Sensi Magazine - Emerald Triangle (September 2019)

EMERALD TRIANGLE

THE NEW NORMAL

9.2019

The Life and Times of Hayfork Project Trellis Takes Root ART & CULTURE ISSUE

Messages postmarked from Humboldt

POST AND PRESENT {plus}

ONE NIGHT ON HIGHWAY 1

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ISSUE 8 //VOLUME 1 // 9.2019

FEATURES 32

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

Higher Ed

A college degree in cannabis is a real thing. And it’s a big sign the industry is legitimate.

38 Off the Road Again

Tales of an accidental RVer.

PROJECT TRELLIS TAKES ROOT Harvesting tax dollars in Humboldt.

POSTMARKED FROM THE PAST A collection of historic postcards captures more than pretty pictures

20

12

every issue 9 Editor’s Note 10 The Buzz 12 NewsFeed

PROJECT TRELLIS TAKES ROOT

16 HighProfile

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HAYFORK

20 TravelWell

POST AND PRESENT

28 LifeStyle

ART WAVES

48 The Scene

NORTHERN NIGHTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

50 HereWeGo

LIFTING FOR LIFE

Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2019 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 7

sensi magazine ISSUE 8 / VOLUME 1 / 9.2019

EXECUTIVE FOLLOW US

Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.com CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Tae Darnell tae@sensimag.com PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Alex Martinez alex@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

EDITORIAL sensimediagroup

Stephanie Wilson stephanie@sensimag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Nora Mounce nora.mounce@sensimag.com MANAGING EDITOR, SENSI EMERALD TRIANGLE

Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR

Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR sensimagazine

A RT & D E S I G N Jamie Ezra Mark jamie@emagency.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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M E D I A PA RT N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy 8 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

CAPTURING

NOTE

CULTURE

ADVISORY BOARD Coldwell Banker Sellers, Sandi DeLuca // REAL ESTATE

Canna-Envy //

editor’s

DIY CANNABIS

In our September issue, we took a deep dive

into the culture of the Emerald Triangle, exploring how art can capture people and place. While explorations this far north are

Genius Products T, Inc. //

RECREATIONAL CANNABIS PRODUCTS

typically set against foggy coastline and soaring redwoods, we

Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary //

headed indoors to uncover the living culture on display in our

Hendrx Farms // CANNABIS NURSERY

Flip through history with archivist Steve Lazar’s incredible col-

ECO-RETREAT CENTER

Humboldt Patient Resource Center // DISPENSARY

Humboldt Redwood Healing // Humboldt SWAG //

COMMUNITY

BRAND MANAGEMENT

Humboldt Vape Tech //

VAPE ACCESSORIES

Kathleen Bryson, Attorney // KC Financial Services //

LAW OFFICE

region’s museums, art studios, and homes. lection of historic postcards. A Humboldt County planner and vice president of the Humboldt County Historical Society, Lazar has found that collecting and studying postcards—the science of deltiology—is a meaningful way to deepen the experience of living behind the redwood curtain. His story focuses on the charming insights of postcards transcriptions that early 20th century visitors dashed off to friends and family across the country.

Don’t miss Thomas Oliver’s story on Ferndale artist Shawn

ACCOUNTING

Griggs, a Humboldt native and big wave surfer. Inspired to paint

Magna Wealth Business Services //

between the lines of life and death, many of Griggs’s paintings

BUSINESS MANAGMENT

Mountainwise Farms // Redwood Roots //

TOPICALS

DISTRIBUTION

SoHum Royal // MIXED LIGHT FARMING Southern Humboldt Business & Visitors Bureau // TOURISM Sunnabis //

REGENERATIVE CANNABIS FARMING

Talismans Analytics // ULEVA //

LAB TESTING

HEMP PRODUCTS

Wildseed, LLC. //

CO2 EXTRACTION

are inspired by Dia de los Muertos and the ocean waves that continually shape our coast. Then, we head east to meet Hayfork photographer Brian Gossman, whom has been shooting the life and times of rural Trinity County for 15 years.

Heard of Project Trellis? Tax revenue from the legal cannabis industry has baked up a big green pie and local officials are working hard to make sure it’s equitably served. Melissa Hutsell spoke with the Humboldt County Office of Economic Development to learn what’s in store in 2020 with the rollout of marketing, social equity, and micro-grant programs with Project Trellis.

Did you miss Northern Nights this summer? Without blowing up a unicorn floatie, enjoy snaps from the Emerald Triangle’s famous festival. Still working on your river bod in September?

Don’t worry (so are we!), it’s only the beginning of the Emerald Triangle’s legendary Indian summer. Check out fitness diva Liz Wilson’s educational piece, reminding us that weightlifting can be healthy and holistic for everyone.

With love + luck,

Nora Mounce

M ANAG I NG E D I TO R

SENSI EMERALD TRIANGLE

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 9

Night In Glendeven

Soak up the history and culture of Mendocino at the historic Glendeven Inn & Lodge.

Driving down the ribbon of coastline in Mendocino, road signs for charming B&Bs are as common as the panoramic aqua-toned seascapes. For the traveler looking for a restorative getaway, the Mendocino coast leaves visitors wanting for little. Though widely known as the bohemian Hamptons of the Bay Area, this rural stretch of California has remained unpretentious in its isolated beauty. While tourists congregate in Fort Bragg every summer to eat and shop, guests lodging north or south on Highway 1 return to an expansive serenity each night on the rugged coast.

If the salt air and quietude are calling, it’s worth venturing a few miles from town to arrive at the rustic, chic Glendeven Inn & Lodge in Little River. Surrounded by Van Damme State Park on three sides, the 15-acre property is beloved for its pastoral herd of llamas, free range chickens, in-room hot breakfast, wine barn, and ocean views. In recent years, 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

the Glendeven incorporated the neighboring property and now offers 10 contemporary rooms at The Lodge, featuring mid-century modern decor that juxtaposes smartly among Mendocino’s iconic Victorians. Luxuries like organic linens, fireplaces en suite, and retro stylings are complemented by the herd of llamas grazing silently outside.

Back at original farmhouse, the beloved Inn is a time capsule of craftmanship and 152 years of local history.

Built in 1867 by Isaiah Stevens, the home first opened its doors to guests in 1977. John Dixon and his partner, Mike, have called the Glendeven home since purchasing the Inn in 2007. Their personal updates include the llamas—far better farm animals than roosters—and improving on the Mendocino brand of humble hospitality.

In particular, the Glendeven prides itself on its in-room breakfasts, which arrive promptly with a knock at 9 a.m. each

HPRC

"Cultivating Well Being Since 1999"

Humboldt County's Longest Operating Cannabis Dispensary morning. Packed in a metal picnic basket that requires two strong hands to carry, each is a treasure chest of breakfast jewels, featuring a daily rotation of savory egg souffles, miniquiches, and fruit crisps alongside fresh-squeezed orange juice and enough strong coffee to fuel a long day of cycling, wine tasting, or wandering.

