The Cultivating Journey of
Nick Wilson
Editor Victoria Ritter
victoria@fwpi.com
Contributors
Gregory W. Lane
Joshua Waterman
Graphic Artist
Maia VanOrman
Advertising Sales
Amy Wheeler
amy@flx420.com
Concept Partner
Nate Kurash nate@flx420.com
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(advice, photos and stories) FLX420.com/submit-here
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THE journey
by the FLX420 team
With a growing number of dispensaries and vibrant events, there is plenty to celebrate in the Upstate New York cannabis scene this summer.
create lasting connections. The second annual Solventless Cup Expo & Awards Ceremony took place July 10 to 12 in Buffalo, honoring the solventless industry.
There’s more fun on the way as Rochester is set to host NECANN’s New York Cannabis & Hemp Convention on September 19 and 20. The annual convention has rotated between locations, visiting Albany and Syracuse in the last two years, in order to reach various regions. It’s exciting to have this year’s convention in the Finger Lakes Region.
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A few weeks ago, New York State surpassed 400 legal recreational dispensaries across the state (including more than 150 in Upstate New York), with more being added. These dispensaries not only provide more opportunities for people to learn about, buy and, in some cases, reacquaint themselves with cannabis, but also benefit their respective communities by bringing business in and supporting local initiatives. Be sure to check out our dispensary directory and feature on Jamestown’s dispensary, Lifted, in this issue.
It’s only fair to balance the large investments of time, money and effort that businesses and entrepreneurs are putting into the cannabis market with chances to celebrate accomplishments and
We at FLX420 understand that the NY cannabis market isn’t perfect and we have some kinks to still work out such as product recalls and long, frustrating and expensive licensing processes. At the same time, it’s important to celebrate the wins where we can get them and recognize the incredible people who make this industry special. Keep moving forward, and we’ll go far.
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The advertisers who commit to every issue get the best results. Consistency builds recognition. Repetition builds trust.
CANNABIS CONVENTION
@collie_man_co_op shared a photo of their last pheno hunt, saying, “I ran through a couple packs of beans from @thegratefulseedco out of Spain. They’ve been making a lot of waves in Spannabis so I wanted to try out their gear. I found some serious heat in the ZOZ x Key Lime Pie and in the Pinepaya x Runtz. This is my Pinepaya Runtz #5. Everything organic living soil powered by @bokashiearthworks.”
@karmaskrops shared a picture of their Karma Berry, saying, “After three years of breeding, these beauties are finally ready for market!”
Regulatory Update
by Gregory W. Lane, Lane Law PLLC
The New York State cannabis industry is expanding at a steady rate. According to the newly available Buy Legal Map on the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) website, as of this writing there are 422 adult-use dispensaries open and operating across the state. The Buy Legal Map can be used to locate any of these dispensaries. It lists each dispensary’s name, email and physical address and operating hours.
At the recent Cannabis Control Board (CCB) meeting on June 27, 53 adult-use licenses were approved. With those approvals, a total of 1,789 adultuse licenses have been issued to date. Of that number, 56 percent of the licenses have been awarded to Social and Economic Equity (SEE) applicants.
The June 27 meeting was the first to be presided over by new CCB Chairperson Jessica C. Garcia; she has been a member of the CCB since 2021.
At the meeting, the CCB also welcomed L. Simone Washington as the OCM’s new chief equity officer. Recently, Dr. June Chin was announced as the OCM’s new chief medical officer.
Additionally, the CCB announced that any current cultivator license holders whose
licenses limit their practices to outdoor cultivation should, if they so desire, submit amendments to their licenses to permit indoor cultivation. This relaxation of the applicable cultivator license requirements is intended to help expand access to high-quality cannabis grown in New York State.
At the meeting, the CCB also adopted the proposed public convenience and advantage regulations whose comment period expired on May 21. As reported in this column in the FLX420 Spring issue, those regulations provide guidelines for possible relaxation of the 1,000 and 2,000-foot radius restrictions between adult-use dispensaries.
The CCB also reported on the activities of the Trade Practices Bureau (TPB). The role of the TPB, which operates under the NYS Office of General Counsel, is to investigate and protect the integrity of the business relationships and market structure within the state cannabis industry. Its areas of focus include investigation of cases of inversion, license stacking, True Party of Interest (TPI) violations, crosstier activity and undue influence. The TPB has the ability to issue subpoenas and compel discovery in connection with its role.
Greg Lane has been practicing real estate law and business transactions for more than 35 years. In addition to his work in the cannabis space, he practices in all areas of real estate and commercial and business planning and transactions. For more information, call 585-455-3674 or email glane@lanelawpllc.com.
Whatis your role at Umamii?
Meet Nick Wilson A Cultivator’s Adventures in Cannabis
back in the day, we had some really awesome weed. When I moved to Texas in 2004, I realized how fortunate I was to live in New York where even the bad weed was good weed, comparative to Texas. I got my first apartment in Texas. I was an electrician at the time, and I was selling weed to my boss. Then I met another electrician in the apartment complex, and his roommate grew weed, so I started asking him questions. When I started growing weed, it was strictly to grow good weed to smoke.
I started this project in 2023 with my cousin. He originally wanted me to do consulting for a grow that he was doing, and then we thought, why don't we do this together? We are 100 percent family-owned and -operated. It's me, my cousin, his best friend and his daughter. We built this place in the middle of a cornfield. It was originally a hemp farm and we had a temporary conditional license that allowed us to start. Then we converted and got one of the first cannabis licenses. It is unique because we built everything cannabis specific.
I'm an owner, and I also operate everything up until it leaves the door. I built this place so that it operates efficiently. I oversee quality control in every aspect. I'm in the packaging department once a week. I'm in there making pre-rolls and hash. I grow the weed and oversee everybody who’s doing it, making sure they're trimming the way that they're supposed to. Not only does it create a great work environment, but it allows me to see what's actually happening and making sure it's getting done correctly. It's been a crazy journey, and it's been a lot of fun. I enjoy being here.
What inspired you to become a grower? Could you highlight some of your work?
I started smoking really young and fell in love with weed. In New York
I moved back to New York and went to college at SUNY Morrisville. I grew weed the entire time: in the basement of a frat house in Syracuse University, in Baldwinsville and at my place in Eaton right outside of Morrisville.
When I graduated, I got a job at the hydroponic store in Syracuse. I started to meet other growers and started growing in more places. Then the paranoia set in. I was living two different lives because I was growing illegally, and it caused a lot of anxiety. I wanted to grow cannabis the right way. I wanted to follow all the rules, and there weren't any in New York. That's when I started looking into Maine.
I started a legal cannabis business in 2014 in Maine. I dumped all the money that I had into that. I barely got through the first part because I ran out of
money, but then it took off. I started seven dispensaries and had a bunch of different warehouses. I still have a property out there.
