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Blunts & Bogeys by Michael Kinney

Jake Spiegel could be heard from far away. After dropping a long birdie putt, he and his playing partners screamed in excitement before giving out high-fives and fist pounds between each other. “I’ll tell you right now, this is the team you want to be a part of,” Ryan Bloemke said of the group. “The energy’s high. The weather’s great. The atmosphere’s great. Everybody’s having a good time. We couldn’t ask for more.”

This display of jubilation wasn’t at the Masters Tournament, which was being played at the same time hundreds of miles away, or some stuffy corporate retreat. Bloemke, Spiegel and the rest of their foursome from NexLeaf Cultivation were competing in the Blunts and Bogeys Golf Tournament. Hosted by Herbage Magazine, the tournament brings businesses and individuals from throughout the Cannabis industry together for an afternoon of golf, fun and Networking. The tournament was held Saturday, April 8 at the Choctaw Creek Golf Course.

“This event is important for team camaraderie and a little bit of exposure,” Bloemke said. “Just kind of exposurewith the community. But with that being said, I mean, we’re just here to have a good time and try to spread some awareness.”

With the temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, 30 teams convened in Choctaw for an afternoon on the links. But it was Exotic Cultivators who came out on topafter shooting an amazing team score of 52 over the 18 holes. Even those who didn’t take the top prize, couldn’t have been more pleased with the day, which included some very full and valuable gift bags, a catered lunch from DOPE Chef Jay , beverages and all the medical cannabis that patients could load onto their carts.

“We got blessed with the best day of the year so far for golf,” said Jamie Marshall of Dazed Cannabis. “So that along with the company getting to spend time with each other outside of work is always a positive thing. Andgetting to meet new people and getting to see what they’re doing and how they’re doing it is always interesting and fun.”

However, according to James Bridges, the Herbage Magazine founder and creator of the Blunts and Bogeys Golf Tournament, the event has always been more about bringing the industry together than the final score.

“We definitely wanted to show the overall unification of our community across the state,” Bridges said. “We had dispensaries there, we had growers there, we had processors there, we had photographers there. We had event people and festival throwers. We had distribution companies there. We even had apparel companies involved. And so, with all of these people, and with all of that, the thing I think of most is that it is VERY possible to have a group of like minded individuals gather onto a field of grass and play together as equals. Not just one sector of the industry. We can look at all the different sectors of this industry and have them come together and meet each other and have a good time and do all the things that we did in a big way. And we proved it.”

Sponsors and participants were made up of an eclectic group from around Oklahoma. They included: Oryon Cannabis, THE COWBOY CUP, Livesource Cloud, Electric Avenue Farms, Resonant Cultivation, 4H Pharms, HWY-Lines, Dazed Cannabis, NexLeaf Cultivation, The Laughing Goat, Well Rooted, The Cowboy Cup, UFCW 100, 77 Farms, Exotic Cultivators, Ruby Mae’s, Jagged Quail, The Pott County Hideout, Drip Cultivation, Stay at Home Dabs, B&K Buds, Bono-Ape, Pharm Phresh, Alliance Oklahoma, Holiday, Level Up, RX3 Gardens, and Vibe OKC.

During the past few years, Herbage Magazine has held several different golf tournaments. That includes the Herbage Golf Fall Classic, which was last held in September of 2022. Yet, this edition of the Blunts and Bogeys Tour is by far the largest he and his team have put on.

“I was more than pleasantly surprised,” Bridges said. “I think everyone benefits from it. The people that attended, participants, all of our sponsors. The golf course itself and the community of everyone that was involved. I think it was an overall success. So much so that we have scheduled our next two golf events for this year alone.”

Dan Carmel, owner of Oryon Cannabis, was excited. “As proud sponsors of Herbage Magazine’s Blunts and Bogeys, we at Oryon Canna were thrilled to see cannabis and golf enthusiasts come together. Our team is passionate about promoting the positive effects of cannabis, and events like these help us do just that. We can’t wait to continue supporting the cannabis community. Thanks again for having us, and we’re grateful to play a small part in the growth of Oklahoma’s cannabis culture.” Brandon Leinberger from Oryon Cannabis agreed with Bridges’ assessment of the need for the importance of industry-wide events like Blunts and Bogeys.

“It definitely ties people together,” Leinberger said. “No matter what you’re going to do, it’s got to make the community feel more together when you’re doing things representing the same thing and sharing fun experiences.”

The growth in the tournament can be tied to the growth in the cannabis industry and its strong ties in Oklahoma. Since medical marijuana became legal in the state, cannabis has evolved and expanded to become a lifestyle, a way of community support, commerce, and even fun.

“It’s been a great event to get together, connect and network with other owners, employees, everyone in the industry,” said Mike Cataldo of NexLeaf and LiveSource. “It’s good to be outdoors and be active and do something besides sitting around. It’s good to be out and about on a beautiful day and network. It’s good for being together with the employees as well as just talking to people. I think it’s important because it shows that you are part of something larger than just yourself. Just being part of the community is important to us and the Oklahoma cannabis community.”

Yet, it is still considered in its infancy, which is why industry events, like HerbageGolf, are important, said Hunter Hoppy from 4H Pharms. “You know the cannabis community is not too big in Oklahoma right now,” Hoppy said. “It’s still growing. So, getting everybody together and making sure everybody has their own back was good.”

Hunter used as an example the recent failed vote on State Question 820 that would have legalized the sale of recreational marijuana to anyone 21 and older as an example of why the people in the industry need to work together even more. “I work in the cannabis industry, and I work in the mobile home industry. They’re both small industries, but there is a lot of money in both industries,” Hoppy said. “So, we always stay tight-knit and we have each other’s back. I think that’s what it takes to be able to make this thing work. The vote for adult cannabis use just got voted down. I think doing things like this will keep everybody together and help make that happen one day.”

According to Cataldo, Blunts and Bogeys forces business owners to delete their more individualistic tendencies and look at the bigger picture. “I think events like this are a necessary part to grow together versus as individuals,” Cataldo said. “A lot of times we are closed off within our company and we just worry about ourselves. Events like this create partnerships where we can all grow together versus individually.”

One of the first-time competitors at the Blunts and Bogeys was Joe Lee, an organizer with UFCW 1000. His union was one of the tournament’s sponsors and provided the golf carts. As Oklahoma’s cannabis industry grows, Lee said his union wants to be part of their growth and make sure people understand just how specialized the workers are. “Cannabis workers are highly skilled professionals and should be recognized as such. They are extremely dedicated, knowledgeable, and passionate about the industry. They deserve to be recognized and have a voice in the workplace. That is why the Blunts and Bogeys tournament is so important. It gave him a chance to meet and talk to business owners about what it’s going to take to help the industry grow and get stronger.

“We bring a lot of things to the table as far as political connections, affordable health insurance and retirement plans. Things like safety on the job and just helping support the industry as a whole,” Lee said. “There is a lot of people’s hard work, sweat and blood that’s gone into this industry and we want to help the industry survive and maintain.”

Almost to a person, the main word that was used throughout the day was community. Everyone seemed to know that whatever lies ahead for the Oklahoma cannabis industry, it is going to take the entire collective to keep it working and growing. “I think it’s important for us to have opportunities to get to know each other and spend time together,” Marshall said. “Because at the end of the day, we’re all in the same industry, in the same business. And there are a lot of things that it’s going to take a long time to get through all of this. I think we’re going to have to have a lot of cooperative things that we do right in order to overcome some of the challenges that we have and that we’re going to have.”

It may seem unrealistic to some that a friendly golf tournament can help strengthen and expand the cannabis industry. But those who have attended any of the past outings will co-sign on what the experience has done for them in terms of bringing people together. Bridges says that he has been grateful that the community can find a way to unify. “I know there are so many other creative ways we can accomplish such positive results. I hope others in our community can come up with new creative ideas. As always, I hope Herbage Magazine can contribute to that positive outcome in any way possible. We will continue to reach our goals by staying true to one another.. We all want the same thing. We all want people to have a better way of life. We want them to have a choice and we want them to not feel bad about that. In a way we truly are a big family.”

Lettuce Learning by Chet Tucker

With a saturated cannabis market here in Oklahoma, it’s important to understand not only basic economics but also how your product or service fits or outshines. At the date of this writing, we have over 6,800 licensed growers serving a medicinal market that makes up about 10% of the state’s population (aka Med-Rec with the ease of getting a medical card). That number would still be considered high even if it were serving the 4 million residents (and those traveling in) had the vote gone recreational. Obviously, had our vote gone recreational, it would have “bailed” out thousands of
businesses that are fighting for survival. Add the fact that we have 1,800+ processors and we all get the picture … there’s no green rush! That ship has sailed for the foreseeable future which means those that are here for the long haul have to continue finding ways to improve and diversify to remain.

Specific to the wholesale vendors, how do your businesses do more than survive in such a flooded marketplace? I believe it takes a plethora of angles to do more than make ends meet. First, I believe you have to truly have a passion for what you’re producing and selling. Sounds like a no-brainer but like any other business or product, there has to be a rooted passion for what you’re doing to truly excel but even more critical in a market that has nearly 10,000 different businesses competing for consolidating dispensary shelf space. So, whether you’re here producing flower, carts, edibles, topicals, tinctures, etc., you first have to be all-in with your work ethic and passion for setting you and your business apart!

Next, you have to determine how you’re setting yourself apart from the parking lot full of vendors vying for dispensary and patient need and desire. Flower makes up a majority of sales, especially if you consider pre-rolls which are followed by carts, edibles, concentrates and then to the even tighter market of the variety of products that make up the remaining 5% of sales. If you’re diversified in the space, it could certainly help if you’re standing out in a few different product categories. With so many options for patients and dispensaries to choose from, what makes your product or service stand above the rest? Is it a unique or sought after product or strain? Is it backed with product guarantees to the dispensary and patient? Is it professionally packaged and distributed properly? Is it consistent quality? With the state of the market, it really needs to be all the above!

So, how do you even make it in the door? One of the first wins in business is being “first to market”. For those that’ve been here since inception or have expanded from other states, they will have a much higher success rate than those just entering the market. Dispensaries and patients have had years to become familiar with and trust the quality and consistency of the vendors that have established themselves. For the thousands that have come in over the last year or two, it’s about all of the aforementioned and the value add of being professional and consistent in your sales approach. In my last article, I shared that you certainly have to be patient and kind as you understand that not every dispensary will carry your product and let’s be honest, there are some that you may not want to be in or that can afford certain tiers because their geography within the state doesn’t match the dollars that can be spent.

When the market first took off, dispensaries were scrapping for any and all products they could get in and even when trying to build long term relationships and/or contracts, most weren’t willing to make said deals because of the supply and demand and the uncertainty of whether those businesses would last. However, the market is still lopsided with the supply being high (yes, I said high) and the demand not meeting the level of production that’s coming out of cultivation and processing facilities. Sadly, there’s been many frustrated with this flipped conundrum and taking it out on each other. That’s not good business. If you’re in a single lane (not vertically integrated), it’s important to understand that while some dispensaries may be negotiating at high margins, many are passing on the savings to the patients to compete at the retail level. Retail cannabis spaces don’t have the “luxury” of the expense write-offs that other cannabis businesses are able to leverage. Additionally, they will typically have a higher cost of real estate (lease) and more compliance certifications and fees within their respective city limits. Last, they are responsible for the 7% marijuan tax on top of all other taxes and expenses. Let’s wrap with some of the basics and etiquette that can be shared between both the retailers and wholesalers.

It’s important to respect each other’s time and business space. For vendors that are out there hustling face to face, store to store, be respectful and mindful of the retail space in which you enter. You certainly will always take a back seat to any patients/customers that are in the store and I believe most everyone gets this “rule of thumb”. If you do come face to face, bring your professionally packaged samples/products … and bring your best. Too often, I’ve personally heard, “well this isn’t what we currently have” or “this is some older stuff, our new stuff is much better”. You will quickly lose any credibility if you’re bringing older samples or stuff that isn’t professionally packaged to display/pitch. There are far too many that have it together so you’ll be wasting your gas and time if you’re not coming to make the best impression. Next, respect the owner, purchasing manager, or budtender that may say “no” to even seeing the product or declining it. They may have other appointments or they may not be taking in new products at that time. Shoot for a date and time on a calendar if they are interested. If they do agree to check out your product, make sure you’re sharing what you need and that you’re not taking up too much time. The good ol’ elevator pitch of 2-3 minutes should be enough to make the impression needed for a small chance at an on-the-spot sale or a chance to come back for a sale and delivery.

For dispensaries, I feel it’s equally important to be open and honest about where you’re at with products and needs. No need to waste anyone’s time if you’re not taking on any new products or if you are only looking for a specific product. Additionally, it’s not hard to be kind to the person that’s out trying to share their products and earn a living. If they call or come in, be kind and respectful and guide the person for a future date or sharing that you will take a card or look them up and get back with them. Most importantly, if an appointment or sale delivery was made, someone should be there for the appointment or to call and reschedule ahead of time if they aren’t going to make the appointment. If there is a delivery, it’s critical that money is there and the transaction is completed. I’ve personally experienced deliveries to dispensaries where there was no money or they weren’t prepared for the delivery even though it was properly communicated. That’s unfair to the vendors and the person that’s on a schedule of deliveries. Last, many dispensaries have websites with customer/vendor contact form to make appointments. It’s a wise use of everyone’s time to leverage these for making appointments or avoiding wasted time with a business that’s not interested in taking on new products. All in, it’s common courtesy and doing your best to respect your fellow man. Next month, we’ll dive into the power of online awareness and communications and how they can streamline and improve credibility and opportunities.

Seed to Buds

Meet Randon. He’s the operator of Well Rooted Genetics here in Oklahoma and he’s a connoisseur of consumption, with food and cannabis! He’s a big time foodie and has a memory with smells that take him back. He has learned about curation and flow with the different experiences he has had, with the plant having more textures and smells than any other species we have. He enjoys a good salad mix and bringing people together, because we’re ALL artists.

I had the opportunity to attend the very first exploration dinner, “Seed to Buds”. Which was an experience where artisans of two separate crafts came together to create. This is where the Underground Ghost Kitchen comes in. It was an experience curated by Randon with Well Rooted Genetics and the UGK team. Roger curates the events and Jesse is the main chef for private dining events.

By providing experiences like this in Oklahoma, we’re essentially bridging the gap and blending the two worlds, by elevating the state and opening up new doors for the evolution of plant medicine. The goal of this dinner pairing was to utilize all of the plant in ways that compliment luxury ingredients.

Upon walking into Randon’s beautiful home, I was greeted with a cocktail and smiling faces. More people started rolling in, all faces of industry gems. Conversations and laughter flowed throughout the whole night. There was good hash rosin present, along with glass tip joints, that I have to say I need more of in my life! The glass tips are such a game changer when it comes to taste and flow, so take note. Everyone found a seat at the table, with a guided menu on what to expect for the evening and then it began.

There were many many intricate dishes that made this experience special, along with the option for mocktails for those that requested them. The UGK team also caters to those with food allergies and different preferences. The dinner menu was set up to complement strains like Zacio, Birkinz, Frosted Waffles, and Gelenade. Here are some descriptions on what I got to taste!

The snacks were a favorite of mine and consisted of Pani Puri, herbed boursin, greens and a lavender clover club cocktail to pair with Gelonade. There was also a cauliflower salad with asparagus, espuma and a Monstro Striga Cerasuolo d’ Abruzzo to pair with Zacio, and for the main course we had an herb crusted loin coated in East Side OG kief, with peas, potato, and a Maison Passot Fleurie wine paired with Birkinz. To cleanse our palates, we smoked Superboof that was rolled with a glass tip by Zenoa Cultivation, along with orange granita, mango sorbet and strawberry. (the mango sorbet was a favorite of mine). We then followed that with a dessert that was a creme fresh honeysuckle lemon cake with a Lambrusco drink, paired with Frosted Waffles. All of the signature craft cocktails were made by bartender Paul, with Thirst Wines.

We had Chef Jessie Gomez explaining every dish to us, down to each ingredient and herb used and why. As the dishes were presented at the table, it was something I appreciated so much! It brought an intimate experience for everyone there. The cocktails were all so delicious and I truly enjoyed every one, with every dish!

What an experience this seed to bud dinner pairing was! Such a beautiful thing to be a part of. From all of the yummy and refreshing drinks to pair with the food and different tasty strains from local growers, it was beautifully curated with so much intention and passion poured into it, from the creative minds that brought an experience like this to life!

Cheers to some really good company and really good cannabis. So cool to see it! This is what we need here in Oklahoma and I’m stoked to have been a part of this in Oklahoma City. It’s amazing what all we can do together when we combine the things we all love.

The Path Continues

The Path Continues
By James Bridges

“That was a long year.” How many times have you heard that? Usually in a negative tone it seems. Well, it has been a long year. A year is a long time. 365 days to be exact. Each and every one of those days are long too. Each day. Each Minute. Each second. Soak it up, buttercup.

What are you going to do with it?

There was an abundance of, what seemed like, magic in the air starting from the moment SQ788 passed. It seems so long ago. However, sometimes it’s a blur. There have been so many shifts in the industry as it matures. 2022 may have been the ugly pre-teen years, if you were to compare to what I believe is to come.

You need to remember why you wanted cannabis to be legal in the first place. That, my friends, is your own personal choice as well. Medicine comes in many different forms. No one has the right to tell you differently.

I’ve witnessed the market in Oklahoma shift from a territorial atmosphere into what has now become more of a collaborative effort to navigate not only the market trend, but also the constant changes tossed down from our governing bodies. This, in my opinion, is key. If there ever were a plot to kill legal cannabis, then this idea of collaboration could indeed squash it.

Now I go to my creative mind. I like to imagine dark,angry, and dried up individuals sitting around a boardroom table and pounding their fists out of anger and frustration. One of them stands and screams, “Why must they fight together!” The dark “overlords” smoke their smokey cigarettes and discuss ways to split the damn pot heads up. I digress.

The simplest way to kill something is to gain its trust. It is a shady way of doing things. It’s a way of doing things that we all must look out for. It’s ok to listen to your intuition… Unfortunately many businesses in the cannabis industry have failed. That’s not uncommon in most industries, to be honest. However, the way that it has come about is a tad tacky in my book. I don’t speak much about politics publicly, but I do love my community.

There are mom-and-pops in this great state that feel robbed. They feel that the system which was put in place during the first years of legalization in Oklahoma was a money grab. They blame many players involved in the governing bodies. They feel that those players would benefit the state rather than the industry itself. Some feel that this grew into an even more greedy situation. Major players within the cannabis industry itself have been accused of having a hand in the pocket of some of those benefitted.

It’s been interesting to observe to say the least.

I won’t give you a BS promotional speech that makes you feel that there is a pot of gold waiting for us all. What I will do is encourage you to keep moving forward. Make a more collaborative effort to accomplish your goals. Stick together and create your own ideas. Have fun doing it. We are in a cannabis industry.

That’s supposed to be fun right?

Those that oppose our lifestyle and understanding of what good medicine is are waiting for us to trip up. Make sure they trip first. They want this to fail. When it all comes down to it, this is about money. The blanket of fear that is covering the eyes of justice must come down once in a while. At times Justice needs to look the liar in the face in order to gain access to the truth.

The Budtender Diaries – Building Trust

 

by Anna Ervin 

I think that “I don’t know” might be some of the most unappealing words you could hear come out of a budtender’s mouth. Sure, we all have to use them at times, and hopefully we follow up with a quick “but let me find out for you,” before proceeding to dig for more details… but what happens when those details aren’t readily available to us? Or we’re fed misinformation about the products we’re being asked to sell? I’m convinced that there is no greater shame than being unable to answer a question a patient has asked about the medicine they choose.  

I’ve always been naturally self-competitive, so this kind of setback has been a difficult pill for me to swallow. There have been occasions that made me want to melt into a puddle of embarrassment on the dispensary floor after a patient left without making a purchase. This has little to do with monetary loss for me. Sure, I would want the dispensary I work for to succeed, but at the end of the day the thing that gets me is knowing that I failed to make the process of shopping for medicine easy and transparent for my patients. Looking back at a time when I was just a patient, I can remember feeling pretty discouraged when the people selling me medicine weren’t able to answer my questions about where it came from, or how it was cultivated or processed. I’m now positive that they felt the same.  

I think I speak for most budtenders when I say that we want our customers to leave happy, empowered, and informed. At the end of the day, we need our patients to trust us, and the source of that trust traces back to both our own responsibility to stay informed, and our relationships with the brands that stock our shelves.  

Now, I’m not here to whine about the issues I see without proposing at least a few ideas for solutions. I don’t have the type of brain that allows me to recognize a problem without coming up with a million ways to solve it. At the same time, these are just ideas. The goal is simply to offer a new perspective. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of the conversation. So where do we start? 

Last month the focus was how cultivators and processors could better provide the resources and tools budtenders need in order to create a solid bond with dispensaries. This month, I’m turning the tables, but that doesn’t mean that both sides of the industry won’t find a little insight here.  

I’ve said this before, and I will continue to reiterate for the rest of my career, but it is a budtender’s responsibility to continuously educate themselves about industry standards, as well as the science that goes into cultivation and extraction. I know this is a daunting task for some (like me). So instead of droning on about topics I don’t fully understand (yet), today I’m offering a list of tools budtenders and dispesaries can equip themselves with in order to build a foundation of trust and transparency, furthermore empower their patients to make educated choices when shopping for medicine.  

 

Easily Accessible Lab Results 

I know this seems obvious, but hear me out. I have worked in one dispensary, so I can’t speak on how many of the others operate. However, I will say this, it is gut-wrenching how grateful my patients were that I actually had test results on a shelf behind me for literally any of the products they asked for. This shouldn’t be something patients are surprised to see, it should be something they are used to. Having lab results that are easily accessible not only provides valuable information for patients that understand those results, but it gives budtenders a tool to help them sell products they may not know as much about. 

 

Understanding Cannabinoids and Terpenes 

Buy a poster for reference, make flash cards, do whatever you need to do, but learn your cannabinoids and terpenes. Though research is sparse, and we’re only just beginning to understand the effects these components contribute, this is hands down one of the most useful tools you could utilize to help you recommend products to patients. The most important thing to remember is that the research that’s currently available is just a starting point. Cannabis affects everyone differently, so while you might begin by explaining that terpinolene can provide energy and focus for some, you would also benefit from explaining that it can invoke anxiety or even sedation in others. This level of transparency with your patients not only empowers them with useful knowledge about cannabis, but it inspires them to pay closer attention to how different components of the plant benefit their experience or overall health.  

 

Knowing the Right Questions  

Rather than getting caught off guard on the sales floor, equip yourself with the knowledge your customers may seek before the products you sell even hit the shelves. What were the cultivation methods used? Processing methods? Are the extracts full-spectrum, distillate, or some form of isolate? Were solvents used in extraction? Are the products single-sourced or did they come from a collective of licensed cannabis businesses? The list could go on. These may be a bit on the extreme end, but there’s nothing worse than being surprised by a question that indicates your customer knows what they’re talking about. Talk to your cultivators and processors. Even if you’re not entirely sure what you’re asking yet, keep asking. I promise most of the people investing their time and livelihoods into cannabis are eager to share their expertise with you– and if they’re not, you should definitely ask more questions. 

 

Building trust with our patients begins by building a foundation of trust in our cultivators, processors, employers, and ourselves. Put yourself in a patient’s shoes (this shouldn’t be difficult for most of us). Wouldn’t you want to purchase products from someone who takes the time to educate themselves and research what they’re selling? What are your thoughts? Let me know! 

 

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The Budtender Diaries 

A monthly column which aims to shed light on important topics within the cannabis industry, and invoke positive change by inspiring empathy, awareness, and independent thinking. If you are a member of this community, you have the potential to help create an industry that benefits both patients and the makers of their medicine. If you have questions, stories, or topics you’d like to add to the conversation, please submit them to anna@herbagemag.com.  

Empower through Education, by Anna Ervin

Cake Boss Review

 

 

Cake Boss by Full Power Cannabis 

 Reviewed by: Hopper  

Written by: Pamela Jayne 

 

“This super tight, frosty nugget is fully draped in trichomes and shines like a disco ball. It has very beautiful coloring, with different shades of greens and purples, from light to dark, and is nicely accented by red pistils tucked into the incredibly dense bud. It’s so dense, that when dropped it sounds like a rock hitting the table. 

 The nose on this is absolutely phenomenal. It has both sweet and floral notes, and also a little bit of a gassy kick. The terps on this one quickly woke up my salivary glands, and got my mouth watering and ready for the hit.  

The Chronissuer by Pamela Jayne

Wow, it is absolutely outstanding! It’s floral and sweet, with a little bit of a grape gas taste, but mostly a decadent cake-like flavor. The hit is super smooth- not at all harsh on the lungs. It was obviously flushed well, and also has a nice cure. Big props to the grower for that. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone grows a beautiful crop, and then ruins it by not properly flushing it and/or rushing the cure. The hit was smooth and delicious and was followed by a moderately sedating cerebral sensation that weaves its way through every nook and cranny of the brain to carry away the worries of the day. It’s a great anxiety reliever and mood enhancer. As far as the physical effects, it provides instant relaxation in the shoulders, neck, and back. I really appreciate how long lasting the physical relief was. This strain would be helpful for anyone in need of pain management, muscle relaxation, or just a break after a long day.  

 All in all, the Cake Boss from Full Power Cannabis in Edmond is a top shelf selection that really showcases the best of Oklahoma medical cannabis, and was a perfect way to kick off The Chronisseur in Herbage. I’m beyond stoked to be here in this beautiful state, to be part of the Herbage family, and to see what next month’s offerings are.” 

Be sure to grab a copy of Herbage each month to see what Oklahoma is smokin’ on, and what our very own Chronisseur has to say about it.  

A Face of a Million Faces

By Michael Kinney  

Trying to pin Andrew Martin down on a simple answer can seem like trying to drink water out of a thimble. The co-founder of Sherweed Forest admits it is a problem, especially when trying to explain what his company is. 

Martin sees what Sherweed Forest is, but also what it can become.  “We are not a traditional mechanism. I would say Sherweed Forest is an idea,” Martin said. “I don’t mean that in a cheesy, branding way. We didn’t start as a formal organization. We began this process as two guys from the town of Mannford (Okla.) and essentially identified a problem in the market that we saw was unfolding. We saw it as a fateful problem. If it wasn’t solved, it could be the fate of access to cannabis.” 

Yet, it all started as a simple project. He and Branden Chaney were looking to find some cannabis.  

While that may seem easy these days with a dispensary being on almost every corner around Oklahoma, the two friends were actually looking for a special kind of cannabis.  

Chaney, who is a plumber by trade, suffers from severe pain in his back. His doctors had prescribed pain blockers as far back as 10 years ago in the middle of the opioid epidemic. Yet, they did not solve his problem.   

But then in 2019, the two friends started to look into medical marijuana.  

“We were trying to find the right, discreet dosing item for him that would actually be consistent and get him where he needs to be,” Martin said. “We weren’t able to find it at first. That kind of set us off on this particular angle.”  