If staying local is on the itinerary, the Glendeven concierge is happy to direct you across the road, where private trails head straight to the ocean bluffs of Van Damme State Park. After soaking up miles of scenery, a peaceful afternoon can pass quickly in the Glendeven vegetable garden before you mosey to the Wine Bar(n) at 5:30. The Glendeven pours a selection of boutique pinot noirs from sought-after Anderson Valley vineyards that pair perfectly with a mature selection of appetizers and company (no guests under 18 are permitted at Glendeven).

With relaxation cultivated at every opportunity, the Glendeven Inn has matched the serenity of its landscape for 152 years. With every need attended to, guests at the Glendeven can simply soak up the culture of art, wine, surf, –Nora Mounce and sea on Mendocino’s famously beautiful coast.

In House Product Lines Exceptional Staff Service Oriented HPRC Arcata 980 6th St. Arcata, CA

www.HPRCHumboldt.com A12-18-000025TEMP sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 11

{newsfeed }

by M E L I S S A H U T S E L L

FIR P ro

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Tre llis b ol dt C diver t s oun ty ’s tax do llar can s ba nab c is i nd u k to stry

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PHOTO CREDIT

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Humboldt County’s Project Trellis is the first government-led program of its kind for the cannabis industry.

The venture aims to build equity and bolster the regional economy by reinvesting tax revenue from cannabis operations back into the industry. Project Trellis is designed to serve three primary functions including a micro-grant program, social equity, and marketing.

Scott Adair, Humboldt County’s economic development director, explains that Project Trellis was born from the need to assist cannabis operators in becoming sustainable.

“Cannabis is a legitimate industry in California,” says Adair.

“We regulate the industry; we require permits, licenses, and taxes just like any other business. Yet, we don’t offer the same levels of support that we do for other businesses.”

Project Trellis hopes to fill that gap.

County officials chose the moniker as a metaphor for upward growth; a trellis supports the vertical development of plants via rails or stakes-just like Project Trellis aims to do for Humboldt County.

THE TAX MAN TAKETH. AND GIVETH BACK? Project Trellis will be partially financed by revenue from Humboldt County’s Measure S excise tax, explains

“The county receives a significant portion of revenue from the cannabis industry.

That revenue helps to pay for road improvements, public services, and more.”

—Scott Adair, Humboldt County’s Economic Development Director

Humboldt County would receive a minimum of $100,000.

“It’s a relatively new idea to take funding and give it back,” says Adair. “We felt it was necessary. The county receives a significant portion of revenue from the cannabis industry.

That revenue helps to pay for road improvements, public services, and more,” explains Adair.

Revenue from fees and penalties, like code enforcement violations, will also go toward Project Trellis. The amount depends on what (if any) the county receives from SB1294.

“We want the local industry to be healthy and solvent and make it through the challenging phase of going from a black market to [a] bona fide, genuine legal market,” says Adair. “It adds economic vitality to the region as a whole. … We don’t want to see it go away.”

Adair. Voters approved the measure, which imposes a $1–$3-per-square-foot tax on commercial cannabis operations, in 2016. Revenue is used to improve public safety, mental health services, and more.

According to the office of economic development, county excise tax revenue is projected at $8,010,000. Ten percent of those funds ($801,000) will be diverted to Project Trellis to be divided among its “rails.”

County officials have also applied for additional funding from the California Cannabis Equity Act of 2018, also known as Senate Bill (SB)1294. The equity act sets aside $10 million for local social equity programs and authorizes the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) to award those monies. But shortly after Humboldt County applied, the BCC cancelled its submission period. The BCC has stated it will reopen once guidelines are revised; if approved, sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 13

PROJECT TRELLIS BUDGET BREAKDOWN $108K

$80K

$180K $433K Admin Marketing Micro Grant & Loan Local Equity Program

Microgrant and Loan Program—25 percent ($180,225) of the diverted excise tax revenue + funding from fines, fees, and SB1294.

Funds will be awarded in $5,000 to $50,000 increments and will be used to support “good actors,” the state’s term for responsible operators participating in the legal market. Adair says awards could be used for anything from land acquisition to infrastructure to swapping gas for solar. Larger sums will be awarded to scalable projects, such as co-ops. Smaller sums will be issued to individuals who meet the program’s criteria.

Eligibility is determined by the Cannabis Advisory Board, which is currently being developed. The board will consist of seven members—one representative will be selected from each district—while two members will be chosen from the community. Applications are being accepted now.

Local Equity Program—15 percent ($108,135) of excise tax funds + funds from SB1294.

Humboldt’s Cannabis Local Equity Program (CLEP) serves those adversely impacted by the drug war. Eligibility and services are outlined in the county’s CLEP 14 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

PROVIDED BY HUMBOLDT COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

This program is designed to make funding available to local businesses.

“We want the local industry to be healthy and solvent and make it through the challenging phase of going from a black market to [a] bona fide, genuine legal market.”

—Scott Adair, Humboldt County’s Economic Development Director

Manuel. Those who qualify are eligible for fee waivers, deferrals, loans, business development assistance, and job training.

A key distinction of the program is that applicants must apply as individuals— not companies—and meet a series of qualifications, including being a board member of a non-profit cannabis business.

Adair explains that Humboldt County’s unique history requires a model that serves longtime operators, colloquially known as “legacy growers,” and those affected by raids, including Operation Green Sweep and CAMP. Adair led efforts to develop Project Trellis. While working on his presentation for the Board of Supervisors at home earlier this year, his daughter peeked over his shoulder and asked why her father had included a photo from the Vietnam War. “It’s not,” Adair told his daughter. “The photo was actually from one of the raids that occurred in Southern Humboldt during the War on Drugs in the 1990’s.”

Marketing Initiative—60 percent ($432,540) of excise tax revenue The initiative aims to increase demand for Humboldt County’s worldfamous cannabis.

The program will encompass a “proof-of-origin” stamp program, which could cost six figures annually, depending on the provider.

Businesses like the Uplift Cooperative could especially benefit from a county-wide marketing initiative. Drew Barber, founder of Uplift, formed the co-op so members could combine resources and save money on shared costs like insurance and branding.

Marketing is “next to impossible to do ourselves,” at the small-to-medium scale of local operators, explains Barber. “There’s too much involved in running the farm and keeping in compliance.”

Barber’s sentiments have been echoed throughout Northern California as small farmers struggle to survive in California’s new billion-dollar industry.

