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NOV. 2015 FREE
14-PAGE SPECIAL P. 26
ISSUE # 17
THE HARVEST ISSUE Oregon Cannabis Farms
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THE HARVEST ISSUE 28 Greenlight Gardens 29 Green Bodhi gardens 30 The CO 2 Company 32 Oregon Cannabis farms 33 Dirty Arm farm 34 Green source gardens 36 American Hemp seed 38 Emerald twist farms 39 earth rising farm
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Access Reviews
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Tasty Recipes
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Tasty Reviews
Going Green Albany
Thanksgiving appetizers
Ginger ale, fruit gummies
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National News
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Strain of the Month
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Prison Dispatch
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Concentrate Review Bubba Kush Shatter by NW Kind
EDITOR...............................9 NATIONAL............................10 HIGHLY LIKELY............................20 CONCENTRATES........................54 BOOK REVIEWS.........................58 ISRAEL & OREGON.....................64 MICRO STRAINS.........................68 DAVIS FARMS CBD......................70 GROWTECH......................72 BUDSHOT 1................................76
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8 Questions for...
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Health & Science
COVER PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
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Highly Likely
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Plant Height Primer
Steve Elliott with the roundup The latest from the war on drugs Brad Zusman, the biz man
The famous poet pot-enjoyer
70
Centerspread pullout poster
How gratitude affects your body Dr. Scanderson on reaching high
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THE HARVEST ISSUE
4th annual 14-page special explores outdoor Cannabis farms across Washington and Southern Oregon — with unprecedented access.
Photo by Daniel Berman
Green Crack grows in the light deprivation greenhouse at Dirty Arm Farm, west of Jacksonville, Oregon. “This neighborhood is pretty famous for Cannabis,” said Jamie, the owner. “Its been known for growing and raids since the 60s and 70s.”
OREGON LEAF
the truth about the plant you thought you knew, IN every issue.
editor’s note
NOV. 2015 ISSUE #17
Thanks for picking up the Harvest Issue of Oregon Leaf and thanks to these great growers! this month marks a victory for many outdoor farmers as they finally get a break
from the seven-month-long outdoor growing cycle. Whew! Even as I type this, thousands of farm hands are forcing cramped fingers into resin-covered scissors and trimming the bud that will become medicine and recreation many across the Northwest. Soon, thousands of pounds of Cannabis will be sold and smoked, generating tax revenue and supporting local jobs and an industry that is once again making farming cool. These are incredible times, and we are proud to be able to share a glimpse into the harvest this year with our annual special issue of the Leaf. This year features gardens from Washington and Oregon, including our first ever hemp farm! Our writers and dogged photographers lugged gear for two weeks to make sure that we had the best shots (and buds) to share with you. This issue also features an interview with Julian Marley, who continues the legend of his father by teaming with a Cannabis brand while writing songs about legalization. Check out my exclusive interview with Marley, and learn what his favorite strain is to smoke before getting on stage. We also have a new growtech section and information from Dr. Rose, as well as coverage of a trip to Israel by writer Simone Fischer. Bob Montoya delivers his first Oregon Micro Strain, and Steve Elliott informs with updated news and a new book to check out. I hope you enjoy this issue of the Leaf, and share it with friends and family!
Contact editor Wes Abney to place an ad
or to become a monthly drop-off location. Please feel free to share your thoughts, pitches, articles, story ideas and news tips. This is all our plant and we want to hear from you. Thank you for reading and supporting Oregon Leaf!
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Daniel Berman Daniel@ORLeaf.com ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS IAN C. BATES, PHOTOS JEREMY BRONSON, PHOTOS STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL WILL FERGUSON, REVIEWS SIMONE FISCHER, GROWTECH PAUL GRZELAK, EDITING KORI MARIE, PRODUCTION BOB MONTOYA, MICROSTRAINS SEAN O’NEILL, ILLUSTRATION DR. SCANDERSON, GROWTECH ERIC SKELTON, DESIGN PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES JACOB THOM, PRODUCTION LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF, RECIPES
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national
STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion
80-Year-Old Marijuana Dealer Pleads Guilty After decades of smuggling, man pleads guilty in federal court
Hillary Clinton Says Feds Shouldn’t Interfere With Legal Marijuana
THE DRAMATIC EXPLOITS of a lifetime of smuggling came
10/nov. 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
Ohio MAN Calls Cops to Complain He’s Too High Ohio man reports he “couldn’t feel his hands”
FILE THIS ONE under, “I’ll have some of what he
had, but without the stupidity, please.” Police said a 22-year-old Ohio man in October called 9-1-1 from amidst a pile of munchies to report he was “too high” on marijuana, reports Kaily Cunningham at Fox 8 Cleveland. When officers arrived, they were directed to an upstairs bedroom by the caller’s grandfather. As they went up the stairs, they could hear “groaning from the room at the end of the hall.” When officers opened the door, they found the 22-year-old laying in a fetal position amidst “a plethora of Doritos, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish and Chips Ahoy! cookies,” according to the police report. The stoned suspect reported that he “couldn’t feel his hands.” Inside his car, cops found a glass pipe with Cannabis residue, two packs of rolling papers, two marijuana roaches and a glass jar filled with Cannabis. The man refused medical attention; his name hasn’t been released. He faces marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia charges.
When officers opened the door, they found the 22-year-old laying in a fetal position amidst a plethora of Doritos, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish and Chips Ahoy! cookies.
Photo by flickr.com/eflon
to an end on Thursday when 80-year-old Marshall Herbert Dion entered his guilty plea in federal court to running a huge marijuana-dealing and moneylaundering operation. Dion, who owned houses in Massachusetts, Colorado and Arizona, had $11 million hidden in a North Reading, Mass., storage facility, and once crawled away from a Presidential candidate addresses federal cannabis policy Wisconsin plane crash as thousands of dollars in cash — suspected drug profits — floated through the air around Hillary Clinton is feeling the heat when it him, reports Milton J. Valencia at The Boston Globe. comes to federal marijuana policy. Just after her Under his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, first primary debate with fellow Democrats who Dion could serve five to seven years in a federal want to be President, Clinton finally gave some penitentiary, ending a lucrative career that spanned answers about how she’d handle states that have decades until a chance traffic stop in Kansas. “Over the legalized Cannabis. course of the conspiracy… he had sold approximately Clinton declined to take a position on 3,000 to 10,000 kilograms of marijuana,” Assistant U.S. marijuana legalization in the first CNN debate, Attorney Leah Foley claimed during a brief court hearing. but she wasn’t asked at the debate how she’d “Mr. Dion has embraced his responsibility and is handle legalization looking forward to the next chapter in his life,” said “I would certainly by states as President, Dion’s lawyer, Hank Brennan. not want the federal reports Brandon The end of Dion’s smuggling career began with a government to Rittiman at KUSA. interfere with the June 2013 traffic stop in Junction City, Kan., when a legal decision made In stark contrast police officer pulled him over for driving 80 mph in by the people of to GOP candidate a 75 mph zone. During the stop, the officer searched Colorado” Chris Christie, who Dion’s old pickup and found nearly $850,000 in cash. said he’d use federal power to stop legalized That sparked a federal investigation that led to the sales of marijuana in states like Colorado and discovery of $2 million in a bank account, another Washington, Clinton said, “I want to give you $880,000 in an Arizona building, and the North the space” to experiment with Cannabis policy. Reading storage facility where authorities found 395 “I really believe it’s important that states pounds of Cannabis and $11 million in cash. like Colorado lead the way so we can learn Foley told U.S. District Judge Denise Casper that what works and what doesn’t work,” Clinton authorities discovered travel logs indicating Dion sold told Rittiman. “I would certainly not want the more than 3,000 kilograms of marijuana, and possibly federal government to interfere with the legal as much as 10,000 kilograms since 1992. Dion was decision made by the people of Colorado.” convicted in Massachusetts in the late 1980s of drug Clinton previously expressed support for trafficking after police in Boston found roughly 180 state-level medical marijuana laws, but this pounds of weed in a 1986 Chrysler sedan. Police later appears to be the first time she’s supported found 101 pounds of Cannabis stashed in a storage recreational legalization at the state level. building in Lynnfield, Mass. According to many political analysts, the latest After a plane crash in Wisconsin in 1985, Dion was evolution of Clinton’s marijuana position is found crawling through a muddy field; he denied that probably due to fellow Democratic candidate the $112,000 in cash found inside the plane and floating Bernie Sanders staking out a position to her through the air was his. He could get 60 to 87 months left on the issue. At the Oct. 13 debate, Sanders for conspiracy to deal marijuana, possession with intent said he probably would vote for legalization in to sell, and money laundering under the deal he reached Nevada if he had that chance. with prosecutors. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 Nevadans will decide on recreational marijuana years if he is convicted in a trial. legalization at the polls in November 2016. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 11.
Quick Hits! 2.8 4 20
Number of grams of Cannabis that Bernard Noble, a 49-year-old father of seven children, was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for selling and possessing.
Oregon Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Struggle While Recreational Marijuana Skyrockets
Medical dispensary owners skeptical about recreational sales saveing poor
Photo by Creative Commons, flickr.com/dankdepot
A gold rush mentality is part of what’s
leading medical Cannabis dispensaries in Oregon to close faster than ever after recreational marijuana legalization. Some medical dispensary owners had hoped that Oct. 1, the day recreational marijuana sales became legal in Oregon, would be a saving grace for struggling businesses, reports Kristyna Wentz-Graff at The Oregonian. “Most people are hanging on until the climate gets better,” said Sam Heywood, co-owner of the Portland dispensary Farma, a few days before recreational sales went into effect. “If it didn’t have that horizon where the regulatory climate is expected to improve, I suspect a lot of people would have given up by now.”
But Donald Morse, director of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, is skeptical Cannabis will change the fortunes of struggling dispensaries. Morse said there seems to be a widespread expectation of making millions off Oregon’s recreational marijuana market, but insiders say factors including oversaturation, bad locations, amateurish business practices and the difficulty and expenses of running cash-only businesses are leading shops to close. Outside companies are increasingly venturing into the recreational marijuana business as well, putting more pressure on the existing medical dispensaries with competition. “The medical market will go away within a year,” Morse predicted.
“The medical market will go away within a year,” Morse predicts
Number of defendants in police custody after Indiana officials raided a grow-op with 400 large marijuana plants, 60 pounds of flower ready to go — not to mention 2 pounds of BHO.
Age of a North Carolina man, Jeremiah White, who police said had 110 grams of marijuana on him — and now faces charges of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony possession of marijuana, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of sale and delivery of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and even resist, delay, obstruction.
40 40 100
Cost in dollars of an immediate authorization to use medical marijuana by Cannabis doctors set up right outside of the San Francisco Cannabis Cup.
Billions of dollars in estimated market value of the medical Cannabis industry in 2020 as more and more countries move to recognize the plant’s many benefits. Number of dispensaries in California selling an infused tea called Jane’s Blend, offered in 5-, 10and 20-milligram dosages with a variety of flavors.
