Digital edition of the June 2021 print issue 33 of Herbage Magazine.

magazine

H erb age THE WAR ON DRUGS

COVER ART: SONYA SPEARS

Sarah Lee

Gossett Parrish Excellence. Efficiency. Integrity.

405/815-3434 slgparrish@slgparrishlaw.com www.sarahleegossettparrish.com

lawyer cannabis | litigation | oil & gas

Owner and Publisher Advertising & Design James Bridges james@herbagemag.com New Media Editor Cannabanana & Staff Writer Anna Ervin anna@herbagemag.com

Legal Guide & Wisdom Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish Contributors Chet Tucker Chip Paul

Publishing Assistant Producer Jasmine Harvey jasmine@herbagemag.com

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I DREAMT ONCE

By James Bridges ABOUT THE COVER THE DUDE

By Anna Ervin HERMETICALLY SPEAKING

By James Bridges 50 YEARS-NIXON’S WAR ON DRUGS

By Veronica Castillo LOTUS LETTER - MONTHLY

By Kathy Long-Barker FROM THE FRONT LINES

By Chip Paul SONYA SPEARS - ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

By Anna Ervin SOWING THE SEED

By Chet Tucker CASEDGOD

By Anna Ervin WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE MMJ BILLS?

By Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish Cannabis Lawyer STRAIN OF THE MONTH

By James Bridges AGAINST FEAR

By Tab Moura FLAMINGO

By Anna Ervin INFUSED TABBOULAH SALAD Cannabanana & Mom

I Dreamt Once

By James Bridges HERBAGE MAGAZINE

There’s a glare. It’s in the window in the backdrop of the room I just entered.

Ocean waves crash.

Slow motion. Like a Deftones song, and maybe a drop of magic.

I’m swimming in a dream.

I look over to my right and I notice a man in a suit smiling and laughing with another person in a gas mask. There’s a floating set of handcuffs drifting in front of me in a smiley pattern.

Have I gone insane?

A police woman is catching a tennis ball with her boot. Of course... there’s the beautiful women in swimming suits giggling for no apparent reason. There’s a politician and he is sitting on his hands.

Something is hanging from his mouth that looks like an extraordinarily long tongue. I can hear children playing but nowhere to be seen. I notice a tiny bug in the corner of the room dancing and pointing at the window.

More ocean waves crash.

Smoke fills the room. No worries.

We are now in a spa floating amongst clouds. Somehow we all fit in. Dreams…

A police officer looks over at me and asks what is wrong? A bloody and abused black woman is laughing as if this is the best day of her life. A priest walks by and throws a purple rubber duck in the mix.

For some reason I found this to be the strange part. So I followed it.

It led me walking down a small pathway. There were twists and turns along the way.

Feet tired.

I made it to a clearing and there was a purple flower in the center of an all white room. The urge to look away from this flower was nonexistent. I could not think of anything other than this flower.

Vanish.

Now I am in a small white room. No flower. No priest. No spa.

Not even smiley face shaped handcuffs. Just a white room and myself. I close my eyes.

I imagine being on an island. At first there’s fear. Fear of being alone. Fear of abandonment. Fear of loss. Fear of worthlessness.

Remember.

Remember the sounds. The ocean waves. The children in the distance. The little bug in the corner telling you to look. The people laughing and not playing roles.

Then there’s the glare. All you have to do is look into the glare.

3

The Cover

by James Bridges

All of us have been affected.

“Doesn’t affect me directly.” That’s what my go to thought is when I get angry at those that have so many followers when they speak untruths or talk in ways that make their followers feel blindfolded and act as if they are their savior.

Guess what did affect me. Maybe more indirectly. It has reminded me of the actual importance of making oneself be heard. What affected me has affected all of us that are still living on this planet within this realm of reality. That thing was Richard Milhous Nixon’s declaration of the war on drugs a mere 50 years ago.

Fear is an easy thing to hide things under. Simply browse through most literature and historical documents and you will see a trail of fear dragging behind some of the most absurd and damaging happenings on this planet made by mankind. It is atrocious to say the least.