Humboldt County operators have a valuable brand—marketing it might just be their saving grace. Operators need help building their brand and solidifying the Emerald Triangle’s place in the international marketplace.

Humboldt County officials hope to implement Project Trellis by early 2020.

Mendocino and Trinity counties have yet to move forward with a cannabis equity program. Officials contacted for this article responded that they were hopeful their Board of Supervisors would consider a plan by year’s end, or when the BCC reopens the application period for SB1294.

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 15

{highprofile }

by N O R A M O U N C E

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HAYFORK A photographer’s tribute to home captures the color and character of Trinity County.

Photographer Brian Gossman isn’t your typical Trinity County farmer, but he’ll be the first to explain there’s no

There’s not one traffic light in the entirety of Trinity County,” explains Gossman.

such thing. An East Coast transplant, Gossman was first

When the couple first relocated to a “shack” on a cheap

exposed to the Emerald Triangle when a friend’s parents

piece of land, Gossman imported his professional world,

purchased the legendary Northern Delights coffee shop

firing up a generator to power his laptop each morning. For

in Hayfork. Years later, Gossman and his wife, Heather,

years, Gossman worked as a production assistant for the

were living in Baltimore with successful careers but found

famous artist and filmmaker John Waters, credited with

themselves overwhelmed by the rat race. Gossman re-

the 1988 box office hit Hairspray. An early adopter of the

members not sleeping at night and saying to Heather,

digital medium, Gossman’s role was to scan the negatives

“Let’s just see how we feel in a cabin on the West Coast.”

that Waters shipped via FedEx to their cabin in Hayfork.

Fifteen years later, the Gossmans are inextricably wo-

Gossman was also a frequent collaborator with Greg Gor-

ven into the life and times of Hayfork, a tiny town in the

man, the “male Annie Leibovitz of the 1980s,” frequently

middle of the expansive mountain country between Red-

traveling to Hollywood to assist on shoots.

ding and Eureka.

All the while, Brian and Heather got married and want-

“It’s rough. Unlike Mendocino and Humboldt, we don’t

ed to start a family. “We left everything behind to settle

have roads and infrastructure… no incorporated areas.

in Hayfork,” explains Gossman. “It hasn’t been easy.” Today, the couple is raising their 9-year-old and 16-month old baby together, and Heather is an active firefighter and EMT. Gossman, whose first studio was a room at Northern Delights, “the heart of the community,” now runs his “As a photographer, it’s hard to live out here and not take photos. It was like candy for an artist,” says Gossman. But in the early days, he remembers pointing his lens carefully.

“I definitely didn’t want to be sticking a camera in people’s faces,” knowing that nearly everyone in Hayfork grew to get by. As time passed, Gossman fell in step with local cul-

16 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

PHOTOS BY BRIAN GOSSMAN

own print gallery, Gossman Photographics, downtown.

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 17

ture and “started growing a little bit of weed in our backyard,” adding cultivator to his résumé along with artist, father, photojournalist, and the official (volunteer) photographer for the Hayfork Fire Department.

“People always ask me about where I live,” says Gossman. “My friends think Trinity County looks so beautiful, but the scenery is only a visual summation of life here.” Hayfork sits just under 2,500 feet in elevation and endures harsh, cold winters with regular snowstorms and road closures. “I’m my own plumber, my own carpenter…” says Gossman “It’s taken a huge toll on my body.”

Gossman’s fascination with the realities of rural life inform much of his work as a photographer. Like anyone, he’s enamored with Trinity County’s topography, which he calls “shockingly beautiful,” but his landscape shots are footnotes to the real focus of his Hayfork portfolio—the people.

“Coming from a big city and landing here, there’s so much flavor,” explains Gossman. “It’s a one-of-a-kind show that I’d buy a ticket to… but in the best way.” Clicking through Gossman’s portfolio, images of dirt track racing, the county fair, and the local characters of Hayfork whom Gossman calls celebrities: “There’s Slow-Hand, Hippy Chuck, the unofficial Mayor of Hayfork, and Earthquake America—he actually changed his name in the phonebook! They’re all real people living in this place that’s so special,” says Gossman. In both his images and words, Gossman’s deep appreciation for the raw grit of Trinity County is always on display.

For such a small remote community, the life and times of Hayfork are rapidly changing in 2019. Gossman certainly doesn’t claim to know what the future holds for his community, but he’s passionate about putting his energy into the future of Hayfork. Along with a partner, Gossman has launched the Mountain

CAL18-0001546

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“Coming from the big city and landing here, there’s so much flavor.

It’s a one-of-a-kind show that I’d buy a ticket to—in the best way.”

—Brian Gossman

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throughout the state. “It’s been interesting to see how people have had to accept” legalization, says Gossman. “It’s a very gray area for people in town. But they’re trying to put their best foot forward and legitimize it.”

As a photographer, Gossman’s captivation with Hayfork—the people, the mountains, the music, the fire, the cannabis, and the evolution of all—seems boundless. Currently, he is working on a documentary about Trinity County, collaborating with professional filmmakers to profile families going through the process of compliance. With the documentary, Gossman hopes to share the real stories of life in Hayfork, a community built on survival and a culture that’s shifting under their feet.

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sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 19

{travelwell }

by S T E V E L A Z A R

ND A T NT S O P E S E ty P R boldt Coumneaning s um find ace.

AH r e pl nn nd pla a t as in p

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Editor’s Note: The culture Humboldt County has been pre-

talgic portal they provide into local history, my collection

served over time through stories and history, often tinged with

grew quickly. The hobby-turned-obsession soon result-

folklore. A region known for its ancient trees, off-the-grid home-

ed in development of a homemade website known as

steads, secret gardens, and dramatic beauty does not fit easi-

THEHUMBOLDTPROJECT.ORG

ly into a single frame. In an effort to study and appreciate this

new postcards was nothing short of an addiction. These days

wild place, Eureka resident Steve Lazar has found an interest-

I am mostly “on the wagon” (off eBay) and focused on finding

ing niche in collecting historic postcards from Humboldt Coun-

ways to share and interpret thousands of cards—now re-

ty, some mailed locally between friends and loved ones; others

turned home within the community.

and at its height, the hunt for

sent across the country by locals and visitors alike. While the

As far as souvenirs are concerned, there is almost noth-

postcard images range from the magnificent to the ordinary

ing more iconic than the postcard. Messages found on used

to the politically incorrect, Lazar has found a surprising cap-

postcards reveal timeless themes linked to visitor experi-

tivation with the messages—often hard to decipher—on the

ences in our region. The struggle of postcard authors to put

flipside of each postcard. Since 2004, Lazar has worked as a

into words what they’ve witnessed, especially during their

Humboldt County planner and in recent years, helped to craft,

voyage “behind the redwood curtain,” provides entertain-

pass, and implement Humboldt County’s Marijuana Land Use

ing insights on an assortment of topics. On the other hand,

Ordinance. Kindling a passion for local geography and history

cards used for local correspondence between residents re-

since moving to Humboldt in 1995, he also currently serves

veal glimpses of regional culture and lifestyles, seasonal and

as Vice President of the Humboldt County Historical Society,

long-term changes, and our unending need for feedback and

and often shares images and stories from his postcard ar-

stimulation in all its forms.