Quoted WE’RE SEEING A YOUNG CROWD BUT WE’RE ALSO SEEING PEOPLE IN THEIR 50S AND 60S THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT THE PRODUCT IF IT WASN’T LEGAL - Jeff Johnson, owner of Nectar, on the
first day of recreational sales in Oregon
‘‘
nov. 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
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national
STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion
Union Negotiates First Cannabis Worker Contract In Oregon Employees at Portland dispensary score union contract
Washington Troopers Remind Drivers of Marijuana ‘Open Container’ Law for Vehicles Open bags, loose joints, smoked roaches, vape pens and open containers must be out of sight in back
You can’t legally drive in Washington state with
an open container of marijuana. The state, thanks to a law passed by the legislature last summer, now bans open Cannabis containers in vehicles. The law, which went into effect Sept. 26, means that using marijuana in vehicles or driving with open containers of cannabis or infused products is illegal, repots Brooks Johnson at The Longview Daily News. Washington State Patrol troopers said they are trying to get the word out, since they’ve encountered many motorists who had no idea that what they’ve been doing for years is suddenly against the law. “One trooper reports contacting a motorist on a recent traffic stop who was carrying a quart-size plastic Ziploc full of ‘pungent’ marijuana buds in the console of his vehicle,” according to a WSP press release. “The driver told the trooper he didn’t know it was illegal to do so.” Marijuana and infused products, sealed in the original packaging, can be kept anywhere. But opened packages (jars or bags) must be kept in the trunk, or in a locked box out of reach of the driver and passengers. Packages shouldn’t be stored in the glove compartment, according to the law, though it’s okay to stash the weed behind the last row of seats. Breaking the open-container law is considered a traffic infraction, and comes with a $136 fine. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission
lobbied for the change, supposedly so that the state’s rules around marijuana would more closely resemble those for alcohol. Of course, that perpetuates the absurd idea that Cannabis is just as dangerous as alcohol when it comes to driving, which simply isn’t true. But things get more serious if law enforcement thinks you are impaired, at which point they can order a blood test. You can refuse the test, but will be charged as if impaired when you do. The law allows the Washington Department of Transportation to immediately suspend the licenses of supposedly “marijuana-impaired drivers.” But in reality, the fivenanogram-per-milliliter blood level of THC instituted under I-502 — the law approved by Washington voters in 2012 — has no correlation at all with actual impairment, according to most studies and experts. Five ng/ml represents an imaginary “bright line,” beyond which people will be charged with marijuana DUI, despite the fact that they probably won’t be impaired. If you are at all accustomed to the effects of Cannabis, rather than a rank novice, five nanograms doesn’t represent any diminution of driving abilities. This is especially true of medical marijuana patients, many of who must use large doses of Cannabis 24/7 and who are already above the five ng/ml threshold when they wake up, unimpaired, in the morning.
Watch out for ‘Marijuana DUI’ charges
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workers in Oregon’s marijuana industry. United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555 recently negotiated a three-year contract for employees at a Portland dispensary, and the union hopes to broker similar deals across the state as the Cannabis dispensary takes off, said Local 555 secretarytreasurer Jeff Anderson, reports George Rede at The Oregonian. The initial contract provides for wages starting at $15 an hour for cashiers, $20 an JEFF ANDERSON hour for trimmers and up to $32 an hour for master cultivators at Stoney Brothers. Paid holidays and vacation days are also guaranteed in the contract, along with pension contributions and employer-subsidized health insurance. “Our UFCW International Union has been involved in Cannabis organizing for six to eight years, much of it in Northern California involving medical dispensaries,” Anderson said. The union represents roughly 3,000 marijuana workers in 10 legal and medical states and D.C., Anderson said. Union officials estimated the Cannabis industry could expand to as many as 7,000 workers in Oregon. “Our goal is to have a couple thousand organized in the next five years,” Anderson said. Stoney Brothers president Trevor Reed approached Oregon union officials himself. “I’m a socialist at heart,” Reed said. “I knew if I tied my hands to a contract, I would pay a living wage and if I didn’t, I may or may not.”
The contract provides for wages starting at $15 an hour for cashiers, $20 an hour for trimmers and up to $32 an hour for master cultivators
Photo: Robert Couse-Baker, flickr.com/photos/29233640@N07
At least one labor union has begun to organize
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dispatch
By KRISTIN FLOR, MINDI GRIFFITHS, MIGGY 420 AND DANIELLE VITALE – O’ BRIEN
NOV. 2015 PRISONER UPDATE [
NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES PRISON OUTREACH
a special welcome home, after 32 years of in-
Our next prisoner of the failed drug war is Richard DeLisi, a man who has lost 27 years of carceration, to George Martorano, one of the lonhis life and the ability to be a father to his now gest-serving Cannabis prisoners in the U.S. -grown children. DeLisi showcases how the drug We continue to hold you and your family in our war splits families. All children deserve access to hearts as you transition into civilian life. This holitheir parents or guardians. DeLisi’s daughter, day season will be especially wonderful for MartoAshley, is expecting another child soon. rano, his family and supporters. Finally, we’d like to bring to your attention Thanksgiving is the holiday you either love or the case of Ferrell Damon Scott, convicted hate. But when you’re spending the rest of your life for possession with intent in prison, you have no choice but to distribute 1,000kg of to yearn for a chance to love or pot in Texas. In 23 medical hate; in prison, you have no choicstates he would be called a es. People serving life in prison for caregiver, while in our four pot include Tom Geers, Michael recreational states, he would Thompson, Richard DeLisi and be praised as a businessFerrell Damon Scott. man. Scott’s charges are just Geers has already served more another horrible representhan 20 years and faces the postation of our inept, imbalsibility of dying in prison because anced judicial system. of his declining health. During Releasing these men his stay in prison, Geers has lost won’t return the years they the use of one of his arms, likely returns home in time for the have lost, but it’s not too due to the lack of sufficient health holidays, after 32 years of late. Their families, friends care. He is locked up for traffickincarceration and advocates from across ing 3,000 pounds of marijuana, or the nation pray daily for as it’s known in Washington and their return to society. the other legal states: transporting One way we let the prisoners and the govretail goods. It is urgent that Geers be released now ernment know they are not forgotten is by so he can get proper medical treatment. writing letters to them. If you would like to Thompson’s misfortune also began more than 20 help free these men, please email us at thevyears ago when he was arrested and sentenced for oicesofthecannabiswar@gmail.com and we selling three pounds of marijuana, an amount the will let you know what you can do to be the average recreational shop dishes out daily in Washmost effective. This month, we ask you write ington, Colorado and Oregon. His punishment has to Richard DeLisi, Inmate #87624, South Bay been cruel, but unfortunately, not unusual. Prior to Correctional Facility, 600 U.S. Highway 27 S., his incarceration, Michael worked with troubled South Bay, Florida 33493 youths in his neighborhood.
GEORGE MARTORANO
RELEASING THESE MEN WON’T RETURN ALL OF THE YEARS THEY HAVE LOST. HOWEVER, IT ISN’T TOO LATE.
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OREGON NEWS According to recent reports, Oregon is lead-
ing the way in righting the wrongs created by the war on Cannabis consumers. People with low-level felonies or misdemeanors might be able to have their records wiped clean if the offense is at least 10 years old and if they have not reoffended. Plans to expand the expungement of more serious Cannabis crimes are in the works for 2016. Many Cannabis offenders do reoffend, primarily because the nature of the prison and probation system renders success difficult. One must wonder how many people this new policy will actually help. Is this another smoke and mirrors game played by the government to maintain the appearance of complying with public opinion about Cannabis laws? Either way, the momentum of Cannabis reform is in the air and the people of Oregon are loving it. On the flip side, as headlines in Oregon proclaim the end of prohibition, a television station quietly noted that the Drug Enforcement Administration is spending more than $750,000 this year to hunt down Cannabis growing operations. Prohibition is far from over, even in the legal state of Oregon.
Tim Hembree: On Apr. 16, Tim Hembree was
entrapped by an undercover police officer masquerading as an Oregon Medical Marijuana cardholder and arrested. Hembree’s friend, whom he had just met, identified himself as Tyler and said he had been texting with a man named Brian Ashcroft, who claimed to be an OMMP patient seeking medicine. Ashcroft turned out to be officer Kelley Bertrand with the Hillsboro Police Department. Bertrand asked to meet Tyler and Hembree at a Thriftway that was within 1,000 feet of a school. Upon meeting, Tyler completed the transaction and accepted $140 in exchange for what police say was 13.2 grams of BHO (weight includes packaging). At no point during this interaction did Hembree directly accept money or handle the BHO. Hembree was arrested, held on $50,000 bail and charged
with three felonies: unlawful delivery, unlawful delivery within 1,000 feet of a school and unlawful possession. While Hembree was out on bail, he missed a court appearance, resulting in his re-arrest. He now sits in jail unable to post bail because he is considered a flight risk. His next court appearance is Oct. 30 in Hillsboro, Ore.
NO VICTIM = NO CRIME = NOT GUILTY No one should be caged for Cannabis.
PORTLAND HEMPSTALK:
Hempstalk 2015 was a huge success. Voices of the Cannabis War was present in full force with the help of other supporters of Cannabis prisoners. Attendees were able to sign letters requesting clemency to President Barack Obama, educate themselves about jury nullification and learn about our heroes serving time for our plant. Portland’s Hempstalk hosted a space for a memorial wall dedicated to Cannabis prisoners. Thank you to Cheri Sicard and the CAN-DO Foundation for the poster designs. We also want to thank the financial donors who made our poster efforts possible. To make your own POW posters or to find out more about CanDo, go to www.candoclemency.com.
Jason Endicott is still waiting for lawyers and
prosecutors to decide how to proceed with his case. He faces up to 40 years for having his medical Cannabis with him as he drove through Texas in 2013. Since Endicott’s initial arrest, he has expressed a deep fear of being sentenced to time in prison. He’s an insulin-dependent diabetic and has a wife and disabled daughter in Oregon. The district attorney in Endicott’s case offered probation that can be served in Oregon and deferment. Although this deal means he would be free from jail time, his lawyer is still pursuing a complete dismissal.
WASHINGTON Josh Mauk and Debbie Brechler: Jail time ap-
pears inevitable for Mauk and Brechler. On Oct. 9, the pair changed their plea to guilty. The prosecution has offered the couple a sentence of one year and a day in federal prison. The couple has been advised to take the deal with the hope that the judge shows compassion and gives them either staggered sentences or electronic home monitoring so they can continue to parent their two small children. They fear going to trial because statistics show the chances of conviction at trial are overwhelming. Josh and Debbie are asking for as many letters on their behalf from friends, family, peers and the community. Please address your letters to the Honorable Judge John C. Coughenour and email them
to debbiebrechler21@gmail.com. Every letter will help show the judge that the community no longer wants to spend taxpayer money to incarcerate nonviolent Cannabis consumers and producers. Sentencing is scheduled Jan. 9 at the federal courthouse in Seattle. They are requesting your attendance in the courtroom to help show support.