What drew you back to Upstate New York?
My cousin asked me to help out with a cannabis project. It was an opportunity to be in New York with a business partner who owned land and had a hemp license. I knew I'd much rather be back home living in New York, doing this with family, than living in Maine and doing this by myself. It just felt like the right thing to do. Cannabis was legal, and we were able to get in on the ground floor. We took all of the things that I learned in Maine’s legal market on how to do it right.
What skills did you learn that proved to be helpful in your current role?
Being able to operate a legal market for a decade before coming here has given me more advantages that I could ever tell you. The Maine cannabis market is one of the more competitive markets in the country. I’ve never seen anything like it. If you're able to do well there, you can apply those same basics of quality control to New York. I was able to bring back knowledge of how to grow really clean weed, extract it well and do everything top quality.
How would you describe your approach to cultivation?
I look to grow the cleanest product possible, and we use testing to determine that. Testing really opened my eyes. I used to be an organic cannabis farmer, but I realized that you can’t get out a lot of stuff in the organic amendments you put into your soil. You test pretty high for heavy metals and residual compounds that get left in the soil, no matter how much water you run through it. Oyster shells take multiple years to decompose. Bone meal, blood meal, bat guano, worm castings, all of these things take five to 10 years to break down.
We learned that if you use a grow medium that doesn't have any amendments and if you can get everything you fed the plant out of the medium at the end of the plant’s life cycle, you can uptake just water for the last seven to 10 days. Then the weed smokes better, tastes better and tests zero for heavy metals.
I still grow organically for rosin and resin – you're taking the resin head, stripping it from the actual plant tissue and not smoking the plant tissue. If you're smoking plant tissue, I want to flush the plant as fast as possible. The best way we've learned to do it is by growing in a medium like coco coir (a sustainable by-product of the coconut industry) where there's nothing in it, and I can flush everything out of that pot before we go to harvest.
What challenges have your faced in the industry and how did you overcome them?
I think the hardest was coming back to New York and starting over.
Nick Wilson
In Maine, I built seven dispensaries and had tons of grows. Everything became easy, and then I started over. It was probably the craziest thing that I've done. But it was a lot easier this time around, because I wasn’t trying to figure it out.
When we built this farm, we built as we went. We had five hoop houses, and I was working 110-hour weeks. It was just two of us. It was like building the plane while you fly it. We’re doing a lot with a little, and we're finally getting to the point where things are good and we're gaining recognition.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
I really love the number of people who have come to me and told me that I've improved their life through cannabis. On a daily basis, somebody comes to me and says, “Hey, I tried these edibles, I'm sleeping better now." It makes you feel like you're doing the right thing.
What advice do you have for fellow cultivators?
If this is your passion, keep doing it, because you'll always get better. Every harvest gets a little bit better. I'm 20 years into growing weed, and I still get excited about the next harvest, and how we can do it better. I don't believe in black thumbs – I think everybody's got a green thumb. You just got to find it.
Fermented Cannabis Plant Juice
Nick Wilson (continued)
Sky Above, Lake Below Paradise Within
Iremember saying, “but no, the view of Seneca Lake is best from this angle. Ohhh, actually, it’s better from over here.” No matter where I stood on the 112 acres, it felt like that was the best. We spent the next almost 30 years creating a haven of quiet luxury for my family and the thousands of tourists who returned year after year. We turned the historic 1790’s, 7-bedroom estate into a vacation rental. The old carriage barn was transformed into a 2 story [Art for Living] indoor Art Festival. We built the cafe (tasting room) featuring an architectural masterpiece – a staircase into and around a massive oak tree.
My children grew up on the 112 acres, and with them, goats, sheep, chickens & horses. My daughter had her horses within view of her bedroom window. We sheared the sheep & collected enough eggs to sell them. We would like to pass it on to someone else, so they, too, can feel like they hit the jackpot, have the lifestyle, raise their family, and generate revenue.
112 lake-view acres, 8 buildings, 2 turn-key businesses, and beautiful residences on the fastest growing wine-trail on Seneca Lake, Upstate New York. Enjoy world-class hunting, fishing, and equestrian. Plus, structures & land for 3+ businesses.
• Historic 1790’s Vacation Rental. 7 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bath, 4 powder rooms. Completely furnished. Turn-key. Ample Parking.
• Residence with hot-tub spa room, full outdoor kitchen, small pizza oven
• 4500 sq ft Art Gallery in converted carriage barn. Full inventory. Turn-key.
• Cafe/Tasting room featuring tree staircase. Large, roofed patio overlooking lake. Small commercial kitchen.
• Tree house cottage accessible via spiral stairs, 2 stories, wrap around deck.
• Large stone sunken fire-pit area for BBQ, bonfires & fireworks.
• 6500 sq ft Warehouse + large bank barn. Both have designated event potential.
• 30+ acres woods for hunting, fully stocked pond, trails & walk-out horse pastures.
&
The property sits precisely in the center of the Golden Corridor – the
ApexPredator
In Search of the Outdoor Ultra-Pheno
by J.Diesel_NY
As a New York grower, I wanted to create a strain that would thrive locally outdoors. I wanted to be able to spit a seed on the ground and come back at the end of season to harvest a mess of cannabis. Durability, resistance to disease and drought, a tolerance for waterlogging and frost, and general vigor were some of the original traits of interest.
The goal was to create an indestructible cultivar using strong parent genetics, selectively bred to have resistance to all known pests, pathogens and diseases that frequently occur in Upstate NY and most all of the 43rd parallel north in Northern America, geared especially to thrive in the native soil makeup of the Southern Great Lakes Region.
We started with good strong parents with known good and desirable effects and terpene profiles. We then decided to adhere to one main rule: To let the plants struggle and push through the challenges presented by mother nature. We would not feed the plant(s) any additional nutrients besides those found naturally occurring. We would take the cross through several breeding cycles outdoors, intentionally selecting the plants that were exposed to an issue. Allowing the plant to overcome issues triggers genetic changes. The DNA markers for “name your ailment resistance” get
set to the “on” position. When that plant is bred, at the right time, those DNA markers are passed along to the offspring via seed production, giving us that resistance to the ailment.
If you breed two parent plants, you get what’s called the first filial, or F1 generation. Using the expressions you’ve observed in each phenotype or “pheno” of those F1’s, along with a Punnett square diagram, you can chart out the dominant and recessive traits of the parents to the F1s. Then you’ll know what to expect when growing a handful of seven to 10 seeds. This helps guide you through a process of conventional breeding based on traits of interest.