I traveled throughout the internet and all over Oklahoma shops and could never find a mask that resembled that dirty old Dick. So what’s the next best thing that actually turned out to be a better choice?

I called an awesome local artist Sonya Spears and tried to explain. She cut me off mid sentence. “Say no more,” she said. “I totally see what you are going for.”

And she did. Sonya Spears is available for commission.

You can read more about her amazing talent by Anna in the other pages.

Economic Impact Since 1971, the war on drugs has cost the United States an estimated $1 trillion. In 2015, the federal government spent an estimated $9.2 million every day to incarcerate people charged with drug-related offenses—that’s more than $3.3 billion annually.

State governments spent another $7 billion in 2015 to incarcerate individuals for drug-related charges.20North Carolina, for example, spent more than $70 million incarcerating people for drug possession.21And Georgia spent $78.6 million just to lock up people of color for drug offenses—1.6 times more than the state’s budget current for substance use treatment services.

In contrast, marijuana legalization would save roughly $7.7 billion per year in averted enforcement costs and would yield an additional $6 billion in tax revenue. The net total—$13.7 billion—could send more than 650,000 students to public universities every year.

4

The Dude

by Anna Ervin HERBAGE MAGAZINE

With the 9-year anniversary of my dad’s passing behind me, I’ve been thinking about him a lot lately. I often think about the legacy that he left behind for me, and I wonder if he’d be proud of the life I’ve created for myself.

My dad was a self-taught auto mechanic for over 25 years. He could completely overhaul a vehicle’s transmission and send the driver back on the road in a matter of days, often to never see them back in his shop. He had customers drive from all corners of the state for his service, but he hated his career. I can still picture him placing his hand on the doorknob that led from my mother’s office into his shop and saying, “when I die, if the door to heaven looks like this, I’m going to hell.”

The career he had built with so much pride, although successful, would continue to eat away at his spirit up until the weeks before he passed.

It wasn’t all bad though. Over time he found ways to chase his dreams outside of work. He loved art, music, traveling, and of course, cannabis. I remember walking into my living room on a handful of occasions to see him leaning over a guitar, or a pen and paper, writing a song amidst the faint smell of something I was too young to identify.

I sometimes think that he made a point to pursue these passions late in his life to set an example for me. Like he wanted me to see the value in making time for the things that I loved, so I didn’t fall into the same 9-5 trap that he did.

Whether this was his intention or not, it’s still the most valuable lesson I think I could have learned from him in our short time together. I’ve always had a hard time settling for jobs or career paths that didn’t make me feel challenged, or fulfilled. Throughout my life I’ve often found myself throwing in the towel, saying “this isn’t the right job for me, I know there’s something better out there.”

This mindset led me to explore some pretty cool, creative fields of work over the last several years. But it wasn’t until recently that I found the job that allows me to explore the things that I love through my work. The job that made all the other seemingly pointless jobs I had worked previously finally make sense.

Although I had grown up watching my father dread his weekdays, I never saw him falter when it came to his work ethic. He took a lot of pride in everything that he did, and rarely backed down from a challenge. I’ve given every job I’ve had my all, and I’ve learned a few things along the way – things that have allowed me to adopt a more positive perspective on my previous employment, one that fills my heart with gratitude.

Some of the organizational skills I acquired working in my first office setting are the same methods I use to keep myself on track today, both in my career and my personal life; the creative (and sometimes eccentric) marketing skills I learned while working at a trendy doughnut shop equipped me for the colorful and expansive world of publishing and content creation; and finally, the ability to adapt to just about any kind of work environment has prepared me for the ever-evolving roles that my current position demands.

So, I’m thankful to my dad for instilling confidence in me to keep chasing my dreams, and avoid settling for less than anything that makes me feel happy and passionate. I’m thankful that he taught me the value in hard work and believing in myself.

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize that the best way to ensure that my dad would be proud of me is to continue to be exactly the person that I am – the daughter he raised to be inspired, courageous, and resilient.