Kettle Falls Family: The remaining members of
the Kettle Falls Five were sentenced Oct. 2. At their trial in March, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on four of the five charges. Ironically, they were found guilty of manufacturing Cannabis of more than 50 plants and under 100 plants, which falls under the legal guidelines of Washington’s medical marijuana program. Rolland Gregg received a sentence of 33 months in prison and three years probation. Gregg’s mother and wife — Michelle Gregg and Rhonda Firestack Harvey — received one-year sentences and three years probation. All three remain free pending appeals. See their Facebook page at facebook.com/KettleFallsFive or go to their website at kettlefallsfive.com to find out what you can do to help.
Martin Nickerson: At the expense of the tax-
payers and all involved, the case against the Bellingham Three has continued — again. Nickerson and his co-defendants have been in the hands of the government for over four years now. Early in October, Nickerson’s property was once again raided by the local sheriff ’s office. No arrests were made at the time. Nickerson has publicly stated he is determined to go to trial. He believes in the power of jury nullification and cannot fathom that the people in his community will find him guilty.
Bernardo Fumo Martinez: Rest in peace, Ber-
nardo Fumo Martinez. Many of you know him as “Fumo” or have one of his Fumo Pipes, but his famous pipes are not the only thing that Fumo is known for. Fumo will be remembered as a friend to our prisoners. He wanted to help end the prohibition on an international level because he believed that no one should go to prison for a plant. The videos Fumo took from around the world will be his special contribution to the movement. Fumo died in late September from cancer. If you would like to donate in honor of Fumo, go to lafumofoundation.org/donate-online.
NATIONAL NEWS Kansas: Shona Banda, mother, author of “Live
Free Or Die” and a longtime Cannabis activist, faces the risk of 30 years in prison for invoking one of her most important human rights: the right to live. Shona’s preliminary hearing is scheduled Nov. 16. Some of her supporters are engaged in intensive outreach, hoping to fill the courtroom with supporters and have a large rally outside the courthouse. Kyler Carriker of Wichita, Kansas, beat a 20-year sentence for a murder he did not commit when a jury acquitted him in July, but he was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute Cannabis. Although Kyler was initially told he would receive a sentence of three years probation without jail time, the judge added a 60-day sentence. Kyler had requested work release, which the judge denied. As a result, Kyler lost his job.
FLORIDA: A Florida couple was rendered home-
less and jobless after being raided in February. Scott and Marsha Yandell each have the medical recommendations required by the state, but they still are facing substantial prison time. They are charged with trafficking, possession with intent to distribute, production of a controlled substance and possession of drug equipment. Their house was ransacked and they were not allowed to return for any belongings or their pets, all based on a 911 call made by a disgruntled “friend” claiming to have heard screams and gunshots coming from the couple’s garage. On Nov. 2, the Yandells will attend a hearing in attempt to have some of their belongings returned. Prosecution intends to bring the couple to trial by December. Their story has many twists and turns riddled with government corruption and misuse of power. For more details and to read the full story, go to tinyurl.com/otflorida. To find out how you can help end prohibition, join hosts Kristin Flor and Eugene Fischer, and the volunteers who helped with this article, for “The Voices of the Cannabis War Radio Show” Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. Visit us online at facebook.com/voicesofwar1. Each week, we discuss the latest news from the front lines of the drug war and bring updates on our Cannabis prisoners. Fnd us by searching CCHI2016 BlogTalkRadio and i-Tunes!
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8 PROFILE
Questions for the biz man brad zusman
Chatting with the CEO and founder of Canna-Daddy’s Wellness Center, Busy Bee Distributing and Blaze Bars about the changing Northwest Cannabis industry.
By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
18/NOV. 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
#1 How did you get involved in the industry and what is your relationship with the plant? I’ve been using Cannabis for 30 years. I started using as a kid in the sense to get high. In the last eight years, Cannabis has changed through extraction, topicals and medibles. It gave me a different option to consume. Today I don’t consume to get high; I consume to make my body feel at ease.
#2 When did you open your first dispensary and how has it changed over time? It opened as Lewis and Clark Collective in May 2013. At that time, my partners dictated what happened. It was more about selling weed than helping patients. Once I separated from them, I switched to the philosophy from my restaurant: learning about the consumer and treating them like a family member. We switched three days before the 3460 licensing, February 26, 2014, and became Canna-Daddy’s Wellness Center. We went from doing $200k a year to $1.8 million in nine months as CannaDaddy’s. By switching names, focusing on advertising, knowledge for budtenders, we gave a different vibe to the patients that came in and treated them with respect, honor, integrity, loyalty: with that, came success. An overnight success.
#3 How has the industry changed since the Oct. 1 recreational shift? I initially lost half my medicinal patient business, but they are starting to come back. Meanwhile, the rec people love it! We have a separation [in the dispensary] with one side medicinal, one side recreational. The hardest part for patients to deal with now is the lines. With our shop, they understand there is no wait for medicine with six budtending stations all day, compared to an average place with only two stations that serve both rec and medical out of the same station. We have seen an average of 400450 visitors a day, with 205 being the most patients we ever saw in a day before the change.
#4 You have faced challenges with owning a dispensary, and that has led you to start a distribution company called Busy Bee Distributing. What drove you to start this Cannabis business model that hasn’t been accomplished in either Washington or Oregon by any company yet? The reason is because Canna-Daddy’s was built on 500 different types of farmers and vendors that made up our inventory. What we saw was the need to take that craft farmer or industrial farmer to a place from the unregulated market to regulated. Busy Bee gives vendors the ability to bring products in like flower, medibles,
tincture or concentrate to a hub where it can be inspected and tested. Then a dispensary owner can come in and purchase product, have it delivered and money handled safely through bank transfer or armored truck service. Our philosophy is the same in the dispensary as in the distribution company. We’re all about bringing people together as one. What has to happen in the industry is really hard, and one thing I want to show through Busy Bee is the right channels needed to go through to develop product and go to market.
#5 In addition to gathering products into one major hub, your distribution model also wants to help companies develop better packaging and compliance, and also get paid in a safer way. Tell us about your services for vendors. People miss the infrastructure it takes to put the product on the market. A lot of vendors’ or farmers’ or processors’ products are in 10-15 dispensaries. We distribute currently to 125, and they get scared because they don’t have sources for continuous oil or product or the ability to service that many accounts. We help sourcing the product and deliver to market. If we have to help them with the design of a logo or packaging, create an ad, help with trademarks, we’re there to assist with more than just sales. We are the whole package, and we want to transfer stoners into the business age and make them successful. The companies that will survive coming changes are the strong players. Not to discredit to anyone, but the unfair reason why big corporations come in and steal the show is organization, balance, and structure, more so they know how to handle growth. A lot of Cannabis companies don’t know how to grow.
#6 What inspired you to launch BLAZE BARS?
THERE WILL BE A NEW CHALLENGE IN EVERY COUNTRY AND STATE UNTIL INTER-STATE COMMERCE IS ALLOWED AND CANNABIS IS DESCHEDULED.
Years ago I had a gourmet BBQ line called Silver Baron Gourmet Sauces that won awards and was sold in Costco, Fred Meyers, Thriftway and many other stores. It taught me how to go out and build slow, and to take a concept from raw to finished product. I had the idea for Blaze Bars ‘cause I was in Denver a few years ago for 420 and I saw the Incredibles brand bars, ate one, and knew because of my culinary background I could create something so much more pleasant. Most medibles on the market aren’t pleasant-tasting, and are inaccurate about
cannabinoid levels. Canna-Daddys.com I spent $52,000 on BusyBeeDist.com R&D before the first Blazebars.com bar sold. I wanted to make sure product to market was what it said on the box, with great flavor and great effect. We use RSO in the candy bar, which has a more soothing/calming effect than BHO. Accuracy and taste was more important than anything in world. The downfall of [too many] medibles is misrepresentation of THC or CBD in the product itself. Misleading products are not good for a dispensary or a budtender, and especially not good for consumers.
#7 are you concerned by the new rules and the changing system for medical and recreational Cannabis? how do you think they will affect the future? What I am learning really quick now is everywhere I go with Blaze Bars, there will be a new challenge in every country and state until inter-state commerce is allowed and Cannabis is descheduled. The new draft rules coming out could destroy the industry for a while. Potentially 80 percent of medibles gone and companies that won’t know how to or be able to comply to new rules. I think the state and regulators need to pay a little more attention to the industry. It’s an injustice to all businesses trying to move the industry forward. Look at all other industries; nothing is as regulated as this. I agree that we need regulation, but it needs to be honorable and integrity-driven.
#8 How has 18 years of experience owning rivers edge cafe and catering prepared you for this industry? I’ve been in the restaurant business for 35 years, and that experience is the reason I excel today in Cannabis. Running a restaurant and catering brought me into every type of industry, to walk through and see different processes from start to finish. Raw to finish. That taught me how to manage a lot of things at one time. I’ve also failed a lot in my life, and every one taught me how to succeed today. I always say this: you have to learn from your failures, because you will never be successful till you understand failure and appreciate success.
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highly likely
By PACER STACKTRAIN for OREGON LEAF photo by Dwight Carter/Random House
Column # 4
Angelou wrote that she moderated her use of Cannabis to avoid the stigmas.
Maya Angelou
In this burgeoning, amazing age of Cannabis legalization in America, it can be easy to forget just how taboo it was to admit to being a consumer of this plant even a few years ago. That’s why we want to highlight amazing Cannabis pioneers throughout history.
in her 86 years with us, there was little Maya Angelou did not do. The author, poet, playwright, actress, director, dancer, professor and civil rights activist was conferred more than 50 honorary degrees throughout her lifetime. She also used Cannabis. In the second installment of her autobiography, (the first being the famous “I know Why The Caged Bird Sings”) “Gather Together in My Name,” Angelou speaks freely about her use of Cannabis in her late teens and early 20s. What’s interesting about her first accounts of using Cannabis (which would have been in the mid-late 1940s) is how positive a light she paints her experience, which would have been quite taboo at the date of publication (1974), especially for such a respected author and poet. “Smoking grass,” Angelou wrote, “eased the strain for me. I made a connection at a restaurant nearby. People called it Mary Jane, hash, grass, gauge, weed, pot, and I had absolutely no fear of using it.” But there’s more; Angelou goes on to describe her experience, which sounds familiar to any of us who have a special bond with this medicine: “From a natural stiffness I melted into a grinning tolerance. Walking on the streets became high adventure, eating my mother’s huge dinners an opulent entertainment, and playing with my son was side-cracking hilarity. For the first time, life amused me.” If you’re one of the millions of people who have looked up to Maya Angelou’s life and work over the years, this admission may come as a bit of a surprise. However, Angelou was truly a responsible user of Cannabis — something we can all look up to. Later on in the chapter she notes: “…I disciplined myself. One joint on Sunday and one
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on the morning of my day off. The weed always had an intense and immediate effect. Before the cigarette was smoked down to roach length, I had to smother my giggles. Just to see the falling folds of the curtains or the sway of a chair was enough to bring me to audible laughter. After an hour the hysteria of the high would abate and I could trust myself in public.” To be sure, a heavy public stigma still remained regarding Cannabis use at the time. In fact, it was more equated to the use of cocaine or heroin back then. While we know that Cannabis and these drugs have very little in common today, it is interesting to note that a truly successful person like Angelou chose to moderate her intake, which is admirable to this author. Was Angelou’s creative genius directly influenced by Cannabis? More likely, Cannabis (like it does for so many of us) was one of the many experiences and gateways that lead to a greater appreciation for life’s simple pleasures, and a dif- 1978, Random House press ferent outlook on the world. For that, we can all “And Still I Rise” be thankful Maya Angelou found this sacred herb. by Maya Angelou
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Going green albany
Strains 4/5 WE QUICKLY NOTICED the shelves are stocked
with quality flowers. Patients are constantly returning for strains like Chernobyl, GDP, Super Lemon Haze, Critical Mass and Querkle. Donations for flower run between $8-12/g depending on quality. Going Green is only serving medical patients at this time due to a city council vote in October to ban recreational sales in Albany (pop. 50,000+)
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Reviewed
By WILL FERGUSON for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN/OREGON LEAF
Edibles 4/5 ALL KINDS of medibles were on the shelves
here. Kannatonic, Vitonic, Dave’s Space Cakes, Fine & Dandies, Chronic Crunch, and Kofi are just a few of the edible companies that supply a variety of medicated options to the dispensary. From coffee to medicated breath mints, patients will surely find what they need in the correct dosage.This is among the larger selections I’ve seen in an Oregon dispensary.