But how can you observe resistance to white powdery mildew or leaf septoria? You can’t. It’s hidden away in the DNA markers that, in laymen’s terms, are either set to “off” or “on.” This is information that you as a breeder obtain by knowledge of what the plant was able to survive, and studying the conditions the plant was exposed to, when/how the plant was bred, etc. Alternatively, molecular markers can be mapped out in a lab using marker-assisted selection (MAS). This is a complementary tool used with conventional breeding where a molecular marker is linked to a trait that was indirectly selected. In short, breeder skills and observations can be validated with
molecular mapping. If I see a plant push through a white powdery mildew outbreak, or I see five phenos sit side by side in the ground and one is not affected by the WPM outbreak, I can safely assume that the molecular maps would show that the DNA markers are different in that plant – making it resistant to that specific ailment/pest/pathogen/ disease.
With that knowledge in hand, we formed a team and a plan.
I was able to engage several growers in this region to participate in a crowd-sourced pheno-hunt. Using the genetics I provided, each grower let them struggle, selected champions able to power through it all with no help and used pollen from a male to breed them.
We agreed that after each breeding cycle we’d exchange seeds produced by each other to combine those resistant traits. Over
time this will combine all of those “hidden” desired traits like resistance to frost, leaf septoria, white powdery mildew and drought along with a tolerance to deluge, heat and cold into one plant!
It’s very important to note that this would not be possible without a group of passionate and skilled breeders working together as a group. What would normally take a single breeder years, if not decades, to achieve can be shortened exponentially. The potential power of a group like this cannot be overstated.
Imagine you have breeders A, B, C, D and E. They are all given an ample amount of F1 seed stock to grow. Breeder A was able to isolate a plant that is unaffected by leaf septoria and were able to breed that pheno with F1 pollen to make some
leaf septoria-resistant F2’s. Now imagine the other breeders also have similar luck, but breeder B battles through white powdery mildew, breeder C has a cold snap mid-June, breeder D is positioned in a microclimate that gets missed by rain the entire month of July. Breeder E has no troubles until September, and it rains for 23 days straight and floods the
land. Each breeder finds the champion and is successful in breeding their F1 stock to make F2’s resistant to the ailment they were exposed to. This is what our group is doing and will continue to do in the coming years.
Now play this out over multiple filial generations, from F2’s up to F9’s or F11’s. Research has shown that isolating each one of these DNA markers, backcrossing it, in-breeding it, pheno-hunting it, etc. takes five or six filial generations to achieve a good ratio of that expression. Remember those Punnett squares, you still have dominant and recessive traits being expressed, and each seed is different. Meaning, even if you breed it correctly, you’ll only see 1:4 or 3:4 ratio of the seeds showing the desired trait. To get those numbers up to a better ratio, you need to go through multiple breeding cycles.
Our goal to have each breeder share their work with the other members of the group is where things get interesting. Breeder A can’t integrate B, C, D and E’s work in one generation, so they’ll need
to select the other breeders’ F2’s based on their specific goals and environmental conditions. Breeder skills, educated selections, intentions and information sharing are key. This method is being used in modern agriculture for leaf septoria and blightresistant tomato varieties. But even with MAS and modern technology, it still takes effort and time to breed down to an F5 or F6 to lock in just one single trait, so that you can expect a consistent expression in each seed.
The Apex Predator Outdoor UltraPheno is now a group-led effort of about five growers and counting (Team J.Diesel_NY), spread throughout multiple states along the same general latitude. All grow sites have similar, but different soil make-up, slightly different conditions and challenges and exposure to various pests, pathogens, diseases and other natural threats. Each grower will grow their plants as agreed and do their best to capture those genetics in a successful breeding cycle.
A Shout Out to the members of Team J.Diesel_NY
@jdiesel_ny
@315blazin
@tree_relics
@sheeesh_new_england
@upstate_growbros
@constant_evolution_genetics
@catskill_native_sensei88
@sticky_n_stinky
@duderockschickenshit
Still In Limbo
Withall the applicants in the December queue just sitting and waiting in limbo, why did the OCM open another type of license – the Processor Type 3 Branding License – to new applicants? This is just taking resources and time away from the people who should be processing the already submitted applications in the already existing queues.
If the OCM was looking for a way for the existing farmers to be able to sell more of their cannabis to retailers, they should license more of the retail and micro/retail applicants that are just sitting in the December queue. They definitely should not have created another license that took immediate precedence over the already submitted applicants who have already been waiting for a year and a half for their turn. Where is the common sense in that?
As for the application, Processor Type 3 Branding License application, this could not be more misleading to the consumer than it is. It allows licensees to purchase cannabis from existing cultivators/processors and label it as something else under their own brand. When a customer goes into a retail location, they think they are looking at 20 different strains from 10 different farms; in reality, it is five different strains from two different farms that are just labeled and branded as something different. This can easily be fixed by licensing all of the applicants just sitting idle in the December queue. Then there will be plenty of “real” strains for the consumer to choose from and plenty of retailers for farms to sell to. If the OCM could implement “common sense,” I think things will smooth themselves out!
It is very disheartening for the applicants in the December queue to see applications submitted in 2025 being passed through before theirs that were submitted in 2023. At minimum, if the OCM was going to open the Processor 3 Branding license, they should have given the opportunity to the December queue applicants to hold them over until their applications were finally reviewed.
Again, it is very concerning that the OCM is allowing already licensed retailers to dictate when or when not the December queue should be reviewed and allowed to operate while they are opening second or third locations already.
With the delay in licensing the December queue, the corruptness in the legal market is running rampant: outof-state weed passing through to the consumer, selling of licenses that are not allowed to be sold, etc. Also, the longer that the OCM takes to license the December queue, the better the “black market” will thrive (which is absolutely fine with us!) but it seems to be counter-productive to the OCM’s end goal. I’m thinking it might be time for the State to hire Karma’s Krops to iron things out for them! What do you think they would say to that?
Brandie and Nick Young Karma’s Krops
Rochester NECANN Sets Fourth NY Conference ROCKIN'
by Victoria Ritter
Finger Lakes Region, rejoice!
NECANN’s New York Cannabis & Hemp Convention is making its way to our neck of the woods, with Rochester as the 2025 host city.
The annual show is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. September 19 to 20 at the Floreano Convention Center.
“At the Syracuse (convention) last year, we heard a lot of positive feedback about Rochester,” said Kris Hultgren, director of operations at NECANN. “It was our impression that the Rochester community came in strong numbers to the Syracuse show.” Hultgren went on to add that as NECANN is dedicated to building
a cannabis industry for everyone across New York, it was imperative for the show to move around.
Hultgren expects the number of attendees and vendors at the 2025 show will be similar to last year’s convention, estimating 100 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors across the two days. “As the market continues to grow with new licenses and openings, the events we produce tend to grow in a similar way,” he added.
