

Shortly following, we discuss dosing. Each patient starts with the smallest possible dose first, ensuring sufficient time to yield the full effect. Once analyzed, we can decide if more or less is needed. Different products have different optimal doses and we work together to find the most suitable, safe and convenient method for that person. It may fluctuate, but the journal allows for record keeping and efficient modification, if needed.

The journal at the back of our handbook contains three sections: type, cannabinoid/terpene profile, and a number scale. The type section contains information about the method of ingestion - inhalation, sublingual, topical - dosage form, and information about the provider. Usually for the terpene profile/cannabinoid section it’s best to rip the label off or write down required information. The number scale is used before each dosage and after to assess the effect of each medication and its alignment with the patient’s goals. Additionally, the journal contains space for information regarding the time taken and technique - bowl, inhaled for three seconds, exhaled for two. Overall, the journal contains beneficial information to manage symptoms, track progress and modify accordingly.

It’s important for our patients to understand how products relate to the learning points crafted in our handbook. This influences more knowledge and in turn confidence about the medicine regularly consumed.

PALMER, AK

Budtender

SHELBY SWANSON | MATANUSKA CANNABIS COMPANY

Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ Budtending is a profession. Where did you gain your expertise before entering the Cannabis industry?

In Alaska we have vertical integration, so I first began as a trimmer for the Matanuska Cannabis Company before coming on as a budtender.

Before that I was in the service industry for a long time as a janitor, and worked at the post office and elementary schools. I like working with people and I felt like I’m more comfortable in this type of environment than being in a type that is, how do you put it…normal?

Where do you see the Cannabis industry heading in Alaska? What amazes me most is the amount of people in the com-

munity who use Cannabis as medicine, as opposed to recreationally.

Especially with the virus going on, being considered essential business, I see this having a ripple effect in the community - but I’m not sure if it will improve anything moving forward with federal legalization. We don’t really know what it’s going to take to change the laws, so we just keep on doing what we’re doing, which is presenting Cannabis in a positive light. The fact that we are essential business is a great move in the right direction.

If you were to run for the Governor’s seat in Alaska, what would be your main selling point for getting elected? Oh man (laughs). I don’t know if it would be any one thing, but more like just changing the goal posts. I would rather take care of everybody in our community to make sure they are all provided for before giving big tax credits and free money to the oil industry. There are people out here who are really struggling to even make it to the next day. Our leaders tend to forget about the small people.

What strain would you recommend to a melancholy moose, if one were to mosey into the shop one day?

Ooooh, the Honey Banana by Althea’s Morning Bear. It’s a nice sweet indica that isn’t too dense, so you don’t have to grind it and you can just pack it into a bowl and hit it there.

Listen to Leaf Life Podcast show #61

may 2020

Coronavirus Crisis Pt 3: Essential Business

BELLINGHAM, WA

Distributor

AMBER VAUGHN |TERPENE TRANSIT Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ Distribution is an integral part of a moving society. What is different about doing it in the Cannabis industry compared to making deliveries for a company like Amazon Prime? I think it always boils down to the regulatory nature of what we do, in always having to remain compliant. And we do it with a smile! Comparatively speaking, the big difference is delivery schedules. With a big company like Amazon, you know you’re going to get your delivery sometime before 8:00 PM tomorrow. For us, every store, every situation is a little unique, so being flexible and being able to adapt to each store’s unique quirks is a challenge. But we are not just robots, either. It’s important to us to create a pleasant experience because we know that customer service is the name of the game. So, that is an area that we truly feel differentiates us from the corporate drop and go delivery services. We create relationships, we network, we make friends.

Are you worried about contracting COVID-19 by having contact with numerous people daily? It is

a concern and the best we can do is the best for ourselves. As long as people are doing their due diligence to prevent it, we are happy to be out on the road making this happen. We provide gallons of ISO, gloves and masks, follow protocol to sanitize every day, and everything is UV lighted every day. We just go above and beyond for the prevention of COVID.

Has anything noteworthy happened on a delivery that you would like to entertain us with? The first year that we started, we got

pulled over by the state patrol and we told him we had 1,000 pounds of Cannabis in the back. We asked him if he wanted to see it and his response was, “I want to see it, but I don’t want to go through it.” Then he took a photo of it, which I assume he sent to all his buddies, then sent us on our way.

What is your preferred method for transiting terpenes into your body? Dabs all day. Except when it’s time to drive, of course.

SEATTLE, WA

Creative Director

MATTHEW MIKULSKI | CHATTER CREATIVE

Interview by Mike Ricker @RickerDJ You were a sponsored skateboarder in your younger days.