Concentrates 4/5 IF CONCENTRATES are your preferred
medicine, Going Green Albany has you covered with high-quality extracts from vendors such as Looking Glass Extracts, Sirius Extracts, 1859, POP Naturals and Wizard Wax. Concentrates are neatly displayed in a glass case and range from $20-50/g with weekly specials available.
BUBBA DOG
Intense kush fights through insomnia
GROWER UNKNOWN > Bubba Dog is a
THE SCORE
strain we’d never heard of before. aroma: The buds are fluffy, sticky and d en s it y: difficult to break down without the cu re: assistance of a grinder. The cure l o o ks : could have been slightly better as f l avo r : the buds felt moist. We enjoyed ef f ect: this strain out of a clean water pipe. T O TAL : 23/30 The effects and flavor are very reminiscent of the Bubba Kush with a strong sedative stone and intense flavors of funky kush. Given the sedative effects, we recommend this strain to patients who suffer from intense chronic pain, insomnia, eating disorders and anxiety.
25.62% THC // 0.08% CBD TEST results by oregon analytical
SOUR DIESEL WIZARD WAX BHO PROCESSED BY WIZARD WAX > This Sour Diesel
THE SCORE
shatter came neatly packaged in parchment lo o ks: inside a purple envelope. The extract is ef f ec t: extremely transparent and has a light sour ta st e: smell to it. The consistency is pull and snap la b el: and is easy to deal with. We enjoyed this T O TA L: 15.5/20 extract dabbed at a low temperature on a Quave Club banger quartz nail. The sour flavor is subtle with a light hashy flavor on the back end. There is a slight harshness to the extract after the exhale. This concentrate kicks in hard and fast with a cerebral and euphoric head high that will make most patients forget about pain. Given the strong heady effects, we recommend this strain to patients looking for pain relief without the lethargy.
69.06% THC
TEST results by CANNALYTICAL RESEARCH
Environment 4/5
Overall 16/20
A SIMPLE reception area and couch
GOING GREEN ALBANY is a great
greets patients. The hallways and medicine room feel a little bit cramped, but are well-organized. The walls are covered with informative terpene information, test results and cannabinoid profiles that help patients to recognize what works best for their specific needs.
Effective shatter
option for patients who do not want to have to deal with recreational consumers. Located just 20 miles south of Salem, Going Green is a convenient place to stop when passing through or near the Eugene, Ore. area.
GOING GREEN ALBANY
1225 S. Commercial Way SE, Albany Instagram @GoingGreenAlbany (541) 405-8856 (Medical only)
The walls are covered with informative terpene information, test results and cannabinoid profiles that help patients
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..
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harvest feature
GREENLIGHT GARDENS Grants Pass, Oregon
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THE HARVEST ISSUE
14-PG.-SPECIAL INTERVIEWS by
Will Ferguson & Wes Abney
PHOTOS by Daniel Berman and contributors
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harvest
By WILL FERGUSON | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
greenlight gardens is a farm in Southern Oregon
that fuels all of the JollyBee products that are in many Oregon dispensaries. Antonio and Sarah Sandoval operate this garden with the help of some close friends on a property near Grants Pass. When we pulled up, the first thing that caught my eye was the sheer size of these plants; these were definitely the biggest plants I have ever seen, towering at about 13 feet from their raised beds. GreenLight grows a number of potent THC strains such as Northern Lights, Girl Scout Cookies and Cotton Candy Kush that are all grown with Nectar for the Gods nutrients, making them more than safe for extraction and patient consumption. The garden is located on a hill so the plants could be grown in the ideal microclimate and grow to their genetic potential. We also took a peek inside GreenLight’s drying room where they had four huge walls of drying Cannabis from the first cut. Many farms in Southern Oregon will harvest the top colas first in order to give the lower buds sunlight that may have been blocked by the larger colas, and to break up some of the manual labor. GreenLight Gardens’ dedication to clean, sungrown medicine is admirable as they aim to provide some of the highest-quality Cannabis products to Oregon dispensaries
The biggest plants I have ever seen, towering at about 13 feet from their raised beds.
GreenLight Gardens
LOCATION: Grants Pass, Oregon GROWERS: Antonio and Sarah Sandoval STRAINS: Cotton Candy Kush, Northern Lights, Girl Scout Cookies, Rocklock and Red Dragon.
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the green bodhi cbd garden is found just outside
Cheshire, Ore. where John Bayes and his fellow farmers of the Green Bodhi collective are donating this CBD garden to children with severe epilepsy, cancer and other illnesses. The Green Bodhi collective consists of about six farmers that are all dedicated to clean, sustainable and intentional horticulture that produces some of the best medicine on the market. I set off for a walk through the garden. The CBD-rich ACDC gave off an incredibly pungent smell of myrcene; walking through this garden is some serious aroma therapy. The plants stood about four feet tall as they were grown outdoor rather late in the sea-
Green Bodhi Gardens
LOCATION: Cheshire, Oregon owner: John Bayes farmhand: Ischa STRAINS: All CBD strains | ACDC & Cannatonic
son, however, these are some of the most resinous glands we have seen on a sun-grown plant. The small hill where the garden is located creates its own microclimate — too high of an elevation for fog and at the perfect angle for max sun exposure. They cultivate high-CBD ACDC and Cannatonic, which have hefty CBD-to-THC ratios, ideal for children with epilepsy as such strains drastically reduce seizures with its non-psychoactive effects. This high-CBD medicine will be available to parents (21+) free of cost via Calyxes in Southwest Portland.
The small hill where the garden is located creates its own microclimate.
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harvest
By WILL FERGUSON | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
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Morning on the plants and farm
THE CO2 COMPANY’S SWEDEN FARMS has to be one of
the most picturesque farms we visited. The garden is located on a sloping hill with maximum sun exposure and the perfect elevation. A beautiful view of the Siskiyou Mountains acts as the backdrop when looking down the hill at the farm. Guard dogs Roy and Ralphie make sure the perimeter of the farm stays free of intruders and other animals. It was amazing to see CBD plants tower over me knowing who and what they are destined for. When we visited, Mama Lou and crew were taking the first cuts of high-CBD strains that will be available to patients and those 21+ in flower form. The smaller buds and trim will all go to the production of super crucial high-CBD CO2 oil available to OMMP patients only. The CO2 Company’s dedication to providing patients with a discreet way to medicate with CBDs is incredibly admirable as many people need to discretely medicate with CBD throughout the day. While we visited, the Sweden Farms crew worked to take down the first cuts by carrying them in bucketfuls up to a deleafing machine where they would be cleaned up a bit before being hung to dry. The CO2 Company provides high-CBD medicine in different forms to encompass those who benefit from the cannabinoid with different consumption preferences.
A beautiful view of the Siskiyou Mountains acts as the backdrop when looking down the hill at the farm.
Maria Dimich and Nic Fowler trim up
Head CBD Grower Cindy Mama Lou
The CO2 Company
LOCATION: Applegate Valley, Oregon GROWERS: The CO2 Company STRAINS: CBD Diesel, CBD Shark Shock, Girl Scout Cookies, Harley Tsu, Hurkle, Critical Mass
Company founders David, Karen, Ryan and Kevin
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harvest
By WILL FERGUSON | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
oregon cannabis farm’s beautiful grow is located Green Crack
near Eagle Point, Ore. on a large parcel of land. The friendly owner, Brent Kenyon, operates a Cannabis clinic that has more than 15 locations around Oregon, Southern Oregon Alternative Medicine. Kenyon has been farming for more than 15 years and has been involved in the Cannabis industry for more than 25. Kenyon only medicates with outdoor-grown flowers as he feels it is a smoother smoke. “I prefer to smoke sun-grown flowers as I feel the artificial light from indoors makes the plant a harsher smoke,” he said. The garden is located at the bottom of a hillside, which gives an incredible aerial view of the plants. Southern Oregon staple strains, Jäger, Green Crack, and Grape grew in Kenyon’s garden. The Jäger has a beautiful deep purple color to it and smells like black licorice. Walking through the garden made me feel minuscule as these plants towered over me at eight to 10 feet. The plants receive a clean and sustainable nutrient regimen that allows for maximum resin production and growth. Brent has helped patients for more than 25 years, and he doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.
Oregon Cannabis Farms Jäger
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LOCATION: Eagle Point, Oregon OWNEr: Brent Kenyon STRAINS: Jager, Green Crack
“I’m trying to grow craft strains that discerning connoisseurs will come back for.”
dirty arm farm is a light deprivation greenhouse
Dirty Arm Farm
LOCATION: West of Jacksonville, Oregon growers: Jamie (owner), Dave (assistant grower) STRAINS: Obama Kush, Key Lime Pie, Tangie, Super Lemon Haze, Gorilla Glue #4
Jamie takes a smoke break
nestled among the hills west of Jacksonville, where owner Jamie is dedicated to producing clean, quality organic Cannabis products. Dirty Arm Farm is vertically integrated as they produce their own flower, concentrates and edibles for patients and Oregon dispensaries. Jamie’s products are consistently some of the best out there, always made with high-quality ingredients and starting material. Once we stepped inside the greenhouse (admire the interior photo across from editor note pg. 9.), we were greeted by a wind tunnel that continually channeled fresh air to the plants. All of the strains
Super Lemon Haze
towered over us, with the biggest being a dense Super Lemon Haze plant that touched the top of the greenhouse. All the strains have incredible terpene profiles from Tangie to Super Lemon Haze. “I’m trying to grow craft strains that discerning connoisseurs will come back for,” Jamie said. Everything is grown in a no-till soil system with three rows of large soil beds. Lights hang from the top of Agent the greenhouse ready to kick Orange Shatter on just long enough to keep the plants in 12/12. Jamie grows ultra clean flowers by using wild plant ferment teas and other locally sourced nutrients. Everything that feeds his plants is gathered from the surrounding land. Dirty Arm Farm’s concentrates are consistently some of the most flavorful on the market as Jamie utilizes a closed-loop system and his clean, pesticide-free starting material. Dirty Arm also makes a potent medicated syrup called Sizzurp that is created from excellent dabbable BHO and is available in Oregon dispensaries.