If somebody was new to cannabis and its effects and how to use it and they wanted to use it for a specific reason, they would use something like weed maps. But according to Martin, those are based on a broken system.  

They would also use strain names, which Martin says are completely made up by the seller and can change the name when it’s not selling well. That makes finding the right product difficult.  Martin and Chaney saw a problem and decided to fix it themselves. They created Sherweed Forest with the idea of educating those who use medical marijuana on what is the right product for them and why.   

Sherweed Forest now also includes Brook Miller, Kayvon Taghizadeh, and Tarra Quin.  

Andrew added, “I realized instantly after I first introduced the Bazaar and partnered with Brook as the lead events coordinator that he was the second half that would make the entire thing possible.” 

Andrew then informed me that Kayvon keeps all of them on their toes. They do not want to become an inspiration for his stand up comedy. “He is a technology repair specialist by day. It is that level of attention to detail that he brings to to team that we couldn’t live without.” 

Tarra Quinn, Advertising Director for Herbage Magazine, is an amazing asset to the Sherweed team. “Personally, my son is a pediatric patient and this event allows me to medicate him monthly.” Tarra expressed her gratitude. “I also gain more knowledge by meeting the makers of his medicine.” 

“We created Sherweed Forest to try and meet people and create an environment of the community,” Martin said. “We are just a collection of like-minded people who have a common cause. We create goals and try to accomplish them. There are opportunities for patients to find a product that almost feels made specifically for them. “What we are trying to do is make it easy for patients and for vendors to do this process, to be able to come together into a room and exchange information and education, and be able to try those products.”  

From that concept, the Sherweed Forest’s Throw Down Bazaar sprung to life. 

With the bazaar, Sherweed Forest partners with a local dispensary and holds a massive sale for low-cost cannabis and other products.   

“We want to be able to give you a guide that can help you find that precision,” Martin said. “Whether you understand what that means or not.” 

The first Bazaar was held in November of 2021. Since then there’ve been three iterations of Sherweed Forest Throwdown Bazar. The most recent took place in January. The event raised more than $23,000, which is by far the most product the Throwdown has sold in their short run. However, while Martin said the Throwdown was a success, they also had to deal with a few hitches that kept it from being a total success to some involved. A big part of that was not anticipating the large swell in attendance.  

“So, I take the blame for it, but I also own it. I wanted it to work like that. It just grew too fast. This was only the fourth one,” Martin said. “And we’ve been doing them about every 30 days. And their only complaint is that it was just a pressure system at the dispensary level and a bottleneck. And that’s just due to the insane amount of response.”  

One of the reasons for the Bazaar’s quick growth was due to the generosity of Randy Luck, formerly  General Manager of Kind Love and now GM of Bodega Boyz. According to Martin, Luve attended the second Throwdown event and really liked the concept, but also saw the low number of sales being made.  

“So then he offered us a 0% markup, and that’s actually what made it blow up and get to the $23,000,” Martin said. “And made it what it is to this day. We just accepted that offer. But we only really had contact with him when it comes to Kind Love. So, it’s a lesson we learned in regards to, we don’t know how much the owner is necessarily on the same page or if they were or weren’t. And just a lesson we learned is to dig and be thorough in regards to getting our hands on the owner of collaboration, to make sure everybody’s on the same page.”  

One of the factors they will have to consider going forward is the size of the dispensary. When they first started, they could hold the Bazaar at smaller stores because they weren’t getting a ton of people coming through the door. But now, the Sherweed Forest group has grown so fast in a short amount of time, that a larger facility may be needed in the future.  

“So that event went great. It just felt like we had a hard time knowing what was going on on the dispensary side,” Martin said. “And so we chose the small one because they would let us get behind the counter, in a metaphorical way. They let us work with them up to the point of the delivery of the product. And I was hoping that with my admin team, that would be helpful enough that a small shop would then be able to do the event.”  

Sherweed Forest has learned from the mistakes they have made and hopes to make future events run more streamlined, or as Martin says, like Disney.  “The simplest answer is the process to be pristine from the moment that a vendor, and I’ll talk in dual terms here, the moment that a vendor or a patient enters the experience, whether that’s walking into the bazaar as a patient, whether that’s beginning their correspondence with us as a vendor, our dream is for that to be like a Disney process,” Martin said. “You know how Disney runs like an oiled machine. They’re all about that experience and everything is dialed in. My dream and goal for the next one, what I’m working hard on right now to ensure it happens, is that every patient who attends the event feels welcome and able to meet the makers of their medicine.”  

At the end of the day, it all goes back to the basic idea of educating people on the best cannabis and getting it at a lower cost. That has been the foundation of Sherweed Forest and Martin wants to make sure that is never forgotten.   

“I want to be able to reach people where they’re at and with what they’re going through and where they are in life at this moment, and be able to come to their level,” Martin said. “I want this event to be able to find people where they are. It’s a free event. It always will be as long as I’m running it.” 

Martin added, “We could not do this without the community. I myself am really just an artist who knows how to create expression and to generate awareness. I am here in cannabis because I am a lover of the plant.  

The Budtender Diaries- Empower Through Education

 

 

by Anna Ervin

“Hi there! I just read your article in the newest edition of Herbage and it really made a lot of sense! We were wondering if you might have some insight for us as a producer/cultivator on how to better reach and connect with budtenders. We have had some ideas like giving out swag, but does something like that really work? Or it is more of a personal connection that will seal the interest. Thanks a bunch, also congrats on the new column, really love your work!” 

 

Hello friends! Thank you for the feedback, I am so grateful to hear that my words were received well. I am also thankful you brought up such a great question. The relationship between cannabis brands and budtenders is a topic I’ve been eager to explore. I’ve seen many different sides of the industry, from production to sales, and finally, retail. I understand the dedication and time that it takes to cultivate medicinal cannabis, both the tenacity and psychology that go into sales and marketing, as well as the social awareness and constant industry research that fuel successful retail storefronts. 

Retail is where I’ve found myself most comfortable recently, so I don’t pretend to understand the exact sciences that go into the process of cultivating or processing cannabis products. At the same time, I wouldn’t expect the average cultivator to fully comprehend the processes of marketing or moving products off the shelf. Each field requires its own set of skills and confronts a unique combination of challenges. That’s why I wanted to start this series; to bridge the gap and invite empowering and educational conversations to take up space in the industry. 

From a budtender’s perspective, I see three essential tools that every vendor and cannabis broker can utilitze to help dispensaries move their products off the shelves… Because that’s the ultimate goal, right? The faster your products move, the sooner you’ll receive another order from inventory. I know that seems obvious, but you’d be surprised by the number of brands I hear about that reportedly believe delivering their products is the final step in solidifying a spot on the sales floor. The problem is, this method isn’t sustainable. Sooner or later, orders stop flowing in because products that lack the necessary marketing tools and information sit stagnant on dispensary shelves. 

So what are those tools, and how can they benefit vendors?

 

Budtenders Are Patients Too

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the majority of people that make up the cannabis industry are also patients. If they aren’t, they probably have someone close to them who relies on cannabis for some sort of relief. In my opinion, this basic understanding is the key to empathizing with anyone you work with regarding cannabis. 

Get to know the people selling your medicine. I carry a lot more confidence in the products I  have been able to try firsthand. Samples are a great way to get into the dispensary, but once you are on the shelves, challenge yourself to actually sell those products to the budtenders first. If you can convince us to buy, you’re also empowering us to understand how to recommend that medicine to patients. 

 

Empower through Education

Nobody wants to be bad at their job. A budtender’s responsibility is to understand the products they are selling, and for the most part, that entails a lot of industry and market research. When I am selling products that boast words like “organic” or “full-spectrum” but neglect to elaborate on what exactly those processes look like, I am forced to rely on a broader definition of those terms. Anyone reading this with an inkling of knowledge about cultivation or extraction likely knows that organic and full-spectrum can both look like a lot of different things. 

I’m not implying that budtenders shouldn’t also actively seek out this knowledge, and the appropriate questions that we should ask vendors about their products is a topic I would love to explore further later on. The point I’m trying to drive home is that information and education go a long way on the sales floor. Give your partners in retail a reason to talk about your brand. 

 

Visual Representation

So what is the best way to get all of this information across to the sales floor? You could walk into the store and simply vocalize it, but if you’ve ever played a game of telephone as a kid you probably understand how spoken words often get lost in translation. Budtenders are often tasked with the daunting (but not impossible) task of remembering valuable information about each item they retail. In some cases, this can mean dozens of different brands or hundreds of unique products. 

I often find myself looking for visual cues that help me relay information to the customer. So, when vendors bring in infographics, product flyers, and merchandise, I’m much more likely to spend a little more time talking about their brand. When I’m trying to move items that don’t boast as much information, I will typically look online for more resources, and I’ve been disappointed at times to find that some really great brands provide very little marketing material on their website or social media. 

Visual representation is everything. Sure, swag and merchandise fall into that category, customers are more likely to ask about a brand if I’m wearing their t-shirt to work once a week, but I feel like the priority should once again lean toward the spread of information and education. 

When you go the extra mile to understand your market (budtenders making up a good chunk of that), and provide valuable tools to educate and empower the sales floor, you are ensuring dispensary staff that this is a team effort, and that you understand your responsibility to help move the product beyond the point of delivery. I hope these thoughts have been helpful and have answered your question! As always, these are just my opinions, and I certainly don’t speak for budtenders, or the industry, as a whole. If you have any questions, stories, or comments about the Budtender Diries, please submit those to anna@herbagemag.com

 

Anandamide

 

THC’s endocannabinoid counterpart

by Kevin Ferdowsian, JD

Kevin is an attorney, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and homeopathic practitioner. Kevin graduated from Duke University and OCU law, and lives with his wife Anna and two children, Ivan and Arthur.

Because cannabis sativa contains more than .3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it is classified as a schedule I – status drug by the US federal government and is subject to a host of restrictions as a controlled dangerous substance. These restrictions have severely limited broad-scale rigorous studies on THC and its therapeutic value. That’s not to say research hasn’t been done. In fact, nearly $2 billion per year is spent to determine all the harmful effects of cannabis. The conclusion of our tax dollars at work? For people over eighteen, cannabis is relatively harmless.

Easy Street Extracts, by Anna Ervin

So, we don’t have a lot of research on THC consumption in regards to therapeutic benefits. We do know some applications at this point; for PTSD, opiate addiction, and various neurological disorders to name a few. But there is growing evidence that THC and cannabinoids in general, possibly in concert (entourage effect), may have substantial therapeutic applications. These include alleviating symptoms from cancer, inflammation, blood pressure and heart rate disorders, metabolic disorders, fevers, locomotion disorders, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, colon disorders, reproductive disorders, bacterial endotoxicity, cirrhosis of the liver, sepsis, central nervous system disorders, and even aging. That is an extensive list of ailments for which THC may treat.

If federal research has not been funded, and even private research is so highly regulated, how do we know these potential applications? Basically, even though researchers are limited in their study of THC, there have been robust studies on its endocannabinoid counterpart: Anandamide. Anandamide (from the Sanskrit for “inner bliss”) is an endocannabinoid synthesized in all animals including primitive creatures, such as nematodes. It binds to the same receptor as THC (CB1R) and induces similar psychotropic effects. These compounds, though molecularly distinct, are pharmacologically similar. The list cited above is taken from recent studies on Anandamide; considering that THC mimics Anandamide and initiates the identical process, clearly future research should focus on THC as a therapeutic for many of these ailments.

As a co-owner of multiple cannabis businesses, I am interested in the advocacy of researching THC for its therapeutic value as well as its cultural acceptance. We all should be. THC, along with other cannabinoids, could open the door to accessing the endocannabinoid system, a fundamental governing system that appears to regulate the activity of every other physiological system.

 Has Nature’s Key Cracked the Code? 

 Has Nature’s Key Cracked the Code?

By Jessi Lane, Patient Advocate 

Jessi Lane & Son

As a Caregiver for my pediatric child on the Autism Spectrum, I reach for Nature’s Key gummies every morning because I have come to rely on the consistency of their ratioed products. I understand that as we progress through our cannabis as medicine journey, it may become necessary to adjust one’s cannabinoid formulations and delivery systems. Due to my patient data journaling, with the cooperation of our support system, I found my patient’s response levels plateaued after roughly 6 months of consistent complex cannabis as medicine treatment. Upon switching to another brand’s formulation and titrating our consumption level I was uneasy about the at-home manipulation of that edible required to achieve our desired dose. My patient was now sleepier than expected during the day. When manually cutting an edible down I understand there is no certainty of milligrams from piece to piece; especially when recalibrating new-to-us individual brand formulations. I found myself in a Caregiver conundrum.

I was introduced to the Nature’s Key brand by fellow Caregiver Autism Mom, Tarra Quinn, of High Hopes. She shares, “My son Henry has Autism, ADHD and developmental delays and he struggles to regulate his emotions. I started Henry on the 25:5 Vegan gummies to help calm him down and give him some peace. The taste and texture are perfect for kids with sensory issues.” Tarra is on to something. My Spectrum kiddo also struggles with food aversions and enjoys the flavor of the Nature’s Key gummy, not to mention the quick dissolving Vegan gummy is gone before we know it and he is not left to endlessly chew as the minutes pass by. The gummies are manufactured at a ratio that we previously had to manipulate the other brands’ edibles to achieve. The Nature’s Key 3% variance guarantee gives me dosing confidence. In association with his nightly full spectrum tincture, the Nature’s Key Therapeutic gummy sets my child up for success every morning. We are receiving more gold star days and although they still happen, we are seeing less meltdowns and can mitigate them quickly. 

Tarra Quinn & son Henry

I sat down with Nature’s Key CEO, Nathan Richter. He is kind, approachable, and matter of fact. He is a licensed Attorney in Oklahoma and Georgia and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma with a Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University School of Law. He is a US Army Veteran who also dabble in Genetics. Mr. Richter is committed to enhancing the quality of life for Oklahoma patients with wellness in all they do. While this may be true, the real key to his cracking the Oklahoma Cannabis market code is his recognition that he cannot do it alone. Refreshing, isn’t it? 

Nature’s Key understands the value of forming healthy lasting vendor alliances by uplifting cannabis industry professionals – at all levels – through comradery and education. Nathan believes education equals trust. Their revolutionary Budtender University and patient outreach initiatives, including their Sleep Trials and Battle Buddy Trials, are second to none. Did you know Nature’s Key has generously given away over 20,000 Battle Buddy capsules during their trials? They are dedicated to fostering honest and transparent relationships with their consumers, many of whom are children and Seniors. Nature’s Key really does provide a product for every patient. 

Partnering with Medical Advisor Dr. June Chin, Nature’s Key provides valued reassurance to Oklahoma cannabis as medicine patients that most Oklahoma brands cannot provide. Dr. Chin received her medical degree from Touro University in San Francisco and her BS in Nutrition and Food Science, Biochemistry from Cornell. She sits on many prestigious boards including the Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine and is the Chief Medical Advisor for CannabisMD.com. Dr. Chin has dedicated her medical career to finding effective, integrative, and holistic approaches to patient care. 

Nature’s Key products are “backed by science and made with state-of-the-art precision” in their FDA certified, soon to be GMP certified, manufacturing facility. Their source material is provided in partnership with vetted isolate and distillate extraction partners who meet all of Nature’s Key strict requirements including COAs showing no less than 90% THC. 

Recently I caught a Virtual Budtender session with Nature’s Key VP of Corporate Relations and Brand Management Joe Hager. Joe tells us, “There’s a Why for everything here at Nature’s Key.” He follows, “We aren’t the high-pressure sales team running around Oklahoma and believe our patients know best. We would put our products against anyone else in Oklahoma.” During his session Joe charismatically emphasizes the importance of titration and complex cannabinoid profiles and introduces some of the renowned Nature’s Key products. He is naturally animated and incites a smile. It is clear why industry professionals and patients trust Joe. 

Since his return from Afghanistan, Mr. Richter has lost twenty soldiers to suicide. He tells us, “One life lost is way too many if it’s something we can help each other overcome.” Battle Buddy is a name recognized by Combat Veterans as one they can depend on at any turn of life. It is someone “who goes into the trenches with you and comes out of the trenches with you,” says Joe. Nature’s Key tells us the Battle Buddy THC-free capsules are a friend in your pocket- designed to temper your stress and “prevent spiraling out of control.”1 

Nature’s Key patient Tarra Quinn shares, “I started using Battle Buddy when I was going through a stressful time in my personal life. I quickly noticed that my stress was easier to manage by taking the edge off and giving me some clarity throughout the day.” Nature’s Key understands that trauma rewires the brain. According to DomesticShelters.org, “For individuals who continually experience traumatic events, or who relive traumatic memories from their childhood as adults, this means the brain can rewire itself in such a way that sometimes causes us to feel overly stressed, even when there’s nothing overt to stress about.”2 

The formula, of which Dr. Chin’s patients have seen impressive results for the last decade, is a blend of CBD, CBN, Ashwagandha, Lemon Balm, L-Theanine, and Ginseng, with the anticipated effects of reducing anxiety and mitigating symptoms of PTSD. The capsules are available in a two pack, a week’s supply, and a month’s supply. Nature’s Key wants us to know Battle Buddy and other products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

When it comes to Nature’s Key, wellness is decadent. Their team spent six months in R&D, working out the process and recipe for their delectable chocolate, including working with a food consultant offering 25 years’ experience with Hershey’s. Nature’s Key’s THC infused chocolate is available in 25mg two-piece and four-piece units. Their quality THC infused chocolate Brownies are available in 100mg and 500mg units. 

Parents choose Nature’s Key Gummies because they offer only one gram of sugar with no sugar coating, no FDNC food dye, and no artificial colors. Created using state of the art equipment like Nature’s Key’s Servoform Mini depositor, they can produce 4,000 consistent gummies in 15 minutes. The gummies are available in micro, mixed ratios, and mega doses. These include the Therapeutic mixed ratios with a base level of 25mgs of CBD – coming soon in singles – in 1:1, 5:1 and 5:2. The Classic line is available in doses of 5-50mg of THC and comes in various flavor options. The 25mg Premium strain-specific line are formulated need-based gummies that come in catchy names like the cherryful Jumpstart Sativa, Sweet Dreamzzz Indica blended with 2mg Melatonin, Chill-axin Delta-8 and Oklahoma Sunrise CBD.

By way of their Key to Nature’s Blessings website, Nature’s Key also offers an extensive natural and CBD oil infused national product line including pet treats, migraine care, tattoo aftercare, beard balm, bath soak, essential oil inhalers and other wellness products engineered to ease the symptoms of life. Nature’s Key CBD products undergo the same rigorous testing as their THC infused products. With these careful testing standards, they can guarantee Nature’s Key products are 100% safe to consume. 

The future is bright for team Nature’s Key and their patients with the exciting announcement of the Nature’s Key app, currently in development. The app provides patients with data-based assessment surveys “that can track, trace, and monitor their consumption and experience to find the dose that works for them,” says Richter. The Nature’s Key app is slated to drop Summer 2022. Could it be that Nathan Richter has found the key to cracking not only the code to our market but also – with the help of his valued network – our complex Endocannabinoid Systems? 

Jessi Lane, Patient Advocate is a writer and Oklahoma Cannabis industry professional since 2018. She is a Certified Cannacian III and Trichome Institute Certified Cannabis Consultant with a “full spectrum” Postpartum Wellness background. 

Works Cited 

1 Nature’s Key Edibles. 2022. Battle Buddy — Nature’s Key Edibles. [online] Available at: <https://www.natureskey.us/battle-buddy> [Accessed 23 February 2022]. 

2 Kippert, A., 2022. How Trauma Rewires the Brain. [online] DomesticShelters.org. Available at: <https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/health/how-trauma-rewires-the-brain> [Accessed 23 February 2022]. 

What is Living Soil? Meet Comanche Compost Co.

What is Living Soil?

Meet Comanche Compost Co.

by Sage Howell

Hello, I am Sage Howell, a Technical Director with Comanche Compost Co. I come from generational farming dating back to the dust bowl. I have been a commercial hydroponic operations specialist for vertical food farms, an organic certified agronomist, and cannabis cultivation consultant for almost a decade, and I am honored to bring you more information about cultivation and what we specialize in at Comanche Compost Co. In the next couple of columns exclusively here at Herbage, I am honored to bring you information pertaining to some pressing topics in cannabis, and I hope to shed some light on not only what we do at Comanche Compost but also share some of the information I have gathered over the years.

Why does the forest never need fertilizer, yet huge trees emerge from it? After thousands of years and cycles not a single “forest farmer” has gone in and added nutrients to the natural cycle that occurs in the woods. Why is that? Because Mother Nature has developed a symbiotic relationship between the plants and the microbial life in the soil. The fungi, bacteria, protozoa, and many other types of microbes for a complex soil food web that helps feed the plants utilizing the natural exchange from carbons and sugars that the plant releases (extruded exudates) through the roots into the soil. With this style of organic growing at the focal point of expert cannabis cultivators we wanted to walk through what a Living Soil is and what makes Comanche Compost Co a new leader in cannabis soil production.

Living Soil is different than the traditional salt-based solid or liquid nutrient feeding that has maintained popularity throughout illegal and legal cannabis cultivation since the 1970’s. [1] Not everyone grows in soil anymore, but most experienced cannabis connoisseurs prefer organically minded growers and consumers prefer naturally grown, terpene rich cannabis found from organically grown cannabis.

The non-organic nutrients that are commonly used in grows are chelated minerals traditionally, chelated refers to the binding of a mineral to an organic amino acid, allow for all of the micro and macronutrients to be readily available to the plant and having the plant uptake it immediately.

What happens with a Living Soil is instead of having those chelated nutrients scattered readily available throughout the soil for immediate uptake, you center the growing method about building your microbial life throughout the soil horizon. This gives power back to the cannabis plant. Cannabis has historical roots that date back to 8000 BC[2] and have evolved over time to feed their own needs through the soil in which they live. Comanche Compost Co builds the soil, cultivators build the ecosystem, and the plant develops the relationship with both creating Living Soil.

How Is Living Soil Different from Other Cultivation Methods?

Living Soil differs vastly from the chelated, synthetic nutrient solutions and chemical additives found in grows today. Comanche Compost Co. harnesses the power of the microbes, mycorrhizae (fungi), and bacteria in the soil and allow the plant to feed itself what and when it needs it. We are cultivators that want to supply the optimal ecosystem to help the plant and soil-food web do their work. When conditions are correct this results in promising yields, outstanding terpene production, and healthy plants.

Is It Really Alive?

Of course, it is! A true living soil system incorporates biological active soil that eats and feeds off of what is in the material. According to Jeff Lownfels, author of Teaming with Microbes, “Plants gets energy from the sun and uses it to produce extrudates (sweat) and drip them through the roots, they attract bacteria and fungi, eat the carbon in the extrudates. Bacteria and Fungi in turn attract Nematodes and Protozoa who eat them (for their carbon) and poop out the excess nutrients (diverse and abundant) in a plant usable form. The extrudate mix from the plant attracts more of what it needs to grow. The plant is in control.”

A true Living Soil has compost that has beneficial bacteria, fungus, and nutrients that are being cycled by the organisms teaming throughout the mixture.

How Does Comanche Compost Co make Living Soil?

First off, Comanche Compost sources and blends their own materials, nutrients, and organic matter at our own facilities utilizing state of the art material mixing systems, clean water, and with a master composter overseeing every step of the cycle. We build our soils with care in each batch, mixing old craft growing methods with science-based measurements to create our premier line of soil and soil products.

From composted industrial cold brew coffee, spent mushroom grains, yogurt from your favorite on the go provider, to worm castings, everything put into our compost is meant to feed the microbes and in turn feed your plants!

In this spirit, Comanche Compost Co. was founded to offer growing solutions that combine the generational knowledge of outdoor growers from the Pacific Northwest with the latest emerging techniques and methodologies arising from the indoor growing culture of the Southwest to produce undeniable results. In a nutshell, we incorporate new science-based cultivation methods with old craft growing techniques to create proven products that produce results.

Our products are living soil blends, composts, organic dry fertilizers & plant stimulants which are all naturally rich in organic nutrients, acids & enzymes, and teaming with specific microbes.  Our unique recipes are proven to support consistent growth from seed germination, all the way through to harvest, with a hyper-focus on the development of potency, flavors, and aromas of the end product. We combine the spiritual with the scientific to produce an undeniable difference in every product.

We are not only good stewards for the good grow but also of the earth. Our products are designed to leave the earth better then we found it. We are always pushing the limits on what we can do to limit our dependence on peat moss and other unsustainable growing products to leave the industry in a better place than when we found it.

Why Choose a Living Soil System?

With a living soil system, the main is to take good care of the soil life so the soil life will take very good care of your plants. To feed the soil, not just the plants. This means more nutrients available to the plant over time and not leached out of your system.

All the most impressive genetic qualities of each different unique cannabis strains are expressed to the fullest in living soil, the flavors, aromas, colors, terpenes, and psychoactive effects that the enjoy medicinally or recreationally. And that is why most connoisseur communities prefer living soil cannabis.

Learning how to cultivate cannabis in living soil will allow you to make the most natural and finest, top-shelf flower on the market. Most people don’t do it because, much like in the restaurant business, it is easier to prepare mass-market “fast food” with less nutrients. But, if you can master the living soil method, your product will always be superior.

You will have to explore genetics that respond best to living soils but the quality commands a much higher price that compensates for total revenue and margins. Better yields in many cases have to do with genetics, pruning and having the right environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, and airflow).

Inhaling organic, living soil cannabis is smooth and tasty, the type of high is cleaner and you need less of it to achieve incredible healing and recreational experiences. This is why we say we make “Good Medicine for The Good Grow.” Because the difference is undeniable!

 

[1] What is Living Soil? An Introduction for Curious Cannabis Cultivators | Whole Grow – “But over the past 50 years, and specially over the last 10 years, indoor cannabis cultivation has grown to a commercial level and more industrial growing methods like hydroponics, aeroponics and synthetic mediums have become more popular.”

[2] An archeological site in the Oki Islands near Japan contained cannabis achenes from about 8000 BC, probably signifying use of the plant. Cannabis in Eurasia: origin of human use and Bronze Age trans-continental connections

Hopper

 

 

We are excited to announce that Hopper has joined the Herbage family. He recently relocated to Oklahoma from his native California to start a family and continue his cannabis career which has spanned 30 years and includes nearly all facets of the industry-Growing, music, solventless extractions, media (print and radio), founding and running a collective known for its charitable contributions on behalf of the cannabis community, and more. Each month he will be reviewing strains and products in a column written by his wife, Pamela Jayne, called The Chronniseur, and is looking forward to sampling Oklahoma’s finest. 

You can find out more about him on IG @hopper448

The Budtender Diaries– An Introduction

The Budtender Diaries– An Introduction

by Anna Ervin

It wasn’t until I gained firsthand experience in a dispensary that I realized the weight of the responsibility that the role of a budtender carries. I hear about a lot of people diving into the entry-level position because they see it as the easiest way to get out of their stressful 9-5 situation and into an industry they think they’ll love. However, what I don’t often see are most of those people maintaining a job in the cannabis industry with that kind of mindset. 