At the time of this publication, NECANN was working to finalize the keynote, speakers and the overall conference schedule by mid-July. There will be three programming tracks focusing on trends, cultivation and production, and the local
industry with four sessions each day, totaling in 24 education sessions. Additionally, there will be a state of the state address.
“Everyone who is interested can find out where is the market now, where has it come in this last year, and where is it likely to go in the next year,” Hultgren said.
Attendees can expect a few new things at the Rochester show. Multiple afterparties are in the works, where people can consume cannabis, enjoy live music and make connections in an informal setting. Additionally, NECANN is working with state and local partners such as BLOOM ROC, CannaDiva and FLX420 to increase social equity booth donations, offer ticket discounts to
partners and provide more activations –smaller activities, like speed networking, that highlight a specific brand.
“We’re trying to expand our partnership program to offer more to the people in the industry in New York who are doing the most work to build the industry,” Hultgren stated.
Those interested in coming to NECANN’s New York Cannabis & Hemp Convention can improve their business and learn more about the cannabis industry – no matter if they’ve attended a past show or are a newcomer.
“You'll get buyers who come looking to directly purchase something from an exhibitor. Sometimes you'll have business owners who can talk with, say, an insurance company and then keep networking,” Hultgren commented. “Now, if you're not in the cannabis industry, you can use the programming to decide how to get into the industry, what part of the industry you want to get into or the type of people that you want to network with.”
Hultgren is excited to bring NECANN to Rochester and meet people who haven’t had the opportunity to come to past shows. At the same time, with four years of cannabis shows under its belt, the organization is strengthening its relationships with businesses who’ve come to past conventions.
“We’re starting to recognize more companies,” Hultgren said. “Our partners are now seeing that we're committed to the state. By year four, it seems like we're part of the New York cannabis community now. It's exciting to see how that has grown.”
Tickets are available now and will be available to purchase at the door (cash only). Cost is $40 and includes all access to the show floor and programming for both days. Exhibitor registration is open and will continue up to the show.
Visit necann.com/new-yorkconvention to purchase tickets, sign up as an exhibitor, see an updated map of the show floor – and keep up to date with developments.
Join Finger Lakes 420 Magazine at the New York Cannabis Convention
in
Floreano Convention Center 123 E Main St • Rochester, NY 14604 September 19-20 Fri 10am-3pm • Sat 10am-3pm Get tickets here!
We’ve partnered with NECANN to offer readers a special deal! Use code flx420 at checkout to save $5 on your ticket. That’s just $35 for a two-day all-access pass to the expo floor and seminars.
Use code flx420 to save $5 per ticket!
by Victoria Ritter
After more than a decade of operating as a pharmacy, 320 North Main Street in Jamestown now offers a different kind of relief: cannabis.
Lifted, Jamestown’s first legal recreational dispensary, is marking its one-year anniversary this summer.
A new beginning
The dispensary was once the home of Patient’s Pharmacy. Founded in 2008 and operated by Diane Mathews, the pharmacy served residents and more than 60 group homes run by the state’s
Rises to the Occasion
Developmental Disabilities Service Office (DDSO). Around 2019, things changed when New York State awarded a bid for prescription services to Omnicare.
“We were the main supplier of all (the homes’) durable medical equipment, diapers, wipes and medications,” said Lifted COO Tim Scoma. “All of it went away. It was a huge blow. My mom and I were scrambling to try to figure out how we were going to save the business.”
Being an avid cannabis user since college, Scoma looked into the possibility of opening a medical dispensary. His mom already owned the building, and it had security measures installed. “We were outfitted to house some of the highly scheduled, controlled substances,” Scoma said. “So, cannabis was kind of a no-brainer.”
While the costs to open a medical dispensary were too high, Scoma didn’t have to wait too long until recreational marijuana became legal. In April 2021, he got in contact with a former resident, Thomas Spanos, who was practicing cannabis law in Colorado, and got the ball rolling.
Scoma lost no time laying the groundwork for a dispensary. As there was a church in the area, he had the area surveyed to confirm the dispensary was more than 200 feet away. He hired a friend, Nick Rocco, to design Lifted’s logo and imagery. At the opening of Jamestown’s farmers market in 2022, Scoma announced that the pharmacy would eventually become a licensed recreational dispensary.
“When people found out that the dispensary was going to be run by people who have been taking care of the community for so long, it helped.”
The former pharmacy also hosted a showcase for Herbal IQ from November to December 2023 while Scoma submitted an application for a permanent dispensary. “It was getting the community used to this location being a dispensary,” he said. “We were testing the waters.”
The following February, Scoma’s application moved to the review stage but seemed to stall for three months. “Every day, I would call the Office of Cannabis
(continued on page 22)
Welcome to Classy Canna, the first licensed cannabis dispensary in Cortland County, proudly located at 8 N. Main Street in the picturesque village of Homer, NY.
Step inside and explore a mindfully curated collection of premium New York State cannabis products. From carefully selected flower and pre-rolls to edibles, vapes, and beverages, we focus on quality, education, and mindful consumption. Whether you’re a curious first-timer or a seasoned enthusiast, our knowledgeable staff is here to guide you toward the right experience for your goals and lifestyle.
But Classy Canna is just the beginning—make a day of it. Take time to enjoy the historic charm of downtown Homer, grab a bite at a local eatery, browse artisan shops, all while soaking in the natural beauty of our village.
www.classycanna.com https://www.facebook.com/ClassyCanna/ https://www.instagram.com/classy.canna
(continued from page 20)
Management – sometimes even two, three times a day – to try to get some kind of idea of what was going on,” Scoma recalled. “Turns out they thought that we were too close to the church. All of a sudden, we weren’t able to open.”
Scoma ended up performing a new survey to prove he was adhering to the state’s regulations. He then made sure that the storefront’s bay windows were frosted, checked the number of times he could have the name on the building and removed THC compound symbols on the windows.
“Once the state acknowledged the building, saw that the stickers were up and everything was covered, it's been great.” Lifted received its license last July and opened on August 31, 2024.
Support local
As capital was low due to the additional survey and building modifications, Lifted started with less than 100 products for its first month. “I kind of knew what the public was interested in and what they would spend their money on,” Scoma stated. “Running the showcase really helped.”
SKUs. While there are products from a few multi-state operators, Scoma estimates that 80 percent of his inventory comes from small, family-owned cultivators and processors including Fare Thee Well Farm, Releaf Market, NYCE and Snowbelt Cannabis. Customers can talk with local cultivators at Lifted’s vendor days, typically held on the third Thursday of the month.
Now the dispensary offers 400
“I'm trying to boost their products not only because I'm a family business and it's always good to support local, but also because their products are fantastic,” Scoma commented. “Jamestown is trying to make a little niche for itself. We’re small, but I feel like our products are big – the people know what they're doing.