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harvest
By WILL FERGUSON PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
green source gardens is a no-till farm nestled in
the hills outside Jacksonville, Ore. The owners Nick and Elizabeth are dedicated to clean, sustainable farming that involves a recycled soil system. The soil at Green Source Gardens already contains all the nutrients necessary to grow highgrade Cannabis with a “feed the soil, not the plant” philosophy. In fact, Nick and Elizabeth have managed to replace one of their core organic nutrients by planting comfrey around the plants, which is a natural source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Green Source grows a wide variety of exotic strains that we have never seen in any other garden. Purple ETV, Black Jack, and Fat Stacks are just a few of the strains grown at Green Source with new crosses made every year. When we visited, most of the strains were just finishing up with their leaves fading out beautifully into fall colors. The smells coming off these plants were unexplainable with unique terpene profiles from strains like Divine Wine x Black Goo, Pinkleberry Kush and Purple ETV. Three small gardens are located on the property, each with different varieties of strains. My favorite strain I saw growing was the Divine Wine, which was so purple that it almost looked black. Nick, Elizabeth and Daniel’s commitment to sustainable, high-quality Cannabis farming is admirable in an industry that’s growing.
Camouflaged
Most of the strains were just finishing up with their leaves fading beautifully into fall colors.
Green Source Gardens
LOCATION: Outside Jacksonville, Oregon GROWERS: Owners Nick & Elizabeth Luca-Mahmood and General Manager Daniel Richardson STRAINS: Purple ETV, Pinkleberry Kush, Black Jack, Fat Stacks, Blackberry Romulan
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Pinkleberry Kush
Nick in the drying room
Divine Wine x Black Goo
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harvest
By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by JEREMY BRONSON for OREGON LEAF
Eugene
JERRY NORTON FOUNDER, American Hemp Seed Genetics
#1 When did you first get involved with Hemp?
#3 did the state make it hard to navigate the politics of legal hemp?
I tried opening a hemp store 10 years ago at the Lancaster mall in Salem. Within a month I had to shut it down. There was no demand. I was way ahead of my time. More recently I got involved with hemp 18 months ago when I realized there were licenses available in Oregon. They had a licensing period where it was basically a license available to be hemp handler and grower, and I applied for both.
The Department of Agriculture came out four different times to test our crop and make sure it wasn’t over the .3%percent THC limit. Our product came in at .0035 percent THC, so it’s no different than hemp products from Whole Foods, except this had almost 9 percent CBD. The only weird regulation was that the DOA wanted a 14-day notice of when we were going to harvest. You can’t do that as farmer, when hemp is ready to harvest you need a couple or three days to harvest, you can’t predict weather. It’s mother nature man.
#2 What was the learning curve OR HARDEST PART OF growing hemp? Getting the seeds was the hardest part. I know a grower whose seeds are stuck in customs at the Port of Portland and he doesn’t think he’ll ever get them back. I worked with Oregon State University in the beginning, but they couldn’t source seeds either. Eventually we found a source in Eastern Europe.
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#4 When did you plant your seeds, how does it compare to Cannabis? We ran a sea of green on two and a half acres and 500 plants from seed in a greenhouse and got them outside in July. This was the first viable hemp farm in Oregon in 100 years. It was more natural farming practices than Cannabis.
This was the first viable hemp farm in Oregon in 100 years.
#5 What is your end use for the hemp that you grow out there? We are doing what is called quad-cropping, using the entire plant for many purposes. The seeds become food or oil or are used to plant for the next year, the stalks are ground up to make hempcrete for building, and the colas are ran with super critical CO2 to extract CBD for patients. I started a company called American Hemp Seed Genetics and my goal is to supply farmers with seed the way my family distributed grass seed generations ago.
#6 What do you see as the future of hemp in Oregon? I think we have a real bright future because we have a lot of vertical integration from other states wondering what and how we are doing and how we write laws. That’s exciting for me because Oregon can maybe set the tone here. I have over 100 articles from Oregon archives news that show that you had to grow and
pay taxes with hemp. 1800s- tugboats came through PDX and took seed out of the valley. Shiploads — tons upon tons. And we need to be doing that again. We need to switch from importing 80 percent of our hemp to making our own and exporting.
#7 any closing thoughts about hemp? Why are you so passionate? This is one of humanity’s longest utilized plants, poised to revitalize the United States. Thomas Jefferson composed the declaration of independence on it, colonists paid taxes with it, Betsy Ross made the first flag out of it. We can use it for food, fiber, industrial use, and to make medicine for patients. It is the ultimate cash crop and the best source of food, fiber and oil on the planet. Isn’t that beautiful? I am really excited to keep growing this plant and work to help other farmers start growing as well!
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feature harvest
STORY & PHOTOS by BOB MONTOYA for OREGON LEAF
emerald twist sits on 20 acres of prime Southeast
Washington savanna producing 800 pounds of Cannabis for recreational outlets from Bellingham to Vancouver, Wash. The operation is a statelicensed grow facility near Goldendale, Wash., a certified organic and certified Kind farm. Jerry and his crew are former medical growers and thus have strains that will be of use to medicinal patients who have to use recreational outlets when the state monopoly closes their safe access points this summer. The drive out to this facility follows the Columbia River that separates Washington and Oregon. Spectacular vistas on state highway 14 and the climb up out of the gorge to Goldendale is a pleasure in itself; you will see firsthand the area’s rich energy resources with hydroelectric and wind-generated energy. The crew are expert grower/producers. I drove up to the farm for 4:20 the day before the shoot. I wanted to get a good start at sunrise as the garden came into view. My hosts had a bunk for me and a seat at their table. Conversation went far into the night as we discussed the new schedule of harvesting compared to last year when my son and I shot all 32 of their strains. The staff is more mature than last year. The art of curing and burping the crop has become much less tedious and labor-intensive, with no heavy pretrim by machines; it is all done by hand now. As patients, we’re in good hands with this operation’s eye on what is really important in the new Cannabis marketplace. This true medicine is available at the two Bellingham locations of 2020 Solutions, at 420 West and 420 Carpenter in Olympia and New Vansterdam in Vancouver, WA.
I drove up to the farm for 4:20 the day before the shoot.
Emerald Twist
LOCATION: Columbia Gorge area, Washington GROWERS: Jerry and crew STRAINS: 32 recreational varieties
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By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
Carey Bray
Earth Rising Farm
LOCATION: Columbia Gorge area, Washington GROWERS: Carey and Miranda Bray STRAINS: Deadhead OG, Blue City Diesel,
Grandaddy Purple and Mount Hood
Alaskan Thunder Fuck, Grandaddy Purple
Earth Rising Farm sits due north
Granddaddy Purple is one of our favorite strains and she is still going strong, with big chunky colas.
of Mount Hood, with rows of Cannabis plants and greenhouses full of organic vegetables on a south-facing hillside in beautiful Southern Washington, at 2,000 feet in elevation. Their soil starts out with natural tea blends and worm castings from Microbial Solutions, and the farm is 100 percent sustainable for Cannabis, turning leftover leaves and stems into compost for vegetables. This is a Cannabis naturalist's dream, one that owners and growers Carey and Miranda Bray have grown to love. “Hands-on, being out under the sun is my passion. Prior to 502, we ran our CSA organic farm for providing veggies to 20-25 families. Recently we decided to take on this venture [502 Cannabis growing],” Carey explained. “I just love working with plants. That's my zen every day: thinking of nothing except plants.” The family farm got their final license last
August, growing a shortened but successful crop that fall. The 2015 season was more promising, with plants put in the ground in early May. Carey chose mostly faster-flowering strains like Deadhead OG, Blue City Diesel and Alaskan Thunder Fuck. Those strains were cut down in early September, but at the time of our shoot, one strain was still standing proud. “The Granddaddy Purple is one of our favorite strains and she is still going strong, with big chunky colas,” Carey said proudly. “We take our time on everything, handtrimming and watering, even hand-rolling all our joints. We’re kinda old school.” The estimated 100-pound crop will round out the Tier 1’s outdoor production, and be sold to two shops in Southern Washington. “Amy at Green Head in Vancouver and Margies Pot Shop nearby take a different approach with a main focus to support small-scale farms and
people that do unique things. That store, the product goes to a good place, not just turn burn, focus on quality and people. A different approach. We went into this together; there’s not a lot of product being sold but building relationships with people, selling your product and working with them as a team is the most beneficial thing any farm can do.” Many would say that the Bray's are living the dream. And in many ways they represent the future of Cannabis as legalization spreads across the country: more family-owned farms taking on their economic, food and medical needs independently. “Being one with the plants hands down is my favorite part. It feels right to either make really good food for people to eat and keep family healthy as well as this herb that is very powerful and has a lot of medicinal benefits. It's the right thing to do.”
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We recommend this strain to patients looking for an active and creative high
Chernobyl // 40/nov. 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
OREGON LEAF
STRAIN OF THE MONTH By WILL FERGUSON | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
i don’t necessarily
23.23% THC 0.19% CBD Passes microbial standard
Golden Ticket
agree with naming strains after nuclear disasters, but this strain is one of the most resinous cuts out there. When we opened the jar to examine the buds, we were hit in the face with a lemon meringue-like terpene profile. This strain has a nice structure with long spearlike nugs that are neither too airy nor too dense. The buds are absolutely caked in resin, looking like someone spilled a bag of sugar all over them. We broke down a few buds for a joint and were very impressed with the cure. The flowers are sticky, but not moist and undercured and easily snap off the stem. The joint burned a very clean white ash, suggesting a proper flush. Organic growing methods with plant-based nutrients ensure that the flower is clean before consumption by patients. While smoking two joints we began to feel a powerful euphoric, cerebral high that really invigorated our senses, making our hike much more enjoyable and visually stimulating. This strain has a nice body effect as well, numbing us from the body pains endured while out hiking. We recommend this strain to patients looking for an active, euphoric, and creative high that is particularly useful for patients suffering from depression, fatigue, stress and digestive disorders such as IBD or Crohn’s. The Chernobyl from Organabis Farms is available at Herbal Remedies in Salem, Ore., along with this farm’s other staple strains, which include Dogwalker, Blue City Diesel, LA Affie, and Oregon Diesel.
GROWN by @ORGANABIS_FARMS Available From Herbal Remedies
340 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, OR 97301 Facebook.com/HerbalRemediesOMMP
Tested by Oregon Analytical Services
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recipes
By LAURIE WOLF for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF for OREGON LEAF
It’s hard to ignore Thanksgiving when thinking about infused recipes for the month of November. So many opportunities and only one day. I have decided to go with hors’ d’oeuvres, with the thought that if you indulge at the start of the meal, the benefits will come in around dessert: maybe during your first bite of pumpkin pie. Don’t do what I did and forget to put the sugar in the pie; that was brutal. Happy Thanksgiving from Laurie and Mary Jane.
MEGASTUFFED SHROOMS These appetizers are savory and a perfect way to begin a medicated Thanksgiving!