Budtenders are the bridge that gaps patients and cultivators, the gatekeepers of a purchasing manager’s attention, and the final set of eyes to fall on the medicine that gets distributed to our friends, family, and neighbors. Tending buds is not for the faint of heart. It requires a certain amount of responsibility, initiative, and passion to fill these shoes, and if you can’t keep up with industry news and standards you’ll quickly find that this field can bring just as much discomfort as whatever position you previously held.

The vast majority of patients who shop for cannabis look to their tenders for advice on product selection, dosage, and consumption methods. In a lot of cases, if you aren’t equipped with the right knowledge (or willingness to learn alongside your patients), those customers will chew you up and spit you out. Put yourself in their shoes. While most of us find ourselves actively engaged in this industry daily, the average consumer isn’t likely to have quite as much access to the wealth of information or networks that we do. When a patient asks about a product, it’s a budtender’s responsibility to be informed about the cultivation, processing, and consumption of that product. And in my opinion, patients are entitled to learn as much as they want to about their medicine. 

Another important role a budtender plays in this industry is holding the keys to their purchasing manager’s gaze. I don’t know if all dispensaries work like this, but in my experience, it is nearly impossible for brokers to get past a good budtender without an appointment with the store’s buyer. We can smell you from a mile away, and it’s not that we don’t care about the product your pushing, it’s just that you’re the 7th person we’ve turned away that day. If you really want to get your foot in the door, consider the first 30 seconds of your presentation walking into the dispensary to be your most crucial for making an impression. We don’t always have time to hear the whole spiel, but managing to pique our interest could potentially get you a lot closer to putting your product on shelves. I’d love to dive into this topic more, but look at it this way: budtenders are the ones that have to move whatever you leave in inventory, so sell it to us the way you’d want it sold in our store. 

Finally, the most important responsibility that falls in a tender’s lap is a final inspection of the product being sold before it lands within the hands of the consumer. This requires a certain amount of knowledge about industry standards and the biochemistry of cannabis. The last thing anyone in our industry wants is to find that a faulty product found its way into the pocket of a patient, and the last thing a patient wants to hear is that they consumed something unsafe or not up to par with industry standards. 

A patient’s individual role in purchasing cannabis is to advocate for their health. It’s important to share as much information as comfortably possible, particularly when asking about dosage and consumption methods. Nobody else knows your body better than you do. Keep a patient journal, report your experiences with each product, and let your budtender know what works for you next time you hit up the dispo. With that being said, a budtender’s responsibility to continuously learn, educate, and inspire healthy choices never truly ends. 

My hope is that this column will help create a safe space for tenders and patients to find common ground, inspiration, and education. I would like to invite both parties to submit any questions, stories, or topics that might come up in the dispensary. Please send your submissions here → cannabanananutbread@gmail.com

Tasty Farms Tulsa: Delicious, Ethical, Sustainably Life Changing

Tasty Farms Tulsa: Delicious, Ethical, Sustainably Life Changing

By Jessi Lane, Patient Advocate

The Tasty Farms family asks, “What happens when you need a natural medicinal option but can’t or don’t want to smoke CBD or medical marijuana?” Tasty Farms understands in a very personal way that for some, combustible consumption just isn’t an option, but neither is a lifetime of immeasurable pain. 

Amidst a crowded, bustling lounge enters a radiant, naturally beautiful girl with a young Laura Ingalls look about her striking face and a professional dancer’s form. Her movement is somehow both rigid and graceful, as she seems to glide through the room like the gentlest flutter of a butterfly’s wing. She is sweet and welcoming in her greeting. Her family calls her Kat. Not too far across the room sits Kat’s mother, Jeannean, “Neaner” Miller. She is charismatic and naturally commands the room. Neaner is the woman you want to sit next to at the dinner party. She is an Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Entrepreneur and the backbone of the Tasty Farms family. 

“Tasty Farms is a family of people that have experienced the pain management nightmare. Our layered approach to micro dosing with either CBD or medical marijuana products is a natural way to improve your daily quality of life.” Together with Mike, Jeannean’s husband of 35 years and father to Kat, and with the tireless efforts of Kat’s spouse Lucas, Tasty Farms is a true soil to sale, family-owned and operated Oklahoma Cannabis as Medicine Company. Their dedication to the cause stems from a hereditary Invisible Illness dear Kat survives with known as Arnold Chiari Malformation (ACM).

Experts tell us ACM is a condition where the brain tissue extends into the spinal canal and occurs when part of the skull is misshapen or smaller than is typical, pressing on the brain and forcing it downward. “It was misdiagnosed from birth,” recounts Jeannean. She goes on to say, “[Kat] was thought to have heart issues. When they couldn’t figure anything out they said she just had a temper and we wrote it off to her being the middle child- not dealing with extreme pain and not being able to communicate that.”

Young Kat was fighting an unknown battle her family was not equipped to forego, as it would be 21 years before Kat received her diagnosis via a CT scan showing a 13mm herniation of her brain. She found joy through music and in dancing, however the immeasurable pain Kat was surviving through would be insufferable to the average person. Receiving sensory transmissions -like turning on the light- easily over stimulates Kat’s brain. She experiences blinding pain when yawning; coughing is out of the question. Kat tells us, “If I sneezed I would drop to my knees.” In her lifetime Kat has seen over 250 medical professionals, however the healthcare she received was sub par, at best. Kat just wanted to dance, to move, to be without pain but also without the debilitating and dangerous effects of the traditional pain medications she had been prescribed throughout her life. These drugs impaired her so much so that she couldn’t care for herself, “she couldn’t even tell me what she wanted on her pizza,” recalled Neaner. Quietly, almost to herself Kat remarked, “[I thought] If I was not here anymore, how much easier it would be for everyone else.”

“I have been labeled a ‘Drug Seeker’ by medical professionals.” Kat tells us, all the while prescribing her Dilaudid and Fentanyl, among a list of other pharmaceuticals. Moving all over to seek the care of specialists and new drug treatments is very expensive. Kat even underwent incomprehensible tortures such as the cauterizing of her neck via pain management clinics. Kat was also now experiencing seizures induced by pain management. “We began to search for natural ways to end this cyclical nightmare.” 

Meanwhile Kat and Jeannean found community in the Walk Across America family. Neaner bonded with mentor, Carol, who encouraged her to look into the not then legal and still taboo subject of cannabis as medicine.  Jeannean was a diligent mama bear that buried herself in online research and together they got Kat the medicine she needed in the form of RSO, beginning her titration right away. “When we got this first oil, that’s what started Tasty Farms,” recalls Jeannean. This treatment eased Kat through the otherwise unbearable pharmaceutical detox. Upon doing so the ladies openly informed her pain management doctor. She was offered Methadone and when she rejected that life darling Kat was dropped from treatment and blacklisted. Luckily, Carol the Great connected them with the right Surgeon, Dr. Rosner, and they aligned with a physician they love and of whom Kat is still under her care, Dr. J Edwards.

Kat not only survives with ACM, for which she has undergone three separate surgeries, she is also plagued with other comorbidity issues including EDS and Pott’s disease. Nonetheless, she has applied for and been denied Disability five times. Sadly, this is common among the Invisible Illness population. Kat’s desire to help others can be found in the act of giving her last few dollars to a Dollar Store purchase of necessities for a displaced person in her hometown. She tells us, “I just wanted him to know I saw him.” It can also be found in the selfless giving of herself to Tasty Farms. Along with Jeannean and their spouses they have developed a Body ReLeaf line of products that “will improve your quality of life.” Boy, are they right and Kat is the living, breathing, dancing data to show it!

Tasty Farms’ detoxifying Full Spectrum cannabis layering line offers products intended for micro dosing for a patient’s daily maintenance, and macro dosing for break through pain. “Each one of our products were developed due to necessity,” Jeannean reiterates. Their Gluten Free, sugar free Body ReLeaf Drops are RSO infused, and made using Olive Oil- which provides it’s own profile of added benefits. Patients with nut allergies, unlike MCT oil based products, can use the Drops. Their GF RSO infused Honey is sourced in Glenpool by rescued hives. Tasty Farm’s Full Spectrum RSO infused ReLeaf Balm push up stick offers transdermal relief with added Activated Turmeric and Kratom, natural butters including Hemp Seed, Beeswax, Olive Oil, and Essential Oils. The GF, sugar free, dairy free Peruvian Cacao Mushroom Mix includes Red Maca, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Chaga, Marshmallow Root, and Bolete Mushroom Powders. CBD Comfort Suppositories are available in packs of five. 

When looking to support a true vertically integrated, family-owned and operated brand who strives to improve the quality of lives first and foremost, lean into Tasty Farms where Neaner reminds us, raising her arms with exuberance,  “everything goes through these hands.” Kat understands and appreciates the value of life and tells us she doesn’t know how long her life will be but she hopes to create something that will continue to help people after she’s gone. “If we can reach one person a day we are doing our jobs.”

Jessi Lane, Patient Advocate is a Writer and Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Professional since 2018. She is a Certified Cannacian III and Trichome Institute Certified Cannabis Consultant with a “full spectrum” Postpartum Wellness background.

                                  

The Feminine Divine, Healing with Plants and Crystals: Utopic Vibes

The Feminine Divine, Healing with Plants and Crystals: Utopic Vibes

 by Veronica Castillo 

Both recognized as “alternative medicine” (which is crazy because both are natural, coming directly from earth; whereas man made lab pills are considered actual medicine), cannabis and crystals are utilized and consumed for multiple healing reasons: mind, body, and soul. 

In the western hemisphere, which is where The United States of America is, we generally weren’t, and still are not taught about healing with crystals. And I suppose in a country that wants man made pills to be the main source of “medicine”, why would they?

But as I learned from Kristine D. Carlos, in her thesis: Crystal Healing Practices in the Western World and Beyond: 

“Humans have been using crystals for various healing and ritual reasons for centuries. Both geographically and culturally, a diverse range of groups have turned to crystals and gemstones to address diverse needs over the millennia. While the oldest legends of crystal magic date back to the mythical ancient continent of Atlantis, whose people allegedly used crystals for telepathic communication, it is believed that the crystal customs continued to perpetuate in Egypt, South America, and Tibet over subsequent centuries.”

Usually, America doesn’t recognize anything from earth as medicine. You see, crystals come from earth. Millions of years ago, liquid rock inside the earth cooled and hardened, and this is how crystals formed at the twinkling center of the earth. And like cannabis, a plant that grew wild centuries ago, and still could if earth wasn’t being destroyed as I type; are forms of healing that have been here since before humans. 

Holistically and in history, both have been utilized and consumed for healing, today, both are making their way into mainstream society; and there is a company that is offering both in one purchase: Utopic Vibes.

About Uptopic Vibes, Products with a Purpose

Utopic highs and crystal vibes, Utopic Vibes is an Oklahoma based medical marijuana processing facility that seeks to bring patients the best of both cannabis flower and healing crystals. Their focus is on uplifting the vibration of their patients through intention based healing. Owned by Kimberly Provance and Tonya Carone, this company believes that: “Caring for the mind, body, and soul is of the utmost importance for a healthy and happy life.”

Kimberly and Tomya encourage Oklahoma patients to “catch the Utopic vibe” by consuming their line of intentional healing products with names like: chill, heal, create, passion, and uplift. Their intention with providing a product that incorporates earth into healing is to offer:

“Peace and tranquility. This is something everyone deserves in this life, and we are confident that our products will help you change your frequency to align with these states of being.”

Hear from the Owners of Utopic Vibes, Kimberly and Tonya

I just want to say that I absolutely love the concept, the message, and the intention of Utopic Vibes; what led you here to its launch?

“We wanted to provide the patients of Oklahoma with a higher quality experience that can be used  with intention. We both love crystals and appreciate the healing energies they can provide and wanted to share with others how crystals can complement and work together with cannabis for various experiences. The market was lacking a premium pre roll and we wanted to provide the best of everything for the patient from including high testing full flower, genuine crystal, custom cones for an even burn and an educational card for the strain and the crystal. We call our packs experience packs for that reason, it allows for a full experience of enjoying the high quality of the joint while learning about the product and also connecting with the crystal.”  

Please tell me about the team— who are they and what does each person do? 

 

“The team is Kimberly Provance and Tonya Carone, we met in Bartlesville in May 2020, at the start of the pandemic. Kim was visiting family and looking for alternatives to help her husband who is a cancer survivor. Tonya was working at a dispensary, had so much knowledge to share on terpenes and the healing components of the plant, and was genuinely interested in helping make sure the right products were recommended.

Kim’s background is in corporate America with 30 years in technology sales and sales management where she has always been motivated by helping people achieve their goal through products she has sold and represented. Kim sets the standard of ethical business practices, sources, cleanses, and charges every crystal Utopic vibes uses. 

Tonya’s background is in sales, organic farming, essential oils, as well as petitioning for SQ788. She has helped patients get their cards and then educated patients in dispensaries. We met and bonded over how the earth truly gives us what we need in our lives in both crystals and cannabis. Tonya handles all the sourcing of the product with the various grows, and she insists on high terpenes and quality. She also handles the production and quality control. Tonya’s Role: source growers and strains aligned with our 5 vibes.”  

Before launch, did you find that people overall loved, weren’t sure of, and/or didn’t understand your concept?

“Unsure. Being two women in this industry coming to the market with this intention based approach with crystals and holistic healing; we were told many times it was a lot to ask of Oklahoma patients. But we stayed true to our beliefs that we could change the lives of patients and so, we launched and Oklahoma has welcomed us with open arms to help set the standard of true room based medicating.  

Generally, we get this question from men: “what’s with the rock?”  At first we were like “hey, that’s not a rock it’s a beautiful crystal!” It’s fun now because we have been able to educate so many people from various backgrounds on the benefits of working with crystals. Men also like to purchase them as they give the crystals to their wife or girlfriend, and they get big brownie points for that in addition to a premium joint to enjoy.   

People really like to collect the cards too, they appreciate the information and seeing the various strains and how we change it up.”  

What are your top 3 favorite crystals and why? 

“That’s a hard one that’s like which kid is your favorite 😅. All of our crystals are our favorite depending on what we need in our lives at that moment. Trends with our patients have been our citrine and amethyst. Citrine for its abundance and inspiration and Amethyst is for encouragement of tranquility. 

As women we gravitate toward pink for love so the Rose Quartz is a favorite. Blue lace for positive vibes; this one’s fun to work with and lift your spirits and uplift your energies. Clear Quartz MASTER HEALER applifies energies, protects balances, and acts as a spiritual healer.”

Can you talk about the inclusion of a crystal with your 5 packs?

“Both cannabis and crystals come from our earth naturally, meaning the nutrients we get from plants that we use everyday and also in cannabis, create the crystals over thousands of years; so how can they not come together?

We wanted to give the patient something other than a matchstick or lighter, we wanted to share the experience of the crystal with them in hopes of them achieving the highest level of whatever intention they are manifesting. 

We love to see how our patients use the crystals (each come with a hole drilled) in making jewelry or other ways of carrying them. Some people like to bless others with their crystals. It gives the patient something positive to experience with each pack. That is our goal.”  

Which of the 5 options in your 5 packs is your best seller?

“Create and Chill, lots of people like Heal too; we source really good 50/50 blends for that consistently. Create pleasantly surprised us and is currently our best seller.” 

Where can cannabis patients in Oklahoma find Utopic Vibes products?

“We are in over 50 dispensaries now in the state, please find a dispensary near you on our website.”

How do you all source the crystals and cannabis provided in your products/product packs?

“We get our crystals from Arizona and Arkansas currently.”  

In Closing

I asked Kimberly and Tonya for their recommendations:

For someone that isn’t familiar with crystals and consuming cannabis for healing other than chronic pain, which strain do you recommend they try first?  

“They should start with the vibe that they are feeling… they may be going on a date that night and passion will do the trick as it’s a nice hybrid. If they need a positive boost, we recommend our Uplift. They all really hold the power of intention, so we recommend you start with what you consciously lead you to.”

Merged Creation: Bud, Sweat & Tears

Merged Creation

Bud, Sweat & Tears

By James Bridges

 

“A lot of who and how I am today is because of my upbringing and living on a farm.” 

Jason was speaking about his upbringing. A foundation of experience that would one day catapult both Jason and Avis to coming ever so closely to that nirvana which we all seek. The type of feeling that allows you to embrace your strengths, balance your weaknesses with your partners strengths, and accomplish great things no matter how tall that mountain may seem.

Bud Sweat & Tears is locally owned and operated by Jason and Avis. The couple has dedicated most of their adult lives working for corporate America. Both with a proven track record of creating efficiencies and improving quality standards. 

Life on a farm to many is something that could easily be romanticized. Especially to ones that have never operated or lived on one. “I couldn’t tell you a 9/16 from a 1/2-inch wrench when I moved to the farm as a boy.” Jason was reflecting on the earliest times on that family farm. “My uncle would call out to my 4-year-old nephew to go grab the wrench. Unlike myself, this little guy would bring back the exact wrench that my uncle needed.” Jason described how he felt at that moment that he really needed to learn some things. It didn’t take him long to learn all the intricacies of working on a farm, and eventually ended up running his uncle’s entire farm.

“There is no such thing as a weekend, or you know just working weekdays, when it comes to a farm. It is no different when you are cultivating cannabis. When I am at the farm, I work till the lights go out. I’m the first one up the next morning. I don’t think you’ll find anybody that works harder than a farmer. We won’t go and enjoy life until the work is finished. That’s a way of life I picked up from farming.”

“These girls out here,” Avis pointed over her shoulder. “These girls are our boss. Ultimately, we don’t do anything until the ladies have been taken care of. They are the ones that approve for us to have a night out on the town.” I glanced over at the beautiful flowering plants as she explained. “I am at the grow 7 days a week. There is no such thing as a 5:00 quitting time, no sick days, or vacation days in farming-life.”

While Avis grew up as a city girl, she has always respected farmers and recognized that it’s a way of life. “If you think about a farmer, people know farming and hard work go hand-in-hand. I don’t think that we, as cannabis-farmers, receive that sort of same status.”

Avis brings up an interesting question. “Does the national farming community give respect to the dedication, education, and progression of cannabis cultivation methods?” I do not possess the data nor claim this as fact. However, in my opinion, which derives from the opinions of many cannabis farmers and some that are not, is that the respect level to cannabis farms remains minute in comparison. 

 

Most farms of this level are “family” farms. That is just fine and dandy with this couple. While speaking with them, I was able to grasp an overwhelming sense of positive flow. The two have not only discovered an efficient and prosperous way to cultivate good clean medicine, they figured out a way to make this a part of their family life. 

It’s rather unique to find something that should not work and witness it actually succeed and exceed expectations. The couple works as an efficient machine that consists of patterns and puzzles only known by Jason and Avis. Some might say only the closest of souls could achieve this together.

The couple realized quickly they worked extremely well with one another when they were able to drive in their own lanes, in a manner of speaking. They play off each other’s strengths and balance each other’s weaknesses fluidly. While neither have things they “wouldn’t do” their talents naturally align them to specific jobs. 

For instance, Jason is the ‘muscle and brute force’ at the farm – construction projects, fixing building or equipment issues, and he’s the one you will find monkeying up and down the racks a million times. While Avis is the ‘data queen’, she keeps the farm compliant and knows all the numbers. She focuses on ways to keep a room full of dirt – exceptionally clean and takes on the meticulous aspects of the business. Together, they bounce off each other to identify the best workspace efficiencies and workflows. Genetics brought into the farm, vendors they select to work with, or dispensaries they choose to have represent their brand is always a joint decision. 

“As the data queen, I’m a big fan of having procedures and tracking data.” Avis describes her satisfaction with organization and having the information in front of her, “When we are ready to expand, we have standard operating procedures. Our SOP’s document all our processes and the different stages of harvesting. These exist for us to reference back to and forward-looking for when we hire a staff, to be able to say this is exactly how to do any portion of a harvest successfully.” These SOP’s have been created through many of our own lessons learned, as well as from some of our trusted industry-experts, and our mentor. 

If I were a home builder, the first thing that I would do if I had the opportunity to enter a new acquaintance’s home, would be to look at how it is built. Specific little details that would indicate whether or not this person should be allowed to swing a hammer. I asked both Jason and Avis if they do the same when going to other grow operations. 

“When I look at other grows, I feel like there’s things that I learn that could work for us and there’s other things that wouldn’t. If another grower has already learned a lesson and shares that story with us – we are happy to not repeat that same mistake. When talking with them, there is knowledge that we share. I am always looking to see if another farm is in compliance, help them to improve their marketing strategy, or give tips on processes. We both love giving pointers to how our growmies can protect themselves or improve based on our experience.” 

Avis left me with a strong sense of solidity in her words, “Cleanliness and preventative maintenance are two important keys to success. Simple things like using a sterile room to disinfect your shoes and clothing before entering, wearing rubber gloves anytime buds are being handled, and even limiting visitors that come into the flower space.” 

“While we always learn from other grows, one of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is to be transparent before another grower enters your building or you enter theirs. It is surprising that farmers would invite you into their grow only to realize after you walk in, they have been fighting an outbreak with mites, thripes, powdery mildew, or another transferrable issues. We believe as a cultivator you should always speak up before exposing another farmer to a known issue that could be easily transported back to their farm. We understand this happens throughout the state and is often a novice mistake of not asking before entering – Are you experiencing any issues in your personal or commercial grow? Vendors that visit our farm, we always request that we are the first (or only) farm they visit that day”

In respect to being inside others grows, Jason added, “I’m looking for wins, but I’m also that checkbox type of person. You know… is that HVAC set up right? If they’re going to have problems with that, how do we fix it? Can we make this more efficient? Why did that not work? In the past several years since medical became legal in Oklahoma, I’ve been in other grows at least 3 or 4 times a month. It’s a beautiful thing, I’ll ask those questions of wins and losses. We talk them over with one another. We learn.”

Avis commented that “Even late at night Jason will be on social media. He will ask me a question about something random that we are doing that works well inside the grow. I’m like… ‘Why are you caring about that right now – it’s 11:00pm!’ Then Jason says something like… ‘These guys are looking for a solution and what we found might help.’ He definitely has a passion for helping others succeed.”

Avis continued, “Going into business with someone that you’re dating was scary. If we’re not good business partners then that affects our entire life. That could either be the end of us or that could be the best thing ever. We had a really solid relationship when we started this business. We’ve been dating for almost eight years and plan to get married on our upcoming anniversary.”

The couple have essentially opened their relationship as part of what’s at risk. In order to balance this risk, to achieve the proper amount of reward, and maintain positive flow – a solid understanding of one another’s strengths and weaknesses must be created. Once the Blackburn’s collectively connected those strengths and weaknesses, they were able to focus on the emotional side of things. In other words, they’ve got each other’s back.

“When we were going through and trying to figure out a business name, we recognized there were some catchy ideas that other companies had come up with.” Jason remembered watching the cannabis community start in Oklahoma. “While we wanted a catchy name, we also wanted our name to have a meaning behind it. One of us would come up with an idea, and the other would say ‘eh’ – so we started a list, that way when there was a name one of us thought of, it had a place to be referred back to” The two would go back and forth with names. They kept an ongoing list. Almost as if they were debating naming their soon to be newborn children. Finally, it came down to a deadline to choose.

“The deadline for a name was approaching,” Avis was laughing. “That weekend was when we needed to make the decision so we could file. Jason rattled off ‘what do you think bud, sweat and tears’? Without a word, I jumped on the computer. He asked me ‘Are you going to add it to the list?’ I told him, no that’s IT! There was no question. We purchased the domain and LLC immediately, and that following Monday we were able to file our OMMA paperwork. Now here we are!” Their company name represents what they produce, the hard work that they put in, and the emotions or occasional tear. 

As I am noticing a sense of worry about some unanswered questions, I wanted to know how they felt about the specific evolution of the cannabis industry in Oklahoma. 

Jason pleaded, “I would love for there to be some sort of growers alliance, that is statewide. We need to work alongside one another. We need to come together and protect our craft brands and have a way to separate the boutique from the mass production or outdoor quality.”

During my visit, I was able to fully understand and get a sense of the passion it must require to gain loyalty from a patient, as a medicine provider. It’s quite remarkable. There are specific strains that the power couple from Bud, Sweat and Tears cultivate that have such lasting and medicinal values for it’s consumers that they seek them out from across the state. When was the last time you called Paul Ehrlich, creator of chemotherapy, to ask for the best line of radioactive juice? Or even someone from the Sackler family to ask why they are perfectly content with being responsible for so many atrocities, such as creating OxyContin?

This cannabis community is becoming exactly what it was meant to be in my point of view. A community for the community. A little Bud, Sweat and Tears can go a long way when you have a ton of people alongside you ready to do their part. 

Both Jason and Avis can be an inspiration for many. It is possible to work alongside one another as a family unit. It is okay to recognize one another’s strengths and weaknesses. It is ok and can be perfectly satisfying to join all of those worlds as they intertwine and grow to its natural evolving self. 

You can learn more about this power couple and the journey of Bud, Sweat and Tears on their website at bud-sweat-tears.com or on Instagram @bud.sweat.tears 

2022 Medical Marijuana Legislation in Oklahoma What bills will become law and how will it change the industry?

2022 Medical Marijuana Legislation in Oklahoma

What bills will become law and how will it change the industry?

~ By Felina N. Rivera, Attorney

Every year, Oklahoma legislators propose bills for our state congress to consider in hopes of creating new laws. Since the passage of State Question 788 in 2018, hundreds of bills have been proposed pertaining to medical marijuana, but only those that pass both the House and Senate and are signed by the governor actually become law. The Second Regular Session of the 58th Oklahoma Legislature is scheduled to convene on February 7, 2022. Legislators had a deadline of January 20th to introduce bills they want considered this session. This year over 100 bills proposed relate to regulation of medical marijuana. Next, they will be debated, voted on, amended, and could potentially change the landscape of the cannabis industry by the time the Legislature adjourns on May 27. Between now and the end of May, I will be following cannabis related legislation in Oklahoma as these bills make their way through congress and share my findings with you each month. 

Most of the bills proposed this session come out of the House of Representatives. Representative Scott Fetgatter from District 16 is a regular contributor of cannabis legislation, and this year is no different. Some of the bills he has proposed include: 

HB3019 – would do away with opaque product packaging requirements, instead requiring dispensaries to put products in opaque “exit packaging” upon purchase.  

HB3347 – would allow medical marijuana businesses to take the normal business tax deductions generally disallowed by Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code on Oklahoma State Tax returns. 

HB3634 – would create a new “Medical Marijuana Wholesaler” license, that would allow for the purchase and sale of products on behalf of other licensed businesses in the state. Wholesale licensees would also be subject to seed-to-sale tracking. 

HB3734 – would create a temporary medical marijuana business license for dispensaries, grows, and processors, requiring all those seeking licensure to first apply for a temporary business license. The license would be valid for 180 days while applicants seek annual licensure. Applicants would also be expected to submit more information than previously required, including information about sources of funding, ownership of property, security, power sources, water diversion plans, cultivation plans, proof of insurance, and other information OMMA requests. 

 

HB3742 – would penalize growers who abandon land used for harvesting marijuana crops without restoring it to its previous condition. 

