Grow Your Own Way

GROW

Your Own Waywith Spartan Hemp Works

David Ayers, 46, has come a long way from growing pot in the closet of his boyhood bedroom.

“My first closet grow was some Maui Wowee when I was 18. Before that was some growing outside, picking the buds when they were barely mature, and throwing them in the microwave. It’s been around me for a long time,” says the East Longmeadow native.

Ayers put pot on hold when he left East Longmeadow High School to focus first on a career in the military and then corporate America. He traveled the world, specializing in manufacturing, distribution, operations, and logistics. The skills he developed would serve him well when he came back to town, settling in and taking his life in a new direction.

Sinking roots means more to Ayers than starting a family. He is now a hemp farmer, back to growing pot — 2,500 plants on two acres near his backyard. “Going from growing a dozen plants in a closet to a couple thousand in a field is an interesting transition,” he says.

Ayers is licensed to harvest as much hemp as he can on five acres. His fouryear-old business — Spartan Hemp Works — is just beginning to blossom. Ayers is on the verge of deciding whether to double his annual yield.

Hemp has all the medicinal benefits of cannabis but with one major difference. “We’re only licensed to produce hemp which means it must have 0.3 or less THC in the plant. Anything over that would be considered traditional cannabis,” he says.

The federal government pays very close attention to what Ayers is growing. He must submit annual planting and harvest reports to the Department of Agriculture.

“When it comes time to harvest, the Agriculture Department comes out, samples the live plants, and sends them out for testing. I had to burn 600 plants last year because they were too high in THC. They failed inspection,” says Ayers.

THC is one of hundreds of can-

“Going from growing a dozen plants in a closet to a couple thousand in a field is an interesting transition,”

says Ayers.

nabinoids found in cannabis, and the most well known that causes a psychoactive effect, or the “high”, while hemp is more associated with being rich in CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, along with other minor cannabinoids (CBG, CBN, etc). Both work with the body’s endocannabinoid system - a regulatory system with receptors designed to receive or create cannabinoids - to various effects and therapeutic effects, which is why hemp and cannabis are known to help with anxiety, depression, inflammation, and a variety of other issues.

Ayers says there is an important place in the cannabis universe for hemp growers and their low THC products.

“The major thing in dispensaries right now is how high can you get that THC percentage. Not everyone wants to get that stoned, so by offering similar benefits with something that’s not going to get you high, you’re still going to get that therapeutic effect you’re looking for,” says Ayers.

Hemp can not only be smoked, it can also be used to make topicals, oils, tinctures and a range of other products which Ayers sells to dispensaries, retailers, and on his own website www. SpartanHempWorks.com.

In the military and as a businessman, Ayers traveled to exotic parts of the world where life is frenzied and frenetic. He’s done with that now and has turned his attention to a product that calms, in a place that does the same.

“The landscape is perfect. It was a farm that hadn’t been worked in a decade. There was just one cow that was pretty much a lawnmower,” he says.

“It’s calming being out here. It’s something you care for, that you have to concentrate on. You watch it develop. There’s a spiritual component to it.

And the plant is beautiful. Once you get into the full flower, it’s amazing when you’re looking at it,” he says.

Ayers and his three sons, ages 9, 4, and 3 work the farm. He also puts the word out across town that he’s looking for help, especially when it comes time to harvest the hemp. Teenagers usually answer the call, leaving their electronics behind and getting their hands dirty.

“They’re really getting a great experience in so many different areas of just basic economics, plus building and starting a business and at the same time they’re working the land and they’re not sitting behind a computer,” says Ayers.

Ayers is betting his future on a plant that grows nearly in his backyard. But its more than a business to him, it’s a mission.

“I think it’s awesome. I kind of want to give it away to a degree,” he says. “All I want to know is that I’m helping people. It’s very cool, it’s rewarding.”

“The landscape is perfect. It was a farm that hadn’t been worked in a decade. There was just one cow that was pretty much a lawnmower,” Ayers says.

• Lighting is very important. It can be as simple as an aquarium light to a very high-end LED light. Shop at Lowes or Home Depot for basic lights; Agro Lighting in West Hartford, CT for a higher end light. • Make sure you get feminized, or female seeds. They create the flowers.

The male plant creates the pollen. • Get the right nutrients. You can go with anything from Miracle Grow to something that’s all organic. • Drying and curing is a crucial step to get the best flavor out of your plant.

Take 7-10 days to dry plants. • Once your plants are mostly dry and you’ve started your cure, use humidity packs so the leaves aren’t too brittle. This preserves the leaves and ensures the best flavors, so it is not harsh.

Our factory is producing Recreational Marijuana Products the Retail Store at 73 Sargeant St., Holyokefor

• Fresh Flower Rosin • Natural Terpene Cartridges • Contract Manufacturing • Economic Empowerment Company • Enrolled in the CCC Social Equity Program

www.bostonbudfactory.com 413-420-8100 info@bostonbudfactory.com 73 Sargeant Street, Holyoke MA 01040 73 Sargeant Street, Holyoke MA 01040

Please Consume Responsibly - This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. Now Available: Solventless Products & Solvent Free Vape Cartridges

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