“I've had really good luck with the brands that have come into the store,” he added. “I'll always advocate for them.”
The 1,500-square-foot showroom has a warm, friendly atmosphere. The interior is painted orange and white with slat walls and products on display. Customers can take advantage of a selfie wall, plus three registers and a consultation location.
Six budtenders – including Scoma – are on hand to help patrons. “This dispensary would not be what it is today if it wasn’t for my staff and crew,” Scoma said. “They’re fantastic. Deanna, Paul, Jordan, Emma and Antoinette are so smart. They know not only the products they're selling, but also cannabis and cannabinoids – they know what they're doing.”
Lifted began offering delivery in early June. The service is available 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday to customers within a 20-mile radius from the dispensary.
Lifted also plans to offer delivery to those attending the Great Blue Heron Music Festival on the Fourth of July weekend. Campers can pick up orders at a designated delivery location.
“I'll be able to help those festival goers consume quality and safe product,” Scoma said. “They've been having issues with a lot of unsafe, unregulated product from unregulated stores. So, being
(continued on page 24)
able to help those eventgoers is a big deal. Once New York State allows event showcases to go on, I'll be able to actually set up a showcase on the premise.”
A part of the community
Jamestown is rich with arts, from a framing studio and amphitheater mere feet away from Lifted to the I Love Lucy Museum and National Comedy Center. Scoma is hopeful for Lifted to become a staple of the community and arts scene. Lifted has donated to homeless shelters and provided sponsorships for police golf tournaments. As the dispensary opened the same day as the Whirlybird Music & Arts Festival, it will sponsor the festival this year.
Lifted welcomes a broad range of customers through its doors. Businesspeople stop by on their way to work or on their lunch break. Older adults arrive in the early evening looking for pain relief. After 5 p.m., 21- to 30-year-olds pop in to buy flower or pre-rolls.
“It’s nice being right downtown,” Scoma said. “We have a lot of foot traffic and have a lot of local business that come in.”
With the large number of visitors coming into Jamestown, Scoma is working on getting a license for a consumption lounge and comedy club in the basement. “We get a lot of tourism here,” he observed. “These people need to have a location to consume cannabis legally and safely. That's something I can provide.
“It’s fun seeing all the new stuff that comes out,” Scoma added. “It's a fledgling industry that's going to be something that can be meaningful and beneficial to New York State residents.”
One of the first 36 dispensary licenses to be granted in New York State, Aspire offers a boutique style shopping experience, along with the option to order online for in-store pickup. Among the options for purchase are various strains of cannabis, an assortment of edibles, pre-rolls, oils, smoking accessories, merchandise, and more.
THE dank tank
regulated by people who know very little about the plant, correct ways of cultivating, storing and distributing it, how safe could it really be?
Well, earlier this year we found out the OCM quarantined more than $10 million of cannabis products distributed by some of the biggest cannabis brands in the country! Since then, we have seen recall after recall after recall, some for containing traces of harmful pesticides and others for bringing in product from the black market then selling it legally … the very same market that many people refused to involve themselves with because of fears that the products could be harmful.
Before You
LOOK Smoke
I’vebeen a daily cannabis user for more than half of my life. I started smoking “Reggie” in the early 2000s, which was mostly grown in Mexico and smuggled into the U.S. Often this type of flower would leave me with a headache and sometimes a sore throat. Due to how illegal cannabis was in the States, most of the flower was grown by cartels … and I doubt they were using living soil or organic pest control.
I’m a big advocate for consuming safe and qualify flower. This is the very reason I was successful selling flower illegally for so much of my life – because I cared about the quality of flower people purchased from me.
Since the days of “Reggie weed,” laws have become much more relaxed, and small local growers have popped up all over the
country. These people don’t treat this plant as just another potentially lucrative business but more of a reflection of themselves, their community and culture. They are incredibly passionate about growing quality flower and have been around long enough to actually know what that looks like. Unfortunately, most of these farmers are left doing this without a license or a way to sell their product legally … so it’s not so straight forward as we would probably prefer.
Even though cannabis has come long way in a short amount of time, the cold hard facts are that it’s being legalized and regulated by the same people who, 10 years ago (and some still to this day) promised that it was a harmful and addictive drug with dangerous side effects that will destroy your life! So, if the cannabis industry is being legalized and
Quick side note for anyone who thinks something is dangerous until approved and regulated by the U.S. government: I would point out that just because something is regulated doesn’t mean it’s safe. And just because something isn’t regulated doesn’t mean it’s harmful … even if the government is telling you it is.
Now just because some legal product has been removed from the legal market, does that mean that there are bad farms and brands breaking the rules and knowingly distributing harmful products? Well … probably, but it’s really not as straight forward as that.
In NY there are a couple ways of getting products on shelves for most license types: either grow the product or buy the product from someone with a cultivation license or a processing facility. There has been an ongoing investigation into one of these processors for the past six months. The reason for the investigation was for the possibility of inverting “distillate” (the most common extracted form of cannabis
in the NY market currently) directly from the black market and into the legal market … not good!
This is where things get tricky and possibly unfortunate for some brands that may not have been aware that this product was illegal. It is very likely that many brands unknowingly sold products processed by this processor that was using illegal distillate, and are now facing the public embarrassment of having their products quarantined and removed from shelves … destroying the integrity of their company.
Now typically, you can scan the QR code and see lab results (COA) on all packed cannabis products. This contains the detailed results of everything that could be
in the product – from pesticides, THC percentage, mold counts and even terpenes. But meanwhile, there is also a NY lab that is under investigation for exaggerating lab results, or even possibly having never tested them at all. This is how product from NY with harmful pesticides was able to make it on legal shelves, although it has been removed.
I am a license holder in NY and have worked with processors and labs, and I can tell you the majority of them are doing what is required by the state and wouldn’t knowingly put out harmful products. But I still highly encourage you to scan the COA of anything you plan on buying legally before making your purchase. Doing that and supporting
small local farms is your best way of avoiding anything sketchy. Smoking illegal weed much longer than I have been smoking legal weed, I’ve learned to recognize quality or a suspicious product. I wouldn’t look at the industry as “legal product means safe product” or “illegal product means dangerous.” I would judge a book by the quality of what’s inside it. Find yourself a small, local farmer who you trust, and purchase your product from them! There are plenty of great people cultivating this plant and are putting all of their passion into it … just don’t smoke any Reggie weed. Look Before You Smoke.