HB3754 – would create the “Oklahoma Adult Access to Marijuana Act” and outline regulations for the recreational purchase and use of marijuana by individuals over the age of 21.

Other popular topics covered by proposed legislation involve different ways the number of licenses issued can be capped (see HB2987, HB2989, HB3726, HB3727), limiting ownership of businesses to Oklahoma residents only (HB3268), or changing tax revenue allocations (HB3083, HB3037, HB3530). 

Next month, I will share some of the bills proposed Oklahoma Senators and provide an update as to what bills look to be moving forward – and which ones will likely die before the end of the session. Between now and then, please feel free to reach out to me if you would like a complete list of proposed cannabis legislation or have any other medical marijuana legal questions!

Felina N. Rivera

Managing Attorney

Renaissance Legal Solutions, PLLC

Phone: (405) 247-0647

Felina@RLSLawyer.com

Instagram @okclatinalawyer

The Cowboy Cup Cured Resin Cartridge Winners

The Cowboy Cup

Cured Resin Cartridge Winners

By Carisa Rowe

Cured Resin

Dried and cured resin is the base extract in a significant number of cannabis concentrates, including vape cartridges. Coveted for its full spectrum experience, cured resin boasts high potencies while keeping valuable terpene profiles intact, resulting in a more complete medicating experience.

Resin, in the cannabis sector, refers to the sticky, waxy substance that is extracted from mature cannabis flower. Composed mostly of microscopic trichome heads and oily terpenes, resin is a powerful goo harvested with the intentions of delivering a powerful medicating experience. In fact, cured resin is one of the leading products used to create edibles, topicals, tinctures, and a variety of dabs. 

Cured resin is made from dried, cured cannabis flower. The material is ground and packed into a vacuum-sealed column that is then filled with clean, high purity butane. Butane is a solvent that breaks the cannabinoid-rich trichomes away from the plant material. After soaking for a period of time, the butane – now carrying terpenes, THC, and other cannabinoids is flushed out of the column and sent through a purging process. The purge is where solvent residues are removed before sending the concentrated material to cure, which removes trace solvents from the cured resin. 

 

Extraction specialists then take the cured extract and turn it into the final product. Cured resin cartridges, like the ones these winners have manufactured, are fast on the rise for smart consumers who want the convenience of on the go concentrates with a medicating experience that feels more like whole plant medicine. 

 

3rd Place

Hybrid Ripstick from Escalated Greens

Escalated Greens’ Hybrid Ripstick features a full gram of BHO cured resin in their proprietary, disposable cartridge and battery. The vertically integrated facility, located on the west side of Lake Eufaula, grows the flower that their lab processes into cured resin for the Ripstick. Extractors Gavin and Tristan hold down the lab every day, taking the craft cannabis grown on site from flower form down to pure concentrates that are then manufactured into award-winning Ripsticks and grams of dabs. The concentrates that Gavin and Tristan create are the very same concentrates used to power Escalated Greens’ delicious, full-spectrum edibles lines. The lab uses whole plant material to create their custom concentrates and blends. Their butane honey oil (BHO) process undergoes extreme purging to remove solvent residues from the final product, resulting in clean medicine that tastes like the plants it was made from. Escalated Greens is staffed by a tightly-knit team of Eufaula locals that understand the value of good medicine. Gavin and Tristan, along with the cultivation team, the kitchen crew, dispensary staff, and office personnel, take deep pride in crafting cannabis products with their community in mind. 

 

2nd Place

Rude Boi from 64 Farms 

The Rude Boi cured resin cart from 64 Farms is a fan favorite for effect and flavor. The folks at 64 Farms use whole plant methodologies to craft their cured resins. They have developed products with three mentalities in mind: FLOW; curated to help you unwind and socialize, FOCUS; curated to draw out your creativity and clarity, and FINALLY; a premium-extract, nighttime blend designed to help you rest and rejuvenate. The 64 Farms guarantee is an assurance that they will always create their medicine through whole plant processing. When sourcing plant material from Oklahoma growers, the 64 Farms team chooses cultivators who have shown to be ethical, who practice truly organic gardening and pest management, and who practice sustainability. The lab team at 64 Farms incorporates natural, cannabis-derived terpenes into their proprietary blends to ensure the most bioavailable medicating experience they can provide. Their full spectrum terpene profiles deliver a flavorful, enjoyable medicating experience that patients rely on time and time again. Their products are intentionally crafted with safety, quality assurance, testing, and training in mind during every step of the manufacturing process. They take time to triple test batches so that patients can rely on the information they provide with the medicine they sell. The pride of 64 Farms is delivering safe, clean, reliable medicine to every Oklahoma cannabis patient. 

 

Winner

Gelato Cake from Elite Cultivation

Elite Cultivation has made it their mission to introduce to the cannabis industry a previously unseen level of precision in the growing and cultivation process. The company has built out more than 36,000 square feet of cultivation space. Their processing lab is responsible for turning cannabis flower into high-quality concentrates that are then manufactured into one of seventeen different products, which includes the Gelato Cake cured resin cart that earned them a buckle at this year’s Cowboy Cup. Relentless devotion drives the Elite Cultivation team to develop products that not only taste great but that provide a safe and reliable medicating experience. Their state-of-the-art facility in Wynnewood, OK is a particular point of pride for Elite Cultivation as it provides a clean space for them to do what they love: make medicine. The team cranks out premium quality flower on a rigorous schedule to keep patients stocked with their favorite buds, to stuff pre-rolls with, and to make premium grade concentrates for dabs, cartridges, and edibles. Their second-to-none customer service and professionalism sets the Elite team apart from their competitors. Their dedication to their consumers is the reason that patients chose them to take home the buckle!

Progressively Growing

Progressively Growing

By James Bridges

 

A true vertical grow with family orientation. That’s what I had set out to go visit. I wanted nothing more than to feel as if I were around close families during the holidays. I believe I got my wish. 

 

Brian Goodwin was practicing pharmacy in Ada, OK with the Chickasaw Nation. His brother, Grant Hall, had a CPA practice. The father of the two brothers was a dentist. The family wanted to go into business for themselves.  An opportunity presented itself for them to do so. They would also have the bonus of working collectively. 

 

“We had another investor. We all went in together.” Brian was to the point. “So we then had the financial means to begin. Now it was time for my brother and I to turn on the sweat equity.  Here we are 3 years later and we feel like we’re getting better. We know it’s a very hard market right now. We’re doing everything we can to separate ourselves.”

“If it were up to me we would have 8 dispensaries coming soon on a sign hanging everywhere.” Grant Hall, sweat equity and partner for Progressive Grow, laughed. Of course, then we would be spread too thin. My brother prevents me from overdoing it like that.”

 

I watched Grant talk about the creation of Progressive Grow. He was so passionate and proud in his approach to this natural medicine. I could tell he was a driving force in the company that would carry them even farther down the path of success.

 

Grant was motioning for me to follow him. “Our other partner is a really smart person. He started  lot of companies. He’s very savvy. So when we ever get in a bind and we need some ‘real’ business advice, we go directly to him.”

 

We walked down the hallway into the flower rooms. Exactly what I was there to see. I could smell happiness as the doors opened.

 

There are thousands of growers in the Oklahoma cannabis market. They are competing for the same footprint. There are times I step back and take a look at the Oklahoma market and how far we have come and I can only say the word, wow! In order to stand out you must be on your A-game at all times. There most assuredly is no time to pause. Having the ability to adapt and evolve are the key components to surviving in this current environment.

The first room we entered was huge. 

 

Karsten Thompson, flower manager, Clay Balthrop, grow manager, and Christian Colbert,  assistant cultivation manager were introduced to me as “part of the team”. They wanted to be sure that I was aware they could not operate with only the people currently standing in the room. I feel it necessary to point out a great character indicator when I see one. So I did.

 

I asked them all for some pointers for growers wanting to get in the industry. I received collective answers. “Don’t give up. It doesn’t fall into place right away. Be aware of shady people fronting as legitimate grows. They do exist. Sometimes you have to weave through some of the bad to find your place in the industry.” They also pointed out, “Don’t be afraid to try new things. It’s such a new industry that there’s not a set way to do anything. So there might be a better way to do everything. Keep experimenting and finding out.” I thought for a minute we were all going to high five. It was simply one of those moments.

Grant could barely contain himself, “We used to have plants in here that would literally be hitting the top of the lights. They were so lush. So we started growing a ton of different strains. We were spending a lot more on genetics. We are trying to have first generation mother’s. We are now actually flowering out the clones to see which ones we like. Then we’re going to have the first generation mother’s always cloning. So, we are starting to run out of room.” He smiled.

 

We both had a laugh as we looked around at the flowers. Such a wonderful sight.

 

Some of the struggles they were facing are common among growers of all sizes. It’s a matter of dialing it in. Growers must consider doing things like changing the size of the pots. Small details that add major weight gain exponentially throughout each cycle.  

 

“This harvest right here is already cut by 40 lbs.” Grant pointed at the flower, “because the plants are too small.  We are tweaking operations now to achieve a more full and lush harvest. Our HVAC is being upgraded from 30 tons up to 45 tons. Now we will have much more room. You see all the fans now and everything we have upgraded. We are probably going to be switching over to some high powered LEDs soon throughout the grow. We are also looking into an air scrubbing system that constantly scrubs the air clean. We are basically trying to do everything we can to get dialed in.”

I was curious how Grant chose the strains to grow under the pressure of the Oklahoma cannabis market. Grant informed me of the difficulty to pick something that may or may not be good for the market. The ability to foresee the future somehow missed him when he was created. 

 

Grant shook his head, “Way early on we had a strain called comfortably dumb. It was super popular. It kind of gave us a name. So, we embraced it. We started putting all of our efforts into a ‘popular’ strain. We put so much effort into it we got tired of it. But it’s something we felt needed to be done. We had Comfortably Dumb all over our veg room. It was all over our flower rooms. When you load your rooms with a strain then it takes a while to effectively change that.” 

 

A major issue while dealing with this is finding yourself at the other end of the spectrum. You change everything so that you have a ton of variety. When you go this far over to the other side you get harvests that are only 3 to 4 lbs each. That just doesn’t make financial sense.

 

Grant talked about how they were focusing on higher terpene and potency levels. He added, “By growing less strains it allows us to focus more on the quality of the medicine. We are able to make it easier on ourselves while still focusing on quality and potency.”

We made it over to the lab. There were two young men operating the lab. I managed to pull Tyde Thomsen, head solventless processor for Progressive Grow Labs. “Straight from harvest we trim up the buds, then vacuum seal them. We throw them in the freezer to get the whole extraction process going. They sit in the freezer for about 2 days,” Tyde was all smiles. “We throw it into our fully automated washing machine. This really helps out not having to break our backs to obtain washes all the time. It has really helped us improve low temperature work. We do that then we drain it into rosin washing bags. It filters out all the tricome supermicro layers. and then we’ll collect that throw it into a freeze dryer. We collect it and then we immediately press it. It’s been a whole process of learning the ins-and-outs of hash. It’s such an amazing opportunity to work in this lab.

 

I couldn’t help myself at that point of the conversation. I had to point something out. I asked Tyde to tell me again how old he was and how long he had been doing what he was doing. Tyde smiled and confidently said, “I graduated high school in 2019. I’ve been doing this for about a year.”

 

I was set back. I imagined myself at that age. I imagined the opportunities in front of Tyde.I’m not sure how often Tyde thinks about his moral value to this world and the people that live within his bubble. So I acknowledged it.

 

I asked Tyde to think about the number of lives that he is now affecting in a positive way. The medicine he is in charge of is making others have a better quality of life. Thousands of individuals touched by the work of a recent high school graduate. His weapon of choice just happens to be one from caring and enjoyment. Just imagine the possibilities.

One of the major factors that a good quality business tends to set aside is marketing. It’s extremely important to advertise and market to your audience and potential customers. There are no cookie cutter ways of doing so. The best way to handle this is through a consultant. Someone that knows the ins and out of both advertising and the cannabis environment.  The team at Progressive Grow Labs is now looking into marketing and advertising as it should. “We are no longer in the flea market or barter/trade style market.” Grant agreed as we both talked about the number of current growers in the market. “This industry is starting to grow up, sort of speaking. Also there are just too many people in the market. So if you just do the simple math of 7,000 growers. If they merely harvested an average of 1 lb per month that would already be a lot of cannabis. However, no one is going to grow only 1 lb per month unless they aren’t operational. So that’s just a ton of cannabis in the market. You have to set yourself apart in some way. That’s where our advertising and marketing come in.”

 

I started imagining how awesome it would be to work on something of this scale with my own brother. Grant chimed in, “My brother and I are very close. This has actually forced us to become closer. It’s been great. It can be challenging sometimes, but it’s totally worth it. Because we learn from everything. Then my dad works with us. Mostly things he could do from home. He’s retired, but he helps us a lot.”

 

I asked Grant about the next steps for Progressive Grow Labs. “I think the next step is trying to figure out how to make a few more products for our store. We want to make them for ourselves and then also wholesale. I think now we’ve kind of switched gears and we’re going to be hyperfocusing on our current grow. We want to make it the best that it can be then expand from there. Ultimately we want to be multi-state. Right now we need to concentrate on our home bas which will continue to be Oklahoma.”

 

Brian reminded me, “We had no struggle with the crew when we went through some changes. I feel like now we have a really good tight crew of hard-working people. Everything is family and we’re trying to open a dispensary. So it’s just that. You know? Family. Making friendships and acquaintances. That’s what we’re looking to do in this industry. We are looking to be a good name for the industry. We want to do things right. We fully support the cannabis industry and want to portray the best for it.” Brian was sincere. The way marijuana has been treated throughout the years has been so bad. We are trying to change things.”

 

“This industry is very progressive. To us that sums up this industry. It’s always growing progressively. Brian had undertones of pride in his voice, “The whole marijuana industry is progressive.” 

 

The name obviously resonated with the group of entrepreneurs. Progressive. It was interesting having the opportunity to speak with the family at Progressive Grow. To notice another crew at the top of their game and to understand that they have consistently had twists and turns along the way helps me see something beautiful. The dream is not dead. Entrepreneurs rest assured. If you do in fact have a premium product idea, the courage to commit, and the sweat to spare then you can, indeed, achieve the dream. You just have to go get it.

 

A progressive family full of very progressive thinkers. I was once again fulfilled by witnessing the life of a deserving family being made better. All due to our amazing life ally we call cannabis.

24-Carat Trajectory

24-Carat Trajectory

by Contracted Writer

 

C.W. “Russ” Harrison, Founder & CEO of Golden Trends

They say the Snozzberries taste like Snozzberries. Now, I don’t know what a Snozzberrry tastes like, but I do know the Golden Trends Reserve unique 100% glass one gram Snozzberry cartridge is sure to be Golden Trend’s best seller, offering a delectable, quenching flavor profile you can only expect from Russ Harrison, who is truly the finest salt of the earth.

Meet Golden Trends, a state of the art Oklahoma-owned processor and producer of finely engineered cannabis products offering a full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes. Their one-gram cartridges and Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Vegan gummies provide Oklahoma patients with the synergistic effects of a full spectrum product while offering the reassurance of a predictable, lab created profile. “We are very outcome driven,” says C.W. “Russ” Harrison, Founder & CEO of Golden Trends. “When (the extract) leaves we know exactly what we’ve got.”

This is due to Golden Trend’s implementation of a multi-test process, lab testing their extracts in-house prior to sending out for compliance testing. Using their High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system -the same equipment used by OMMA accredited labs- as well as a qPCR instrument, gives them the ability to perform rapid detection of microbial contamination. “Everything’s independently tested,” notes Russ, “You need to be monitoring the process, not the outcome.” Access to onsite testing that aligns with state approved labs helps Golden Trends develop new and innovative delivery systems more quickly.

Golden Trends stays above the curve by utilizing on-site quality control biochemist, Jason Davenport. He tells us, “I’m responsible for performing cannabinoid profiling on all incoming plant material, distillates, and final products, as well as material from various points in our process stream.” And according to Russ, “A good chemist is conservative.” Their products are CO2 extracted in a revolutionary 3-system laboratory and manufacturing facility. These trailblazing brand characteristics can be attributed to to the life’s work of Mr. Harrison, who has delivered food-grade products to national consumer brands since 1986. “These sound, food-grade principles are ingrained into our training and processes.”

Russ Harrison may have grown up on a farm but he didn’t aspire to be a farmer. Young Russ couldn’t foresee the high-CBG plant based medicine his future self would attempt and succeed in soil growing one day.  Instead Russ found his fortune in salts and in plaster- “a serial plaster entrepreneur,” his wife, Celina, refers gently.

For 32 years Russ grew his reputable business-to-business enterprise in the food-grade Gypsum salt industry with his company Allied Custom Gypsum. Gypsum salt, sometimes called land plaster, improves soil’s workability and capacity to receive moisture. Gypsum is used in toothpaste and to make cement, drywall, and streets. As described by Russ, “Gypsum salt is a yeast food.” Russ’ A+ rated partnership with industry giant in the yeast business- Anheuser Busch aligned him to join the bubbly hemp market merger. In 2018 Russ sold Allied Custom Gypsum, initially focusing on CBD processing for food and drink manufacturers. The Farm Bill was signed into law that same year and Russ seized the opportunity. However, due to the 2019 FDA ruling that CBD could not be considered GRAS- Generally Regarded As Safe, Harrison pivoted into the Cannabis as Medicine industry. “He’s very curious and likes to figure things out,” relays Celina.

Harrison has always been an exemplary model of following Good Manufacturing Practices while producing a food-grade product. “Good Manufacturing Practice is a system for ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards. GMP is a mindset and covers all aspects of production – not just equipment,” explains Russ. For Golden Trends, “it’s about patient safety first. It’s about repeatable, predictable, traceable, and transparent processes.” Russ and his team extensively researched to find the top equipment, consulting with industry experts to perfect their extraction methodologies. He relays, “the result is a proven extraction process that is clean, safe and produces the best cannabis product for patients.”

Golden Trends’ extracts used to craft their carts and gummies are potent- testing at 80-90% THC, “I’ve seen 95%!” exclaims Russ. Their extract is pure, providing only naturally occurring cannabinoids and terpenes without using fillers or cutting agents. Cannabis materials undergo a comprehensive sampling, quarantine and testing protocol to ensure quality. “Everything we do is to ensure that our products are of high quality and free of contaminants,” relays Russ.

Golden Trends Prime one-gram carts are manufactured using Jupiter hardware, providing less packaging and waste than the industry standard. Golden Trends Reserve carts are supremely manufactured using 100% glass hardware. Both lines are currently available in the flavorful throwback Indica- Blueberry, Lemon Lime Sativa, Pineapple Chunk Sativa, and Golden Trend’s own uniquely floral and candy sweet Snozzberry Indica. Golden Trends Reserve high dose gummies are currently available in packs of ten and come in 50-milligram per piece Cherry, 100-milligram Lemon Raspberry, and 200-milligram Grape. This all-natural edible option is notably Sugar Free, not an easy product to come by in the Oklahoma cannabis consumables market.

The Golden Trends team is gearing up for the launch of Abstract- premiere 10-milligram lab created ratios targeting a patient’s desire for Sleep, for Relief, for Focus, and for Balance. “When you are developing products to target specific outcomes, having a chemist on staff allows you to test in-house at each stage of production. This ensures the products contain the correct dose for the targeted outcome,” declares Russ.

Abstract product art is designed by local artists, with a portion of the product’s proceeds going to local arts. Giving back is very much a part of who Celina and Russ are, as good-hearted Oklahomans. Russ himself has adopted six children, some of which work for the family business. Everyone else on Team Golden Trends was intricately chosen. “Creating the right team is critical because nothing is more important than making safe, high quality products for patients,” Russ relays.

Golden Trends trajectory is sure to surge with its unmatched 24-carat team and Harrison at the helm. When it comes to Golden Trends, “Predictable IS priceless.”

Canadian Cultivator in Oklahoma Committed to Producing only Top Shelf Medicine: Canokie Buds

Canadian Cultivator in Oklahoma Committed to Producing only Top Shelf Medicine: Canokie Buds

Feminine Divine by Veronica Castillo

 

“It took just diving in and putting myself out there to find out.”

From northern Ontario to the southern region of the United States (though, in cannabis, Oklahoma is considered the wild west), Holly Mills with CanOkie Buds says that moving to Oklahoma was a culture shock for her. 

She describes northern Ontatrio as a cultured, and the town she moved to in Oklahoma back in 2009 as: “A small town that was much slower paced. Everyone seemed to know everyone else.”  

What once was shock is now gratitude for a place that Holly describes as: having the prettiest sunsets, the wildest winters, and incredible sense of community; “ I’m lucky to be here!” 

Licensed, passionate, and growing cannabis with a touch of divine feminine; I am happy to share my latest interview with woman owned and  operated: Canokie Buds. 

Q&A with Holly Mills of CanOkie Buds

Please tell me about your childhood and cannabis- what did you learn about it? Was it considered the devil’s lettuce in your home? Did people around you consume? 

“When I grew up in Canada cannabis was still illegal and considered taboo. My dad was a strict rule follower and expected the same from his kids. I don’t remember people consuming around me until I was a consumer myself.” 

When did curiosity begin to develop and when did you start consuming cannabis?

“I started using cannabis in high school around the 10th grade. Never during the week, only on weekends with friends. When I finished high school, I moved to Northern Ontario and became a bit more of a habitual cannabis smoker. I guess I’ve consumed on and off since I was about 14. When I became a mom I didn’t for a long time. When cannabis became medically legal in Oklahoma, my youngest was 2 and I decided to try it again.” 

Have you lost anyone to a condition that cannabis could’ve treated?

“I haven’t lost anyone that could have been treated by cannabis, but I do have family and close friends with illnesses currently being treated by cannabis. My dad has MS and is a medical user in Canada. Even though it is recreational, there is also a medical program designed to contour cannabis use to individuals. 

My younger brother Timothy, works for a group initially called Marijuana for Trauma. They cater to veterans, my brother being one of them. Both my brother and my father’s medicine is subsidized by the government and they stay in contact with nurses and doctors who monitor their wellbeing. It would be awesome to see cannabis actually be treated as medicine across the United States the way it is in Canada.”

When did Canokie launch and can you provide insight on the journey from idea to launch? 

“After building a new home on our property I began debating what to do with our old home. I knew I wanted to use it for a business that would be a career for myself. Before medical marijuana went legal, I was looking into growing hemp crops for CBD processing purposes. 

I was using some full spectrum CBD products for anxiety, stress, and insomnia and wanted to be a part of that industry, for medicine. Then medical marijuana happened and I started adding THC to my CBD regiment which was a game changer. At the time it was legally easier to grow marijuana because they hadn’t passed the right to farm bill here in Oklahoma. 

So I thought: what if I turned my old house into an actual grow house? I’ll never forget the moment I was standing in my old living room with my friend Jean, the effects of a weed brownie just starting to kick in, and Jean turned and said, “imagine how many plants you could fit in this room.” 

So that was it. I ordered the George Cervantes Cannabis Encyclopedia off Amazon, started reading and watching Youtube videos, I tapped into the cannabis community with a million questions for other growers, and I got started in one room with a $5,000 tax return. 

I popped my first seeds in May 2019. This fall I found the answer to Jean’s question, it’s 91. My old living room is currently full of 91 beautiful, healthy, organically grown Maneater OG plants.”

What was the hardest and easiest thing about entering the cannabis industry? 

“I don’t think there was anything easy about entering the cannabis industry except for maybe the application part. I had no idea what I was doing when I started, and every step along the way was a learning curve. I had grown all sorts of plants and vegetables in the past, but cannabis plants were a whole new ball game. 

Learning not just about the plants themselves but then how to perfect their environment was very challenging. There are a million and one different products and equipment out there designed for growing cannabis. 

As far as the business side goes, I had plenty of experience with running a business and with customer relations but my knowledge of cannabis at the time I had finished my first harvest, was limited to what I had read in books and online. I honestly had no idea what my product was like compared to others. 

My first harvest was 4 pounds of 5 different strains and 1 dispensary bought the whole thing. Patients loved the flower and my reputation started to grow. I’ve continued since then to build the brand and positive reputation of my flower.”

Please tell me about the team. 

“I am a small team of just 4 incredible women. Laura has been with me for close to 2 years now and had no experience with cannabis plants or medicating with cannabis. The first time she visited my grow facility she thought I had a major skunk problem! Lol. 

Ashley started with me 6 months ago and also had no experience with growing cannabis. I have been friends with both of these women for 7 years. Our newest team member is Elizabeth, who joined the team just recently. She came on board with limited experience from another grow she helped with, and just dove right in! 

All of these women are incredibly hard working, honest, and loyal; and I am so grateful for them. We are all moms and constantly strive to create a positive work/life balance for each other and ourselves.” 

Please tell me about curing in a jar, and the difference between traditional curing and jar curing.

“Jar curing is the only way to go in my opinion, to achieve a true top shelf flower product. Not only do the glass walls prevent unwanted chemicals from leaching into the product, but they also circulate trapped air which allows the flower to biosynthesize. This converts cannabinoid compounds into new blends. 

So, for the flower to reach its full potential during the cure time, glass is the only way to go! This is a 100% more time consuming method to curing but, I am dedicated to producing only top shelf medicine, and the cure process is a major part of that. 

It’s important to note that before we even get to the cure process, everything we grow is in top of the line organic soil, and we brew all organic teas. We do not- at any stage- use synthetic nutrients or synthetic mediums. All of our plants are hand fed and carefully cultivated to ensure that every strain reaches its full potential before it is then hand trimmed and jar cured.”

How many strains do you all grow? What’s the most popular? 

We consistently run 10 really great strains. We are constantly pheno hunting new strains but it’s not often that I add a new one to the mix. Our most popular strain, which has become the number one strain in every dispensary that has picked it up, is our Maneater OG strain. 

This high testing sativa consistently hits 28-29% THC, and terpenes from 3-3.5%. She is by far the stickiest, dankest, most heavy hitting strain that I have ever come across as both a grower and consumer. 

What’s your favorite strain to grow? What about your favorite one to consume?

“These are both really difficult questions to answer. I guess my current favourite strain to grow is a newer one called Mimosa Evo. Her plant structure, colour, and aroma are amazing. She will make an entire room smell like pineapple. Her buds are dense and frosty, and her fade late in flower is dark purple. 

My favourite one to consume changes based on what I’m looking to medicate for. If I want a get up and go strain, I love the Maneater OG or Alaskan Purple. If I’m looking for a relaxing and mellowing effect, I love our Canadian Kush or Galactic Runtz. Honestly, they’re all good and beneficial in their own way.”

Do you believe that women have a deeper relationship with plants? Why or why not? 

“No, I wouldn’t say that women have a deeper relationship with plants. I might say that women could be more in tune to them because we tend to be more maternal, and pay more attention to detail.  I know some incredible cultivators that are men. It’s really the individual that makes the relationship. Being a man or a woman doesn’t make a difference.”

Where can people find Canokie Buds in OK?  

“CanOkie Buds can be found at Bud Barn in Marlow, Cannawise in Duncan, Higher Care in Chickasha, Pharmers Market in Norman, Green Buffalo in Norman, Prestige Cannabis in Del City and Edmond, Frontier Medicine in Edmond, and Buds dispensary in Lawton. 