Where is the creative correlation between the two? I’ve always been influenced by

Thrasher Magazine and TransWorld, so a lot of my inspiration comes from the wheels, the skateboards and the graphics - that old school look and feel. Everything that Powell and Peralta was doing, Steve Caballero, Bones Brigade, Tony Hawk, that whole crew.

I know there is something special about marketing Cannabis compared to ordinary brands. What is it? Cannabis is different - wide audience - so you can’t really

hone in on one particular person because everybody’s different. So you have to cast a wide net.

Keeping my designs simple and clean is important. I’m always thinking about the 21-year-old to the 75-year-old person, male and female. So, the challenge is not having one particular person you’re designing for. Another thing worth mentioning is 11 years ago when I started Chatter Creative; a lot of corporate clients were shunning me for taking Cannabis clients and it feels like some of them are coming around. And even with aunts and uncles, there is a degree of acceptance you can feel more and more of. The perception of Cannabis is changing and it’s cool.

Could you ever work in another field now that you’ve realized your dream of being in the Cannabis game?

I’ll always be a designer. I love to illustrate, so if I wasn’t dealing with brands and marketing, I would probably shift into illustration.

In fact, I could see myself doing children’s books.

INTERVIEWS by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS

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RECIPES

CANNABIS ESSENTIALS You may be stuck at home or you may be at work, but I know you are being careful and keeping your distance. It’s hard, sometimes sad and sometimes scary - often both. This month, instead of celebrating berries and asparagus, I am offering three basic recipes that you can make and keep in the fridge or pantry, and infuse at will. I always have these three items ready to go.

Three easy ways to infuse your favorite cooking methods with a little Cannabis!

CANNA-FLOUR ONE OUNCE TOP QUALITY SHAKE, DECARBOXYLATED 1. Place the Cannabis in the bowl of a food processor or in freshly cleaned coffee grinder.

54

Not a method I use often, canna-flour involves baking with the actual plant. This means more of that Cannabis flavor than you would get from the other infusions. But, it also means less steps! Canna-flour works for baking if it comprises no more than 20% of the recipe.

When baking with canna-flour, keep the oven at 340°F or below.

For recipes that call for 350°F, just lower to 340°F and cook a few minutes longer. Ramp up the spices a bit and there should be no harsh taste of Cannabis.

2. Process the Cannabis until it becomes a very fine powder.

3. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

4. To use, replace up to ¼ the amount of flour in a recipe with Cannabis flour. Sift together the prepared Cannabis powder with the flour for even distribution. For flavor and consistency, try to stay at or below the ¼ substitution rule.

THESE THREE DRINKS will keep you high and happy while waiting for Spring.

Well, waiting for 4/20. It can be

oregonlEAF.COM

a long wait - may these recipes

CANNA-CREAM

help pass the time.

2 CUPS HEAVY CREAM 2 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE GLYCERIN ½ OUNCE FINELY CHOPPED, DECARBOXYLATED CANNABIS

The syrup can be added to smoothies, ice pops, granitas, and other tasty spring treats,

SIMPLE CANNA-SYRUP - 3 CUPS FILTERED WATER

1. In a double boiler or a medium bowl on top of a saucepan with water, heat the cream.

2. Add the Cannabis and glycerin, whisk like crazy, and gently simmer for one hour.

1. In a large saucepot bring water to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

2. Add the Cannabis, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.

3. Carefully pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.

3. Reduce the heat to low, whisk in the glycerin, and simmer for 10 minutes.

- 3 CUPS FINE GRANULATED SUGAR

4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

- 3 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE GLYCERIN

5. Place the cheesecloth or fine strainer above a heatproof bowl and carefully pour the syrup into the bowl.

- ½ OUNCE FINELY CHOPPED

6. Strain the Cannabis from the syrup and pour into a container.

AND DECARBOXYLATED CANNABIS

7. Once you allow the syrup to cool at room temperature, cover and store in the fridge for up to three months.

may 2020

4. Allow to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes before covering and refrigerating. Keeps for about a week in the fridge, depending on the state of your heavy cream.

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

The Northwest's Premier Dispensary Experience Online ordering now at kaleafa.com

LOCATIONS ASHLAND BEAVERTON GRESHAM OREGON CITY WOODSTOCK @KaleafaFam

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concentrate OF THE MONTH oregonlEAF.COM

56

G R OWN & E X T R AC T E D b y C A P I TA L C A N N A B I S

Paradise Circus is a terpene rich cross of Tropicana Cookies x Tina.

Capital Cannabis grew and extracted this phenotype, which at first whiff, smells like a grapefruit rind.

THE EXTRACT came neatly boxed in unique custom packaging, and even included a complimentary dabber. The THCA crystals are rather large for being a single gram and have the perfect ratio of diamonds to sauce.