Follow Dr. Dank on Instagram @dr.dankensteins.
from Nanticoke is an unflavored, cannabis beverage enhancer – mix one 10mg stick pack of THC nano powder with 16 ounces of water, shake (or stir) and enjoy! Available at Classy Canna classycanna.com
Sip a summer favorite with a LayUp Limeade. This infused drink has a refreshing, crisp flavor with 10mg THC in the 12-ounce can. Available at Good Life Collective in Canandaigua goodlifeweed.com
Get a taste of summer with Toasted Marshmallow Gummies from Snobby Dankins. These fast-acting edibles, available in packs of 10, combine premium cannabinoid extract with a rich, roasted marshmallow flavor, topped with a unique brown sugar coating. Available at Lifted Cannabis Dispensary
Take a trip to the tropics with Tropical Fruit Chews from Smokiez. Enjoy sweet, fruity notes with 10mg of THC in each piece. Available at Aspire aspirecannabis.org
Walk in style with Men’s and Women’s High Top Canvas Shoes from Karma’s Krops. This footwear has a breathable lining, soft insole, features matching soles and laces and is made with 100 percent polyester canvas.
karmaskrops.com
Mycro Supreme from Trifecta utilizes robust strains of R. Irregularis – the most compatible strain of mycorrhizae to benefit cannabis. Mycro Supreme is high-performing, spore-based and highly concentrated, great for indoor or outdoor plants. trifectanatural.com
Fernway features flavors of birch and blackberry with a creamy, earthy finish. This indica vape pen offers a great way to consume discreetly and consistently.
Warrior Balm 2.0 from Veterans Choice Creations is designed to provide targeted comfort and support for muscles and joints. Ideal for those recovering from a workout, dealing with chronic discomfort or who simply need to unwind. Available at The Bakery Cannabis Dispensary 518bakery.com
The 19 Dram Child-Resistant Pop-Top Containers from CannaZip can hold up to 3-1/2 grams of flower. These containers are manufactured in the U.S. from food-grade, BPAfree polypropylene. Available in a wide range of colors. cannazipbags.com
The CO2D: 0-5000 ppm Dual Zone CO2 Controller from GroZone controls the CO2 levels in two zones/rooms simultaneously. Plus, you can review performance via the integrated 24-hour data logger. Available at Harvest Moon Hydroponics hmoonhydro.com
FLX420 Dispensary Directory
Legal dispensaries and CBD shops in the Finger Lakes Region
Want your dispensary to stand out in FLX420 Magazine?
Advertise in the next issue and receive a free dispensary profile with your logo featured in the directory.
Contact Amy at amy@flx420.com to learn more.
Recreational Dispensaries
400 River
400 River St., Troy
420 Bliss
740 Hoosick Rd., Troy
48 Genessee St. Dispensary
48 Genessee St., Auburn
716 Cannabis 5161 Camp Rd., Hamburg
82-J Cannabis Company 1673 Hertel Ave., Buffalo
Altitude Ithaca 1429 Danby Rd., Ithaca
Amsterdam Cannabis 1451 State Highway 5s, Amsterdam
Archie’s Cannabis Co. 950 Chemung St., Horseheads
Aspire
205 N. Fulton St., Ithaca 607-319-4382
aspirecannabis.org
One of Ithaca’s first dispensaries, Aspire is committed to supporting local growers and giving back to the community.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday thru Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday
See ad on page 24
The Bakery Cannabis Dispensary
1099 Loudon Rd., Cohoes 518-213-7714 518bakery.com
Step into a welcoming, inclusive environment where you can explore your options at The Bakery. The dispensary’s mission is to empower the community through education, compassion and the responsible use of cannabis.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday thru Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
See ad on page 17
Best Budz 146 Virginia St., Buffalo
Black River Supply Company
15 Bridge St., Carthage
Bob Natural Cannabis Dispensary 1067 E. 2nd St., Jamestown
Bodega Dreams
3711 Brewerton Rd., Ste. 8-10, North Syracuse
Brownies
1686 Central Ave., Albany
Buddeez 1460 Lyell Ave., Suite 200, Rochester
Buffalo Dreams 900 Niagara Falls Blvd., Buffalo
Cannabicity 220 Harborside Dr., Suite 111, Schenectady
Cannabis Central 1520 Crescent Rd., Clifton Park
Cannabis Corner 2227 Clifford Ave., Rochester
The Cannabis Store 1936 S. Park Ave., Buffalo
Canna Vibes NY 146 Front St., Deposit
Canterra
451 Elmwood Ave., Suite 105, Buffalo
Capital District Cannabis and Wellness
997 Central Ave., Albany
Classy Canna
8 N. Main St., Homer 607-218-7170
classycanna.com
Opening its doors in January 2025, Classy Canna seeks to cater to a wide range of needs and preferences. Its welcoming staff is dedicated to guiding regulars and newcomers alike on their cannabis journey.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Saturday; 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday
See ad on page 21
Collegetown Dispensary 105 Dryden Road, Ithaca
Command Cannabis Dispensary 3871 South Park Ave., Blasdell
The Corner House 1708 Trumansburg Rd., Ithaca
Cotton Mouth Dispensary 439 Court St., Binghamton
Crush Dispensary 45 Grove Ave., Albany
Culture Canna Co. 90 E. Market St., Corning
Cussin’s Cannabis 2075 Central Ave., Schenectady
The Dabber Hashery 1051 College Ave., Elmira
Dank716
501 Main St., Buffalo
Dansville Dispensary
9483 Wheeler Foster Rd., Suite C, Dansville
Dark Horse Cannabis Dispensary 15 Centre St., Albany
Devil’s Lettuce
650 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca
Diamond Tree Dispensary 2700 Erie Blvd. E., Syracuse DOSHA 76 Main St., Oneonta
Dream Daze 5100 Transit Rd., Depew
Dryden Dispensary 2207 Dryden Rd., Dryden
East Leaf Dispensary 2442 Clinton St., Cheektowaga
Electric City Cannabis 1354 Lower Broadway, Schenectady
Ether Buffalo 5100 Genesee St., Unit 4, Buffalo
Evergreen Retail 51 N. Main St., Brockport
Evexia Cannabis 217 Guideboard Rd., Halfmoon
Exit 31 Exotic 255 Genesee St., Utica
FingerLakes Cannabis Co.