These dispensaries consistently carry CanOkie flower. If your favourite dispensary doesn’t have CanOkie flower, ask them to reach out to me!” 

Final Words

When asked about advice for aspiring cultivators, Holly ended with:

“Stay true to the medicine. Don’t take shortcuts and don’t falsify information about your product. Build relationships with labs, dispensaries, and processors that are dedicated to the medicinal value of cannabis, not just the money-making aspect of it. 

There will be a multitude of hurdles you will face while growing this incredible plant. Pay attention, troubleshoot, ask questions, try new things; but not too many new things at one time. 

A good friend once told me that it takes 18 months to become an expert on a new field of study. With cannabis, that 18 months will just make you a little more comfortable but certainly not an expert. Don’t sweat the small stuff and keep at it!” 

The Seed of Life 

The Seed of Life 

 

By Brook Miller

Brook Miller

 

I am extremely grateful for the Oklahoma cannabis community. I feel forever indebted to the community as a whole. To be writing this today is surreal. 

 

For all of us to have a platform to help others because cannabis is beyond me. Cannabis saved my life and continues to positively impact the lives of millions. 

 

There are countless lives that could have been saved and forever changed if you take away the absurd laws which we have been forced to live under in the past.  

I spent my early twenties running from the trauma of my best friends dying from overdoses due to opiates. My escape from that pain became a vicious cycle. 

 

After overdosing 6 years ago, I decided to dedicate my life to helping others not feel the pain that I did. I’m here to be the voice for every friend I’ve ever lost. To help someone still struggling. 

 

Cannabis has helped me tremendously in this journey. I want to spread the message of hope to anyone who is struggling. We can do this together. 

 

I ask you to become a part of Sherweed Forest and what we stand for. It is amazing. We are connecting patients with quality medicine and the people behind it. 

 

We would like to use this platform to continue to help others and spread awareness that there is a better way to a healthy sustainable life. I want to show others by example that everyone has a place here. 

 

We’re here to help others, to grow and evolve. Let’s do just that, together.

Oklahoma’s Fresh Sesh Spots

Oklahoma’s Fresh Sesh Spots

by Anna Ervin

What truly sets Oklahoma apart from other cannabis-friendly states, is that SQ 788 was set up to allow cannabis patients to medicate anywhere that cigarette smoke is allowed. Granted, private businesses and establishments may have their own set of rules, creating a bit of uncertainty around where it is or isn’t okay to consume. To make things a little easier, I’ve created a list of 420-friendly establishments, ranging from large to small, that openly allow cannabis-consumption on-site. 

 

Is this a list of every 420-friendly space in the state? Absolutely not. Oklahoma knows no bounds when it comes to creative entrepreneurs opening up lounges, concert venues, and coffee shops with cannabis-consumption in mind. It seems as though new spots are popping up daily, and there are a plethora of great venues that invite patients to medicate openly. And while I’d love to include every single venue on the list, today I’ve chosen some of our favorite locations here at Herbage, and divided them into four categories. 

 

Community and Culture spaces serve as great settings for large industry events and markets, while the Elegance and Style locations offer an opportunity to host more intimate gatherings in atmospheres curated with luxury in mind. As far as the Shop and Sesh or Food & Drink categories go, well, I think those are pretty self-explanatory. So, whether you’re looking for a venue to reserve for your next holiday event, or simply a place to sit down and enjoy your medicine in peace, I’m positive you’ll find the perfect smoke spot using this guide! 

 

For Community & Culture

Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed Dance Hall is a name many Oklahomans have been familiar with, long before cannabis became legal in our state. I remember growing up in Western Oklahoma and hearing about the notorious “Calf Fry” event, held at the Stillwater venue each spring, which invites college students and young adults from all over the state to enjoy a weekend packed full of live music, beer, and of course, calf fries. Today, the festival continues to live up to it’s legacy and work in sync with Oklahoma’s budding cannabis industry, adding brands like Cowboy Cup, Prime Time Cannabis, and our very own Herbage Magazine to it’s roster of vendors. 

 

However, what makes Tumbleweed’s space so special to Herbage is the annual Cowboy Cup that takes place on the grounds of the indoor/outdoor facility each December. This two day event was triple-crowned Oklahoma’s best Cannabis Industry Event, Best Cannabis Cup, and Best Cannabis Festival in our 2021 Best Of Contest. Drawing in a crowd of young adults, business owners, cannabis connoisseurs, and industry experts, the Cowboy Cup’s mission is to give the community an opportunity to learn, celebrate, medicate, and network while also introducing at least a dozen different musical and artistic performances.

 

While Tumbleweed may be a little too sizable for most people to consider hosting an event here, you can always stop by Thursday through Saturday night to check out the facility and enjoy some live country tunes. 

https://www.calffry.com/

 

OKC Farmer’s Market

In the heart of OKC sits the state’s oldest and most historic event space, first opened in 1928 on the grounds of Delmar Garden’s Amusement Parks. Fast forward to today, you might stumble upon a roller derby match, edm concert, or one of many private events that take place in the second-story ballroom. There’s something whimsical about the atmosphere inside the Farmer’s Market building, whether you’re picking out fresh produce early one Saturday morning, or bobbing your head to one of your favorite local sounds, it’s impossible not to recognize the historic features that mark the venue. 

 

At this point you might be wondering why I’ve included this space without a single mention of cannabis, but I promise we’re getting there. While I wouldn’t recommend sparking a joint next to Mama Sarah and her three kiddos as they browse the venue’s weekly Farmers Market, I will suggest keeping an eye out for some of our state’s most exclusive cannabis industry events that tend to pop up here from time to time, such as Cloud Fest, Phreshtival, and Cough Fest. 

 

Like Tumbleweed, this massive space could host at least 20 times the crowd you might draw in for a community “pot”-luck or small event. The real potential here lies in an opportunity to host that cannabis-friendly wedding you’ve always dreamed of (I cannot be alone in this). According to their website, the OKC Farmer’s Market building has hosted many happy brides and grooms, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of those clients were invested in *ahem* greener wedding practices. 

https://www.okcfarmersmarket.com/

 

Gateway Event Center – Tulsa

The Gateway Event Center, tucked into the southeast corner of Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District, offers a unique, eclectic vibe that seems to flow naturally throughout the building. Outside you can find the walls of the building blanketed in colorful murals and graffiti art that contribute a playful feel to the surrounding streets. 

 

When I asked Andrew of Sherweed Forest, why he chose the venue to host his first ever Throwdown Bazaar, he told me that the Gateway Event Center was special for them because “it felt like there was an opportunity to tell a story there that had not yet been told.”

 

“It’s not Cain’s Ballroom or one of the current trend spaces,” Andrew said, “so I felt it was a place for us to make our mark on the city of Tulsa.”

 

Throwdown Bazaar is the first event I have attended at Gatewood, but it certainly won’t be my last. The building offers an open concept, serving as the perfect space for a vendor’s market, and according to Andrew, the manager of the property encourages the cannabis community to rent the space. “We plan to use the space for months to come as long as we keep seeing success and growth in what we’re doing,” he reported. 

https://gatewayeventcenter.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral

 

For Elegance and Style

 

Hempton Heights – Vinita

This list would not be complete without our favorite weekend getaway. Tucked into the northeast corner of the state, Hempton Heights serves as the perfect spot for family reunions, weddings, retreats, or industry conventions. Owners Nicole Holt and Jeff Lipe designed this cannabis-friendly, boutique-style resort to host guests who just want to medicate in peace. 

 

With over 16 uniquely styled accommodations (some featuring jacuzzis), a salt-water swimming pool, event barn, and 30 acres of woodland to explore, hosting a gathering, or even just finding a little time for yourself at Hempton is sure to feel like a luxury treat. The best part? You can find a dispensary on site offering some of Oklahoma’s favorite medicine. 

https://www.hemptonheights.com/

 

The Magnolia – OKC

You know those old loft-style apartments that sit on top of old buildings? The ones with beautifully aged wooden-framed windows blanketing the walls, and layers of paint and plaster exposing old brick foundations… That’s what stepping into The Magnolia feels like, perched on the top floor of a historic building primely located in OKC’s Automobile Alley. Home of one of Oklahoma’s popular cannabis meet-ups, The Sesh, this venue offers a vintage-styled, open-concept space perfect for weddings, intimate events, large classes, and industry gatherings.

 

Natural light fills the space from nearly all directions during the day, and glittering twinkle lights blanket the ceiling to illuminate the room at night. However, my favorite time of day at the Magnolia is right before sunset, when golden sunlight spills in through the windows on the west side of the building, highlighting glimpses of OKC’s downtown skyline. Now add a little smoke to the setting and you’ll understand why this venue made the list as one of my favorite consumption-friendly event spaces. 

https://www.hemptonheights.com/

 

Agora – Tulsa

Featuring a breathtaking view of Tulsa’s city skyline, Agora offers an elegantly decorated space for intimate community events, weddings, and meetings. While their website doesn’t advertise a consumption friendly venue, Agora has hosted some of our friends and fellow patients for some pretty great community events, like Kenny Wilmath’s Herb&Art Night, or the recent 1-year anniversary of The Sesh. 

 

When I asked William Nagy, co-owner/coordinator of The Sesh about the venue, he reported that Agora exceeded expectations. “We chose this place because every inch of it felt classy and comfortable. We are looking forward to booking this venue again.” 

Home

 

For Shopping and Seshing

 

Gator Alley

Nestled into Oklahoma City’s downtown area, PlantMed created their 420-friendly patio with patients in mind, providing a safe and convenient space for outdoor consumption. Adjacent to the dispensary, Gator Alley is open to patients Monday through Sunday, but occasionally reserves the space for birthday parties, industry events, classes, and so much more. 

 

All talk of convenience aside, you can count on finding some of Oklahoma’s favorite brands on display inside the dispensary, as well as one unique feature that truly sets this space apart from the rest. Plant Med is home to one of the first fully customizable blunt bars in the state, and this just might be the reason Gator Alley was voted as Best Sesh Spot in Herbage Magazine’s Best Of contest earlier this year. 

https://www.facebook.com/gatoralleyokc/

 

Smoklahoma

The newest spot on the list, Smoklahoma Lounge in Tulsa, is just opening up their space for private events this month. Complete with a dab bar, pool table, free wifi, and storefront loaded with smoking accessories, this 4000 square foot space serves as the perfect setting for parties, meetings, or a quick sesh with friends. 

 

While you don’t need an OMMA license to visit Smoklahoma, as with any sesh spot, you will need one in order to medicate. Low stash? Stop by the Mary Mind Dispensary located just next door! 

https://www.smoklahomatv.com/

 

For Food & Drinks

 

Three Cubed

Located on the corner of Sheridan and 4th St in Downtown OKC, Three Cubed is a restaurant and bar with a 420 lounge on site. With a menu that serves a majority of dietary needs, and (in my opinion) some of the best cocktails in OKC, Three Cubed is a great spot to bring your laptop and finish up some work for a daytime sesh, or grab some friends and enjoy a toke with your meal, but their consumption-friendly lounge can also be rented out for private parties and events. Either way, make sure you check out their Boozy Brunch on the weekends! 

https://3333cubed.com/

 

 

Tacos X Mezcal – Tulsa

Word on the street is that you can find some of the best authentic Mexican street food in Tulsa at Tacos X Mezcal, located on SE 18th Street. After a little more digging I found that you can also book their patio for consumption-friendly parties. Offering a menu loaded with items made from fresh ingredients, including a plethora of vegan and vegetarian options (I am geekin’ out over this), I don’t see why TXMZ shouldn’t be at the top of your list for holiday parties, birthdays, or a classic lady’s night out. Taco Tuesdays anyone?

https://www.txmztaco.com/

 

The Beany Bar – Clinton, OK

I just could not fathom putting this list out there without including one of my favorite places in the state. Aside from that, I haven’t had the opportunity to show Western Oklahoma any love, so that brings me to my final stop: The Beany Bar. Located between Weatherford and Clinton off of historic Route 66, this historic farmhouse has been redesigned as an open-concept bar and lounge that feels like home. The Beany Bar sits adjacent to and is under the same management as White Dog Hill, a scratch-kitchen steakhouse that offers western Oklahomans a unique experience. While you typically need a reservation to visit the steakhouse, the Beany Bar is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday. 

 

Perched on top of a hill that overlooks the city of Clinton, this spot offers one of the most whimsical sunset views in the state, in addition to some of the most unique cocktails I’ve ever seen. And while they don’t openly advertise a consumption-friendly space, I’ve had no issues bringing a vape pen or pre-roll and discreetly medicating on their outdoor patio. This one is worth the drive.

https://whitedoghill.com/

The Cowboy Cup Winners!

Congratulations to all the winners at The Cowboy Cup @thecowboycup ⠀

⠀

 

Take a gander! ⠀

GRAND CHAMPION: ALTVM (pronounced AL-TUM)

INDOOR FLOWER
1st: ALTVM: Slapz
2nd: Drip Cultivation: Superboof
3rd: Heavenly Haze: Liberty Haze
SUNGROWN
1st: Pharmicated: Lemon Meringue Cake
2nd: Pharmicated: Wedding Cake
3rd: Pott County Boys: Terple 17
SUNGROWN LIGHT ASSIST
1st: High Prairie Farms: Orange Cheese
2nd: High Top Harvest: 33 Degrees
3rd: High Prairie Farms: Headband Cookie
PREROLLS
1st: Progressive Grow Labs: Tropical Runtz
2nd: Kind Origin Cannabis: Mimosa
3rd: Lake and Bake Shop: Tropicana Cookies
INFUSED PREROLLS
1st: ALTVM: Mafia Funeral  Blunt
2nd: Cicada x Leaf Logic: Cattail Solventless Infused Pre-Roll
3rd: Icy Melts Solventless x Carter Creek CannabisVixen – Hash Rosin Stix
CONCENTRATES
ROSIN
1st: Scissortail Solventless & Top Notch Herbal Care: Papaya Punch
2nd: Scissortail Solventless & Top Notch Herbal Care: Papaya
3rd: Cicada x ALTVM: Lylac Diesel 
TEMPLE BALL
1st: Cicada Labs x Snaxland: Ice Cream Cake
2nd: Progressive Grow Labs: Temple Ball
3rd: Tribe Collective: Amnesia Haze
ICE WATER HASH
1st: Cicada x Juble Exotics: Mai Thai Mints
2nd: Cicada x Juble Exotics: DK Smash
3rd: Cicada x Phresh Harvest: Guava Juice
BEST NEW CONCENTRATES
1st: Xen Xtracts: Geode
2nd: Noble Nectar: Tropaya BHO/SHO Powdered Donut
3rd: Tribe Collective: Dog Walker Dipped and Rolled Preroll Variety Pack

  

LIQUID BHO 
1st: Apothecary Extracts: Hazelnut Cream Ambrosia
2nd: Giddy’s (GreenLeaf Organics): Mac Gelato
3rd: 710 Diamond Co.: GDP Diamond

  

SOLID BHO 
1st: Xen Xtracts: Macaloupe
2nd: Xen Xtracts: Liberty Haze
3rd: Slow Burn Desert Extracts: Blueberry Kush

  

LIVE RESIN CART
1st: Origin Extracts x Stability Cannabis: Trop Cookies
2nd: Origin Extracts x Stability Cannabis: Orangeade
3rd: Apothecary Extracts: Tropicana Sunrise Ambrosia Pod

  

ROSIN CART
1st: Scissortail Solventless & Top Notch Herbal Care: Papaya Punch
2nd: War Party Extracts: Strawberry Jedi E-Blunts
3rd: Noble Nectar: Slurricane 
CURED RESIN CART
1st: Elite Cultivation: Gelato Cake
2nd: 64 Farms: Rude Boi
3rd: Escalated Greens: Hybrid Ripstick
DISTILLATE CART
1st: ESCO Brands: Strawberry Shortcake
2nd: ESCO Brands: Blueberry Kush
3rd: Dandy Lion/Daybreak: Double Rainbow
C02 CART
1st: Golden Trends: Snozzberry Cart
2nd: Golden Trends: Grape Ape Cart
3rd: Golden Trends: Golden Hawaiian Cart
EDIBLES

  

BAKED GOODS
1st: ButterstuPHD: Bud Bark
2nd: Pharmers Daughter Edibles: Churro Cake Jar
3rd: Flav: PB&J Blonde Duos

  

CAPSULES
1st: 918 OG: Senzu Beans
2nd: Mint Company: Rocket Fuel Refuel Pack
3rd: High Sunshine Farms: EZ Dose It Nano Caps

  

DRINKS
1st: JKJ Processing: Lemon Berry Holy Water
2nd: Infamous OG: Grape Pie Infused Infamous OG Drink
3rd: Pharmacated: Kalvara THC Infused Cocktail

  

HARD/SOFT CANDIES
1st: Dandy Lion Edibles: Strawnana 
2nd: Wana: Peach Bellini Gummies
3rd: Kosmik Brands: Peanut Butter and Jelly Blasters

  

HIGH DOSE EDIBLES 
1st: Kosmik Brands: 1000mg Black Hole Gummies
2nd: Flav: Rainbow Belts
3rd: JKJ Processing: Dragon Paw PB Wafers

  

SPECIALTY EDIBLES
1st: 918 OG: Strawberry Raspberry Fruit Crisps
2nd: Escalated Greens: Caramel Coma Corn
3rd: Esco Brands: Crispy’s – Iced Out Oreo Bar
TINCTURES
1st: Mint Company: RSO Indica Tincture
2nd: Delta Oil: 5:1 Tincture
3rd: Hourglass Extracts: Mint Cottonmouth Spray
TOPICALS
1st: Xen Xtracts: Xengay Medicated Rollon
2nd: Pharmacated: Cannidex
3rd: JKJ Processing: Pink Passion Bath Salts
Indoor Flower Top 10 (in no particular order) 
Nexleaf Cultivation: Lunch Box
The Healing Hand Collective: Tropicana Cookies
Elite Cultivation: Lemon Skunk
Healing Pharms: Terple 17
ALTVM: Slapz
The Releaf Zone: Tropicana Cookies
Heavenly Haze: Liberty Haze
ALTVM: Designer Runtz
F5 Farms: Killer Cupcake
Drip Cultivation: Superboof

  

Sungrown Top 5 (in no particular order) 
Fusion Botaicals: Slurricane
Pharmicated: Wedding Cake
Wild Natives Farmacy: Peanut Butter Breath
Pott County Boys: Terple 17
Pharmicated: Lemon Meringue Cake

  

DISTILLATE CART
1st: ESCO Brands/Swerve: Runtz
2nd: Hourglass Extracts – Strawnana
3rd: ESCO Brands: Sweet Stuff Blueberry Kush

Buckle Design winner Richard Frye

Best Booth The Great Spirits

 

See You There

See You There

By Carisa Rowe

Portrait of Author

The Cowboy Cup and Daniel Lewis, founder of the competition, aims to be the nation’s most respected cannabis championship.

 

The two-day event features Oklahoma’s finest cannabis brands competing for a first-place win that earns much respect from consumers and industry players alike. A win at The Cowboy Cup is valued for the integrity behind the competition – as Daniel says, “you can’t ‘buy’ our buckle.” That commitment to fair ethical competition is what compels competitors to return.

 

The real hype behind The Cowboy Cup is in the community that supports it.

 

During the 2016 Emerald Cup, Daniel conceived of a cannabis cup unlike any other. When Oklahomans legalized medical cannabis two years later, Daniel’s inspiration finally had an opportunity to manifest.

 

Daniel and his wife have built a massive operation over the last 3 years. The competition has accepted more than 460 entries from around the state. For comparison, The Emerald Cup – weed’s longest running throwdown, hosted 160 entries in their last competition. The influx from competitors has reinforced Daniel’s vision for a clean, ethical competition that attendees can access and enjoy safely.

 

The annual cannabis championship is held each year in December, a strategic maneuver allowing the year’s sun-grown flower an opportunity to compete.

 

The Cowboy Cup highlights more than just cannabis products. Art, music, dance, fashion, and food are all on display during the event, giving creators and performers a stage on which to be seen and celebrated. Attendees of the event can expect to interact with uniquely talented performers, appreciate and purchase one-of-a-kind art, and connect with over 200 brands who will be represented at the show through sponsorships, as vendors, and competitors.

 

Entrants in each of the categories go head-to-head against each other to be judged by a small panel of Oklahoma patients. Judges were chosen from online applications and given professional training from cannabis industry legends Swami Chaitanya and Nikki Lastreto. Their recorded curriculum is available on The Cowboy Cup’s website for patients who would like to understand how the winners will be determined. Everything about The Cowboy Cup is accessible, from its transparent entry and judging process to the very grounds where the event is held. The Tumbleweed Dance Hall in Stillwater is fully accessible for patients with any mobility needs, another consideration from the Lewises that reinforces their commitment to community.

There are a lot of ways to describe The Cowboy Cup: festival, competition, art show, even circus. None of those definitions do it justice. The Cowboy Cup is a promise that hard work will be recognized. It is the result of hundreds of moving pieces coming together to one common goal. The Cowboy Cup is a community. It’s a feeling of fellowship that can be found in our wonderful world for two December days in Stillwater every year.

Launching Legit Biz In The Wild Wild West of Weed

Launching Legit Biz

In The Wild Wild West of Weed

By Carisa Rowe

In under two years, Kosmik Brands has launched itself into the stratosphere. Based in Edmond, Kosmik was the first Oklahoma cannabis brand to expand outside of state lines, with operations in Michigan and Nevada. Kosmik Kirk, one of the founding members of the company, credits this expansion to the hard work of several teams working in tandem to produce cannabis products that are out of this world. 

The company offers dozens of edibles to their consumers and are always working to create more tasty options. When launching, Kosmik Brands knew they had to make a big impression or risk getting lost among their competitors. To earn consumer loyalty, the lab and kitchen crews labor endlessly over consistency. To date, the company has invested more than two million dollars into research and development that has resulted in THC edibles with unmatched taste, texture, and quality. Their first product, The Black Hole, offers consumers 1,000 milligrams of premium THC in a package of ten flavorful gummies. This potent edible provides an affordable dosing option for cost-conscious patients with a high cannabinoid tolerance.

Kosmik’s team has gone on to perfect nearly two dozen edibles to suit a variety of tastes and dosing needs and they continue to create more. Kosmik Brands offers the Supernova, a 500-milligram package with a classified flavor so enticing they keep it classified. The Kosmik Blaster line is available in 100-milligram or 250-milligram packs, available in sweet or sour flavors. They also offer limited run flavors like Karamel Apple, Chocolate Kovered Strawberry, and Peanut Butter Jelly. Notably, the grape jelly flavored center is Kirk’s personal contribution to the line. 

Kosmik Brands is the first Oklahoma-based cannabis company to make the leap across state lines. Their standards for consistency have earned them licenses in Michigan and Nevada. 

Kosmik’s employees are bright stars in the company’s universe, acting as beacons for curious cannabis consumers. Their outstanding approach to cannabis acceptance includes installations such as Klub Kosmik, an intergalactic mobile party that will be throwing down at this year’s Cowboy Cup. 

Fans of the brand should be on the lookout for Kosmik Kirk to appear in ‘Cowboys of Cannabis’ this fall. The breakthrough show pulls back the curtain on what really goes on behind the scenes in Oklahoma’s rapidly evolving cannabis industry. The show follows Oklahoma’s larger-than-life cannabis players – like Kirk, through the excitement, hardships, and victories of conducting business in the wild west of weed. 

Anything But Old Timey

Anything But Old Timey

By Carisa Rowe

From Route 62, The Lettuce Bar resembles a modern roadside saloon. Under a shady awning supported by cedar beams and railing sits a quaint covered wagon, intended to let weary travelers know they are invited to stop and sit a spell. The blue, flat-topped storefront is embellished with the company’s beautifully lettered logo. One that harkens to saloon nostalgia. The nostalgia doesn’t stop once inside, however this saloon is anything but “old timey”.

Chet Tucker’s vision for The Lettuce Bar is to present a unique experience in an engaging atmosphere that is tailored to every shopper. This locally owned cannabis dispensary features a posh gift shop and comfortable lounge area. Visitors can find novelties, décor, clothing, local goodies, and more. They carry CBD products and some consumption devices. 

Behind the reception desk is a pair of swinging wooden doors that open to reveal a cozy saloon. Dispensary visitors are invited to pull up to the beautifully finished bar and visit with the company’s Cannicians about their treatment needs. Above the bar, many sparkling flutes hang, filled with samplings of the flower they offer for purchase. The custom, corked glassware showcases Oklahoma’s finest cannabis craftsmanship, and the team is always happy to offer up a sniff.  

Chet and staff know that to truly facilitate healing, they must be able to understand their patients’ needs. They work diligently to educate patients about the benefits of various cannabis therapies and how they work. They maintain comprehensive information regarding the top-grade products they carry in store, ensuring that patients can count on them for trustworthy medicine.

The Lettuce Bar is also home to a boutique cultivation facility that supplies the dispensary with much of the flower purchased by their patients. In addition to offering their harvests direct to consumers, The Lettuce Bar features a rotation of products from industry peers. Chet values the hard work of cultivators and processors from around the state and rotates an array of local cannabis craftsmanship on the shelves of The Lettuce Bar. Offering variety helps their shoppers get the most comprehensive cannabis education possible.

By developing an informed consumer public, The Lettuce Bar sets the stage for broader cannabis acceptance – a key component in the effort to destigmatize cannabis use and its important role in wellness. Informational popups and patient drives are among the tools they are developing for their patients. The cultivation facility is undergoing expansions that will allow them to research and develop cannabis varietals designed to treat specific illnesses. The Lettuce Bar is earning much respect in the cannabis community and among their consumers for offering curriculum and workshops that teach the public about cannabis, CBD, and whole health practices like good nutrition and fitness. 

They look forward to expanding these efforts to highlight local craftsmen and brands from around Oklahoma. In the tree-lined fields adjacent to the facility, Chet envisions a space that hosts carnivals, concerts, and festivals where area residents and travelers can convene for fun, wellness, and connectedness. 

BALANCING AUTISM

BALANCING AUTISM
By Chip Paul | Chief Innovator

At GnuPharma, we are a research, development, and manufacturing company specializing in modulating the endocannabinoid system with both hemp and non-cannabis plants.

“Spice up your life®”

Autism is a disability that affects almost every area of human function. What I mean by that is that the incidence of autism is increasing. Boys born today have a 3% chance of being autistic. Girls slightly less. 1 in 54 children born today will be autistic. Why? Well that question certainly rings in my ears. Our company has specialized in autism and other severe disease states. We study these under our model of human function. We are able to suggest treatments. We work with a major University on what we do. Here is what we are finding…

Autism is a metabolic disease. Metabolism in this case means the ability to deal with fatty acids to build things. In particular endocannabinoids and immune mediators. In fact, without the assistance of the bacteria produced in their guts, most severely autistic folks would die of infection due to their inability to produce immune mediators normally. They produce several fatty acids with bacteria in their guts which provide an “alternative” immune system. Pretty effective actually! They do not get sick like normal kid- dos. But those same fatty acids also are likely the cause of the more severe symptoms of autism.