chives with the general public. Handmade personal repro-

It’s only natural that a postcard’s central image or scene

ductions of his cards can be purchased locally with proceeds

captures our initial attention. However, after years spent voy-

that support ongoing efforts to digitize local historic images.

euristically reviewing thousands of postcards mailed from

—Nora Mounce

Humboldt County, I have developed a real fondness for the

MESSAGE AS MEDIUM

messages on the backs of postcards that often surpasses my interest in the front of the card. The following transcriptions of

The current postcard format we are all familiar with can be

personal notes or messages are taken from locally sent cards

traced back to the following key changes in US postal law: the

in my archives. Selections have been chosen carefully and are

reduction of postage from 2¢ to 1¢ for mailing privately pro-

intended to serve as lasting examples of this artful early me-

duced cards (1898), allowing private cards to bear the label

dium for ephemeral communication.

of “POSTCARD” (1901), and the introduction of cards with a “divided back,” allowing space for messages next to the mailing address (1907). Collectively, these new developments revolutionized the medium, helping to usher in the “Golden Age of Postcards.” Production of cards skyrocketed ALL POSTCARDS COURTESY OF STEVE LAZAR

during the first decade of the 20th century and popularity kept pace as cards soon provided an affordable and effective means for communication and collecting “views” by both locals and visitors alike. By 1907, over 677 million post cards were being sent through the U.S. mail. With an estimated U.S. population of 88.7 million at this time, this amounts to between 7-8 postcards sent annually by each woman, man, and child. By 1913, nearly a trillion cards were mailed each year.

Over a decade ago, I began collecting historic postcards of Humboldt County. Immediately fascinated by the nossensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 21

NEVER FELT SO SMALL The inadequacy of using language and/or photography to convey the visitor experience of the redwoods is illustrated in a charming message from this 1930’s era postcard: “Am writing this by the campfire which accounts for the scrawl. The Giant Redwoods of Calif are too wonderful and full of awe-inspiring biggness [sic] to describe.

They gave me many a thrill not to mention the chills which would play tag between extremities. These views might convey an impression but they are no comparison to the actuality. We had two camps in the big timber –How does it feel? No use to attempt an intelligent description but I never felt so small and insignificant as when among and surrounded by these monsters in the Land of the Giants. Amen.” (shown below)

22 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

SOME NEAR HAIKUS Some of the best cards say a lot with a little. On a classic sepia-tinged photo of the redwoods from 1937 (shown above), before posting her note to a Miss Jean Johnson in San Francisco, author Louise A. Steiner writes simply: “Dear Jean! Climate Hot! Ride Glorious! Relief great when I reached ‘Lane’s Redwood Flat’—lovely spot.”

Another card sent to Washington DC, from Eureka in 1937 depicts sportfishing at the Klamath River mouth near Requa. Whether cheeky or sincere (or both), the simplicity of the message, Far Enough North (see Page 21), is powerful.

HEAVY HITTERS The imagery and feeling in some messages takes your breath away. A card from the late 20’s describes an early incarnation of the Redwood Highway, in its route along the south fork of the Eel River (shown above). Near the end of the message the authors melancholy is palpable: “…We are breaking camp now. –and hate it. I have not yet resolved an explanation, but I dread going back to the office grind. Myrtle suggested that we stay here all winter and that I get work splitting grape stakes out of redwood. I slept on the mountain top sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 23

24 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

again night before last, without blankets, and with a small fire

Eureka to a guest at the motel, 60 miles south. Reading

which I had to wake up and replenish at intervals—in another

the flipside, we’re granted a brief window into the pos-

last try for deer, but no use. Had hoped to send you some.”

sible suffering of a Mrs. Campbell—perhaps, she regret-

In another card, though the sender’s penmanship and

ted a recent visit to one of the Eel River’s many wonder-

grammar leaves something to be desired, “Jim” still manag-

ful swimming holes…and/or just wished she had learned

es to charm the pants off you in his card sent from Orleans

sooner how to identify poison oak. (shown above)

to Petaluma in August of 1963: “This is the full size of Orleans. The town I have been raving about. All of my friends are here…and every one really are swell people. Am going to a real country dance in the school house

“Hello, This is name of poison oak spray “Rhulispray” made by “Lederle” / Sincerely, Mrs. Chas. Hodgkinson”

THE OLD HIGHWAY

Sat eve. They say that they close at 12:30 as they are too drunk

No theme is more documented and widespread than

from then on. Expect to be here for a couple of weeks. Am going

the experience of traveling along the “Redwood Highway.”

wild blackberry picking tomorrow If I have luck will can you a

Be it a journey over the mountain passes and river can-

few pints. Love Jim”

yons of Trinity and Siskiyou country (Highways 299 and

LEAVES OF THREE, LET IT BE!

199) or weaving through dense redwood forests (in Del Norte County or Southern Humboldt) with their impos-

On August 3, 1959, a card depicting patrons lounging

sibly large trees, travelers are inundated with scenery

poolside at the White Motel in Garberville was sent from

that never quits. Today, cars can still travel ‘The Redwood sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 25

LOVE LOYALTY AND EXCELLENCE IN CANNABIS

Full Product Line soon to be in Dispensaries Everywhere

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26 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

LCA18-0001962

BooneyAcres@gmail.com www.BooneyAcres.com LCA18-0002181

Highway.’ Portions of it have been expanded into U.S. 101 while other segments bypassed by subsequent highway alignments remain available as alternate scenic routes.

Sent from Orick home to Washington State in 1928: “Dear Eva. This is the best part of the trip. Lovely drive, but you half [sic] to be at the wheel all the time because it is so crooked. Will arrive home about Wednesday eve if we do not stop to(o) long in Portland. Every thing is lovely / Lots of Love / Dad & Mother” (shown top right) A card addressed to Mr. L.H. Morris in Plymouth, Indiana in 1963 speaks to the steady thrum of “progress” and attachment to the old highway being bypassed: “We were really impressed with these (trees). They are building new roads which will ruin the feeling of the trees but are keeping some of the old road as a scenic drive / M&B” (shown right, second from top)

COASTAL SPLENDOR A charming color lithographic card depicts Scenic Drive near Luffenholtz Beach and Humboldt County’s famous surf spot, Camel Rock. Sent from Arcata to Crossville, Tennessee in 1928, the authors message captures the prominence of local timber and dairying. Camping and searching for rock fish before heading to the hills paints a lovely picture: “Dear Papa, We camped near this place in the picture and went fishing down in the rocks. We went through a creamery and a barrel factory today and are going to Willow Creek in the mountains tomorrow. With love, Ethel” (shown left)

POST SCRIPT (P.S.) As during the heyday of postcard production, the public’s interest in deltiology, the study and collection of postcards, has grown dramatically in the last few decades. A phenomenon experiencing its own Golden Age, deltiologists reveal timeless insights on the 20th century, an era where the slow pace of the written word created artifacts to appreciate with the naked eye and human touch.