5 Railroad St., Victor 585-407-8000 flxcannaco.com
Owned by locals who have been part of the Victor community for nearly 50 years, FingerLakes Cannabis Co. provides cannabis and CBD products alongside gifts, candles, merchandise and more.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. MondaySaturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday See ad on page 17
Flower City Dispensary 8053 Pittsford Victor Rd., Victor
FlynnStoned Cannabis 219 Walton St., Syracuse
FlynnStoned Oswego 143 George St., Oswego
FlynnStoned Rochester
125 State St., Rochester
Gold Leaf Cannabis
235 Fairview Ave., Hudson
Good Life Collective
155 Monroe Ave., Rochester
Good Life Collective
Finger Lakes
230 S. Main St., Canandaigua 585-412-6174
goodlifeweed.com
Owned and operated by the Hernandez family, Good Life Collective provides a high touch, concierge approach to buying cannabis. It offers a diverse, premium line of cannabis products, handpicked by team members.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday thru Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
See ad on page 25
Gotham 260 Warren St., Hudson
Grass & Goodness
1650 Crane St., Schenectady
Greenery Spot 246 Main St., Johnson City
Greenlakes Dispo
714 W. Ridge Rd., Rochester
Green Philosophy 716 101 Slade Ave., West Seneca
Greens Greenery 54 State Highway 357, Unadilla
Greenside Cannabis 12317 Vaughn St., East Concord
Happy Goat Dispensary
1330 Mount Hope Ave., Rochester
Happy Times Cannabis Co.
3807 Harlem Rd., Cheektowaga
Happy Times Cannabis Co.
Niagara Falls
7560 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls
Hazy Daze
332 Broad St., Waverly
Herbal IQ
6055 Transit Rd., Depew
Herbalwai
6970 Transit Rd., Amherst
The Herb Cave
519 State Route 3, Plattsburgh
The Higher Co.
123 E. Willow St., Syracuse
Higher Tolerance
121 South Pearl St., Albany
High Falls Garden 121B Commercial St., Theresa
The Highly Connected Dispensary
423 Franklin St., Ithaca
607-319-0420
thehighlyconnected.com
The Highly Connected Dispensary embodies a comprehensive approach to cannabis. Its selection is hand selected by its founder and expert team.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
See ad on inside front cover
High Peaks Canna
137 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs
High Points Dispensary 811 Canandaigua Road, Geneva
High Society Dispensary
345 Main St., Suite 2, Hudson Falls
High Tide Dispensary 1829 Como Park Blvd., Lancaster
Hold Up Roll Up 196 Washington Ave., Albany
Honey Kenmore 2981 Delaware Ave., Kenmore
Hudson & Main Cannabis Company 3873 Main St., Warrensburg
Innocence Cannabis 6730 Lake Rd., Appleton
Joe’s Buds 4658 Onondaga Blvd., Syracuse
Jupiter Cafe 172 N. Union St., Olean
Just Breathe
75 Court St., Binghamton
Just Breathe Finger Lakes 2988 Auburn Rd., Tyre
Just Breathe Syracuse
185 W. Seneca St., Manlius
The Kokoro Way Cannabis 2454 Elmwood Ave., Kenmore
LA FFOCA
1618 18th St., Niagara Falls
LakeHouse Cannabis 156 Clinton Ave., Cortland
Leaf Plug 3341 Sheridan Dr., Amherst
Leafy Peaks 27 Saratoga Ave., Waterford
Leafy Wonders 956 S. 1st St., Fulton
Legacy Dispensary 1839 Central Ave., Colonie
Lifted Cannabis Dispensary
320 N. Main St., Jamestown 716-489-3022
dutchie.com/dispensary/lifted1 One of Jamestown’s first dispensaries. Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday thru Saturday; 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday See ad on pages 12-13
Liquid Monkey Dispensary 177 Fluvanna Ave., Jamestown
Lively Harvest 75 Bridge St., Margaretville
Loudpack Exotics 6606 Kinne Rd., Syracuse
Luxus Botanica 8234 Turin Road, Ste 1, Rome
Mammoth Cannabis 212 Ohio St., Buffalo
Mango Cannabis 3553 W. Henrietta Rd., Rochester
Mary Janes – A Legacy 2 Legal Dispensary
2179 Sheridan Drive, Tonawanda
Misfits Dispensary 420 Jefferson Rd., Suite 2, Rochester
Mister Greens 81 Wolf Rd., Colonie
MJ Dispensary
900 Jefferson Rd., Suite 902, Rochester
Native Haze
1503 Canandaigua Rd., Macedon
Northern Lights 100 Broadway, Unit 8, Menands
Peace, Love, & Bud
320 S. Transit St., Lockport
The People’s Joint 501 State St., Schenectady
Phenos
69 Allen St., Buffalo
The Phinest Buds 576 Dick Road, Suite 10, Depew
Premier Earth Corp 1297 Hertel Ave., Buffalo
Public Flower 232 Allen St., Buffalo
Pure Wellness Dispensary
360 W. Ridge Rd., Rochester
Raven’s Joint 4106 NY-31, Suite 903, Clay
Reef Dispensary 532 Route 9N, Greenfield Center
Ripe Cannabis 245 Broadway, Suite 4, Schenectady
RISE Dispensary 1675 Route 9, Clifton Park
6701 Manlius Center Rd., East Syracuse
556 W. Jefferson Rd., Henrietta
Robinson’s Dispensary 106 Everett Rd., Albany
ROC Dispensary 324 Jefferson Rd., Rochester
Rochester’s Finest Cannabis Dispensary
74 Lake Ave., Rochester
Royale Flower 350 Northern Blvd., Albany
RR Legacy Dispensary 12 Hudson Ave., Glens Falls
Sacred Bloom 1308 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal
Salmon River Cannabis Company
3808 Rome Rd., Pulaski
Sashies Dispensary
201 Northline Rd., Ballston Spa
FLX420 Dispensary Directory (cont'd)
Legal dispensaries and CBD shops in the Finger Lakes Region
Satisfied Mind
31 Webster St., North Tonawanda
Secret Garden 716 1363 Delaware Ave., Buffalo
Sessco Cannabis Dispensary 115 Main St., East Rochester
The Shady Grove Dispensary 3047 W. Henrietta Rd., Henrietta
Silver Cannabis Company
10 Executive Park Dr., Albany
1471 State Route 9, Lake George
75 Weibel Ave., Saratoga Springs
Smokey Paradise 574 Columbia Tpke, East Greenbush
Stage One Dispensary
810 Broadway, Unit C, Rensselaer
Star Buds
396 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo
State of Mind Dispensary
521 Troy-Schenectady Rd., Latham
Sunwalker Farms Microbusiness Dispensary 101 Eastern Blvd., Canandaigua
Sweet Grass Dispensary
123 Cayuga St., Union Springs
126 E. Bayard St., Seneca Falls 315-889-9077
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday thru Sunday sweetgrassdispo.com
See ad on inside back cover
Third Rock Cannabis
131 Saratoga Avenue, Unit 7, South Glens Falls
THTree 12187 Rte. 9W, West Coxsackie
TJ’s Cannabis Co.