Autism is a disease of oxidative stress. When your body is dealing with inflammation or foreign invasion, it can go into crisis. The autistic individual appears to ALWAYS be in crisis. Their bodies act like they are always fighting against something. Similar to always holding a block of lead.

And horribly, these two issues feed each other. Oxidative stress causes an inability to metabolize omega fatty acids which is the very metabolic problem autistic people suffer from. What is the lead in their pocket? The cause? Looking to be an immune system imbalance worsened by an allergy or similar.

The great news is improvement can be made by ad- dressing the oxidative stress and metabolic issues! Most of these can be addressed by supplements and dietary adjustments.

The Feminine Divine with Woman Cultivator, Heidi Allen with Higher Flower Garden

The Feminine Divine with Woman Cultivator, Heidi Allen with Higher Flower Garden

by Veronica Castillo

“Like most kids growing up in the 70’s and 80’s I learned that Cannabis and anything related to it was just plain bad and bad for you.”- Heidi Allen 

From death row guard, to professional truck driver, to cannabis cultivator; Heidi Allen, who grew up in a small town in Oklahoma, turned to plants to heal herself and others. In this series, we highlight women cultivators in Oklahoma and in this interview, Heidi lets us into her life as a child, the trauma’s she has experienced, and lessons learned in and from the cannabis industry. 

Through all of that, Higher Flower Garden was born, which seems to have been born from Heidi’s passion: 

“I got into the industry about three years ago hoping to turn my love of growing things and my belief in the healing power of nature, into a viable way to make a living. I got into cultivation because I love to grow things. I have always loved plants and have had a long time interest in studying how things grow and what makes them grow.”

Learn more about Heidi’s journey to the Higher Flower Garden below.

Q&A with Heidi Allen of Higher Flower Garden

Did you work in another industry pre-cannabis? What?

“I worked for a while as a guard on death row in Huntsville, Texas, but as soon as I was old enough I began driving a truck over the road.  My last job was driving for the World Champion: AMA Motorcycle Racing Team.”

Did you graduate college? If so, what was your major?

“I was pursuing a degree in criminal justice but didn’t finish as I began my trucking career instead.”

Can you describe your journey to the launch of Higher Flower Garden?

“Rocky! Things never seem to turn out as planned. We were made a lot of promises by a lot of people that never materialized and because of this, I simply had to learn my trade and put it into practice to make things work.”  

Tell me about your team.

“My team is small; it’s me and a friend of mine named Jen. We handle all the day to day activities of the grow from cloning to harvesting. We have a couple of investors who have been very supportive as well.”  

What’s one thing you love and one thing you wish to see changed- industry wise?

“I just love the plants and seeing them grow and getting the finished product from them. I really wish OMMA would be more active in enforcing the regulations, and keep out of state products and illegal grows from making it so tough on smaller boutique setups like ours.”

What’s your favorite strain to grow? Consume?

“As far as consuming, I like the old strains with Skunk #1 being my favorite. Where growing is concerned, I like growing the real Sativa strains. I love to grow beautiful flowers from top of the line genetics. We have set ourselves apart by cultivating via a hydroponics system and producing a high quality connoisseur grade product.” 

Any mentors you’d like to mention? 

“Unfortunately I really haven’t had any mentors to speak of in this field.  I have essentially had to learn on my own. A lot of times I feel like I’m on an island in the industry, but I have made a few friends that are encouraging and helpful.”  

Any advice for young women aspiring to become cultivators?

“It’s a man’s industry. Be ready to not be taken seriously or listened to because you’re a woman.  You have to have thick skin and know that most men aren’t going to give you credit for what you do or become very jealous at any success you have. Trust yourself and when you know your product is good, don’t let anyone sell you short. 

All photo credit: Higher Flower Garden

How To Entertain A Cannabis Cowboy

How To Entertain A Cannabis Cowboy

By Michael Kinney 

It’s no secret that cannabis and music go hand in hand. It has been that way since before groups like the Grateful Dead and Snoop Dogg became synonymous with the magical plant.  

“It absolutely does, and it has for years, right? You sit back, you smoke a joint, listen to Led Zeppelin or you listen to Pink Floyd or something and it always makes the music better,” said Daniel, founder of the Cowboy Cup. “Grateful Dead to me is not the best band in the world, but smoke some pot and it’s fantastic. And that just goes hand in hand with what we got.” 

photo by Daniel Lewis

The Cowboy Cup is no different. Since its inception, music has always been a vital part of the festivities. The trend will continue in 2021 at the Third Annual Cowboy Cup. More than a dozen musical groups expected to perform during the two day festival  and celebration that showcases the cannabis community.

“It plays a big part. We want to be not only the state’s premier cannabis championship but also a big cannabis-inspired art environment as well,” Lewis said. “And so we’ve always got glassblowers and local artists that come out, people that make shirts and trinkets and all these different things, which also goes along with the cannabis culture.” 

Lewis decided to flip the script a little this year and change up the format. He said he wanted to bring the down-home Oklahoma-feel back to the festival.  “First year was a mixture, last year was too,” Lewis said. “This year I’m going to end both nights with just hard rocking Red Dirt country music.”

Lewis said he got the inspiration from a night out on the town with some friends.  “I had some friends come in from California about a month ago. None of them like country music. Well, we all went out to the Tumbleweed and they had somebody playing that was just rocking ass Red Dirt, and they all had an absolute blast,” Lewis said. “And I got to talking to Wade about it. It’s like, ‘Man, people don’t come out here from California to listen to freaking something that they could hear in California. I’d rather them come down and hear something local.’ Obviously Red Dirt country music is what we got.” 

While Lewis has brought in more country music, he has still put together an eclectic lineup that should have something for everyone. “So this year we’ve got four artists lined up. The two opening bands are real jazzy, kind of reggae-ish type bands,” Lewis said. “Stoney Banks will open up Friday night and then it looks like Jack Waters and the Unemployed will close Friday night. And then Saturday we’ve got Henna Roso opening up. They’re this eclectic, funk, jazz, kind of ensemble thing.” 

The final show on the main stage Saturday is expected to be like Giovannie & the Hired Guns. 

That is only a portion of the acts that will be performing. Herbage magazine has put together its own tent they are calling The Herbage Experience.

  

Starting at Noon on Dec. 3, the Herbage tent will put forth 12 acts in two days. They include Giakob Beasley, Jordan Cox, Felina Rivera and CJ and Steig. 

“We want to add an Herbage feel to the Cowboy Cup that would leave an impression.” James Bridges, owner and publisher of Herbage Magazine is excited to offer a lounge type area with an acoustic style vibe for ambiance. “There will be a little something extra for the Herbage experience attendees. You do like to be granted wishes correct?” Bridges asked. 

 

For Henna Rosa this will be their second time at the Cowboy Cup. They performed the first year and it was an experience founder Taylor Graham really enjoyed.  

“I enjoyed it,” Graham said about the 2019 event. “I had a great time. I am obviously a cannabis enthusiast. I work in the industry and it’s something I have been passionate about for a long time.  It was cool. I had never been somewhere where someone brought out a 6-foot bong on stage before. I was able to hit it without looking over my shoulders.” 

Graham, who is also a sales rep for Heartland Farms, says the Cowboy Cup has a special atmosphere that isn’t seen at many other festivals. “It was a very open, inviting event and pretty indicative of the Oklahoma cannabis community,” Graham said. “Very inviting to all lifestyles, art forms and interests. The Cowboy Cup just does a good job of bringing everyone together.” 

That has always been one of the objectives for Lewis. This is why music has played such an important factor in the Cowboy Cup’s growth and increased popularity. 

It has grown so much that organizers have expanded the main tent and the North tent to accommodate the crowd they are expecting.  “As of right now, we’re completely sold out with four weeks to go. Last year, we sold out in the last week,” Lewis said. “Last year we had I think somewhere around 160 entries into the competition. This year we’re over 450 and we still have sun grown flower left to go. So if that tells you anything, that’s how much it’s grown from year two to year three. So entries alone, we’ve had over 160 companies enter the competition, all of which get tickets and all of which will be there.” 

With that many companies, brands, vendors, sponsors and spectators in one spot at one time, that makes the Cowboy Cup the perfect venue for artists to put on a show.  “I just hope people can come together and understand how much of a beautiful opportunity it is for people to consume cannabis so openly,” said Graham. “And how the business in the state is thriving. I hope people can build off connections and relationships that have already been formed and create new ones. Allow people to build bridges between processors, dispensaries. I hope people are able to do that in a way that is not only fruitful to their business but for them as people as human beings.” 

Even though the Cowboy Cup has nearly doubled in size, Lewis said the fact the event has stayed true to its foundation is the reason for the success.  “It all goes back to our foundation. The festival’s built on top of the Cannabis Championship, and so as a business model, the foundation is the championship,” Lewis said. “And if we had a night, a great ethical competition where everybody that had as good a chance as a sponsor to win, and where it doesn’t get bought and paid for like a lot of these competitions have been and everybody is sick of them. Everybody feels like all the other ones are a money grab. They feel like the Cowboy Cup is something that everyone has a fair shot in. A lot of people are throwing a festival and throwing a cannabis cup in the middle of it. I’m throwing a cannabis cup with a festival surrounding it. 

“If you want to be involved in the Cannabis industry in Oklahoma, this is where everybody is going to be.”

Cowboycup.com

Artwork by Tim Jessel

IMPERIOUS – OKCC | Oklahoma Cannabis Convention November 12-13, 2021

IMPERIOUS IS A STORY OF PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

A personal witness to pain and tragedy inspires a co-founder

visit site here 


Imperious co-founder Eric Norton witnessed pain and tragedy in 1990 as a licensed chemical dependency counselor. He worked as a case manager in the Dallas County Judicial Treatment Center, a nine-month program that treated convicted felons for addiction, giving them a chance to re-join society instead of serving long terms in prison.

For Eric, the tragedies he faced daily became personal, leading to a short career as a drug counselor. But, years later, when a family member suffered debilitating pain, reality hit home. Although treatable with medical cannabis, that method of relief was not legally available at that time in Texas. Fortunately, they now lived in Colorado. However, the inequity struck Eric as evident, “Something needs to be done.” So Eric did.

A new business model: “Business Before Pleasure”

In October 2015, Imperious Expo, LLC was founded in Tyler, Texas to promote the legal use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes. The vehicle would be well-planned business expositions, B-to-B trade shows in emerging markets across the U.S.

Because they planned to exclude recreational traffic, Imperious championed this new cause with the slogan, “Business Before Pleasure,” leading to a successful 2016 launch in Seattle-Tacoma in 2016 followed by Phoenix in 2017.

Valuable information resource, professionally led forum

Imperious Expo has evolved into a committed group of professionals from different walks of life who combine unique talents to bring the highest possible level of education, networking opportunities, and investment information. We have also become a reliable source for employment advice and contacts in the emerging national market

Our network consists of well over 40,000 people from the west coast to the east coast. Their consistent participation is evidence that they look forward to joining our two-days events that average 120 exhibits, 70 plus speakers, and 3,000 to 4,000 attendees. Our focus is now on the “Ark-La-Tex” region: Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

Our philosophy stresses knowledge, experience, and integrity

The Imperious approach is to bring top-level cannabis experts together under one roof. The mission of this diverse talent pool is to teach and acquaint peers and newcomers with the most current, up-to-date information about the expanding legalized cannabis market.

Because we focus only on medical cannabis and industrial hemp, our philosophy and business model set us apart. You see, we go to great lengths and expense recruiting speakers with the highest level of integrity. To that end, we do not sell our educational stages to the highest bidder.

All of our speakers are pro-bono. We only cover the bare travel expenses for our keynoters. As Eric will tell you, “The reason for this is simple: we have all been lied to about this plant (cannabis) long enough!”

A loyal following gives Imperious rave reviews

We credit our expo success (and your enjoyment of these events) to our loyal exhibitor following. They continue to humble us with a substantial reoccurring compliment, saying, “Imperious Expo has the most diverse exhibits in the industry, well done!” This accolade is a direct reflection of our nation-wide recruiting process and large contact base of cannabis industry professionals.

But, the best compliment yet? It’s when many continue to tell us, “We can send our grandmother to your show, and she could ask a question without feeling awkward or be offended.”  Eric’s response? “We just smile and say thank you.”

Imperious is a story of people helping people improve human health, well-being, and productivity. Please join us. The best is yet to come.

diagram showing the problem with misaligned head and spine

Eric Norton, Co-Founder/CEO, Imperious
Expos, launched at Seattle event in 2016

diagram showing the problem with misaligned head and spine

In 1992, Eric became youngest licensed
drug counselor in the state of Texas.

After stops in Seattle, Phoenix, and Little
Rock, Imperious has scheduled an encore
event in Little Rock with its fourth show,
the upcoming Ark-La-Tex cannabis expo.

Imperious events average 120 exhibitors,
70-plus speakers, and 3,500 attendees
and boasts a support network of 40,000.

https://imperiousexpo.com/

OK 2021 SPEAKER LINE UP

We’re excited to have Ed Rosenthal back as our keynote speaker! Everyone knows Ed. He’s a pioneer in the Cannabis Industry. His life is a legacy. If you’re new to the space, just Google him, or visit his website.

Chip Paul was named by Cannabis Business Executive Magazine as one of their 100 most influential people in cannabis due to his work in Oklahoma with Oklahomans For Health and discoveries made within his company – GnuPharma.

We’re just getting started here! Our speaker line-up will grow tremendously as we get closer to our Oklahoma City show date.

Check back for here as we’ll be adding more speakers soon. You won’t want to miss a single speaking event. This is where we all learn and grow. Thank you!

THREE CHANGES IN THE WORKS FOR OMMA LICENSED BUSINESSES 

THREE CHANGES IN THE WORKS FOR OMMA LICENSED BUSINESSES 

by Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish

Cannabis Lawyer

The past several months have seen numerous changes to Oklahoma’s medical marijuana system, including new OMMA Permanent Rules; Amendments to OMMA Permanent Rules by September 16, 2021 Emergency Rules; passage of new bills by the state legislature such as HB 2272, HB 3228, HB 2646, and SB 1033 among those impacting medical marijuana and signed into law by Governor Stitt, with varying effective dates; and litigation over OMMA’s selection of METRC for seed-to-sale tracking. 

This writing will discuss three important changes among the plethora of developments, of which all OMMA business licensees should be aware: 

1) implementation of OMMA on-site inspections to confirm all licensees are in fact operating and doing business; 

2) removal of the 2-year Oklahoma residency requirement for transporter agents; and 

3) allowing OMMA-licensed dispensaries and growers to package and sell medical marijuana as pre-rolls. 

1. OMMA’s OPERATIONAL STATUS VISIT 

Under OMMA’s Permanent Rules as Amended by the Emergency Rules, OMMA has implemented an “initial operational status visit” for all growers, processors, and dispensaries, effective September 1, 2021. Pursuant to this new provision, OMMA will be scheduling on-site visits at licensed growers, processors, and dispensaries to verify whether the licensee is “actively operating” or is “working towards becoming operational.” (See Title 310, Oklahoma State Department of Health Regulations, Chapter 681-5-4.1.) These visits shall occur within the first 180 days after a new licensee receives their OMMA license. 

If the licensee fails to provide proof that they are “actively operating or working towards operational status”, then OMMA will grant the licensee a grace period of an additional 180 days from the date of OMMA’s initial operational status visit, within which to become operational. Follow-up visits will occur and, in the event the required proof is not provided upon the second visit, then OMMA may grant a discretionary, additional 180 days to the licensee, to become operational. However, the grace period shall not extend beyond the one-year license term. If compliance is not established and/or OMMA elects not to grant an additional grace period, then OMMA will seek revocation of the commercial business license. 

2. REMOVAL OF THE CURRENT 2-YEAR OKLAHOMA RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR TRANSPORTER AGENTS. 

OMMA’s Permanent Rules as Amended by the Emergency Rules remove “transporter agent” from the definition of a “commercial license” but still require that all transporter agents provide proof of 2-year Oklahoma residency. On November 1, 2021, this will change. House Bill 2646, which becomes effective on that date, clarifies the residency requirement to require that transporter agent applicants provide only proof of current Oklahoma residency, as opposed to the 

2-year Oklahoma residency requirement applicable to 75% of the ownership of medical marijuana commercial business licensees. 

3. DISPENSARIES AND GROWERS CAN PACKAGE AND SELL PRE-ROLLS. 

House Bill 2646, which becomes effective November 1, 2021, authorizes OMMA licensed dispensaries and growers to package and sell medical marijuana as pre-rolls, thus eliminating any confusion about whether they can do so. 

What’s the take-away? 

While there are many changes coming to Oklahoma’s medical marijuana system in the coming days, it remains the Wild, Wild West. 

Stay alert. 

Information contained herein provides general information related to the law and does not provide legal advice. It is recommended that readers consult their personal lawyer if they want legal advice. No attorney-client or confidential relationship exists or is formed between you and Ms. Parrish as a result of this article. 

The Feminine Divine Highlights, Woman Owned and Operated: Pro Gro Farms

The Feminine Divine Highlights, Woman Owned and Operated: Pro Gro Farms

by Veronica Castillo

“Maintaining a small-batch standard by taking extra measures at each step to preserve quality and isolated control on a plant by plant basis.”

Founded by woman, operated by woman, cannabis grown by woman, Pro Gro Farms is an indoor cultivation growing cannabis in a controlled environment, while maintaining a naturalist philosophy. Pro Gro Farms offers legally compliant  cannabis to dispensaries and processors within the state of Oklahoma.

Founder and Led Cultivator Kalli Keith, says she fell in love with gardening in her twenties after a breakup, and growing plants healed her. But before that, she has the experience of being raised in farming and ranching: “I spent time at the stockyards, at barrel races, even strapped to a pony on cattle drives before we evolved to using ATVs.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to connect with and interview Pro Gro Farms owner, Kalli Keith. Hear from her below.

Portrait of Kalli Keith

Q & A With Kalli Keith, Founder of Pro Gro Farms

Tell me about the woman owned and operated team at Pro Gro- was growing a passion and/or career goal?

“After the breakup, I started gardening and dreamed that I would give produce to all my neighbors in my small apartment complex. Gardening healed me more than it fed my neighbors, and I found myself obsessed with the whys and hows of plant life (and bug life), and I continued to adopt ‘em and read about each one of them. I eventually had serious square footage staked in this parking lot due to my expanding collection, and decided it needed a border to keep cars in check. I acquired bricks from a building demolition in my neighborhood and borrowed my neighbors skateboard to roll them all to my garden in these toe-smashing stacks. Then neighbors started leaving me flower pots, naturally I had to fill them with more plants, and I think I am still in that cycle somehow today.”

What was your childhood life like?

“We always had a garden growing up so the farm-to-table thing was kind of just the way of life. Nostalgia creates a deep connection with the land for me. I grew up in a farming and ranching family and spent years trying to escape it. I was always irritated about why conversations at the dinner table had to evolve around horses and cows and land. I was set on moving to NYC to become a world-renowned hairdresser. I already completed my licensing during high school and after graduation, but I started college 15 minutes away in Norman instead. I made it to 19 and was deflated by still being in a small town when I was scouted to model through a Facebook message. I changed my major as soon as that semester had ended and relocated to Miami, FL to follow a new dream for the next 10 years under my parents warning it was only acceptable if I finished school. I made it to NYC after all, then Los Angeles, and finally Dallas for a more comfortable last few years.”

Please tell me about the journey to build and launch the Pro Gro cultivation facility?

“I think it was 2017 when I started working toward being a part of the emerging hemp industry in Oklahoma. I worked to be included in the pilot program and cheered along the 2018 farm bill finally legalizing production. My trajectory had shifted somewhere in the meantime before seeing that through. I feared a lack of infrastructure for hemp when it came to harvesting through going to market and another lovely little thing had happened in the meantime which was the movement and passage of SQ788. 

I redirected my efforts into a very small scale operation to see if I could even grow plants indoors! I had toured a fabulous and well-funded commercial grow in southern Colorado, but that was the limit of my experience in commercial gardening. It might have been the craziest or the coolest thing I ever did, but I wiped out my savings, developed an additional funding and repayment strategy and took a big ass borrowed trailer to Home Depot. That is when it set in that I really wasn’t turning back, the space was leased and half the building materials purchased so I was in this for real now.

With the help of my dad, other family, and friends, we were able to get about 1000 square feet built out.”

Portrait of Kalli Keith

Do you all have a passion for cultivating indoors?

“I have a passion for the sun and the soil, actually. I have a passion for regenerative agriculture, and plans including and expanding from Pro Gro. I grow indoors, because frankly I am a perfectionist and a weed snob since back before I ever became interested in farming or growing cannabis. I want to be able to experiment with various cultivars in a controlled setting.

In my garden, I have the ability to formally trial side-by-side, more control for research, and development, and the advantage of getting to monitor everything that comes in contact with the end product from a sanitation perspective. 

I know indoor cultivation is not as sustainable as other methods and that does weigh on me, but I do my best to compensate by constantly making small changes: reusable products, water filtration modifications, electricity pull at off-hours, etc.”

What’s your favorite strain to grow and consume?

“I certainly don’t have a favorite for either. My main obsession with cannabis comes from variety and what range internal and external factors can allow it to span. My quick answer would be something like a chem or diesel cross to consume and to grow would be simply anything beautiful!”

How many plants do you all grow at once?

“I flower 80 at a time.”

Any mentors in the industry?

“Not really, no. If I did have a mentor, I am the type to ask then secretly not trust their answer anyways and go try my idea instead. I only learn the hard way and it’s a curse.”

Any partnerships or collaborations coming?

Pro Gro is collaborating with Bear Essentials on a rosin release. I feel like it’s a milestone for Pro Gro to not only branch into rosin, but to be noticed by respected hash artists. I can claim I’m a “weed snob” all day, but these solventless people are drop dead serious about what flowers they will and won’t work with.”

What has been the hardest lesson learned so far?

“You can’t do everything by yourself. I am deeply independent and thought if I would just build a micro grow small enough that I could manage it entirely myself, then I could just listen to my audiobooks all day and grind out some stanky danky flowers. I thought  I’d snap some pics and send some emails and could stay hidden in the garden, and people would learn it was great and be waiting to buy it. WRONG!

It takes help from reliable teammates to guarantee product consistency, it takes cherry picking the hand trimmers that manicure bud to perfection, it takes relationships with your clients that develop into friendships, it takes giving up control and learning to delegate tasks to others to better your business overall, humility to consult with other growers and giving free advice to the next guy in return for the good deeds done to you, it takes patients demanding your flower at their favorite shop over and over again, and friends and family understanding why you fell off the map a couple years ago and miss important events.”

Where can customers find you and what Pro Gro Farms grown strain is highest in demand?

Safe bets for a good selection would be: Likewise Craft OKC, Likewise Broadway in Edmond, Top Notch Medz in Shawnee, and/or Pharm788 in Roland. 

Feel free to DM or email me and ask, because there are single strains or rotating stores that might be closer to where you live. 

Our highest demand has been for the Blueberry Mandarin Cookies #14. It’s a happy all day strain with an easy THC level and a woodsy, bready terp profile. If you catch me out and about, it’s the strain I almost always have on me. I think a close contender is the MP3 pheno of Mandarin Punch, but she just hasn’t been around my garden as long to challenge the BMC popularity.”

Portrait of Kalli Keith

What are 3 tips you have for aspiring women cultivators?

“My advice would be to stop acting like men are against you because you’re a woman in a male dominated industry. I am often asked, “what’s it like?” to which I say ‘pretty much like every other industry’. I have actually felt more judged or disliked by other women than men in this industry, and we have a tendency to kind of lift other women up as long and were still standing on her dress hem. 

Men are excited to meet a woman running a garden, because it’s refreshing to not have the same bros or hired hot girls coming in to sell weed all day. Sure, we experience weird advances and mansplaining, but these types of bizarre exchanges happen outside of cannabis too, because weird people are weird people no matter who dominantes your line of work.

Don’t hide the fact you’re a female stepping onto the scene. I spent a long time not stating that I was woman-owned and operated, because I didn’t want people to care. I had a false idea that purchasing managers would think I was some growers girlfriend he sent in. I wanted my product to speak for itself no matter who grew it. My guy friends actually encouraged me to add more personality to my brand and let people know who is behind it and I am so glad that I did. 

I have had a mom-and-daughter store reach out to me wanting to buy from other women or others. I get messages like ‘Love to see it, I’m a girl and I grow too’, from as far away as South Africa!

Being woman owned isn’t going to compensate for bad weed, (at least it shouldn’t) so it doesn’t hurt to put it out there and let people know who you are and what you’re proud of accomplishing when it’s against a statistic.”

The Feminine Divine; Raw, Real, and Bare in Oklahoma

The Feminine Divine; Raw, Real, and Bare in Oklahoma

Nothing to hide behind, exposed, and real with Wendy Elena, The Naked Grower

 By Veronica Castillo

Born in the tropical state of Florida, and raised by Panamanian born and raised parents, cannabis cultivator Wendy Elena, keeps it raw, real, and truthful about her experience with cannabis. As she travels throughout the state of Oklahoma to mentor and inspire other cultivators, she took the time to chat with Herbage Magazine, about her journey into the world of cannabis consumption and cultivation.

 

About Wendy’s Childhood in the South

 

Wendy describes her childhood as: “I grew up in the tropical climate of Florida! My family immigrated to The United States from Panama during the late 80’s when the drug war was at its peak. My mother wanted a life with more options for my two sisters and I”.

I grew up in Florida, with Puerto Rican parents, and so I wondered how Wendy learned of cannabis and what cannabis was described as in her household. Wendy states:

 

“My parents were closet stoners, they didn’t share with me at all the medicinal value of cannabis. It was rather the opposite, I was deterred from any “toxin” intake in my youth. Given the chaos my mother grew up around due to the “drug and narco violence”, to her keeping us away from everything was safer than attempting to explain the uniqueness of cannabis.

 

I never drank or smoked cannabis until adulthood, 21 to be exact. What my parents did do, rather successfully I might add, is prepare me for a life as a functional pothead. All of my good habits, my process driven lifestyle, and my “doer” mentality was derived and fed by my parents.

 

I had no idea cannabis was present or so prominent in my family’s history, including the practice of natural medicine in Panama (healing), or the fact that my parents even smoked until adulthood”.

 

Wendy’s Journey in Cannabis Consumption and Cultivation

 

When Wendy started consuming cannabis at the age of 21, she found healing and said: “ I knew I had to work with cannabis. I needed the space to teach other young ladies and people in general about life, happiness, spirituality, self-sustainability, self worth, and so much more”.

 

Wendy’s journey in life, led her to cannabis, cannabis cultivation, and so much more:

 

“The journey that has led me to cultivating cannabis with so many amazing growers. It has been an incredibly long and grueling path, like much others in the industry still endure daily. My navigation has led me to experience almost every aspect of the industry, small and corporate level large. Through this I’ve developed several avenues of reaching out to the community”.