I broke up some of the larger chunks to make it easier to size out dabs.

The flavor is fantastic - as soon as I inhaled my mouth was stained with notes of a juicy blood orange, followed by a slightly bitter grapefruit purée favor.

Normally I find THCA and sauce to be rather expansive and sometimes harsh, due to the higher percentage of terpenes.

However, the exhale on the Paradise Circus was smooth and enjoyable the whole way through.

After mopping up the golden puddle left behind from the low temp dab, I felt a calming cerebral euphoria that was focusing, but not jittery.

Flavor and effect wise, this particular cut of Paradise Circus seems to lean heavily on the Tropicana Cookies parent making it a great option for folks looking to avoid potentially anxiety inducing effects that these more stimulating strains can sometimes cause.

I’m definitely looking forward to trying more consistencies and strains from these folks as they continue to evolve and expand their presence as a quality producer in the recreational market.

82.7% THC | CAPCANNABIS.COM

may 2020

“I FELT A CALMING CEREBRAL EUPHORIA THAT WAS FOCUSING, BUT NOT JITTERY.”

PARADISE

CIRCUS DIAMONDS REVIEW by WILL FERGUSON @__710DENCIES | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

tannins &terpenes

T H E A RT OF PA I R I NG C A N N A BI S W I T H A L C OHOL TANNINS | RUSSIAN RIVER BLIND PIG IPA

6.25% ABV - Hopped with Amarillo and Simcoe

Russian River is a world renowned brewery famed for setting the craft beer industry’s gold-standard of Triple IPAs, Pliny the Younger.

Founded in 1997 in Santa Rosa, this brewery has been producing standout barrel-aged sour beers and aggressively hopped ales to consumers in California for over two decades.

Russian River’s Blind Pig IPA is a full-bodied brew with medium bitterness and drinks with notes of citrus and wood, rounding out with a dry, resinous and dank finish.

With a relatively modest ABV for IPAs these days - clocking in at 6.25% - Blind Pig has just enough kick without going overboard.

This beer has stood the test of time, essentially unchanged for 15+ years in a brewing industry where the current hot trend is to throw anything and everything in the mash tun making this accomplishment that much more impressive.

RUSSIAN RIVER BLIND PIG IPA LUCID BOTANICALS AFRICAN QUEEN

TERPENES | LUCID BOTANICALS AFRICAN QUEEN

Durban Poison x Malawi Gold x Swaziland Sativa

Both the beer and the herb boast big flavor, yet

58

African Queen is a landrace mashup of several well-known African cultivars grown from seed in the heart of Mendocino County in Willits, California. Lucid Botanicals is a fully licensed sun-grown farm utilizing organic growing practices, including planting in native soil and feeding strictly organic inputs.

Lucid Botanicals produces specialty narrow leaf strains that are rarely found, thanks to the significant difficulty in cultivating them.

African Queen is strongly aromatic with over 3% terpenes and a pronounced nose of decomposing oranges and lemon-lime. The flowers boast a bright green hue, with equally bright orange hairs and a visible coat of trichomes.

The smoke is light and minimally expansive, giving way to a wonderfully euphoric, uplifting and heady high.

are restrained enough in effect to make the overall pairing a largely approachable combination.

oregonlEAF.COM

THE PAIRING

What could be better than bringing a couple classics together? We’re thinking not too much.

The flowers lift and enhance mood, while the brew relaxes the tongue and diminishes worries.

The African Queen’s orange-y bouquet complements and enhances the citrus notes in the brew. Both the beer and the herb boast big flavor, yet are restrained enough in effect to make the overall pairing a largely approachable combination.

This pairing is worthy of busting out anytime whether you want to wow casual consumers or your heady terp-hounding friends - this Russian River and Lucid Botanicals combo is sure to impress.

*Leaf Nation Warning* Anytime you combine two substances of any kind, you have to be extra vigilant of the effects. We strongly recommend conducting pairings in a safe and private space, in small quantities with friends. Always use a designated driver or have a plan to get home safely.

may 2020

BLIND PIG IPA AFRICAN QUEEN 6.25% ABV

22.5% THC

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTO by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY

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62

Virtual 4/20/20 CHRONIC RELIEF EDITION

D O N AT E TO F E E D I N G A M E R I C A | FARECHILD.COM/CHRONICRELIEF

STORY by JONAH TACOMA @DABSTARS2.0 for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JESS LARUE @JESSICALARUE_420

I GRIMACED LOOKING AT MY WATCH. Traffic was light due to COVID-19, which had most of the nation on lockdown, but we were running behind. Both Cannabis and media had been deemed essential businesses and we were headed to Atomic Studios in Seattle to shoot what would be a first for us: a five and a half hour long live 4/20 celebration

may 2020

Many Cannabis enthusiasts, including myself, had been looking forward to this particular 4/20 for several years.