4205 Long Branch Rd., Suite 5, Liverpool
Transcend Wellness
289 Oakwood Ave., Troy
TreeHead Culture 665 North French Rd., Amherst
Twisted Cannabis
501 Exchange St., Geneva
Upstate Exotics
9200 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls
Upstate Canna Co. 1613 Union St., Schenectady
Upstate Haze
1280 Dryden Rd., Ithaca
VedaLeaf 2921 Erie Blvd. E., Syracuse
Verilife East Syracuse 5841 Bridge Street, Ste 100, East Syracuse
The Village Green Dispensary
New Hartford Shopping Ctr., Ste. 41, New Hartford
Village One Stop 11 Commercial St., Angola
Wilde Roots 4179 State Rte. 20, Castleton
Wild Flower Dispensary 41 Genesee St., Auburn
William Jane Dispensary 119 East State St., Ithaca
Yeti Canna 1385 Abbott Rd., Lackawanna
Yeti Greenery 607 W. 3rd St., Jamestown
Medical Dispensaries
Be. Ithaca
700 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca
Etain 2140 Erie Blvd., East Syracuse
RISE Dispensary 1675 Route 9, Clifton Park
556 W. Jefferson Rd., Henrietta
Sunnyside Medical Cannabis Dispensary - Mohawk Valley 4776 Commercial Dr., New Hartford
Verilife
10 Executive Park Dr., Albany
25 N. Pointe Parkway, #30, Amherst
642 Old Liverpool Rd., Liverpool
Vireo Health of New York 38 Fuller Rd., Albany
CBD Shops
Above All
372 Exchange St., Geneva
Acadia Canna & Kratom
1971 E. Ridge Road, Irondequoit
2137 Five Mile Line Rd., Penfield
439 Monroe Ave., Rochester
140 Phoenix Mills Plaza, Victor
Allnatural CBD Store 2453 Lyell Road, Rochester
Bodymind Float Center 622-1 Park Ave., Rochester
Buddeez LLC 1460 Lyell Ave., #200, Rochester
Canna Health and Wellness 6075 E. Henrietta Road, Rush
CBD Source 1651 Nathaniel Poole Trail, Brockport 3944 New York 281, Cortland
6750 Route 31, Newark
2851 W. Henrietta Rd., Rochester 1011 W. Genesee St., Syracuse
Evolve CBD 12 South St., Auburn
5 Main St., Cortland
123 W. Broadway, Fulton
Glenna’s CBD
7979 Pittsford Victor Rd., Victor
Glenna’s CBD & Spa 12 Corners Plaza Brighton
Grassroots Wellness NY
350 W. Commercial St., East Rochester
HempSol CBD 1425 Jefferson Rd., #2, Rochester
Lift Off Smoke Shop 644 Monroe Ave., Rochester
Paper & Leaf Hemp Company
41 New Hartford Shopping Center, New Hartford
1900 Brewerton Rd., Syracuse
Phiff CBD
1 East Ave., #575, Rochester
Stout’s Hemp Shop – CBD Store 821 Danby Road, Suite B, Ithaca
Syracuse Hemporium
320 Northern Lights Plaza, Syracuse
Vaping Bad
185 S. Main Street, Canandaigua
48 Castle St., Geneva
Your CBD Store
5843 Transit Rd., East Amhearst
129 W. Commercial St., #1, East Rochester
4154 McKinley Pkwy, Suite 800, Hamburg
3317 Chambers Rd., Horseheads
308 E. Seneca St., Ithaca
3191 Delaware Ave., Kenmore
1901 Vestal Pkwy East, Suite 1B, Vestal
If you know of a legal recreational dispensary, medical dispensary or CBD store Upstate New York that does not appear in this list, please reach out to us at info@flx420.com.
Two Truths and a
THE limit
(continued from page 38)
painting’s going to look like,” Burke said. “Especially if I’m in a live painting atmosphere, I pick up the energy of the music and crowd.”
Burke is active in Auburn’s art scene. He started an artist collective, the Creative Creature Collective, with two other area artists and a rotating roster of people. “We do a lot of live painting,” he said. “We do different music festivals or concerts. We’ll have a bunch of people working on multiple canvases, and then we'll stop and switch it around so another artist will work on that canvas. We're into the same stuff, but we go around and make some cool art for different events.”
For a little more than a year, Burke’s art has been on display at Just Breathe Finger Lakes in Tyre. Burke recalled how he got to know owner Dan Daniels who envisioned having a gallery space in the dispensary. Today, Burke does live painting if a musician is playing at Just Breathe Finger Lakes. He has 10 to 15 pieces exhibited there, along with other local artists including Bryan Simmons, Baylee Wiler and Little Moonrock Gifts. Artwork in Just Breathe Finger Lakes’ gallery rotates every four to five months. There is also a community art show planned for September 12 to 13.
“Dan’s really good at promoting the arts and the artists,” Burke said. “He’s out there trying to help us out, too.”
More of Burke’s work can be found at Moondog’s Lounge in Auburn and the Barn Show in Fulton. To check out his art, visit him on Instagram @KevBur1313.
“I love the fact that not only can I be creative, but I can also help inspire other people. One of my missions in life is to help inspire them to use their true potential as an artist,” Burke stated. “It's a cool community of music, art, hanging out with people and being inspired by all the different cannabis that's out there.”
Getting Creative
THE limit with Cannabis
by Victoria Ritter
A chat with Auburn artist Kevin Burke
For Auburn resident Kevin Burke, cannabis, music and art go handin-hand. Cannabis plays a large part in his art, as it is a common subject theme, enhances the experience of painting and helps him focus on the task at hand.
Burke’s interest in art started at a young age when his mom would babysit other kids and they would work on arts and crafts projects together. Burke would go on fishing trips with his friend – his friend would fish while Burke drew or painted. He went on to study graphic arts at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
Working as an artist for about 20 years, Burke has created between 500 to 1,000 paintings. He favors spray paint and acrylic but is also trying his hand with oil paints. To make his art pop, Burke uses florescent paint.
Typically, Burke prefers to work on canvas or plywood but has worked on several unconventional surfaces including shoes, a car and skateboards. “People give me old skateboards that they're not using anymore,” Burke explained.
“I sand them down and paint those up. Right now, I'm working on a longboard that's coming out pretty cool.”
Apart from commission pieces, there is no planning involved in Burke’s art. He smokes a bit, puts on some music – old-school hip hop, modern jam bands and jazz are his favorites – looks at the canvas, puts down some paint and lets the mood take him. The process of completing a piece can take anywhere from an hour to years.
“I like to work big and small,” Burke
said. “I paint on whatever is in front of me.”
Burke also does live painting at cannabis events and music festivals such as New York Cannabis Cup and Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance. He often brings along a wagon filled with a few of his finished pieces. People will stop by to watch him paint and even request to buy the piece he’s working on.
“The music dictates how the paint’s going to flow and what the
(continued on page 37)
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Cannabis
Cannabis