 

In the cannabis industry, you can find Wendy leading/being involved in/with:

 

  • Dispensary consultation
  • CRM and POS consultations
  • Sharing in local marketing networks
  • Cultivation
  • Cultivation consultation
  • Business Management Consultation
  • Seed to sale software (W.E.N.D.Y)
  • Software management consultation
  • A future platform for cultivation networking

 

Wendy’s Favorite Strain and About: W.E.N.D.Y

 

I always ask cultivators about their favorite strain to consume and grow. Wendy said:

 

“My favorite strain is Tropicanna Cookies byOni Seed Co, but I think it may originate from  Bloom Seed Co.! I love to grow this and equally love to smoke it! The terpene profile is so good for the biology of my body. No matter my tolerance level, or the time of day, Tropicanna Cookies hugs me with a beautiful experience tailored by the terpenes, the stars of the show.”

 

In regards to hardest and easiest strain to grow, Wendy provided the following insight:

 

“The strains haven’t been the difficulty, so much as making due in environments that were not ideal ! I’ve had to veg in the tiniest spaces and flower in rooms that have were shorter ceilings than you’d like., and a lot more in th 150ces It is true that each strain is different, but as long as the environment and the watering is locked in, you can really have fun with any!

 

Wendy’s Goals in the Cannabis Industry

 

Wendy is on a mission to do amazing things in this industry. I asked her what her goals are:

 

“The point behind all of this is very simple. Keep it local. This level of business only seems to be conducted by large corporate interests. My goal has always been and will always be, to empower the farmer. I travel all over the state of Oklahoma, on top of maintaining my own personal crops, to help other farmers pioneer their way into this industry. Oklahoma has an incredible local economy, it shouldn’t be any different with cannabis.

I dedicate my life to the plant and the farmer, giving as much information as I can so people can sustain their businesses on the cultivation end, and the system management end.  There isn’t a ‘big secret’ to growing weed. As a community it’s our responsibility to take care of eachother, by sharing the things we learn along the way.

 

I want to create a sustainable network of local farmers, processors, and retail stores in Oklahoma. With this powerful network, we can survive any potential industry takeover with federal legalization, and keep Oklahoma’s market strong!”

 

The Seed to Sale Software named W.E.N.D.Y

 

The software is inspired by a lack of functionality in existing software on the market. Wendy says:

 

“The mission is an ease of use from grower, to key administrator, to ultimately reporting and data collection. Streamlining cultivation facilities has never been more accessible. The goal of it all is to take the mystery out of growing and operating a cultivation facility, and facilitate in building the next generation of farmers!”

 

Wendy’s Idols, Mentors, Inspiration

 

Wendy names a woman cultivator and her mom as her idol and muse:

 

“Miss Rad Reefer is a huge female grower inspiration! She shares literally everything on instagram, all her knowledge and real life plant and crop practices. It’s so bold that she’s willing to give all her information away. It really shows her confidence in her own ability, and her personality to want others to rise with her in life.

 

My mother is my muse. She is a resilient, and incredible woman. As an American I know I could never understand what it was like in Panama from birth to age 28 for my mother, but I know the values and principles she carried with her to America made me who I am today. Without her, I would be nothing”.

Final Words

 

Wendy said that being a named grower is more than being physically naked:

 

“I’m sure everyone has had a naked day or two in the garden. For me, the word naked means so much more than that. It means raw, real, and bare. Nothing to hide behind, exposed and real.

 

I try to fulfill all of those core values, every day in my own garden and with clients. Like I said before, there is no secret! Humans, fellow Americans, and fellow Oklahomans need to learn to be self sustainable, that’s the naked growing. The real growing”.

 

Women in cannabis rock! I asked Wendy what it’s like being a woman cultivator in Oklahoma’s legal industry, she said:

 

“I try to maintain my femininity, without it being the basis of who I am. Like many others, I didn’t choose my meat suit. I do the best with what I was given. So in short, it can be difficult at times. People will try to put you in a box, label you, or disqualify you.

 

Tenacity is the qualifying attribute for a female in ANY INDUSTRY. I try to let the things I cannot control roll off my back like water, and do my best to steward what’s within my control well!

 

I look forward to the day that people view others as amazing individuals, and less off the basis of sex”.

 

As for advice for aspiring cultivators, Wendy said this:

 

“Don’t be afraid to even begin!”

 

 

 

From The Front Line

by Chip Paul

Efforts are happening behind the scenes which will soon be very public around a repetition of the State for medical marijuana. While we, perhaps, have the best national situation in our program now, it can still be better. We have had a pretty good run with lawmakers who have helped us defend and nurture the program as it has developed. Sadly, but as with most things political, coalitions falter and sometimes break down. That is what we have seen this year in the Oklahoma State Legislature. The Oklahoma Senate seems to want very little to do with the pro- gram. The House is not the bulwark it used to be and we saw some things make it to floor votes that would have been detrimental to the program. Further, we still have people in jail for simple marijuana possession charges. We still have people be- ing denied jobs, or housing, or medical care because they hold a medical marijuana card.

So what will a petition look like?

Actually there will be two petitions. One will deal with criminal justice reform, patient rights, adult use, and full decriminalization. Basically cannabis becomes like turmeric. You are free to grow it, trade it, hold it, etc. The second petition will make some needed changes to the medical program. In particular, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority would be moved out from the Department of Health to a stand alone board. The board will be empowered to build and maintain the regulatory and issue licensing. We will tighten up the doctor patient relationship and will require a physician to have an OMMA license and also pass a proficiency exam. We will change track and trace to congeal around laboratory testing. Batch sizes for flower will be defined as a homogeneous environment (so strain, environment). All raw flower must be tested as it is today. The lab will be responsible for inputting, by batch number, the results. These results will be available in a public database accessible to patients and other commercial businesses.

The only other test that ever would be required is if you are concentrating the flower. After concentration it will need to be tested for metals, pesticide, and residual solvents. There is no other testing that is needed. Final products should rely on the COA’s of the underlying concentrates for potency calculations, just like in the FDA regulated food industry today.

If you would like to get involved watch the OK4UApproved facebook page. Also watch something called the Oklahoma Institute for Plant Molecule Medicine which will be coming online soon. We will have numerous opportunities to help, signature gathering the most needed!

Watch for ways you can sign up and help!

REGULAR SESSION OF OKLAHOMA’S 2021 LEGISLATURE HAS ENDED: WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE MMJ BILLS?

by Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish, Cannabis Lawyer

 

Earlier this year I provided an introduction to some of the more substantive bills filed in the Oklahoma House and Senate pertaining to Oklahoma’s Medical Marijuana Program, and this spring I wrote about highlights concerning the more important bills that were passed by the legislative body in which they originated, and were referred to legislative committees in the other, non-originating legislative body at the time of my writing.

 

The regular session of Oklahoma’s 2021 Legislature ended on Thursday, May 27, 2021. The House and Senate adjourned after each passed last-minute bills that, should Governor Stitt sign one or both of them, would make minor changes to Oklahoma’s medical marijuana system. The Legislature passed several bills that the Governor has signed into law, which concern the MMJ program. Below are highlights.

 

House Bill 2272

 

HB 2272 is 7 pages long and becomes effective on July 1, 2021.

 

The most publicized aspect of this legislation concerned its original language that implemented a 2-year cap on any new OMMA commercial business licenses. This language was deleted from the bill as amended and passed. Thus, there remains no license cap in the State of Oklahoma.

 

HB 2272 does contain some provisions of which you should be aware, including the following:

 

1.HB 2272 addresses and requires the disclosure of foreign financial interests in MMJ business operations and includes new provisions concerning on-site “assessments” of a licensee or applicant to determine compliance, as well as limitations on inspections to twice per calendar year with 24-hours advance notice, unless OMMA determines an additional inspection “is necessary due to a violation or noncompliance”.

 

2.HB2272 codifies OMMA’s right to review relevant records and allows OMMA to interview persons affiliated with MMJ businesses, provided they are given time to secure legal counsel.

 

3.HB 2272 sets out circumstances under which disciplinary actions may be imposed on a MMJ business licensee, and monetary penalties for violations. It sets out what persons or entities may request a hearing to contest an action proposed or taken by OMMA, in accord with Oklahoma’s Administrative Procedures Act. In other words, OMMA will now be creating the framework for its administrative procedures.

 

4.HB 2272 provides that OMMA will begin scheduling on-site meetings and compliance inspections of your business starting September 1, 2021, for the primary purpose of confirming that you are “actively operating” or “working towards operational status.” If neither applies, then you will have a 180-day grace period to become operational. OMMA is authorized to grant one additional, 180-day grace period if needed.

 

Additional Bills Passed and Signed by the Governor, To Date

 

Additionally, the Legislature passed and Governor Stitt signed House Bill 2646, which is 90 pages long and becomes effective November 1, 2021. This legislation clarifies OMMA’s duties, among many other matters, and its provisions are simply too lengthy to discuss here.

 

Another notable bill signed but amended prior to its passage by both chambers is House Bill 2674, which is 16 pages long and becomes effective immediately under an emergency provision. Notably, the amended version of HB2674 does not impact Oklahoma’s MMJ system because a provision in earlier drafts of this bill that would have transferred OMMA from the Department of Health to the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission was removed, prior to passage of the final version which Governor Stitt signed.

 

What’s the take-away?

Be alert as these new laws become effective in the coming months.

 

Hermetically Speaking

by  James Bridges

HERBAGE MAGAZINE

 

Mankind is funny.  It does things to itself for no reason other than to grow and learn from it.  There’s one thing that has always been something that I strive to grow daily.  Foundations.

 

When I had the opportunity to sit and visit with another person on that same level of thought about foundations I believe we both witnessed something rise from that “foundation” as we talked.

 

Fayetteville Arkansas is where Alex Ritter, owner and visionary of Hermetic Flower Company, did most of his growing up.  He left town to join the Navy.  Alex found himself wanting more from his life.  He then decided to grow cannabis in Oregon and that is his Foundation.

 

“We are very unique because we are not just any vertical grow,” Alex was excited to show us around. “We are an organic living soil vertical grow, which is extremely hard to do on multiple levels.  Typically,  if you do see it being done it’s in pots. That plays well with Organics. You’ll see a lot of that, but you’ll never see a full-blown living soil with beds and a two-tier system. It’s just a very difficult thing to do with the weight.”

 

Im Not Sorry by James Bridges

Alex took me to the catwalk areas over the actual flower rooms. “I am attempting to figure out the living soil vertical growth space so that I can kind of dial that in. I think that the future of farming in general is going to be the indoor vertical farming space.”

 

When owning a grow or most every small business you are in a constant decision making model.  You always have to keep the future in mind.  One key is to set yourself apart.  Alex has really been able to capture the uniqueness aspect. However there’s always that one decision that every dreamer/owner has to make.  Sometimes it’s a gamble.  For many, it’s a solid, logical, developed plan for a specific outcome and there is really no other question other than what or who is in your way.  I believe the latter for Alex.

 

“Look at it more as the wheels have already been invented,” Alex continued. “I just have to put it together in my industry. I borrow pieces from other Industries. For example, you see I have the duct box going down the fabric. The duct box is to help push my airflow in to get it spread so my canopy is getting moving. There’s no pockets in there. I borrowed that by watching other growers kind of figure it out.”

 

“I walked into Sam’s Club here and I saw them working on this new duct system and I was like, that’s a fabric duct! I watched how they put it on. I knew we could do this with cannabis. At that same time kiss Organics had recently had a podcast about the duct box. I was like okay… that’s synchronicity.” Alex looked at me with watering eyes. “Another thing I borrowed is how we set up the HVAC system plumbing so that I can get air flow down to the bottom of my vertigo system. You have to be able to get cold air to these hot pockets. I went with a cat water system. It kind of hurts me but makes the efficiency better at the same time it hurts me because it traps all the hot air downstairs creating more hot pockets, but it helps my work efficiency because I’m able to get air. So I had to kind of account for those sorts of things.”

 

Take a box of puzzle pieces and throw them on the table.  Now grab a handful and burn them without looking at them.  Then destroy the cheat sheets and the box.  Now create something that is brilliant and make it look as if it were originally created for that brilliant something and there you will have my description of the process of the perfect piece of artistry.  Alex and the Hermetic team are not far off from this scenario.  Especially the “brilliant” part.

 

Alex took a puff, “I wrestled in high school so, I’m all about my foundation having a strong foundation in the basics. When I look at cannabis genetic profiles everything is a hybrid now. Now I’m thinking of foundations in cannabis. That’s going to be your land races.”

 

I watched the geared shift into GO, “Most medicinal land races have been known to come from mountain ranges. Mountain ranges are probably going to be kind of cool and humid. I started more research about things. I reached into the Hermetic side of things. I try to mimic the Nepal mountain range because I feel like if it’s a good heavy Indica they’re going to come from Afghanistan or Nepal. I want to bring that genetic profile out. I want to manipulate the DNA to make it mimic as if it’s at home but in our more advanced society.”

 

“I grow organically because of the symbiotic nature that the soil has with the plant. Morally and ethically I’m against Hydro Growers. They can just use a synthetic base or soil is medium. There will never be a symbiotic connection of the microorganisms with the plant so you’re always going to be missing something. When you are missing a puzzle piece and you’re trying to fit the wrong piece in there, of course it’s never going to fit. You’re not feeding the plant, you’re feeding the soil. The plant is more of a tool to tweak it a little bit. That’s why some people chase their tail. They didn’t start from the foundation of a soil. Maybe they didn’t know exactly what to do and that’s why they’re having to go grab some Epsom salt.”

 

“I chose hermetic because it’s a spiritual foundation and it’s a spiritual plant.  I need to have both those foundations and any time in any business I’ve always found that if it doesn’t succeed is because it doesn’t have a strong foundation. In my mind I’m building something that’s not just for me. It could be generational or has the potential to be generational so that foundation is necessary. I think this is and I want to make sure that other people have something to go off of. A standard. The Cannabis industry is so young in its legality that we don’t have a standard, we have tradition.”

 

For most independent grows the first year or so could easily turn into a cash cow with no end in sight.  The Hermetic team has quite the experience of their own. Alex came from a commercial setting in Oregon and had a six-month layover that he utilized to plan the operation.  That allowed Alex to come to Oklahoma to see the big picture. He just needed to put the right pieces together.

 

“I started here in December, we got our license in January. I had us up and running.” Alex smiled with sincerity. “It probably took me like four months to kind of get everything ready to go in this rented building before I had my first round out. I mean that’s not long…”

“This is my second run that we just pulled out of here and now I’m dialed in a vertical grow. It’s definitely been a challenge but we have got it done in a year so it’s been really fun.”

 

“We’ve come far. I started off with 8 plants in a 5 by 9 area and now I’m at 21 plants in a 4 x 4 x 8 area. It’s about trying to dial in how you manage your canopy in accordance with plant counts and your veg time in a vertical rack. This is also my first time dealing with LEDs and having a uniform canopy. It’s a very different thing than having to build a canopy.”

 

Someone with this much drive and focus can sometimes find themselves in a social predicament because passion can sometimes be mistaken by the witness. Some with this much passion tend to find ways to create their own pleasant social environments.

 

“I made the business as an extension of myself. All my obsessions here are my obsession with hermeticism and the occult. I can still fill my obsession with cannabis and psychedelics.It’s here. Let’s go to the cactus room. I grow Cactus. The reason I grow San Pedro over peyote is because I can grow this much quicker and more sustainable. Peyote is an endangered species. So nobody should be going and picking that anymore. I don’t know how far Oklahoma is behind with psychedelics as medicine, but it’s coming. I like to study worm castings. I like to study the symbiotic relationship between it when I mix one thing that I’m thinking about and I want to see how it reacts. I’m not unlike a mad scientist. I’m just not really using a microscope all that often. I’m going off my intuition because that’s what got me here.”

 

“I have a nursery agricultural license for San Pedro and is totally legal as a decorative Cactus here unless it’s for the church. If they just come to me and they say that they need San Pedro I just cut it fresh and send it home. I don’t process it. I don’t do any of that. I just grow it.”

 

“I make all of our own compost in house using a special blend. I do a little bit of a metaphysical thing here. We buy fruits that match the colors of the chakras and if it’s not acidic, (we don’t put anything citrusy in here) but everything else I’ll be caught using strawberries, blueberries, vegetables such as eggplants, lettuce that sort of thing. Our intention is that by doing this and formulating it and setting the intention it will affect your chakras. We really focus on the heart and the third eye chakra so that you feel it more throughout your whole body, very loving and more of a psychedelic experience rather than a full-blown heady soup.”A lot of people say when they meditate it’s great for cerebral visions. We kind of do that on purpose through this process.”

 

Every journey starts somewhere.

 

Alex’s sister was killed in a car accident when he was 10-years-old. This sent his family through a depression whirlwind. Fortunately Alex was young enough that he didn’t quite understand what was happening. However he was old enough to know something serious was going on. It was then, even at that young age, he started to really question everything.

 

“Why would a god do this sort of thing.” Alex explained. “My sister was even more into the church than I was. So it is a confusing thing for me. I grew up without my father. That was always kind of something on my shoulders.That really sent me on this quest of  self-realization or searching for God. I found psychedelics at a very young age.  I knew it was DMT when I was in 10th Grade and I was actively looking for it to have an experience where I found my god. I’ve been doing what feels like my whole life in increments.”

 

“I didn’t know really much about hermeticism until I met my wife. She’s Italian and so she kind of has a better background understanding of the Renaissance and Western philosophy than many. I was obsessed with Leonardo DaVinci and Nikola Tesla and I’m into springboarding.”

 

Alex continued. “So I lost my job at my other other grow in Oregon and then it started having visions. I was thinking to myself, alright I found it. It’s been really cool to watch this happen because it’s always been something I’ve been interested in as a kid. I feel good about sticking through it.”

 

“This is who I am. People look at me and ask why would you do a hermetic thing in Oklahoma? It’s because I want to.

 

HERMETIC FLOWER COMPANY – @hermeticflowercompany

 

 

CasedGod

By Anna Ervin

 

Have you ever met someone with such an incredible attitude, that the more you get to know them the more you want to know them? The first time I worked with OKC photographer Jeff Hooten II, better known as CasedGod, I knew he was going to be one of those people.

Jeff is the type of person who greets you with a smile and a warm hug every time you meet, and never shies away from the opportunity to add a little light and color to someone’s world. However, his desire to make the world a more compassionate place was born out of his own struggles with opioid addiction. At the age of 19, Jeff overdosed on heroin for the second time in his life.

“The first time,” Jeff began explaining, one Thursday afternoon over pizza, “I was revived with Narcan. But the second time, I just woke up. And when I woke up, I didn’t have the same urges or desires anymore. I just had the desire to help people and I didn’t know where to place it.”

While attending a leadership academy in Arkansas, Jeff fell into the film track, learning to operate a camera and edit videos, among other things. “I was home,” he recalled. “It was like picking up a drug again. I picked up a camera and there was nothing better than that.”

“Addiction kind of isolates you as a person,” Jeff continued, “so you see the world through a different lens, or different perception. Because of that, I feel like I can see pictures before they happen, and time myself to be perfectly positioned to capture people in a light they may not typically get to see themselves in.”

“With my camera work all I want to do is inspire people to be the better versions of themselves. There was one point in time when someone showed me a picture of me, I was like, ‘woah. That’s me?’ In that moment I had instilled confidence, I had hope, I had faith. And I just continued to build off of that.”

I had invited Jeff to meet me in the Plaza in OKC to give him an opportunity to tell his story. Being the driven guy that he is, he showed up with all of his equipment and gear, ready to shoot. After reminding him that we were just there to chat about the things going on in his world, he laughed and admitted he’d been a little overbooked lately. Jeff is currently the CMO for 1440 Processing, on top of managing a photography business that takes him all over the state.

“The reason why I call myself CasedGod,” Jeff began when I asked about his brand name, “is that throughout my time in sobriety, I used cannabis and my faith to get through that. The bible talks about when you ask Jesus to come into your heart and transform your life, he comes and lives inside of you and works outwardly through you. It’s like a Cased God, or Encased God.”

“I’ve never been to college,” he explained. “I’ve never had any formal marketing training so everything I have and I’m able to do, I give all the glory to God. I used to stick needles in my arm and go hang out at a skate park. Never in my dreams would I think, ‘I’m gonna go shoot 50 cent tomorrow.’ Like that’s what I get to do.”

His journey to becoming one of OKC’s best event and cannabis photographers hasn’t always been easy, though. When Jeff first moved to Oklahoma, he wasn’t quite sure what he was doing in the cannabis industry. “At that time,” he told me, “the cannabis industry didn’t have such a social media presence as it does now. So I feel like I kind of had to carve my own path in that regard.”

Working at a local dispensary, Jeff began taking the opportunity to ask vendors to let him highlight their business or products free of charge. “For a good 6 months,” he explained, “I did a bunch of work for free, just kind of proving myself. And it was the best time in my life. I got to meet all the best processors, growers, chefs, cultivators, and extractors in the industry.”

“What it eventually did is it made a network for myself that, wherever I went, I had really really great relationships.”

This work ethic and dedication to his craft grabbed the attention of his current employer. “The boss had told me that he had been watching my Instagram for 6 months. His exact words were, ‘I love the way that you show people. I love the way that you highlight people’s businesses. I want you to work for my team.”

“With 1440,” he continued, “I’m representing some of the best brands in the nation. I’m actually going to get to travel around the country and film for Viola’s cultivation tours. I’m excited about that.”

Backtracking to his remark about the valuable relationships he had created through his work in the industry, I asked Jeff if he had received any noteworthy advice or inspiration from his community. He left me with this:

“Keep your head down and keep grinding. Don’t pay attention to the attention, because when you focus on anything but your work, you’re losing time. As hard as you can work, while you can work, do that.

“Don’t pay attention to people who are going to be negative. When you are succeeding, when you’re continuing to rise, you will be tested at every level, and if you’re not then you’re not truly making any progress.

“Any progress is forward progress. Pay attention to your micro wins and macro wins. Even the tiniest little bit of progress is something to be completely celebrated.

“When you’re going through trials, don’t get yourself down on it. Don’t focus purely on what the negative thing is, because at that point you’re giving your attention to it, and when you give your attention you give your energy, and the universe moves with energy.

“Get yourself out of the hole and continue to have a positive mindset and you’ll produce positive things. That’s the only reason why things have turned up for me through those tests & trials.”

 

 

Sowing The Seed – Part 8

By Chet Tucker

 

So, we’ve made it through the months of growing and fighting off all of the pesky challenges that can ruin a crop and we’re entering the final stages of harvesting. As the plants begin to produce resin trichomes, the attention to detail can’t dwindle, in fact, it’s magnified. Combing through the plants to check for trichome maturation is key to maximizing the quality and effectiveness of the genetics you’re growing.

There are many schools of thought on what trichome colors produce the heaviest THC punch and what gives you the best balance of terps and cannabinoids. Though some prefer to pull as soon as the trichomes at the translucent peak to early milky white stage, others preferring to wait until the trichomes have matured further, reaching an amber color. With that said, each strain is different and many advanced growers will split the their desired harvesting between a sativa dominant or indica dominant strains so that you’re maximizing the desired energetic or sofa-sink effects.

Sowing The Seed By Chet Tucker

With that said, a general guide from sources across the industry share that once the bulbous are milky, Sativas are generally best pulled. When they are milky to amber, it’s best for Hybrids to be pulled and more sedative effects when they reach the early amber phase for your indica strains.

Again, each strain and grower will have their desired routines and thought processes but these are guides to harvesting toward the more generic Sativa/Indica/Hybrid categories. While some may harvest per plant, others may harvest per table/room of the same strain as long as the percentage of plants meet their desired trichome coloring and pulling too early or too late can impact the desired THC, terpene, and CBD numbers so take a deeper dive on your strains and what produces the best results.

Note: You’ll want to ensure you’ve flushed your plants before harvesting so ensure that no nutrients are present in the plants.

 

Next, you will want to determine how you’ll dry, trim, and cure your harvest. The compounds haven’t stopped producing after you’ve cut your plants and that’s what makes the preparation so crucial in producing the best cannabis that your genetics can deliver.

Even after cutting down your plants, THCA and cannabinoids are still producing in biosynthesis so in next month’s feature, we’ll take a dive into different curing techniques and prepare your flower for market. Until then, summer is here and outdoor crops are in the ground so here’s to wishing for the best weather conditions through Croptober!

 

 

Strain Of The Month

by James Bridges

Herbage Magazine

I walked into my local shop. What do we call them now? Not watering holes.

Something more… You get my drift. I was having a bit of a day. I needed the right medicine for the tasks at hand. I felt really nothing that morning.

Sugar With Coffee & Cream by James Bridges

No motivation. Not tired. Not bored. Not mad. Nothing.

Not much of an issue unless you have a ton of greatness in front of you to witness and be a part of. I was not in a “wanna get amped up mode”. I wanted to have some emotions happening inside the old noggin as I work. So put away the Green Crack. Stop it with your diesels and poisons.

I just want to get high and move along. Simply put. This strain nosed perfect before I even met the jar.. The sweetness reminded me of opening a jar of fresh berries and I had to try. The emotions were already turning on. Once I broke the flower down it was perfectly sticky for a nicely rolled joint. I must say I was quite proud of the twist.

Half way down I knew this was the one. Come to find out there was even a little diesel fuel taste in there.

Needless to say , the rest of my day was fantastically pleasant.

“LEMON SORBET”

Grower: Pollen Nation Cultivation

Total THC: 29.38

Total Terp: 1.94

Sowing The Seed

by Chet Tucker

 

For those just picking up Herbage and reading for the first time, we’re glad you’re here. The monthly editorial, “Sowing the Seed”, is a journey from seed to market and we hope you find it as a simple guide along the way. So, we’ve covered genetics, soil and mediums, “food”, water, and light to this point. Next, we jump forward a bit as we move to nurturing the nature of cannabis. As the plant moves from a baby, to a teen, to its flowering stage, we’ll dive into what can make or break your harvest at what may be considered the most crucial stage in the process of growing cannabis. From pests to mold to the unforeseen, it “ain’t always easy being green”.

 

First, the long list of pesky pests that can alter or destroy your plants can vary from region to region and certainly tougher to battle with outdoor growing conditions. From aphids, to spider mites, caterpillars,  grasshoppers, crickets, inchworms, fungus gnats, and the many colored flies, it’s important to research what each of these look like both with the naked eye and under a magnifying or microscope glass. The larger the crop, especially outdoors in a region such as the stormier and more humid Oklahoma, the more pest management must occur. Obviously, pest management should never include harmful pesticides which completely goes against the desire for organic plant based medicinal consumption. Traces of pesticides will show up in testing and should be avoided when managing the pests in your grow environment. Alternative combatants include growing “companion” plants (lavender, dill, basil, chamomile, etc) in the environment, along with the good pests that feed on the bad ones such as ladybugs and praying mantises. Depending on your pest issue, research the best ways to not only quickly identify what pest (they are often microscopic ) is affecting your plants but what organic methods can be used to eradicate them.