Visit THEHUMBOLDTPROJECT.ORG or sensimag.com to see more postcards from Lazar’s collection.

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 27

{aroundtown }

by T H O M A S O L I V E R

ART WAVES

You may not recognize his name, but undoubtedly,

“When I was 16,” Griggs laughs, “I wrote to Marvel and sent

you’ve seen his art. Whether gracing a bottle of Lost Coast

them a comic I’d made called ‘Space Jock.’ I thought they’d fly

Brewery’s Fogcutter Double IPA or hanging at Pierson

me out for the summer to work for them. And I got a form

Building Center during the holidays, Shawn Griggs’s style is

letter back a week or two later—a rejection letter. But on the

unmistakable. Full of lively skeletons inspired by Dia de los

bottom, written in Sharpie, was a note reading, ‘Thanks for

Muertos, surfing, and Emerald Triangle landscapes, Griggs

reaching out. If you really want to pursue this, go to the library,

is squeezing out every last drop of paint into the niche he

study anatomy, and draw as much as you can.’ It chokes me

has carved out for himself as an artist.

up to talk about still. I look at that letter all the time.”

Born in Ferndale in 1969, Griggs is a brawny, efferves-

Rather than let rejection turn him from art, Griggs re-

cent man who stands at 5’9” and looks closer to 30 than

doubled his efforts and followed Marvel’s advice. His fo-

his true age (an artist never tells). He has lived in Hum-

cus shifted to illustrating children’s books, and he received

boldt County for his entire life, moving away only once to

a degree in graphic design from Humboldt State, marrying

attend high school in San Jose. As a youngster, Griggs nev-

his wife, Maggie, shortly after.

er envisioned himself a painter, but he loved to draw and dreamed of becoming a comic book artist.

28 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

From 1996 until 2006, the Griggses ran Casa Blanca, a Latin American restaurant in Eureka. During this time,

TOWER 7 // ARTWORK BY SHAWN GRIGGS

Dia de los Muertos inspires a Humboldt County surfer to paint for the living.

Griggs began painting. He hung two original pieces of the restaurant, complete with skeletons, above the bar and the kitchen. “I was kind of going through a weird time. You know, I turned 30 and I was thinking about life and death and all that, and Dia de los Muertos really spoke to me,” Griggs says.

Growing frustrated with the tedious nature of pen-andink drawing, Griggs began to paint more and more. His style evolved from simple homage to expanding on themes of the Mexican holiday while also incorporating his hobbies, past, and local scenery. “It became a way for me to paint family portraits, or people who aren’t dead,” he says.

It’s clear in his work—the skeletons he paints now are very alive. “It became a great way for me to paint the human figure we get so attached to. It strips us all down to the same playing field. There’s no color, no nothing, you’re just a pile of bones. What makes us different is what lies in our hearts.”

Over his career, the work of Arthur Rackham and Brian Froud have a profound impact on Griggs; both artists seamlessly meld fantasy and pinpoint realism. Looking at Griggs’ paintings, the viewer will see a recurring character, a small skeleton rocking a red hoodie. Griggs calls the skeleton, serving as the artist’s alter ego, his spirit side or cosmic side.

“In the fantasy stuff I paint now, I try to bridge the gap between reality and the dream world, or our unconscious reality,” says Griggs with a laugh. Jellyfish in terrestrial land(FROM TOP) THAT MOMENT; SPRING SYMPHONY; ESPERANZA // ARTWORK BY SHAWN GRIGGS

scapes and waves crashing in places far from the ocean are

“There’s no color, no nothing, you’re just a pile of bones.

What makes us different is what lies in our hearts.”

—Shawn Griggs

on his skeleton paintings

aberrations foundational to Griggs’ work and worldview.

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 29

—Shawn Griggs

In particular, waves are central in Griggs’ paintings, a credit to his dedication to surfing—he has been paddling the cold waters of the North Coast since he was 20 years old. “I’m a big proponent for waves being an important part of everything in the world,” explains Griggs.

His reverence for waves is partially inspired by the concept of an “inner garden”, a new age-y method of cultivating a serene life and euphemism for selfcare. The philosophy has inspired a multi-year project that depicts his own inner garden, which Griggs excitedly describes as his magnum opus.

Griggs is working on a series of paintings inspired by Ferndale while also ramping up for a new show at his Main Street studio, Red Eye Laboratories (named for his surfer’s pterygium, not smoking too much weed) on November 1. Griggs’ artwork can be found online at REDEYELABORATORIES.COM or at 405 Main St in the Victorian village of Ferndale.

CAL18-0000764

Griggs (second from right) in front of his artwork with his wife and two children

30 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

WAVE CROSSING // ARTWORK BY SHAWN GRIGGS

“I’m a big proponent for waves being an important part of everything in the world.”

C10-18-0000074-TEMP

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 31

SPEC IAL REPORT

Higher Education A college degree in cannabis is a real thing.

And it’s a big sign the industry is legitimate.

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

Full disclosure: WHEN I WAS GETTING MY DEGREE IN JOURNALISM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST, I NEVER ONCE IMAGINED THAT I’D PUT IT TO USE ONE DAY IN THE LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH, TECHNICALLY, I’M NOT IN THAT INDUSTRY TODAY. As the editor in chief of this magazine, I oversee a team

job market for the cannabis industry. The research found

of editors making a series of city lifestyle magazines

that between December 2017 and December 2018, the

covering markets across the country. Those magazines,

number of job listings increased by 76 percent, covering

like the one you’re reading now, appeal to advertisers in

highly diverse roles, from marketing to retail to research

the cannabis industry—companies eager to reach you,

to agriculture to technology, logistics, and law. It con-

dear reader, and introduce you to their newly legal and

cludes that “workers with higher education and skills in

therefore probably newly launched brand.

fields as varied as marketing, horticulture, and logistics

But technically, I don’t work in cannabis. My job is

will only be more desirable as the industry grows.”

indirectly related, my company ancillary. But it’s still

Even now, those skills are in high demand. Cannabis

part of a growing stat, a field that just a few years ago

industry employers struggle to find qualified applicants

didn’t exist but now is the fastest growing industry in

to fill specific roles that require specialized knowledge—

the US. There are more than 211,000 Americans working

broad-based understanding and highly specific skills.