1. Heat oven to 340. Place the mushroom caps on a baking sheet with raised sides. 2. Heat oils in a medium skillet. Add onion and cook 4-5 min. Add pepper and cook 5 more min. 3. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until well-mixed. If too dry, add more regular olive oil. Place the ingredients in a bowl. Add in the cream cheese, sage, salt and pepper and mix well.
4. Stuff the mushrooms and bake about 12-15 minutes until dark golden brown.
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INGREDIENTS
*
16 white mushrooms, caps removed, stems trimmed and chopped 2 tablespoons canna-oil 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons cream cheese ½ teaspoon sage Salt and pepper
Makes 8 servings
> more medicated recipes pg.46
recipes
By LAURIE WOLF for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF for OREGON LEAF
Continued from pg. 44
GARLIC SHRIMP SKEWERS
CHUNKY FRESH ENDIVE A light and flavorful vegetable option to try this year
INGREDIENTS
*
24 endive leaves, trimmed 3 ounces goat cheese, softened 2 ounces blue cheese, softened 2 tablespoons canna-butter, softened Chives, cut in pieces Lemon zest
Makes 8 servings
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1. Place the endive leaves on your favorite work surface.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, blue cheese and the canna-butter and mix well.
3. Place a heaping teaspoon
of the cheese mixture on the endive, toward the end. Sprinkle with the chives and the grated lemon zest.
INGREDIENTS
*
40 shrimp, peeled, cleaned 2 tablespoons canna-olive oil 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 6 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced thin 3 tablespoons capers 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper Salt and pepper to taste
Serves 8
1. Place five shrimp each onto 8 wooden skewers.
2. In a large sauté pan,
heat the oils and butter. Add the shrimp and sauté until light pink and no longer translucent, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside the shrimp.
3. Add garlic & sauté on low/med. heat 7-9 min.
until tender & golden. Don’t let garlic burn.
4. Add the capers and the crushed red pepper. Return the shrimp to
the pan, add salt and pepper to taste. Heat for a minute or two. Place a skewer on each plate and drizzle with the oil, capers and garlic.
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TASTY
Reviews
By WILL FERGUSON for OREGON LEAF Photos by Daniel Berman
THESE GUMMIES ARE GREAT FOR PATIENTS EXPERIMENTING WITH THEIR TOLERANCE
ONE OF THE HEALTHIEST LIQUID EDIBLES IN OREGON DISPENSARIES
GOLDEN DRAGON GINGER ALE Tested by Rose City Laboratories
by MED WItH LOVE, $12
145mg THC, 14mg CBD per bottle
This ginger ale from Golden Dragon has got to be one of, if not the
healthiest liquid edible in Oregon dispensaries. This naturally fermented probiotic soda is loaded with millions of beneficial digestive bacteria and a bit of THC too. We consumed the entire drink in one sitting, and found it to be rather tasty. THE SCORE The ginger flavor is not too overVa l ue: powering and the carbonation is ta s t e : at the perfect level. About an hour after consuming the soda, we beEffe c t: gan to feel a nice mellow buzz. Packaging: The high is primarily sedative as Ov e ra l l : 16/20 we were couch-locked for the rest of the night. We recommend this edible to patients who suffer from chronic pain and insomnia as it has strong body-relieving effects. Golden Dragon has other varieties of medicated probiotic drinks that we look forward to trying as well. Available at Going Green Albany
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FRUIT GUMMIES Tested by OG Analytical
by Cannavore, $14
132mg THC per 10-pack, 10.3mg per gummie
Cannavore Fruit Gummies come in a variety of colored squares
all dosed to roughly 10mg each. The packaging is snazzy as the gummies come packaged in a state-compliant plastic package with a very clean and informative label. We consumed the entire bag, and to be honest, we weren’t really fans of the texture of the edible. The gummies are firm, not very chewy, and have a strong canna taste that makes them rather hard THE SCORE to enjoy as candy but efffective Value: medicine. We felt a noticeeable taste: buzz about an hour after consuming. This edible is great for Effect: patients experimenting with Packaging: their tolerance but just didn’t Overall: 16/20 do the trick for a heavy ingester. Available at Canna-Daddy’s
concentrates
By WILL FERGUSON
@710ENDENCIES | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
The effects are very sedating and great for appetite stimulation as we found ourseleves raiding the kitchen soon after dabbing.
PROCESSED BY NW KIND
BUBBA KUSH Shatter As many of you may know, it is sometimes difficult to come
across an extract that is able to perfectly concentrate all of the desirable aspects of a strain. The terpenes and effect are a perfect representation of the Bubba Kush flower I had previously smoked. The extract was packaged in parchment paper inside of a black envelope meeting state regulations, which was a nice change of pace from their previous packaging inside plastic containers. NW Kind primarily grows their own strains for extraction, ensuring a clean, quality product from start to finish. Their house strains include XJ-13, Super Lemon Haze, Trinity, Pure Kush and Blackberry Kush, ensuring that their patients get a nice variety of uplifting and sedative effects. The shatter is an incredibly light, golden and transparent color that is easy to work with. We took a few dabs off of a quartz nail and noticed a very mild terpene profile that was extremely smooth on the inhale and exhale. The terpene profile is reminiscent of kush and pinene as the extract has a subtle floral flavor to it. The effects are very sedating and great for appetite stimulation as we found ourselves raiding the kitchen soon after dabbing. Given the sedating and appetite-stimulating effects, we recommend this strain to patients suffering from eating disorders, stress, anxiety and chronic pain. NW Kind extracts and flower are available at numerous shops throughout Oregon, making their products available to many patient demographics.
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TEST RESULTS
73.03% THC THE SCORE
Valu e: taste: Effect: Packaging: Overall: 16/20
TESTING by CASCADIA LABS
Reviews
By STEVE ELLIOTT Editor, Tokesignals.com
Drugs are NOT the Devil’s Tools Vol. 1 & 2
T
he origins of drug laws in the United States are fascinating, and marijuana’s prohibition had very little to with its medicinal and stress-relieving properties, according to Dr. David Bearman, author of “Drugs are NOT the Devil’s Tools,” a comprehensive two-volume work. “History,” Dr. Bearman writes, “indicates it was economics and greed.” Bearman’s chronology details the events leading up to the development of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. The legislation, which prohibited the consumption of Cannabis and heavily taxed the sale of hemp, was driven by certain business interests and was promoted with rhetoric fueled by racial prejudice. “The laws were clearly aimed at demonizing and controlling minorities and other ‘undesirables,’” Bearman writes. Former alcohol “revenuer” and prohibitionist Henry J. Anslinger was appointed director of the newly formed Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs agency in 1930. The FBN was responsible for enforcing federal drug laws against heroin, opium and cocaine, but not Cannabis because it was not considered a dangerous drug. In 1933, Anslinger launched a national propaganda campaign, speaking across the country and writing many commentaries in newspapers and magazines — with assistance from the Hearst syndicate — against what he called the evils of
“marihuana” or marijuana. Most people did not know “marijuana” was Cannabis. Anslinger asserted a bogus relationship between marijuana (never using the word Cannabis) with murder, mayhem, Mexicans, Negroes and jazz. Anslinger worked hard to associate the word “marijuana” with depraved behavior and heinous acts. He was a great publicist, but also an unprincipled liar and racist. The alleged acts were trumpeted in lurid magazine articles he authored, including “Youth Gone Loco” and “Sex-Crazing Drug Menace.” His most well-known article was probably “Marijuana — Assassin of Youth”, which appeared in the America Magazine in 1937. In it, Anslinger wrote: “No one knows, when he places a marijuana cigarette to his lips, whether he will become philosopher, a joyous reveler in a musical heaven, a mad insensate, a calm philosopher, or a murderer.” This racist propaganda assault culminated in the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. Dr. Bearman reveals that from the Marihuana Tax Act in 1937, to Nixon’s War on Drugs, to the present, those behind the promotion and passage of U.S. drug laws often had a vested interest, usually financial or political or both. “Drugs are NOT the Devil’s Tools” is a well-researched look into the origin of United States drug laws. Dr. Bearman shows how, through intertwining motives of discrimination and greed, often
under the guise of morality, the government has created a drug policy that is completely dysfunctional. As he points out, our drug laws have been very effective in further marginalizing already discriminated-against groups and a total failure in every other respect. Dr. Bearman shows that there has rarely been a civilization in the history of mankind that has not used some form of mind-altering substance. He also demonstrates that the very real medical properties of Cannabis were recognized thousands of years ago and describes the useful medical properties of opium, coca, alcohol and spices.
“Drugs are NOT the Devil’s Tools” is a well-researched look into the origin of United States drug laws. Dr. Bearman shows how, through intertwining motives of discrimination and greed, often under the guise of morality, the government has created a drug policy that is completely dysfunctional. By DAVID BEARMAN, M.D. | BLUE POINT BOOKS, 2015 | $50 FOR BOTH VOLUMES IN BLACK & WHITE /$90 FOR COLOR VERSIONS
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health & science
PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
ATTITUDE GRATITUDE of
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING APPRECIATIVE Every year, Americans gather together to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Robert Emmons, perhaps the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, argues that gratitude has two key components, which It’s a holiday for giving thanks to the good things in life and celhe describes in a Greater Good essay, “Why Gratitude Is Good.” ebrating friends, family and connection. But such feelings need BY OREGON LEAF “First,” he writes, “it’s an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that not be limited to just one day or event. One can cultivate gratSPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve reitude and directly experience the interconnectedness of all life. DR. SCOTT D. ROSE ceived.” In the second part of gratitude, he explains, “we recogThere are remarkable findings for just how powerful having nize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves… an attitude of gratitude can be. Gratitude is an emotion expressWe acknowledge that other people — or even higher powers, if ing appreciation for what one has, as opposed to an emphasis on you’re of a spiritual mindset — gave us many gifts, big and small, to what one wants or doesn’t have. help us achieve the goodness in our lives.” As author Eckhart Tolle says, “Acknowledging the good that you alEmmons and other researchers see the social dimension as being especialready have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” The practice of ly important to gratitude. “I see it as a relationship-strengthening emotion,” gratitude is not in any way a denial of life’s difficulties. We live in troubling writes Emmons, “because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported times, and no doubt, many challenges, uncertainties and disappointments and affirmed by other people.” Because gratitude encourages us not only to are experienced.