 

Next, you have powdery mildew/mold (PM), stem and bud rot, as well as other environmental issues that can cause hermaphrodites (herm) and undesired seeds. One of the first combatants used to reduce or eliminate PM or bud rot is air circulation. Most indoor grows will be stacked with fans and a ventilation system that is consistently removing the hot or humid air and pumping in fresh air, ideally with healthy levels of CO2. You want as many leaves “moving” from the circulation of air and strong enough to help build the strength of the stalks that work to better root the plant. Conditions that remain too damp are big which means you should avoid overwatering and leaving the plants to sit in conditions that are overly humid. Dehumidifiers are a critical piece of equipment to keeping the humidity at proper levels because each stage of the plant reacts differently to its desired environment Defoliating plants properly are also a helpful way to mitigate the risks of PM and rot so be methodical in your methods to keep as air circulation in the grow environment.

 

So, even with the right genetics, soil or alternative medium, light, water, and nutrients, the tough-to-control variables can affect your crops. Light leaks from other rooms, exit signs, radios, and alarm systems can also alter your crops so ensure that your environment is properly sealed and insulated and that when you eradicate pests or PM/rot, ensure that you do a thorough clean between moving your next set of flowering cannabis into the space. It’s a tedious and detailed process but it can be easily managed by maintaining a checklist and keeping an eye on the finer details of the plants and their environment. Next month, we’ll get into the final stages of pulling the crops down and then into the curing, packaging, and taking your harvest to market.

 

Painted Pistols Cannabis Co.

By Veronica Castillo

Painted Pistols Cannabis Co.

Providing an avenue for the community of Chickasha to experience clean, organic medicinal cannabis.

 

In a city about 35 miles away from Oklahoma City, exists a cannabis cultivation company owned and operated by life-long Chickasha residents- Painted Pistols Cannabis Co. Painted Pistols is located in a stand-alone building in downtown Chickasha on HWY 81, with a large parking lot that can accommodate large motor vehicles, trailers, and RVs.

 

“We are less than 3 miles from the turnpike exit. In the past, it was used for an automotive shop and before that, we believe it was a radiator shop.”

5 WAYS HEMP-CBD CAN BRING BALANCE TO THE HOME DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC by Veronica Castillo

About Painted Pistols

 

Based in Oklahoma, with pistols attached to the name may raise some eyebrows, but no need because the name stems from a connection; a message in a song:

 

“Painted Pistols was inspired by a line in Trampled, a song by Turtles- ‘the calm and the crying wind’. While listening, I was praying and contemplating what we should name the shop. The first line in the song was exactly what I needed to hear. All the hairs stood up on my arm and it confirmed to me that was the name we were supposed to use.”

 

The owner of Painted Pistols Cannabis Co. always knew cannabis would be a part of life. With years in the cannabis industry and talks of Oklahoma going legal for medicinal consumption, the owner says:

 

“When talk of legalizing medical cannabis in our state started happening, I knew I’d be involved somehow, I just didn’t know what that looked like but when the opportunity with the building presented itself, I decided to jump on it.”

 

As many have reported, and though it varies from state to state, getting into the legal cannabis industry isn’t an easy task. When asked about the hardest part of the journey into cannabis entrepreneurship, the response was:

 

“The rules and regulations changing so much; medical cannabis had only been legal less than a year when we opened.”

 

Painted Pistols: Team and Mission

 

Painted Pistols has a team that makes its operation possible. Aside from the owner, the team consists of a dispensary manager, a sales associate/ graphic designer/ Budtender (one person handles these roles), and an inventory and bookkeeping specialist (one person handles these roles). The owner is at the dispensary every day with the exception of a getaway with his fiancé (which we all need!):

 

“We snuck away early last year for a 2-day weekend trip but I have been in the store every other day since we’ve opened. I take pride in being an owner / operator of the store.”

 

The Painted Pistols Cannabis Co. mission is one that can be appreciated:

 

“We are here to provide education and clean meds to patients. When a patient choses cannabis over prescription pills, they are looking for a safer alternative. If that “safer alternative” is pumped full of chemicals, is that really safer?”

 

About the Painted Pistol Dispensary and Strains

For those that haven’t visited Painted Pistols Cannabis Co. dispensary, here is what the owner describes as the vibe in the dispensary:

“We know that cannabis can be intimidating to new patients. We want them to feel comfortable when they walk into our store and answer any and all questions they have about cannabis and consumption. It is our favorite part of the day when we get to consult with a new patient, find out what their need for cannabis is, and help find a product that works best for their body.”

As for brands that Oklahoma cannabis patients can find at Painted Pistols Cannabis Co., the owner states:

“Frosty Organics, Resonant Cult, Hermetic Flower Co, King Cannabis, and No Time.  We have a huge supply of edibles from companies like Smokiez, Bison Extracts, and RR brothers. Others include: Divine collection, Leaf Logic, Ice Melts, and Vedana Solventless Hash Rosin.”

In Closing

When asked why a cannabis dispensary in Chickasha,Oklahoma– the answer received was centered in love:

“Chickasha is my hometown. I was born and raised here. I wanted to share my passion with those I grew up with and introduce them to clean cannabis. A good friend was moving back to this area to start a grow and we knew it would be a great opportunity to showcase his organic, living soil grown cannabis.”

Cannabis is centered in love, healing, and appreciation. The owner closed with something so beautiful that as I type this, I am getting chills. Because of that, it’s only right that I allow him to close the piece. When asked: “what should patients know about Painted Pistols that hasn’t been asked?”

The owner of Painted Pistols stated:

“I know this seems clique but our patients have become our family. Not only because they know they can trust us, but because of the bonds we’ve formed. It threw me off the first time a patient told me he loved me as he was leaving. Now, it’s kind of become the norm.”

Restore

by Michael Kinney

 

Technically, the residents in the Clara Luper Corridor have only been in a food desert for two years. When Smart Saver closed unexpectedly in August 2019, that left thousands of households without a grocery store for miles in any direction.

 

However, in actuality the east side of Oklahoma City has been a food desert for much longer than that, according to Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice.

 

“We’ve all had restless nights because we know people are going hungry,” Nice said. “We’ve had restless nights because we know food access is possible even in a community in which they say it’s not. We’ve had restless nights because people say ‘yeah, we’re going to bring something, but give us time.’”

According to Nice that time came and went with none of the promises fulfilled.

 

But the wait came to an end April 21 when the Market at Eastpoint opened its doors for the first time to the public. Just a few blocks from where Smart Saver was located, the new grocery store brings hope to a community that desperately needed it.

 

Tyler Dodd Rides The Wind By Michael Kinney

“We’ve been setting the shelves all week over here with the Homeland team and to see neighbors knock on the door and peek their head in and see the produce just burst into tears,” said Caylee Dobson, Executive Director at Restore OKC. It’s so exciting to see shoppers appreciate that and excited to buy it.”

Restore OKC teamed up with the Homeland Grocery chain to create The Market at Eastpoint (1708 NE 23rd). The organizations came up with a plan for a public-private partnership that would allow them to co-operate the grocery store.

 

Restore OKC was able to focus efforts on fundraising and securing product donations and partnerships that could help sustain the store through the early years, while Homeland used its expertise in the grocery industry to streamline the process and provide oversight and infrastructure.

 

“We are thrilled to see our public-private partnership with Restore OKC come to life. We have an opportunity here to serve our community in a deeper way and make an impact on food security and this store is a great way to do that,” Homeland CEO Martin Jones said. “This is an important project for our employee-owners, and we are proud to work hand in hand with the community to make it a reality.”

It took just six months for the plan to come together and for the grocery store to be built. According to Councilwoman Nikki Nice, it just took people willing to invest in the community instead of giving lip service and fake promises.

 

“This is what a six-month commitment to a community looks like,” Nice said. “There have been others who have said we’ll bring you something in six months. It’s been over a year, we’re still waiting. This conversation began with the ribbon-cutting in October. It’s April. That’s what a six-month commitment to a community looks like. This is what happens when you invest in the community that you’re serving. This is what happens when you pull everyone together and say let’s do this together. This is what community looks like.”

 

The Market is a full-service grocery store. Everything from fresh foods to frozen pizzas and water can be found inside the 7,000-square-foot building. It also has a section in the back for ready-to-eat hot foods prepared by Community Chef Brandi Jones of the former Family Affair Restaurant.

 

Much of the organic and healthy food options will be grown at Restore OKC’s 5-acre urban farm which is managed by led by 18 high school students from the northeast Oklahoma City community. But they also have regularly delivered produce as well.

 

“Because food access is important for our communities and we can’t thrive if we’re not being fed,” Nice said. “And it starts with us being able to feed our neighbors. So this was a long work in progress, even though it took a short time for us to get here.”

 

The Market’s business neighbors include Urban Wellness Dispensary, Hybrid Cures and Amazing Cannabis Co. Strainz.

 

According to the USDA, there are more than 19 million people in America who live in a food desert. Their definition of a food desert is any place where at least a third of the population lives greater than one mile away from a supermarket for urban areas, or greater than 10 miles for rural areas.

 

Until the Market arrived, Northeast Oklahoma City residents had to travel three miles to the next closest full-service grocery store.

 

“What you have is a lack of food access,” Dobson said. “And when that’s anchored in a community that also has a high rate of single-parent households, and they’re very transportation dependent, what you start seeing is just all of the effects of that exacerbate cycles that have been perpetrated by history and by cycles of injustice that just get worse.”

 

The Market is located in Ward 7 of Oklahoma City. Of its 61,674 residents, 50 percent are black and 23 percent are classified as living below the poverty level.

 

Getting residents access to healthy food can be a game-changer for not just northeast Oklahoma City, but throughout the state, according to Nice.

 

“This speaks to what food access looks like. We look at food justice, food insecurity, food apartheid, and people have to realize it’s not just communities that are underserved or purposely ignored,” Nice said. “It’s also your affluent communities that are also in food deserts because it’s about the access to food options. So, it’s now working through the process of having an example, such as this store, to mimic other parts of our community throughout the city and throughout the state.”

 

That’s Not a Potato

by James Bridges | Herbage Magazine

“So we decided to grow the real big buds.”

When I was a kid I had a vision of what it would look like to be a wild man.  I imagined I would of course own a helicopter, many unnecessary firearms, a pet grizzly or some sort of bizarre animal, the ability to travel at a moments notice, ultimate survival skills, and a beautiful queen to guide the way.

I met a man a few years ago that reminded me of that vision. I was nearly jealous of the assumptions popping into my head as he discussed some of his travels.

Rocky Fisher is the grandson of Brant Biggerstaff and the son of Brant Fisher.  The family has a special tie to the geography surrounding Fort Gibson.  The town is located in Cherokee and Muskogee counties in Oklahoma. This family was one of the first five families to settle outside of Fort Gibson before Oklahoma statehood.

The family started a potato farm in the bottoms surrounding the area. They were very well known for their spuds.

Rocky and his beautiful queen, Shirley, dreamed of one day opening a steakhouse in memory for the family as well as to show off some culinary skills. They would name the restaurant, “Biggerstaff.”

It just so happens that Rocky’s guiding queen has led them both to a more fitting business venture. That venture is, “Biggerstaff Buds.”

It was 2018 and someone needed some help with some genetics. They needed it bad. The now very successful Arbuckle farms called upon Rocky Fisher and “Brother’s Grimm”. Rocky was already a force in the industry and his name was floating around as one of the heavy hitters with contacts.

After four or five months as outside investors, Rocky and his close partners knew they were onto something good, but felt very limited within the Brothers Grimm atmosphere. Rocky and his intuitive wife Sherli made the decision to move forward with the partners and discovered a wonderful threshold which was Seeds Here Now.

“Now we are on the premier genetics where the real deal takes place,” Rocky was excited to show the rooms. As we walked through the hall I couldn’t help but notice the attention to detail. Even the bolts in the wooden bed frames looked as if they were carefully placed. If there’s one thing that I am learning about Rocky and his crew. They are running a tight ship.

“So with this new build I wanted to know, exactly, how everything was working. Let’s say I took a hands on approach,” there’s that smile.  “I was there from the sheetrock to hanging lights. You name it partner.”

“We went through fourty or a million different variations of lighting, soil, and what have you… Everyone had an opinion. Most were different. So, I went with the old tried and true. The way I know.” Rocky seemed proud. I was reluctant to ask for the secret sauce. So I left it at that.

During Rocky’s journey he ran into someone special, Luke Dreyer. Luke quickly became the shop’s operations manager. There are people behind the scenes, but this seemed different. “Luke is like a cannabis whisperer,” Rocky laughed. I could tell he meant it.

“I work 7 days a week. I follow all of the best genetics online. I stay on top of things like OMMA compliance, and much more. My job is something I love. These plants are like my family. It’s funny because harvest day is always a happy/sad day for me. I’m sad they are all coming down, but I’m super happy to know the medicine is helping people.” Luke quickly exited the room to go to work.

“We are a small operation compared to many.” Fisher said, knowing that I know that does not matter when it comes to good medicine. He and his wife, the team, and even his daughter Jenni Leigh Fisher have all found themselves in a very unique situation. They are growing top shelf flower and are able to sell at top shelf prices. That and they are in a pre-order atmosphere. It’s hard to stay mad at anything for long with that kind of juice in my book.

Rocky expressed his extreme gratitude for his relationships he has made with whom he considers the best of the best in cannabis.

“Come over here James. I want to show you something.” Rocky pointed at the table. He explained to me the elusiveness of some of the strains and seeds in packages. “No one gets to see this kinda stuff James. But I do because of Seeds Here Now.”

Texas – Landlocked and Surrounded by Legalization

by Veronica Castillo

Texas, the second-largest state in the United States, largest city Houston, largest metro Dallas- Fort Worth, and surrounded by legal/decriminalized states on all sides- refuses to legalize cannabis for medicine.

Present day, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana are medicinally legal and/or decriminalized cannabis states. Meanwhile, Texas doesn’t want smokable hemp legal, they don’t want cannabis available for medicine in any flower form, and they still want to put people in jail for a gram of cannabis.

Recently, Marijuana Moment reported:

“The latest developments that have come after a week where Texas lawmakers have considered a medley of marijuana reform measures. But arguably the most significant piece of cannabis legislation to move out of committee would make possession of up to an ounce of marijuana.”

Texas- what are you doing? This is asked because in the same piece referenced above, it was reported that:

“Other decriminalization proposals that were under consideration by the panel this week would not prohibit that enforcement action, which is key because police are currently able to incarcerate people who are arrested for class C misdemeanors even though the charge itself does not carry the risk of jail time in sentencing.”

Texas Medical Cannabis Program

It’s weak to say the least. In Texas, medical cannabis means that cannabis products cannot contain more than .5% THC. Medical cannabis in Texas means that cancer, chronic pain, and PTSD are qualifying conditions for veterans only. The Texas medical cannabis program is so limited that decriminalization still hasn’t happened. CBD oil is the only thing safe.

Hear from Texas Residents and Refugee’s About Cannabis Legalization

Below, you’ll see and hear from three women, Texas residents and Texas refugee’s, all in support of cannabis legalization in Texas. Humans who have a desire to choose for themselves, the plants that they consume to treat their medical conditions. Humans that want the government to to release the shackles placed on a plant with a track record of success dating back to the ancient days.

Alexis Olive- Texas resident and supporter of cannabis legalization in Texas:

https://youtu.be/LiMpUMYRNj4

 

Lizzie Maldonado– Texas resident and supporter of Texas cannabis legalization:

https://youtu.be/-3l720rg5Ec 

 

Khadijah Adams– former Texas resident- relocated for access to cannabis:

https://youtu.be/yJ3Bv2mbmfU 

Final Thoughts

Cannabis will prevail! The old south mentality is being laid to rest and a new day has arrived. It makes no sense to continue to write prescriptions for opioids in Texas. In 2018, Texas medical providers wrote 47.2 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people. Cannabis isn’t available there to treat with, so will Texas still use the “cannabis is a gateway drug” lame and outdated excuse?

Could it be that cannabis is the plant that sustains their prison system? Prison Policy reports that:

“Texas has an incarceration rate of 891 per 100,000 people; it locks up a higher percentage of its people than many wealthy democracies do.”

Texas- the time for legalization has come!

Kind Origins Cannabis

by Anna Ervin

When Camron Owens began growing cannabis in his home garage during the early days of Oklahoma legalization, he knew he had found his calling.

“I’ve been supporting cannabis since 2015 or so, and I just love the product. I love the plant.”

With a little help from his Dad, Camron transformed a 1,600 square foot shop in his own backyard into a proper grow facility. Complete with two grow rooms, and later expanding to over 2,000 square feet, this shop became the initial headquarters for his crew to truly hone in on their craft.

Camron and his team quickly realized they had a great opportunity on their hands, and started making plans for the future of Kind Origins Cannabis. “I was in operation over there for about 2 years,” Camron reported, “and I sold that company to fund this place.”

“We came into this building in February of 2020 and have had plants in the building since around June.” Camron’s wife, Jo informed me, “and we’re just getting started on month-to-month harvest.”

I had arrived just in time to see the Kind Origins crew harvest one of their most medicinal strains, Strawberry Slurpee. When I asked what makes this bud so special, the team reported personal experiences that ranged from pain and muscle relief to “a clear-headed high for focus.”

“Lab testing reflects diverse terpene content,” Camron informed me, “accounting for its delicious aroma. Some of the more common terpenes like limonene, linalool, and terpinolene are used to treat depression, anxiety and prevent infection.”

“However,” he continued, “what makes Strawberry Slurpee really stand out is the presence of more exotic terpenes, like nerol and valencene, which may help with cell regeneration, acne, and sun damage. Farnesene is known as a muscle relaxer, while humulene offers anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer properties. Rich terpene content paired with over 20% THC content makes for effective medicine.”

It’s nearly impossible to find a strain of cannabis that offers a “one size fits all” type of relief. Walking through the KOC facility, I couldn’t help but admire how unique each plant was to the next. As Camron showed off their temp beds, holding nearly 3-week-old plants, he pointed out the distinct difference in appearance between strains that had been transplanted just 2 days apart.

I wondered, if each genetic has its own unique appearance, smell, and medicinal qualities, would the challenges they faced growing them vary as well?

“Strawberry Slurpee is a bit of a low yielder for a strain we would run over and over again,” Camron told me. “The KOC staff made a conscious decision to continue to cultivate this strain, despite those lower yields, because it is excellent medicine.”

“It has a delicious strawberry flavor, beautiful finish, and potent aroma—we feel it’s one of the best dessert strains on the market. We get enough positive feedback that it will be on our roster indefinitely.”

I’ll be honest, it was hard to take my eyes off of what was left of Strawberry Slurpee in the grow room, but one bed of plants, in particular, managed to steal a little bit of that spotlight—Mimosa boasted colors that reminded me of the kind of sunrise you might wake up to amidst the earliest hours of dawn.

“It really does smell like a mimosa,” Camron was excited to share, “it’s delicious. I’ve been using cannabis for a long time, and I just grow the healers.”

As we continued through the building, I noticed that the Kind Origins facility had a lot of space for growth. “The new building is 22k square feet,” Ops manager Curtis Wilson explained, “with acreage earmarked for future outdoor projects. The indoor renovation is about 50% complete.”

“We have products in around 60 different dispensaries across the state,” he continued. “Right now, what we produce, we sell out of.”

With plans to complete their indoor renovations, build outdoor light deprivation greenhouses, and expand their processing from pre-rolls to concentrate extraction, I look forward to seeing where Kind Origins Cannabis takes their operation in the coming years.

For more information on Camron’s rapidly growing operation, visit kindorigincannabis.com

Compassionate IND Program

by Tab Moura

The history of cannabis in the United States has some dark and terrible chapters; the prohibition of cannabis has caused irreparable harm to the lives of many innocent people. Cannabis is a plant that has been used as a pawn to manipulate certain people into compliance, which is something we’re still fighting to correct today. People are still going to prison for connection to a plant, even though the government has personally, and legally, dispensed medical marijuana to —not one, not two, but 13 people. Double standards aren’t scientific. No matter how ”technical” we get, there is nothing wrong with cannabis, and these days we finally have ”enough” research to back that up.

The Smoking Section, by Tab Moura

The truth is, there never was enough research. The government has known all along that cannabis is medicinal. It may be a coincidence, but the anti cannabis campaigns didn’t begin until the early 1900s, around the same time that pharmaceutical medicine was beginning to grow. Before it’s prohibition, it was often found in medicines, as a sleep aid and anti inflammatory. After decades of hate campaigns against cannabis, finally Robert Randall happened.

A man named Robert Randall was arrested for growing and consuming cannabis. It was 1975, a time when cannabis was beginning to illegally work it’s way into more hands. While still taboo, he had heard of the many ways it helps people, so he tried it and learned it helped his glaucoma. When he stood trial, he used a ‘medical necessity’ defense and the charges were dropped. He filed a petition with the FDA and won, making Robert Randall the first person to receive weed from the government. For 2 years the government sent him cannabis every month. Even when they discontinued sending his medicine, he again advocated for necessary access. This led to the creation of the ‘Compassionate Investigational New Drug program,” or CIND.

This program was not easy to join, they had to meet many criteria, but ultimately from 1978-1992 thirteen people joined the CIND program and received medical cannabis straight from the government. The program was closed to new cannabis patients in ‘92 due to a major swell in applications. The program still exists today, for other investigational new drugs, they haven’t accepted new cannabis patients in almost 30 years.

Are we tired of watching as lies about plant medicine cost people their lives? Natural medicine is under attack in many ways. Not because it’s dangerous, not because it’s fake, but because there’s no profit. If you don’t believe me, look up how much it costs to get FDA approved CBD.

I will always advocate for your right to choose whatever treatment you and your doctor agree on… and I will continue to raise awareness about these scientific double standards until people like myself, and the other ‘Robert Randalls’ out there, finally have protected rights to do the same. And last but not least, the fight won’t be over until all of those who have been imprisoned on ‘nonviolent’ plant medicine charges, have been freed.

Sowing the Seed

by Chet Tucker

As we move into the stages of growth, I felt it necessary to twist one up a bit and reflect on how nature (plant medicine) and ourselves are mirrors of growth. We’ve covered the genetics, the soil, the medium,
the water, and the light and they all lead to the strength of the plant’s growth. With a wild year in 2020 that hit us all hard a year ago, it’s important that we look at the growth of not only cannabis, but it’s movement, and our own movement. What does the growth of cannabis and its accessibility represent? It represents freedom to cultivate, freedom to choose plant based medicines, freedom from government or societies that somehow believe that we must follow what they think is best for us and our bodies.

So, what growth have we made in Oklahoma? What growth and freedom have you made over the last year? What did you do to keep your freedom and health? Oklahoma has been booming in cannabis and some think it may be too much, others still say, “hit the throttle”. With cannabis making waves from west to east (mostly), we see the growing acceptance and a return to controlling more natural consumption practices to maintain our physical, spiritual, and mental health. Oklahoma sits in the middle of the world when it comes to cannabis. We’re breaking records and showing the rest of the US (and world) that we are about our birthrights and it’s quite simple, we should not be controlled by governments when it comes to accessing what can be safely grown anywhere on the planet. Losing a father over a decade ago to epilepsy, at ripe old age of 54, definitely created a rebellion to what pharmaceuticals and governments push into our bodies. Had CBD even been “legally” accepted back then, I know my father would be a huge promoter of cannabis here in Oklahoma. On the other side of the coin, it’s as much about our rights as it is about medicine and we should all be free to consume without judgement or harassment.

Moving into the growth section of how plants mirror us and how it’s impacted the state’s growth, what growth did you see in a world locked down and controlled for a full year of seasons? Personally, I did all I
could to break through the incessant fear and I sipped rum in a park parking lot, I walked the beaches of Santa Barbara, I explored Grand Lake, the Wichita Mountains, and hit the slopes of Colorado for my first ever snowboarding wipeout weekend. The point is, we should not take our birthrights for granted. We are free to breathe and not be seen as viruses. We are humans. We are friends. We are family. We should be leveraging the freedom of cannabis and what it represents to gather and share and build. Pushing back against the wind and the storms, just like the strong development of a budding flower, creates growth. No matter your position on the world, I feel it’s time for people to rethink with love and logic. To turn off your electronics and go hike, bike, road trip, camp, sit out on a patio, etc. Get out and live and breathe and make human connections, face to face, eye to eye, freely exchanging words of encouragement and peace. The only way to grow stronger is to overcome these frictions and enjoy every moment.

Freedom is here and we must continue to return to it. We owe it to ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities to set an example of pushing the right to cultivate, the right to produce and consume our own plant-based medicines. We’re retuning to an age of freedom and should govern ourselves with peace, kindness, and love for our neighbors. I’m certain that last year’s impact on the world has budded many with new visions and appreciation. Through the chaos, loss, confusion, and resistance of controlled force, we are here now and I hope we’ll continue supporting each other in this return to living freely. A big tip of the cap to all celebrating 4/20 and let’s keep Oklahoma as the example of what freedom looks like to the rest of the US and beyond.

Reefers

by Micah McKamie

After being in dispensary after dispensary in the bigger cities you think you have seen it all.  For The Reefer Shack in Seminole, super busy is just an every hour thing.  “Being open 24 hours gives us a great advantage”,  Jeremy stated, “we get people from all over headed to all sorts of jobs and activities, we really love our customers!”

Training Through Terps, by Micah McKamie

The husband and wife team had to step away more than a handful of times while I visited.  They would hustle off to get their curated meds to another one of their many customers, then almost immediately continued to help me.   It wasn’t that they didn’t have enough help, it was that they had so many patients the schedulers staff was having a hard time keeping up.  After another manager showed up early for their shift, we were able to continue.  It was amazing to witness.

Jeremy, the husband, worked in the oil industry for a number of years and Katie owned and operated a boutique in a neighboring town.  The oil business faltered and covid took effect. They decided to close the doors on the boutique and hyper focused on opening a grow and then on to a dispensary.

“We didn’t realize how rewarding this whole part would be,” they were both very happy.  When asked about the new business they both were overwhelmingly unanimous about the success only being measured by what they could give back.

This old dairy shack turned “Ice Cream Cake” stand wasn’t just another dispensary in small town Oklahoma.  It was a sense of community, it was an idea of being there for their patients 24-7.  Not only were they intently taking care of their patients, but they also had a wonderful selection of flower and other products.

“We really do try our best to find the best flower at the best price for our customer base.  We may not always make a ton of money on our flower, but our customers are happy and healthy,” Katie said.   As I looked around I noticed small details that you only see from small town hospitality and care.  They have a bin where veterans can come get a .5 cent pre roll everyday and as I walked in there was a line of Philanthropy jars for various children. One of them was BACA ( Bikers Against Child Abuse) which is close to my heart.  It wasn’t just words, it was actions.  It was evident in the little things they did.  They recognized the struggles of the single mom and put a place for the kids to play while the grateful parents shopped.  They offered coffee, tea, cookies and popcorn just as a way to say, come in, hang out and just be a part of a community.  These were good people.  You could tell they were in it for their fellow Seminole Citizens and not just the money.

Ultimately I left the interview process feeling uplifted and happy.  In an industry where so many things come down to money and profit lines, these good people were spreading the love the way they know how, through giving back and investing in the community, as well as, breaking the stigma of cannabis through kindness.

The Reefer Shack

(405) 712-3170

FACEBOOK @thereefershackreloaded 

IG  @thereefershack