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. Difficult to do due to weight and environmental factors.”

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 sox going down the fabric.

The duct sox 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 sox. 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 soil-less medium.”

“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 sixmonth 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.

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.”

“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.”

Every journey starts somewhere.

“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.”

“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.”

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,

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.

“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

7

The 50 Year Anniversary Nixon’s Attack on Black and Brown People Through the War on Drugs

by Veronica Castillo

In 1971, the lives of black and brown people received another threat. In this threat, the government focused on changing an entire nation’s law just to keep black and brown people suppressed and oppressed. In 1971, President Nixon, with an ugly, disgusting, racist soul- officially declared a “War on drugs”, loosely translated: a “war on black and brown people”. Because in America at the time, freedom was a focus. And whenever the nation moves even an inch closer, the fear of leaders and supporters of white supremacy start to rage.

For in America, the freedom of the black and brown people is the biggest fear of a white supremacist and their supporters. Nixon decided that this couldn’t happen and so,terror continued. Black and brown lives in this country never have mattered much. Sure we have “all lives matter” chanting and protesting but- that chant and protest wouldn’t be needed if “all lives matter” were really the case in America.

The History of Plants Being on Schedules In 1970, President Nixon, in all of his rage, signed the CSA into American law ruining thousands of lives- not all lives- but mostly black and brown. The Controlled Substance Act officially prohibited cannabis and placed the plant on schedule 1- as a very dangerous drug.

But it started in 1937 with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, where cannabis became taxable. This happened because of racism and prejudice against Mexicans who were coming to American with their medicinal herb, Marihuana. This act didn’t outlaw cannabis, just made accessibility harder. At that time, marijuana was not classed as a major drug like opium and heroin, which were prohibited under the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914.

Harry Anslinger, another disgusting, worse than vomit individual who was the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner, helped pass the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act through his campaign against cannabis- not just marijuana, but the whole plant. For 5 presidents, over a 30+ year career, Harry terrorized the lives of black and brown people. Check out the movie: The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

In 1970 when cannabis was outlawed completely, the government rang the bell and just like that, black and brown lives were under a new attack.

The Controlled Substance Act and Its Schedules Photo by Author In 1970, Harry and his goons, known as the federal government, declared marijuana more dangerous than cocaine, meth, oxycodone, and fentanyl; a plant, an herb, like tea; a plant with 5000 years of healing proof. According to the government, schedule I drugs have the highest potential for abuse and the potential to create psy

chological and/or physical dependence (do you notice the decision made off of “potential” not “proof ”?).

The American government is evil and twisted as heck. I mean- they have marijuna listed as more dangerous than Cocaine! Codeine!

Meth! All of the plants that can heal- are on schedule 1:

Schedule I: Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are: · Heroin · Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) · Marijuana (cannabis) · 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) · Methaqualone · Peyote (cactus) · Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) Schedule II: Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are: · Combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin) · Cocaine · Methamphetamine · Methadone · Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) · Meperidine (Demerol) · Oxycodone (OxyContin) · Fentanyl · Dexedrine · Adderall · Ritalin Schedule 3: Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a low to moderate potential for physical and psychological dependence. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are: · Tylenol with codeine · Ketamine · Anabolic steroids · Testosterone Schedule 4: Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a low probability for misuse and abuse.Some examples of Schedule IVdrugs are: · Xanax · Soma · Darvocet · Valium · Ambien

Dear American Government, You Got it Wrong All of the information on the schedules are B*LLSH*T! We know that from the huge opioid epidemic in this country and many others! We know that all the plants that heal are outlawed because the government can careless about actual healing- just control!