There are now more legal cannabis industry workers than dental hygienists in the United States. full-time in the booming industry, directly employed in

Reacting to that employer demand, schools in the US

cannabis. When ancillary jobs such as mine are taken

are stepping up, introducing cannabis curriculum to

into account, that becomes 296,000.

help prepare students to enter the $14-billion-and-rising

That means in the US there are now more legal can-

global industry as trained professionals. From certifi-

nabis industry workers than dental hygienists. Than

cate programs to master’s degrees, with everything in

brewery workers (69,000) and coal miners (52,000) and

between, higher learning is here.

textile manufacturers (112,000). These figures come from

The first four-year undergraduate degree dedicated to

a March 2019 special report by cannabis website Leafly

teaching students about the cannabis industry was intro-

with consultancy Whitney Economics, which looked at

duced fall 2017 at Northern Michigan University, under

the stats the US Bureau of Labor Statistics won’t touch,

the innocuously titled Medicinal Plant Chemistry. Derek

given that cannabis is still illegal on a federal level. But

Hall, a spokesperson for NMU, says Professor Brandon

that isn’t stopping it from booming growth, decreased

Canfield suggested the idea for a medicinal plant chem-

stigma, and skyrocketing interest from all sides.

istry degree program after attending a conference. “He

As of September 2019, 11 states and Washington, DC have

came back thinking it was a place for us to step in. On

legalized cannabis for adult-use, and 34 more have legalized

the one side, you have the growers, and on the other side

medical use in some capacity. Legal cannabis sales in 2018

you have the users. In between, you have a chemistry lab

topped $10.8 billion. The job market is heating up, and the

measuring compounds—how much and what is being

demand for educated employees grows higher every day.

used. Those are the people we are interested in.”

It’s a wide-ranging industry, and there are a lot of career

The degree program offers two different tracks: bio-an-

paths one could take within it. Beyond the obvious—dis-

alytical and entrepreneurial. The program description

pensary manager, budtender, grower, trimmer—there are

mentions that the additional focus means graduates will

a ton of opportunities in the field. Career website Glass-

not only be qualified to perform the instrumental analy-

door released a report earlier this year on the state of the

sis in a laboratory, but “will also be empowered to build sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 33

Empowering traditional cannabis farmers through education, research and advocacy.

Monday -Thursday 10:30am - 5:00pm 434 Church St., Gaberville, CA 95542 info@icfa.farm

34 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

http://ICFA.farm

their own testing laboratory, dispensary, and growing

up for the program in the fall of 2017, when it opened

operation from the ground up.”

to grads and undergrads. A year later, there were 225.

When the school announced the program, it wasn’t ex-

“We’re pulling in students from all over the country.”

pecting much interest, but it proved to be quite a viral

Minot State in North Dakota introduced a similar pro-

topic. Hall says a lot of people were looking for a cre-

gram this year, making it only the second college to offer

dential to help them get into the cannabis industry. “We

a four-year degree program specializing in cannabis. In

fielded a ton of calls from people who were serious about

the Rocky Mountain region, Colorado State University,

it. One interesting thing is we had a lot of students who

Pueblo, offers a minor in Cannabis Studies, with courses

said, ‘My parents suggested it.’ A lot of others said they

focused on cannabis and its social, legal, historical, po-

knew people who had benefited from the medicine.”

litical, and health-related impact on society. The degree

It’s a very demanding program. “The heavy chemistry

brochure mentions that “as part of a Hispanic Serving

requirements are mind-boggling. Kids who are there are

Institution, there is an emphasis on understanding and

very, very serious,” Hall says. About 20 people signed

appreciating the impact cannabis has had on the Chicano/Chicana community and other regional populations of the Southwestern United States.”

In New York, SUNY Morrisville is introducing a Cannabis Industry minor this fall semester that combines courses in agricultural science, horticulture, and business programs. It also includes hands-on instruction in cultivating cannabis plants with less than 0.3 percent THC, thanks to the school’s license to grow hemp.

In June 2019, University of Maryland announced the

“On the one side, you have the growers, and on the other side you have the users. In between, you have a chemistry lab measuring compounds…

Those are the people we are interested in.”

country’s first postgraduate program in the field, a mas-

—Derek Hall, Northern Michigan University

ational and/or medical purposes.” The university, along

ter’s of science in Cannabis Science and Therapeutics.

Associate degrees in the field are offered at Stockton University in New Jersey and at Philadelphia’s University of Sciences, where students can earn an associate degree in Cannabis Health Therapy.

Even the Ivy League is getting into the field. Cornell launches “Cannabis: Biology, Society, Industry” course this fall, with plans to introduce a master’s in cannabis next year. That program is said to have an emphasis on oral and written communication skills with media and industry stakeholders, according to reports from Quartz.

At Harvard, law students in a Cannabis Law class last spring considered “criminal law enforcement, land use, civil rights, banking, and other issues arising from the cultivation, distribution and use of marijuana for recrewith MIT, received a $9 million alumni donation this summer earmarked for independent research on the influence of cannabis on brain health and behavior.

The University of Vermont’s pharmacology course in Medical Cannabis is considered the first of its kind at a US academic institution, and the medical school is also the first to offer a professional certificate in cannabis and medicine. And it’s fully online, led by faculty from the college, geared toward teaching doctors, pharmacists, nurses, PAs—medical professionals—what wasn’t on the course lists whenever and wherever they earned their degrees. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 35

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Cannabis courses are popping up in undergrad and grad-

To create the curriculum, Seaborn had to start from

uate programs at schools coast to coast, from UConn (Hor-

scratch. “When you teach a course, you use standard

ticulture of Cannabis: From Seed to Harvest) to UC, Davis

materials. In this area, there is no road map. You have to

(Cannabis sativa: The Plant and its Impact on People). Even

figure it out on your own.” Seaborn drew on people work-

more institutions have launched certificate programs cov-

ing in the new Colorado industry as guest speakers, and

ering a range of topics. Clark University in Worcester, MA,

found many eager to help. Business Insider reports that

introduced the country’s first certificate program in can-

the semester culminates with a field trip to Sweet Grass

nabis control regulation. University of Las Vegas runs the

Kitchen, where students tour the facility and hear from

Cannabis Academy through its continuing education divi-

management, including marketing director Jesse Burns.

sion, with classes in cannabis and the opioids epidemic, cannabis professionals, and pets and cannabis.

