WEEKLY ZINE VOL 80

aundre speciale

Croptober Is Right Around the Corner

The air is starting to shift, the leaves are hinting at change, and across fields, greenhouses, and backyards, the harvest is almost here. Croptober isn’t just a season, it’s a heartbeat in cannabis culture For cultivators, it’s the moment they’ve been grinding toward, months of sweat, care, and faith in the plant about to pay off.

For brands and retailers, it means shelves about to flood with the fresh flower, and when craft and passion shine the brightest And for the consumer? It’s anticipation, like standing outside the door before the feast begins, knowing what’s about to hit.

But Croptober is more than just harvest. It’s tradition. It’s community It’s a reminder of where this industry came from back when harvests were celebrated in secret, now celebrated in the open It’s the cycle of the plant mirrored in the cycle of the culture, carrying us from soil to smoke, from seed to season.

So as September winds down and Croptober looms, we celebrate what’s coming The growers pulling tarps, the trimmers getting ready for long nights, the makers prepping fresh drops, and the people who keep this plant at the center of their lives The harvest is almost here, and with it, the spirit of cannabis at its most alive

Dustin Hoxworth

Photo by Paola Tello

by

Photo

Derrall Peach

Pg. 4: Faces of Cannabis - Samantha Dietz

Pg. 24: FNM Feature: Jeff Pehrson

Pg. 8: Market Report - Hoodie Analytics By Bethany Niebauer

Pg. 12: When The Industry Betrays Its Daughters By Mary Jane Blunt

Pg. 20: Cannabis Buyers Club Berkley: Aundre Speciale

Pg. 32: Cultivation Economics 101: Balancing Yield, Costs, and Profit By Tom Anderson

Pg. 36: Business Partners Need Mediation Just Like Marriages Need Counseling By Bethany Neubauer

Pg. 40: The Hotbox w/Þórunn Þórs Jónsdóttir

Pg. 43: Glazed

Samantha “Sam” Dietz

founder of The #Impactivists

Samantha “Sam” Dietz is the founder of The #Impactivists, a growth advisory and brand strategy collective rooted in authenticity, connection, and community

With more than 15 years of experience building brands and movements, Sam has become known as a strategist, dot-connector, and advocate for mission-driven companies.

Through The #Impactivists, she helps clients develop bold social marketing campaigns, impactful brand identities, and collaborative growth programs that create measurable change and inspire loyalty.

A neurodiverse female leader and active voice for authenticity in business, Sam champions cocreation, mutual benefit, and inclusivity as essential tools for building modern brands

Beyond her client work, she continues to amplify voices across industries by serving on the boards of multiple non-profit organizations and social impact networks Away from the desk, Sam recharges by thrifting for hidden gems, collecting (& sharing!) memes, and spending time in nature with her human & furry soulmates, Keith and Johnny (We'll let you guess which is which!)

FNM: What does Cannabis mean to you?

Sam: Cannabis means connection. It calms my thoughts to a point of processable speed without negatively impacting my ability to creatively connect one thought to another. It connects humans and nature, cultures and perspectives, & rolls them all together into something we can quite literally share with each other.