Hear from Americans about what you did to our country with your control, greed, and hatred due to fear and jealousy, of black and brown people: “The government definitely got it wrong and created more harm than good starting with Harry Anslinger(Head of FBN). Anslinger denounced any positive research and prosecuted 3,000+ American Medical Association doctors who prescribed narcotic drugs through 1939. Anslinger testified before Congress saying, “Marijuana is the most violent-causing drug in the history of mankind”, and used Gore Files-often racist, horror stories over-hyped with cannabis as the cause of violence, but in 1948-1950, Anslinger contradicted himself claiming that cannabis did NOT make users violent, but pacifistic. Congress would vote to continue restrictions against cannabis, but this time for the exact OPPOSITE reasons. It doesn’t make sense!!! Just like Nixon signing the Controlled Substance Act in 1970 and putting cannabis on the Schedule 1 list doesn’t make sense”. - Cheryl Clements with House of Weird Perfection “The War on Drugs has mutated and still lingers over the Chicago southside communities like a dark cloud over our Windy City.

Something unnoticed in the 182 pages of the Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act is that consumers can still be given a ticket and fined if seen smoking on their porch or backyard, which was echoed by the Chicago Police Department in a video released to Youtube.Though the legalization of marijuana is ev idence of a significant cultural shift in mores and legal standards, I am historically and observantly not convinced that Black Americans will be granted that autonomy.”- Victoria Sockwell- Writer and Researcher “I’m going to speak directly to the government. When you started the “War on drugs,” you didn’t anticipate pushback from the citizens that you were voted in to represent. We voted for you because we thought you had our best interest in mind. You spread the lie that Cannabis is a gateway drug using your religious leader puppets. You spread the lies of the black and brown community stating that cannabis makes black men ``violate their women”, You created that lie that resulted in targets on our backs. It’s time to legalize Cannabis, stop the lies, and be the leaders you were voted in to be.

Listen to the people!” - Terry Byas- Writer “Growing up in the heart of the drug war, The Emerald Triangle, I didn’t understand that running from helicopters, hiding from cocked guns, kidnapping, rape, and overall oppression was not normal. By the time I was 16 I had experienced all of this, and all of it had gotten swept under the rug. The drug war has created a

huge rug for millions of atrocities to get swept under. When we aknowledge natural medicines with senseible policies we can begin to address the real issues such human trafficking, drug addiction, food insecurtiy, homelssness, racism, and the other many inequities oppressive systems create. As we unravel the traumas we can heal the impacts. It’s time for our country to end the war so we can heal. As long as natural medicines are criminalized, the true atrocities of the world will have rugs to get swept under. I am ready to beat some rugs!” - Lelehnia DuBois- Humboldt Grace “The War on Drugs is a huge failure in this country. It has had negative impacts on millions of people by persecution and criminalizing the habitual users. Which is important to note that people who are users are not criminals, they are actually victims. The government’s agenda has led to mass incarceration of millions of people, increased white collar crimes, and has led to systemic human rights abuses. All of these dynamics are more while still fueling the powerful drug cartels. Let’s think of, “The Balloon Effect.” As the Government showcases their efforts of dismantling drug production or major routes, the supply for the end user is not reduced.

Let’s take crystal meth for an example. The US government stated that they regulated the sale of chemicals used to manufacture the drug. So although most major big meth manufacturers went out of business, thousands of small-scale operations sprung up all over the country, using chemicals that weren’t regulated. The U.S has a drug enforcement budget of $30 billion a year but the success rate is about 1%. Let that sink in. In the 80’s, Switzerland was heading towards the same direction but decided to Institute the War on Drugs as a Health crisis. They got it right, instead America has intentionally created an unachievable goal while creating human misery and bulldozing human rights”.- Samuel Johnson- Black Men in Suits Urban Nation In Closing U.S Customs and Border Protection- Department of Homeland Security knows that lethal drugs are let into the country by other government organizations- heck- they may even organize it. They say this: “Just prior to the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, the Customs Agency Service compiled a Narcotics Manual that reported: “Marihuana may be cultivated or grown wild in almost any locality. Inasmuch as this drug is so readily obtained in the United States, it is not believed to be the subject of much organized smuggling from other countries.” Today, however, marijuana trafficking is a major concern of CBP, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration”.

The war was vicious, not necessary, and lost. The people spoke and continue to speak.

9

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LOTUS LETTERS What Did You Call Me?!