Burns has an MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder. “It’s been the foundation that I’ve built my career

Professor Paul Seaborn has taught a class titled the

on,” Burns says. “The skills I acquired helped me do the

Business of Marijuana at University of Denver’s Daniels

best and become successful and achieve goals. Having

College of Business for a few years now. Seaborn says af-

that formal education helped me see the bigger picture

ter legalization in Colorado in 2012, it seemed like a good

and helped give me the confidence to make the best deci-

idea to approach the topic from an entrepreneurial point

sions.” And as the manager, he does a lot of the hiring. He

of view. He offered the first class in 2017, and it was the

is so very excited to see more qualified applicants enter

only accredited business school offering a class in can-

the field—ones with an education specific to the industry.

nabis at the time, open to undergrads and grads. “I’ve never had as many different people—alumni, staff members, parents, students—who showed interest.”

The cannabis industry needs people who have general

“A lot of students are ready,” says Seaborn. “It’s a question of universities catching up to them.”

Leland Rucker contributed reporting to this article.

business skills to help those who don’t. “A student might have a marketing or finance or accounting major, but we’re adding on to that with history and regulation, so we can get the best candidates who can hit the ground running,” says Seaborn. “It’s a steep learning curve, and the competition has gotten more fierce. It’s not guaranteed success. The bar keeps rising, and the more you can be prepared, the better.”

“It’s a steep learning curve, and the competition has gotten more fierce. The bar keeps rising, and the more you can be prepared, the better.”

—Paul Seaborn, University of Denver sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 37

38 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

Last year, after two years

SPENT WHITTLING MY POSSESSIONS DOWN TO WHAT COULD FIT IN AN AIRSTREAM, I CLEARED OUT OF BOULDER, CO, MY HOME FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. I’D DONE MY TIME, I TOLD EVERYBODY. I WAS TRADING PINE TREES FOR PALM TREES, AND I WASN’T LOOKING BACK. I HIT

a digital nomad, living the dream.

THE ROAD AND HEADED WEST,

My plan was to start out easy with an extended stay at the Chula Vista marina just south of San Diego, watching the sun spill orange into San Diego Bay from my dinner table every evening and waking up to swaying palm trees outside my bedroom window every morning. I’d spent the previous winter there, and I was counting on many more—but that wasn’t meant to be.

Rock stars write songs about it. Even long-haul truckers can’t endure it forever. The road. It’s hard. And crowded. And lonely.

Tales of an accidental RVer.

by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N C E

“WHEN IT GETS TOO FAMILIAR, I’LL BE GONE.” —Fastball, “Airstream”

On February 1, the Chula Vista RV Resort was closed to make way for a billion-dollar mega-development. After a bittersweet month of reunions and goodbyes as longtimers who had been wintering there for decades swung by one last time, I rode with the Chula Vista diaspora off into the sunset.

I made plans with my then-sweetheart (and driver) to spend a couple months exploring Baja, but I changed my mind at the last minute, and we parted ways. It probably wouldn’t have been the greatest trip, anyway. I had a lot of anxiety about hauling my one-and-only home through Mexico, where I’m sure it’s completely safe but some of my friends and most of my family members kept telling me it wasn’t.

That left me in southern California with a 27-foot-long Airstream I’d towed only once (on an empty state highway) and no parking reservations. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 39

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SENSIMAG

40 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

“DON’T LET THE SOUND OF YOUR OWN WHEELS DRIVE YOU CRAZY.”

state and national parks) need to be made half a year in

—The Eagles, “Take It Easy”

advance, and it’s damn near impossible to find a spot

(three months at most private resorts and two weeks at

without reservations if you stay on the road past cocktail With the help of friends I met in Chula Vista, I learned

hour—which pretty much kills the whole freedom-of-the-

how to haul my own rig. I can’t say it’s something I love,

road, drive-til-you’re-done vibe that was key to this dream

and I still can’t back in, but towing is now something I

for me. I spent too many nights in Motel 6 rooms (which

do—an accomplishment I’m proud of because I stepped

are actually cheaper than the nicer RV parks).

through extreme fear. Hauling a 9,000-pound trailer

Securing parking became a full-time job—which was

down the kind of steep grades that have runaway truck

problematic, because I have a full-time job, and promised

ramps and signs warning truckers they’re not down yet

my colleagues and clients everything would flow seam-

PHOTO BY AIRSTREAM INC. VIA UNSPLASH

is one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.

lessly while I was chasing the dream in my Airstream.

What I did not see coming was the parking situation for

They loved to hear about my adventures, but they didn’t

RVs in southern California, which is akin to, and proba-

love to hear that unhooking sewer and electric lines, pack-

bly worse than, the parking situation for cars in its major

ing up and securing an Airstream (and everything in it),

cities. As the economy has soared over the past decade,

hitching it to a truck, hauling it to a new spot, unhitching,

anyone and everyone who ever wanted an RV (myself

plugging in and setting up a sewer line, then unpacking

included) bought one. RV parks are packed to capacity

and unsecuring everything again took the better part of a

with shiny new Tiffins and Jaycos, a decent number of

day, leaving little time for their projects.

Airstreams, and a good smattering of Prevosts—the rock

I learned why digital nomads steer clear of KOA Camp-

star buses that can be had for well over a million. Most

grounds, which cater to families, sometimes with groups

of the towering motorhomes are owned by baby boomers,

so large you can’t imagine how or where everyone sleeps

some of whom traded in their homes (like I did) to live

inside that Prowler. It’s great to see kids riding their bikes

the dream on the road. A lot of the Winnebagos and Lanc-

in the streets while their parents drink beers and listen to

es are driven by millennials, some of whom are living the

’80s metal, until you have a conference call or a deadline.

dream because they can’t afford to buy houses.

I stopped making friends because I got tired of having

All those folks living the dream need a place to park. And

to say goodbye a couple days later—and I don’t have the

in southern California, at least, infrastructure isn’t keep-

capacity to follow even one more living-the-dream jour-

ing up with demand. Reservations for long-term parking

ney on YouTube and Instagram. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 41

humboldtredwoodhealing.com Humboldt Redwood Healing

@humboldtredwoodhealing

Lic. CML18-0000803 | CML18-0002208 | CML 18-0002213 42 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

“WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN.”

for that month, and when it came time to think about

—The Grateful Dead, “Truckin’”

traversing mountain passes and metro areas on the way

I was happy and grounded in my one-and-only home

to the next place—wherever that might be—I felt very There were, of course, experiences that made the dream worth living. Walking on sand made from fish skeletons

PHOTO BY AIRSTREAM INC. VIA UNSPLASH

along the banks of the churning Salton Sea as low char-

tired. I dreaded the road. I wanted, maybe even needed, a soft spot to land in for a while.