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appreciate gifts but to repay them (or pay them HOW TO BE forward), the sociologist Georg Simmel called GRATEFUL: it “the moral memory of mankind.” A large body of literature is mounting that Notice your day-to-day world suggests that people who are more grateful from a point of gratitude and have higher levels of subjective well-being. be amazed at all the goodGrateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed and happier with their lives and ness we take for granted. relationships with other people. Gratitude may Savor the good in your life serve as a buffer by enhancing the coding and — don’t just gloss over the retrievability of positive experiences. Gratitude is getting a great deal of attention as a facet beauty and pleasures that of a new branch of psychology called positive come your way. psychology. Keep a gratitude journal. All Positive psychology is the scientific study of it requires is noting one or the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the more things you are grateful belief that people want to lead meaningful and for on a daily basis. fulfilling lives to cultivate what is best within Write a gratitude letter to themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work and play. This field uses the scientific someone in your life you’ve understanding and effective intervention to aid never properly thanked. in the achievement of a satisfactory life, rather Share at least one good thing than treating mental illness. Positive psychology focuses on growth rather that happened to you recently than on pathology, as is common among other or your favorite part of the frameworks within the field of psychology. It is day at the next lunch or meal. a call for psychological science and practice to be as concerned with strength as with weakGive at least one compliment ness; as interested in building the best things in daily. It can be to a person life as in repairing the worst; and as concerned or it can be asking someone with making the lives of normal people fulfillto share your appreciation of ing as with healing pathology. something else. Gratitude has been said to have one of the strongest links with mental health of any other When you find yourself in a character trait. Numerous studies suggest that bad situation ask: What can grateful people are more likely to have highI learn? When I look back on er levels of happiness and lower levels of stress this, without emotion, what and depression. Studies have shown that we will I be grateful for? can deliberately cultivate gratitude, and can increase our well-being and happiness by doing Vow to not complain, criticize so. Grateful people have more positive ways or gossip for 10 days. If you of coping with the difficulties they experience slip, rally your willpower and in life. Grateful people are less likely to try to keep going for 10 more days. avoid the problem, rely on negative coping mechanicms, deny there is a problem, blame Notice the amount of energy themselves or dive into substance use. you were spending on negaGrateful people sleep better, and this seems tive thoughts and actions. to be because they think fewer negative and more positive thoughts before going to sleep. Become involved in a cause In addition, gratefulness — and especially exthat is important to you. pression of it to others — is associated with increased energy, optimism and empathy. While many emotions and personality traits are important to well-being, good evidence suggests gratitude may be uniquely important. Gratitude is viewed as a desired human propensity in the Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Baha’i and Hindu traditions. Worship with gratitude to a god, higher power, or something outside of self is a common theme in
such religions and therefore, the concept of gratitude permeates religious texts, teachings and traditions. For this reason, it is one of the most common emotions that religions aim to provoke and maintain in followers and is regarded as a universal religious sentiment. Spirituality and gratitude recently became popular subjects of study. While these two characteristics are certainly not dependent on each other, studies have found that spirituality is capable of increasing a person’s ability to be grateful and therefore, those who regularly attend religious services or engage in religious activities are more likely to have a greater sense of gratitude in all areas of life. The Buddhist practice of cultivating gratitude is said to lead to the direct experience of the interconnectedness of all of life. Practicing mindfulness of gratitude consistently leads to an experience of being connected to life and the realization that your personal story is unfolding in a larger context. Being relieved of the endless wants and worries of your life’s drama, even temporarily, is liberating. It also elicits feelings of generosity, which create further joy. Having access to the joy and wonderment of life is the antidote to feelings of scarcity and loss. The understanding you gain from practicing gratitude frees you from being lost or identified with either the negative or the positive aspects of life, letting you simply meet life in each moment as it rises. In some Buddhist traditions, there’s a prayer in which one makes a rather unusual request of the universe: Bring me challenges and obstacles. “In certain temples that I’ve been to, there’s actually a prayer that you make asking for difficulties,” Western Buddhist master Jack Kornfield said during an interview with the Huffington Post. “May I be given the appropriate difficulties so that my heart can truly open with compassion. Imagine asking for that.” Trained in monasteries in India, Thailand and Burma, Kornfield has studied and taught meditation for more than 40 years, pioneering and transmitting ancient Buddhist spiritual teachings to a modern Western audience. So what’s one of Kornfield’s secrets to abundant gratitude? Don’t take life so seriously, or get so wrapped up in your own everyday dramas that you forgot to see the beauty that surrounds you. “This life is a test — it is only a test,” Kornfield wrote in “A Path With Heart.” “If it had been an actual life, you would have received further instructions on where to go and what to do. Remember, this life is only a test.” Cultivating an opening to gratitude helps us become more mindful of life all around us and the circumstance we’re in. Roman philosopher Cicero wrote that “gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.” Multiple studies show a correlation between gratitude and increased well-being for individuals as well as recipients of gratitude. Once neglected by psychology, much progress has been made in recent years in studying gratitude and its positive effects. So this year, when gathering for your Thanksgiving celebration by sitting at the table giving thanks, counting blessings or how ever it is done where you are; remember it is all about gratitude. And gratitude is about receiving and giving back. Gratitude is a process and a practice, not just an event. With practice, gratitude can be cultivated within and can change your attitude to gratitude where the benefits are limitless.
Grateful people sleep better, have higher levels of happiness and report less stress at work.
Dr. Scott D. Rose has written about Cannabis and health for years in the pages of Northwest Leaf and Oregon Leaf. He is an acupuncturist with a pain resolution clinic in the Crown Hill area of Seattle.
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Tel Aviv, Israel
FROM OREGON TO ISRAEL
AN INTERVIEW WITH JEREMY PLUMB AFTER A TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST, BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF CANNABIS RESEARCH ON THE WEST COAST
IN
September 2015, Jeremy Plumb and East Coast
active compound in Cannabis: Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. He synthesized THC and did the same with cannabidiol, medical Cannabis ally Lauren Silberman made the By commonly known as CBD. Dr. Mechoulam helped coixn journey to Tel Aviv to meet with distinguished SIMONE FISCHER the term “endocannabinoid system,” which describes the Cannabis researchers and “explore connections for relationship between Cannabis and the receptors (CB1, and build bridges between the medical Cannabis OREGON LEAF CB2) within the human body. Dr. Mechoulam has been research communities between Oregon and Israel.” Cannabis titled as “the Grandfather of Cannabis research” for his work research is legal in Israel and has been conducted since the on Cannabis, dating all the way back to early 1962. early 1960s. Plumb and Silberman wanted to further the Dr. Mechoulam is one of the leading champions of singledialogue on medical Cannabis after Oregon’s recent legalization. metabolite Cannabis research, or understanding how THC or I was lucky enough to snag an interview with Plumb on his CBD work alone without additional minor cannabinoids like experience abroad furthering medical Cannabis research. Plumb is CBC or CBG. Plumb ventured to Israel in order to study the currently the president of Farma and Newcleus Nurseries in Portland. clinical way Cannabis research is conducted, to eventually apply Despite the recent monetary success numerous Oregon dispensaries to multi metabolite (whole-plant) medicine, which includes minor have experienced since rec sales began Oct. 1, remaining medical cannabinoids mentioned above. marijuana dispensaries instead struggle to find the funds to sustain In Oregon, medical marijuana is drastically underfunded and medical marijuana in Oregon. Eighty-five percent of Oregon in need of a major overhaul in terms of leadership and overall dispensaries (including Farma) have opted into recreational sales. direction. Plumb believes that by doing more research and applying The masses rejoice, but many fear for the longevity of the medical an evidence-based approach, we will be able to illustrate a far more program and its community. Knowingly, Plumb flew to Israel to detailed and useful array of therapeutic effects than we find now. better understand and legitimize the medical benefit of whole-plant Further, there are business models by which research facilities can Cannabis in the United States. compassionately provide low- to no-cost medicine to those the most Plumb met with Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, a revered organic in need. The medical community can redeem and fund itself, while chemist and professor of medicinal chemistry at Hebrew University co-existing with the rapidly emerging legal adult market. of Jerusalem in Israel. Dr. Mechoulam is credited with discovering the
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PHOTO BY FLICKR/ILIRJAN RRUMBULLAKU
health & science
Jeremy Plumb
highs, and indicas for relaxing, sedative highs used to treat physical pain. Plumb and many researchers agree this practice is an archaic way of understanding the therapeutic effects of Cannabis. Instead, research suggests looking at the cannabinoid levels of strains when looking to treat health conditions with Cannabis. Meaning understanding how cannabinoids help mitigate certain diseases will be key to successfully treating problems. Rather than seeking out strains based on anecdotal evidence, patients would instead learn what cannabinoids help their specific issues and look for strains high in those cannabinoids.
and patients with neurological disease like multiple sclerosis (MS) are treated with CBD. THC has antidote-like qualities we have yet to understand. Medicinal marijuana has a lot of value in helping to control pain without opioid use.” On the topic of single versus multimetabolite Cannabis research, Dr. Hick believes single metabolite research was needed to map out how everything (THC) worked. As more research is conducted, multi-metabolite research will be needed to show what cannabinoid interactions help specific health issues, or diseases. Understanding and potentially harnessing the entourage effect might lead to the best Cannabis treatment in the future. In Israel, only eight Cannabis license holders exist. Knowledge on single metabolite Cannabis research is extensive, but knowledge and nuance is left unknown in regards to multi-metabolite Cannabis research. Oregon is currently poised to be the next world leader to tackle fullspectrum cannabinoid studies. Human consumption for adults is now legal. Many longtime OMMP patients feel bittersweet about the direction of the newly legal movement. Some fear medicine shortages, price increases and extended wait times, or the complete dissolution of OMMA itself. Plumb’s response was sensitive to the new anxiety and fear existing within the OMMP community. His caveat was this: “I think a lot of the world views medical marijuana as a Trojan horse to achieve adult use. But we can use adult use to be the Trojan horse in ensuring that Cannabis becomes well-established as a reliable and fundamentally important source of wellness and self care in the world.” Plumb discovered a silver lining many have yet to realize: Oregon is ready to pioneer Cannaresearch for years to come.
In order to optimize whole-plant medicine (or multi-metabolite research), a scientific evidence-based model must The bridge between medical be applied in the same way single-metabolite Cannabis is In Israel, there are only eight research and Cannabis is already beginning to materialize. I spoke studied. The entourage effect Cannabis licenses. Oregon is with John Hicks, a medical doctor is a term used to describe poised to be the next world in Oregon with more than thirty the way major and minor cannabinoids interact with leader to tackle full-spectrum years of experience in integrated holistic health. Hicks is also the each other. When isolated, cannabinoid studies. author of “The Medicinal Power most minor cannabinoids like of Cannabis: Using a Natural CBG (or cannabigerol) do Herb to Heal Arthritis, Nausea, Pain, and not have much impact in comparison to THC. Other Ailments.” Greater effect is found when all cannabinoids His book provides examples of how medical work together synergistically, providing extra research needs to desperately catch up to this benefits when combined. widespread cultural shift in perception of Basically, Plumb is calling for the need using Cannabis as medicine. of scientifically validated multi-metabolite When speaking with Dr. Hicks on the Cannabis research to show potential medicinal topic of medical marijuana, he believes benefits. Portland hosts a science university physician education on Cannabis is a central home to some of the best family medicine issue. “Pushing for physician-by-physician in the nation. Doernbecher is one of the top education, and understanding how Cannabis children’s hospitals in the country to boot. interacts with other medications will be vital Creating dialogue between the medical to the medical community,” Hicks said. marijuana community and Oregon Health and “Many M.D.s don’t realize the spectrum Science University would be a great start. and value of medicinal marijuana. Mental The documentary “The Scientist,” starring anxiety is a number-one diagnosis today. Dr. Mechoulam, shows a scene where he Trying to find a way to intrude these issues solemnly jokes that if he was a lab rat, he could without side effects or addiction is key. be virtually cured of anything. Rats are tested, Patients with cancer are treated with THC, and treated for epilepsy, ALS, MS and cases of cancer with Cannabis, yet humans cannot reap these benefits at this point in time in Israel and much of the United States. Dr. Mechoulam says with a heavy heart, despite his groundbreaking research, “I guess, I do not have much influence on oncologists.” Legalization came through patient-activist efforts, on the backs of sick people looking for relief from long-term, autoimmune or terminal illnesses without risking jail time. Before Cannabis research was available, many patients used certain strains to treat their Simone Fischer is a Portland OMMP patient and Cannabis advocate. She is a contributing editor problems. Sativas for cerebral, mood-elevating at Ladybud Magazine and a graduate of women’s and gender studies from Portland State University.