Looking up from the letter with furrowed brows, you sit with it in your hands trying to understand why the contents feel so familiar. As if you’d written it yourself knowing you’d be exactly where you are now.

In a chair, talking to a cat....

You must have looked hilarious trying to make heads or tails of it, to have conjured such a musical laugh from Howligree: “Relax Starseed, you act as if you are supposed to have a hempcrete understanding of everything right this very instant!”

Your expression delves further into exclamation and she just grins. For you couldn’t possibly know everything in this now moment, it would be too much in too short of a timeframe! After all, you’re partially human, you’d combust!!

“Here, let’s try this,” she murmurs handing you another letter.

Dearest Daring Divine, I see you haven’t up and abandon our correspondence, good. I have loads to tell you!

What’s this though? You seem a bit rattled...Ah, You’ve met Howligree haven’t you...Mmhm, curious being isn’t she. Well, I suppose I should explain some things before we dive further into other topics. Let’s see now... Oh! Of course! You are probably wondering what the bloody hell a ‘Star Seed’ is.

In short, you are. Haha, but that’s not enough, is it?

No, I suppose not. Alright, alright.

A star seed is typically referred to as a human being with an origin outside of Earth. A being who incarnated on this planet to experience life as a human, with tangible senses.

For some, it’s as simple as that! It’s exciting to be human! It’s akin to taking a vacation to the space between worlds of density and lightness. We get to bask in aromas and flavorings. We get to feel the cool ground beneath our feet as we run and listen to the winds many songs. As if all of that wasn’t enough...we have the honor of making love into corporeality.

by

Kathy Long-Barker

It sounds like a dream! And that’s the rub, to most of us that’s precisely what it feels like. You see Earth has a sort of checkpoint if you will, a veil. When we pass through it on our way in, we tend to forget our cosmic roots. All of our knowledge. Countless ‘lifetimes’ and experiences.

But why? Well, for most star seeds this isn’t spring break. It’s a mission, a test...one in which no cheat sheets are permitted. Coming here means you must make yourself remember. For each step you take in remembering who you are, you radiate the frequency of recollection to you, your fellow star siblings, and furthermore to those who originate here on mother Gaia. Whom which I might add know nothing but this world and its difficulties. Can you imagine the uprising once they realize they aren’t just human? But rather, HUMAN. See what happens when you switch the word you emphasize? A fair amount of beings have experienced harrowing trials as a constant. You and I both know negativity tends to make a more prominent impact than positivity here in this version of reality.

Look, what I’m so eloquently trying to say is this: Existing means to operate by way of frequency. And frequencies act like dominoes.

For Star Seeds to come from an energy of such unconditional love and sovereignty to a world whose inhabitants primarily believe they are helpless and restrained in bondage...you do the math. There’s no stopping a chain reaction.

Just by being here, just by reading this, you have opened a door for you and countless others. Nothing is expected of you, you need not brandish a sword nor scream your perspectives from rooftops if you don’t wish to.

You only need to know that you are the embodiment of love and truth. Both will set you and this world free.

Thank you from the deepest wells of my heart. This is no easy feat. In fact, I dare say this is the most difficult dimension I’ve ever visited...but here you are anyway. Amazing.

Until we read again

Fondest and proudest regards, the YOUniverse

What Is Cannabis Insurance Coverage?

Working in the cannabis industry means that your company faces a broad range of exposures and a complex regulatory environment. That’s why cannabis insurance coverage is extremely important to your business, whether you are a manufacturer, distributor, retailer or wholesaler.

What Does It Cover?

Commercial general liability insurance Product liability insurance Crop insurance Stock throughput insurance Workers compensation insurance Cargo insurance Cyber insurance

Why Do You Need It?

The cannabis industry is emerging. As the industry grows and becomes more regulated, risks will surely develop, and cannabis businesses face some unique risks.

The right coverage will help you avoid claims, and help your business grow. Not to mention, it will also provide you with peace of mind.

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From The Front Lines

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 program. 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 being denied jobs, or housing, or medical care because they hold a medical marijuana card.