And so it ended. I dragged my Airstream over the Rock-

coal-colored clouds moved over the Chocolate Mountains

ies and back to Boulder, feeling my heart sink at the smell

in February is one I’ll never forget. I finally got to see Slab

of pine trees, then soar with every welcoming hug from my

City, an anarchist squatter RV community on a former

kids and friends. I went to practice with my favorite yoga

military base that’s known as “the last free place on earth.”

teacher and signed a lease with my bestie. I came home.

(The residents there aren’t actually all that thrilled with

I lasted less than nine months on the road. I could eas-

looky-loos hanging around, but it’s worth a drive through.)

ily consider my truncated journey a failure. But I don’t. I

I went on epic bike rides around Mission Bay and Corona-

did something I didn’t think I could do and learned some

do, and I never stopped appreciating palm trees.

big lessons—about the road, about myself, and about life.

I met new friends who let me park for a month behind their paddleboard shop in Page, Arizona, on the banks of Lake Powell, one of the most spectacular places on earth.

It rained a lot, but it didn’t matter. Settling into one place— especially one so beautiful—felt like the ultimate luxury.

I know, without a doubt, that people matter more than palm trees.

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and the recently released Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis, is thrilled to be growing her own cannabis again.

I dragged my Airstream back home, feeling my heart sink with the smell of pine trees, then soar with every welcoming hug from my kids and friends.

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 43

44 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

OF FIELD T S A S E F UMBOLDT H s | T F

st a e

aste o f Te rr o ir Sat. SEPT. 28, 11 am - 6 pm

lower F f o

Southern humboldt Community park Everything grows in Humboldt County! Join us for the first annual Feast of Fields Humboldt, a delicious event with local farmer samplings, artistic creations and bubbly libations all with a farmer’s flair!

First annual Feast of Flowers Cannabis awards and ICFA Taste of Terroir education. Live music and a fabulous event for all!

No charge for general admission.

VIP lounge tickets available northcoasttickets.com Special Feast of Fields rates available at the Benbow Historic Inn Vendor information available at northcoasttickets.com Sponsorship info: Laura at theshbvb@gmail.com Taste of Terroir info: chrystal@icfa.farm Feast of Flowers contest info: noelle@countryclubcannabis.com

A portion of proceeds to benefit Garberville Rotary Club www.elevatethemagic.com

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 45

46 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

COLDWELL BANKER

Making Dreams Come True THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, PROFESSIONALISM, AND UNCOMPROMISING ETHICS IN REAL ESTATE.

With her office based in Humboldt County, Emerald

most two decades of experience, she’s familiar with

Triangle realtor Sandi DeLuca has seen it all. Selling

cannabis real estate and knows how to determine the

land and residential properties in Humboldt and Trinity

value of a farm or property based on its status in the

counties for the last 17 years, she knows the local real

zoning and permitting process. Navigating the com-

estate market.

plexities of compliance is a process that DeLuca enjoys,

Originally from Southern California, DeLuca relocated

and she regularly builds on her expertise by attending

to the hills of Humboldt County, where has she raised

cannabis-related events across the country. She’s not

her three children. She has made a career of showing

afraid of a difficult situation and doesn’t hesitate to

clients what makes the Emerald Triangle so special.

help clients take on new opportunities.

DeLuca has two specialties: She loves flipping dis-

DeLuca loves the idea of helping people find their

tressed homes in need of repair, selling them to new

dream homes, where they will raise their families for

owners, and adding value to older neighborhoods. DeLu-

years to come. Sometimes the right investment can

ca is also sought after to sell cannabis-zoned properties,

help a family or individual move forward toward their

educating buyers and sellers on how new regulations

future dream home or next big life adventure.

will affect the value of each location. DeLuca finds joy in solving the puzzles of this new market opportunity.

Above all, DeLuca understand the needs of buyers and sellers working in the cannabis industry. With al-

For more information, visit:

BIT.LY/SANDIDELUCA sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 47

NORTHERN NIGHTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Northern Nights Music Festival (NNMF) is leading the integration of cannabis

ALL PHOTOS BY MATT WHITLOCK, COURTESY OF NNMF

culture and music. This July, NNMF’s ‘Tree Lounge’ debuted in Humboldt County, making history as the first festival with permitted recreational cannabis-consumption in the country.

Across the county line in Mendocino, festival-goers enjoyed more music and swimming in the majestic Eel River all weekend long.

48 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle

Where: Cook’s Valley Campground, Piercy CA When: July 19th-22, 2019 Info: northernnights.org

sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 49

{HereWeGo }

by L I Z W I L S O N

LIFTING FOR LIFE Weight training for wellness.

People of all genders, ages, and abilities, with varying

Humboldt County probation officer Ashtyn Campbell

diets and lifestyles, lift weights to build strength. The im-

began lifting weights three years ago and now is training

age of an ultramasculine carnivore “pumping iron” has

to compete in a power-lifting competition this November.

become outdated as a better-educated public learns that

In the contest, she’ll attempt to lift her maximum weight in

weight training is for everyone.

three popular lifts: the back squat, bench press, and dead

The key physical benefits of weight training include body

lift. Campbell says lifting heavy weight “pushes her to her

recomposition, weight management, increased metab-

limits” and helps her see what she’s capable of physically

olism, strength building, and endurance. Mentally, lifting

and mentally.

weights can lead to a decrease in depression, stress, and

Humboldt boasts several gyms with either female own-

anxiety. In fact, when asking female friends and gym-go-

ers or female personal trainers. Rebel Fitness and Body

ers why they lift weights, they responded with “for my

Tuners in Eureka and Fit Norcal in Arcata are just a few.

health” and “it’s my therapy.” Mental health concerns ap-

Elise Champ, a personal trainer at Rebel Fitness, has been

pear to drive many women toward weight training, often

working in the fitness industry for 10 years and holds a

leading to a boost in self-confidence by becoming stron-

bachelor’s degree in exercise science. About 90 percent

ger and more empowered.

of Champ’s clientele are women. Personally, she started

Historically, weight-lifting areas at the gym are dom-

lifting to feel strong “in every sense of the word.” Today,

inated by men, while women have been convinced they

Champ explains that strength training has improved her

should be on a treadmill trying to get skinny. The confi-

life beyond physical aesthetics, and she attributes her “in-

dence that comes from being knowledgeable about your

creased confidence, improved mental health, and a great-

health and how to use machines properly to get strong—

er feeling of balance” to lifting weights.

taking up space, literally and figuratively—is something

Whether you’re looking to incorporate weight training

women have just as much right to. It’s a kind of strength

for physical strength or mental health, there’s a gym and

that spills over into real life.

a supportive community ready to show you the ropes.

50 SEPTEMBER 2019 Emerald Triangle