Legalization came through patient-activist efforts, on the backs of sick people looking for relief from long-term, autoimmune or terminal illnesses without risking jail time.
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Feature
Every issue, we’ll explore how growers are crafting strains with the goal of helping specific needs, not necessarily obtaining the highest yields.
STORY & PHOTOS by BOB MONTOYA for OREGON LEAF
Micro strains My journey this month took me to Portland,
where I met Alan Penson, the owner of Skyline Medicinal Growers. Skyline takes care of 15 patients and three dispensaries in Portland. Growing indoors and out, they provide consistent high quality medical Cannabis.
The strains I selected from their invento-
ry are heavy-hitters in the pain and sedation field. The fall brings lower barometric pressures with cold and wet that seem to aggravate joint pain and old injuries. It takes just the right combination of THC/CBD to deal with pressure pains.
Lamb’s Bread is a solid sativa with very little
CBD. It can provide the lift needed to rise above the anxiety driven by dreary weather and the aches and pains that seem to come with it. A lifting and energizing feeling to break away from the doldrums of fall is what you can expect from this sticky sweet strain that can deliver as much as 25 percent THC.
Ultimate Purple is all indica. A sweet, earthy pungent aroma gives away its body-calming abilities. When it’s time to relax, use Ultimate Purple. Be sure to have some healthy snacks handy, as this flower will stimulate the appetite. Pain and stress melt away and stay that way for a couple of hours, by which time you will be fast asleep.
Available at medical dispensaries Belmont Collective in Portland RKO Collective in Portland Bloom Well in Bend
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Lamb’s Bread
Bob Montoya is a Cannabis photographer, veteran & well-seasoned grower hailing from Olympia.
Ultimate Purple
The Ultimate Purple is a real appetite-stimulator so have some favorite snacks handy.
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FEATURE
By WILL FERGUSON
@710ENDENCIES | PHOTO by JEREMY KLETTKE
CBD FOR THE OMMP PROGRAM
FOR PAIN, FOR FREE. Davis Farms donating high-CBD medicine
T
his incredible project allows for any patient that benefits from highCBD medicine to receive CBD-rich Pennywise flower and extracts for no cost. That’s right; patients can just shoot Davis Farms a direct message explaining why CBD helps their condition and then will be able to access free CBD medication for as long as supply allows. Davis Farms grows some of the cleanest flowers I have ever smoked and their CBD-rich Pennywise is no exception. Patients have an option to choose between high-quality flower or extracts, which both can be decarboxylated and consumed orally if needed. I have seen this firsthand as my friends needed high-CBD material to make RSO with. Jeremy Klettke of Davis Farms was more than happy to donate a few ounces of material so my friends could treat their daughter. I keep hearing about how growers are doing their part to “end the CBD drought” by providing dispensaries with medicine that is slightly more expensive than other products because it “cost them more to produce.” In Klettke’s eyes, this industry is about holistic health and wellness and less about dollar signs and consumerism.
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KLETTKE URGES FELLOW CANNABIS FARMERS TO OFFER FREE MEDICINE TO THE PATIENTS WHO NEED IT MOST.
Pennywise
RAISE THE ROOF
Exploring basic and advanced techniques to manage vertical height in plants maximize the size and amount of essential oil production of the Creating effective systems in the garden requires flowers, which is, from many perspectives, counterintuitive to the plant’s “natural” or genetically imprinted goals. BY OREGON LEAF managing two limiting factors or characteristics SPECIAL For these and as well as many other reasons, learning to CONTRIBUTOR manage the vertical growth and mitigate as well as redirect DR. SCANDERSON about the grow that are intrinsically permanent the height of the plant can be one of the most valuable skills in a grower’s arsenal. and unalterable. In the indoor environment, 1) CULTIVAR SELECTION One of the easiest ways to ensure available height is one of those factors that are your plants have enough height in your garden is to simply select plants that are known to grow only to the height that you have available. Many varieties of Cannabis, especially those in the indica and most difficult to work around when farming Cannabis. Many new gardeners are working in tents, closets, cabinets and other self-contained environments, which can be ideal for cultivating a small amount of medicine while still allowing for a large amount of concealment. One of the few deficits with these environments is that ceiling height is often limited. Either due to the physical restrictions of the environment itself or the priority of creating efficiency by stacking two separate grow environments on top of one another, it’s often the case that after hanging the light and running any necessary ducting, the overhead canopy space available to the plant is limited in a meaningful way. Many varieties of Cannabis thrive under high amounts of light but are badly damaged when exposed to the high levels of heat that often gather under the lights in the “hot spots.” As a result, without assistance from the gardener, many plants will stretch right into the hottest, brightest part of the light and then proceed to burn for the remaining 6+ weeks left in the flower cycle. The first 2-4 weeks after the plant’s light cycle has been transitioned to increase the dark period for long enough to initiate a bloom response, the plant’s first priority is to grow as full and tall as possible to ensure the best chance for pollination. Our goal as gardeners is to prevent any pollination and direct the plant’s growth patterns to
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indica-dominant family have very little stretch to them when transitioning to flower. Look for those strains with Bubba Kush, Cinderella 99 and Blueberry as well as many, many others. Breeders are aware of the value of producing seed variety dominated by plants with an easy-to-manage growth structure so that very little training or interference by the gardener is necessary. As anyone continues to work with a particular plant and learn its habits, it’s possible to achieve an even higher level of genetic potential through pruning, thinning and modest training. 2) VEG TIME Another easy way to accommodate those types of Cannabis that are known to have a massive stretch is to dramatically decrease the vegetation time by placing very small plants into bloom. Some of the tallest and stretchiest plants are also very vigorous in veg. One can take advantage of these two unique char-
Bubba Kush, Cinderella 99 and Blueberry and other indicadominant strains are good for growing in small spaces.
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acteristics with varieties like Sour Diesel by placing the plants into bloom after only a week or two after transplant from hardened clone. By transitioning the plant to bloom at what may seem like a very early point, you are able to take advantage of the wildly vigorous stretch. What starts as very small 4- and 5-node plants will stretch into a manageable medium-height plant after reaching its full stretch without significant interference.
and unruly characteristics but also have much more sensitive growth characteristics and are significantly slower to repair super cropped sites or may even go into a state of shock, (read: just about all yer favorite cuts of OG Kush) it can be very helpful to do the majority of the training and structure building during the vegetative state. Upon transition, the plant’s structure will already be more established, allowing less physical manipulation during the all-important flowering period where, should you super crop too aggressively, you may create setbacks in the plant’s development that cannot be made up after transition is initiated.
3) SUPER CROPPING Very often, the tallest, stretchiest plants are also some of the most vigorous, with the exception of many of the OGs. For plants like Sour Diesel, Gorilla Glue, Blue Dream crosses and the like, 4) LOW-STRESS TRAINING (LST) If you super cropping is a technique that allows the consider super cropping a way of imparting gardener to redirect the plant’s energy to suit high amounts of stress to the plant in order to the environment it’s growing in. Super cropwork with its intrinsic growth charping is the technique of bending, smashing, acteristics to achieve an ideal strucor breaking the upper bloom sites on the ture, the opposite of super cropping plant in order to redirect the hormones from would be low-stress training. In this the apical growing tips to lower bloom sites technique, you begin shaping and on the plant. Super cropping creates a physmanipulating the plant from a very ical trauma for the plant, which essentially young age in veg by tying or anchorredirects the plant’s energy from stretching ing each and every branch when it out each node as much as possible, to simply becomes appropriate to encourage a repairing the broken parts of the bloom site. lateral growing pattern rather than Those plants that are most often a vertical one. As Drop me a line the tallest, stretchiest and most mentioned, growunruly in the garden very often thegreengardengroup@gmail.com ing a bush is very respond best to this type of techmuch in contrast nique, repairing full 180 degree with the programed Follow along stem breaks in 24 hours or fewer. genetic growth Instagram @DrScanderson_gT This provides the benefit of dipatterns of many recting the plant’s energy towards repairCannabis plants. Consequently, LST ing the super cropped area, which it does in requires much diligence and time on place of stretching up to another 2-3 inches. the gardener’s part as daily or every Crushing the apical growing tip and creating other day training is most helpful to a bend so other top sites in the canopy can ensure that new growth sites are being properly receive equal lighting, directs growth toward directed to the intended space in the canopy lower sections of the plant, encouraging a and that older sites are staying on a level plane. bushier growth pattern. The advantage to LST is that the plant is Much like the way a broken bone in a hunever in shock or a recovering state, as all the man will repair itself stronger and harder imparted stress is done so at such low levels with large deposits of thick calcium in and that the plant has no adverse reaction. LST is around the break to ensure it’s properly prosimply done with a high degree of frequency, tected, many Cannabis plants respond in a in very small increments. Over a long enough similar way to damaged and broken stems. period of time, each of those small adjustments The damaged site will usually heal into a begin to exceed the sum total of each of their thicker, harder knuckle-like bulge in the impacts and exponential leverage is reached. By plant that supports larger flowers and may continuing to tie and/or anchor plant branches open up zylem and phloem tissues for more and growth sites straight through the end of efficient nutrient uptake. stretch, you can train a plant to grow into an For varieties that have the same stretchy almost perfectly symmetrical structure that al-
lows equal and adequate light to each of the evenly spaced and leveled flower sites within the depth range of the canopy that light is effectively penetrating. Also, by training the plant without creating stress, transitions often happen faster, allowing for longer periods of bud swelling and ripening, which allows us to more effectively assist the plant in creating more desirable results to enjoy. While each of these techniques are effective, the amount of skill and experience needed to master each increases as you add more plants. For this reason, I recommend running your gardens using the earlier suggestions and employing the later two on a very small number of plants. That way, you can have the freedom to learn where the thresholds for too much and too little stress exist and how to manage both without having your learning affect your supply of medication to a major degree. Lastly, the sculpting of the trees is by far some of my favorite and most personally rewarding work. I find it’s one of the few areas where the gardener and the plant are able to create a strong bond through the massive amount of communication between the two during the training periods. There are few areas where one can learn a plant’s tendencies with greater ease than during the training and pruning. The time frame to accomplish the training is limited and its nature is final. The results of your efforts might not be fully revealed for a month or more after the training is complete. From there, you can make adjustments, try again and wait another few months to see if you improved or moved backward and then try again. Said another way, “bliss for those of us whom the garden has chosen as their calling.”
While each of these techniques are effective, the amount of skill and experience needed to master each increases as you add more plants.
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