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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!

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Sonya Spears

by Anna Ervin HERBAGE MAGAZINE

When I met local artist Sonya Spears at the Surf Bar in Shawnee, she was thrilled to have found another hangout spot with healthy options in her new community. Sonya had moved from OKC just before the pandemic and was only just now seeming to surface from the initial culture shock of small-town life.

“I came up here to Shawnee and it was like, ‘oh… I’m in the sticks. There is nothing here,’” Sonya laughed as she recalled her first impression of the city. “But it turns out that there is a tremendous culture hidden underneath. At the bottom of it there is humanity. I think I have found a great group of people here.”

As she spoke, I noticed that Sonya carried an aura of both curiosity and compassion around her. I thought, this is the type of person who tries not to take anything in life for granted, the type who realizes how precious and unique each moment is.

Someone who notices all of the subtle things in life, the little miracles that are happening to us and around us constantly.

I’ve met this type of person before, and I have many of them in my life today, so I understand that this deeper appreciation for and understanding of life doesn’t just exist out of a vacuum.

Usually, some thing or event in their life has forced them slow down and shift their perception.

“Someone once told me that I am an outsider artist,” Sonya said.

“I’m just self-taught. I didn’t go to college. I don’t have a degree.

I just have a passion, and I love to study, and I love people. I just take all those little pieces of my love and I stick them on the canvas.”

“I was really interested in art in school, but when I jumped out into the workforce there wasn’t an easy opening. Oklahoma City was a competitive market. It just became one of those things where I’d say, ‘I’ll get to it, I’ll get to it..’” Instead, Sonya dove into the corporate world. She worked as an office manager for a medical billing company for nearly 25 years, until a severe stroke forced her to shift course.

ing it as I was working on it. I needed to take a break and do something fun.”

This is when she decided to shift her focus to painting celebrity faces, such as the classic stoner comedy duo, Cheech and Chong. “I have this series that I’m calling ‘The Smokey Dudes,’” Sonya told me. “Anyone that is iconic, I’m going to capture them smoking. That is the time when they have that light in their eyes and their smiles are genuine. It is really impossible to be a fake happy person when you have cannabis running through your veins.”

Later, Sonya took me over to Rob & Son’s dispensary, on the corner of 9th and Market Ave, where a few of her paintings from the ‘Smokey Dudes’ series were still displayed. “When people stop in to get their medicine,” she told me, “they sometimes take a piece of art home with them too.”

I asked Sonya what kind of role cannabis played in her painting.

“I was just an artist,” Sonya continued, “and Rob saw my work. I had no idea that there was an interweaving of art and cannabis.

I take it for granted, but here I am sort of being a part of it.”

“There are some occasions,” she began, “when I will find myself in a place where I have creative’ block, or hit a wall. Where the paint or the brushes won’t work, or the humidity is messing with me – I really think that a lot of times it is an internal thing, I’m not functioning. Cannabis takes a lot of the static out of the equation.”

Sonya hesitated before carrying on, as if she was trying to decide if she could trust me with what she wanted to say next. “I really feel that when I’m in that state of mind, when I am dancing with the cannabis queen, I feel like I am closer to Spirit. As if I am it’s conduit for creating something, but I can’t really tap in unless I have this great connection with Spirit.”

“Cannabis takes me there,” she continued. “It blocks out all the stuff that doesn’t really matter: anxiety, depression, insecurity, feeling like I don’t really have what it takes… That stuff can get really loud, but cannabis will hush the negative that is rolling through me. It’s beautiful.”

“I was paralyzed,” she recalled, “but I took a year off to learn to walk and use my hands again. In recovery I decided to tap into that person I was that I had left behind. I went into my storage, and I blew the dust off of whatever I had left and pulled out all of my old art supplies. That is when Scott Barrett found me.

He and Sabrina opened up the community gallery, down at the Shawnee mall.”

Eager to get back into her old craft, Sonya found herself right at home doing exhibitionist paintings for anyone who wandered into the gallery. At the time, Covid was making it’s way into the US, hurling Shawnee residents into a pandemic that many had not expected.