For only once every hundred years did the celestial alignment culminate in a perfect 4/20/20. For all but a tiny few, this would be the first and last time any of us would ever see it.

I went over the show notes from the passenger seat as Jessica put the pedal to the floor, dancing THE BRAINCHILD OF FARECHILD EVENTS around the sparse FOUNDERS DAVID TRAN AND JAMES ZACHODNI, This was a first for all of us, especially traffic in an attempt CHRONIC RELIEF ITSELF HAD BEEN BORN OF THE the Atomic Studio guys who were used to to make up time. She COVID-19 VIRUS - A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE a more corporate tenor and were openly had made a Magical CANCELLATION OF CANNABIS EVENTS AROUND bemused by the goings on in the studio Butter pizza for a bit THE WORLD, FROM SPANNABIS TO HASH BASH that day.

AND DOZENS OF CELEBRITIES HAD AGREED TO we were doing during The production coordinator’s voice PARTICIPATE. ALL PROCEEDS WOULD BE DONATED the live show, and broke the silence in my earbuds.

TO FEEDING AMERICA AND MOST OF US HAD the bake time had “Three minutes! Butts in seats!” Steven DONATED OUR TIME TO THE PROJECT us running late. The said urgently. I took my place next to studio was buzzing as Fred, professional auctioneer and my cowe arrived. The city host for the auspicious live reveal of “Chronic Relief.” of Seattle had been gracious enough to make parking in The brainchild of Farechild Events founders David Tran the entire city free during the pandemic and we hurried and James Zachodni, Chronic Relief itself had been to unload the various props we had brought along for the born of the COVID-19 virus - a direct response to the day’s festivities. cancellation of Cannabis events around the world, from I shouted a warning as I hauled a gigantic peli case Spannabis to Hash Bash - and dozens of celebrities had over the studio threshold - the largest case the company agreed to participate. All proceeds would be donated to produced and it was packed with marijuana paraphernalia Feeding America and most of us had donated our time of all types and sizes. to the project, including myself.

Jessica took her place in front of a large green screen As the producer announced go time and the cameras where she would be doing her commentary for the day, went live, the adrenaline and weed took over. The next while a dozen or more production staff busied themselves five hours were a blur as we partied in 4:20 across three tweaking and tuning the main set, which was being given a different time zones. From Whoopi Goldberg to Tommy 4/20 makeover.

Chong and Dub FX, the star studded show went off without a hitch. For most of us we just wanted a way to be together - to us, Cannabis was community.

A cheer went off in the studio as DJ Cide played us out and Stephen called cut, ending what for many had been weeks of preparation and hard work. The virus may have had us in lockdown but technology was helping to bridge the gap.

With matching funds we raised over 100,000 meals for Feeding America. At a time when the nation was strapped for cash, Cannabis still had something to give.

Maybe we weren’t just so-called ‘stupid stoners’ after all...

oregonleaf.com

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 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

66

by Mike Ricker Check Your Temperature It was the hot dab that did me in.

Thank you, my airheaded, rookie administrator, for enlightening me to what the inside of a barrel of a flame thrower is like when delivering a mechanical dragon’s demonstration of unbridled fury.

And just when I managed to inhale something that resembled actual air, the entire experience was deepened upon identifying the sensation of having swallowed a sleeping porcupine into my lungs who, upon awakening in the cramped space, was overcome with fear - causing it to instinctually employ its quills in order to defend itself.

Suddenly, I was the porcupine - anxiety ridden from the torturous enclosure of a war prisoner’s hurt locker, teetering on the brink of panic, gauging whether the extreme discomfort would cause claustrophobic madness before having the luxury of first offing myself.

And then came the bong spins. At least that’s what they used to call it long before concentrates with 110% THC existed. So out of the place I fled, incapable of explaining myself. Not only because of the inability to formulate and convey a cohesive word, but also for the complete lack of oxygen flowing through my gills.

The night had instantly taken a “Fear and Loathing” turn, forcing the retreat from the madness into the safety of the car where a judge from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” hammered down his gavel for the crime of a meaningless existence. That’s when the dizziness proved a harsh catalyst - churning the stomach into a pressurized brew of witch’s stew - conjuring the recently eaten food truck kung pao calamari and projectile launching it onto the misty pavement in the back alley.

This was the worst Cannabis experience of my life.

Thank goodness for cool dabs.

And the cool mother fuckers who know how to heat a dab.

But if you don’t, that’s OK. That’s why the good lord gave us the vape cart.

May 2020

Get the audio version and every episode at Stoney-Baloney.com

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