“There were a lot of people processing grief because of Covid,” she recalled. “They were losing family members, children, grandparents, wives... People would come by, and they would see that I was doing my best version of realism, that I was really trying to capture the essence of the person I was painting, and they would want me to bring their loved one back to life through that.”

As Sonya began painting Shawnee’s residents, she realized that she was chronicling the city’s healing time, as these individuals were working through their grief processes. “It was heavy,” she remembered. “All of the death, grief, and energy. I was absorb-

19

Sowing The Seed

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.

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

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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. And 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!

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CasedGod

By Anna Ervin HERBAGE MAGAZINE

“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.”

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.

His journey to becoming one of OKC’s best known 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 Jeff is the type of person who greets you with a smile and a carve my own path in that regard.” warm hug every time you meet, and never shies away from the opportunity to add a little light and color to someone’s Working at a local dispensary, Jeff began taking the opporworld. However, his desire to make the world a more com- tunity to ask vendors to let him highlight their business or passionate place was born out of his own struggles with opi- products free of charge. “For a good 6 months,” he explained, oid addiction. At the age of 19, Jeff overdosed on heroin for “I did a bunch of work for free, just kind of proving myself. the second time in his life.”

And it was the best time in my life. I got to meet all the best processors, growers, chefs, cultivators, and extractors in the “The first time,” Jeff began explaining, one Thursday after- industry.” noon 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 “What it eventually did is it made a network for myself that, same urges or desires anymore. I just had the desire to help wherever I went, I had really really great relationships.” people and I didn’t know where to place it.”

This work ethic and dedication to his craft grabbed the attention of his current employer. “The boss had told me that While attending a leadership academy in Arkansas, Jeff fell he had been watching my Instagram for 6 months. His exinto the film track, learning to operate a camera and edit vid- act words were, ‘I love the way that you show people. I love eos, among other things. “I was home,” he recalled. “It was the way that you highlight people’s businesses. I want you to like picking up a drug again. I picked up a camera and there work for my team.” was nothing better than that.”

“With 1440,” he continued, “I’m representing some of the “Addiction kind of isolates you as a person,” Jeff continued, best brands in the nation. I’m actually going to get to travel “so you see the world through a different lens, or different around the country and film for Viola’s cultivation tours. I’m perception. Because of that, I feel like I can see pictures be- excited about that.” fore they happen, and time myself to be perfectly positioned to capture people in a light they may not typically get to see Backtracking to his remark about the valuable relationships themselves in.” he had created through his work in the industry, I asked Jeff if he had received any noteworthy advice or inspiration from “With my camera work all I want to do is inspire people to his community. He left me with this: be the better versions of themselves. There was one point in time when someone showed me a picture of me, I was like, “Keep your head down and keep grinding. Don’t pay atten‘woah. That’s me?’ In that moment I had instilled confidence, tion to the attention, because when you focus on anything I had hope, I had faith. And I just continued to build off of but your work, you’re losing time. As hard as you can work, that.” while you can work, do that.

I had invited Jeff to meet me in the Plaza in OKC to give him “Don’t pay attention to people who are going to be negative. an opportunity to tell his story. Being the driven guy that he When you are succeeding, when you’re continuing to rise, is, he showed up with all of his equipment and gear, ready to you will be tested at every level, and if you’re not then you’re shoot. After reminding him that we were just there to chat not truly making any progress. about the things going on in his world, he laughed and admitted he’d been a little overbooked lately. Jeff is currently “Any progress is forward progress. Pay attention to your mithe CMO for 1440 Processing, on top of managing a photog- cro wins and macro wins. Even the tiniest little bit of prography business that takes him all over the state. ress is something to be completely celebrated.

“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.” 22 22

“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.”

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A revolutionary cannabis company specializing in Organic and sustainable practices. The very term “Hermetic” has its very roots in Ancient Greece as well as Ancient Egypt.

Hermeticism is based upon and attributed to the teachings of Hermés Trismegistus, a sage based sometime around late antiquity. The very translation of the Hermetic corpus is what boosted The Italian renaissance. People such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were heavily influenced by this philosophical treat. Alchemy sprang forth from these ideologies, giving birth to modern day chemistry, Science, and Western thought. This art form was then transformed into the profane, taking away its very essence, the spiritual wisdom needed to change lead (material spirit) into gold (Sun source or pure spirit).

The works of Giordano Bruno, Italian Alchemist and influencer of Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos”, were stumbled upon by mixing Hermetic philosophy with Moroccan hashish...Proclaiming a Heliocentric model and that the universe was many infinite universes. This later had him burned at the cross. It is our belief that by ditching profane science and making our way back to spiritual alchemy, that we are to become one with ourselves and the plant.

It is our mission to mix spiritual philosophy with craft cannabis to bring the holy trinity of healing; which is the mind, the body, and the soul. There’s absolutely no questions pertaining around cannabis NOT being a valuable medicine for physical and mental ailments...but what about the spiritual sense?

The taboo nature of man itself which raises such questions of, “ why am I here? What are we doing here?

What does it mean to be alive” all these have meaning and are being acted upon within the garden of the Hermetic Flower Co. We focus on maintaining a standard of medicine that’s unheard of in the state let alone the south.

What else makes hermetic so special? They’re not only organic, living soil....they also make their own compost, on site, via vermicompost, AKA worm POOP! Using a specially formulated worm diet, Alex, the Director of cultivator and science, is able to influence the metaphysical properties of the body; specifically the seven chakras or seven alchemical planets through watering the compost in through a process known as ACT or Aerated compost tea.

This adds the beneficial microbiology and fungi from the high quality compost into the raised beds that team ALPACA cultivate out of. After the tea is complete, we then close the loop by disposing of the waste back into the Vemicompost bins where the process starts all over again. A full life and death cycle and we haven’t even touched on the plants yet!! Alex and his team of Alpacs, plant and harvest around the cycles of the moon.

“Nothing on the planet can move water like the moon can” As the Moon influences the water in the plant, we see it as a prime time to harvest and flip our plants into flowers. Even though an indoor grow, it’s important to remember that we’re dealing with nature and respecting and understanding the cycles of nature is of the utmost importance to us.

We are also in a vertical rack cultivation system meaning we cultivate on multiple levels instead of just on the ground floor. It allows us to maximize our cubic volume, which is how cannabis grows anyways, through cubic volume!

Finally, our last attempt at trying our best to maintain efficiency and sustainability is using LED technology. LEDs make for a more efficient lighting source in the way that it disperses heat, it allows for excess humidity while consuming less power and allows you to manipulate the amount of photons that hit the canopy. This in combination with VPD or vapor pressure deficit, allows us to manipulate and influence our environment to mimic that of the Nepal Mountain ranges; where we believe landrace, heavy medicine comes from.

We want to bring out those genetic expressions through each individual cultivar we carry.

The Hermetic Flower Company isn’t just a cannabis company, it’s a cannabis lifestyle. From Italian Renaissance smoking Alchemist to every day spiritual seekers the philosophy, integrity and consistency of this company will have you thinking, feeling, and smelling LOUD!

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REGULAR SESSION OF OK’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:

Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission was removed, prior to passage of the final version which Governor Stitt signed.

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”.

What’s the take-away?

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

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

27

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.

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

I felt really nothing that morning. 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.

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We eventually asked to try Benadryl, as long as we monitored her use carefully. It did make her fall asleep faster, but the nighttime events didn’t stop. We played with her diet some more, she was temporarily put on a few other medicines, including a steroid for her allergies. All of the pharmaceuticals caused side effects, and none of them helped her stay asleep. I asked to try Melatonin at this point, because why not. We were already using B and C class drugs to help her sleep, why not try a supplement that actually helps with sleep? It took an adult dose of melatonin to help her sleep, and we had to keep her awake late for it to prevent a “nighterror.” We no longer felt they were night terrors at this point, but we didn’t know what else to call them. We met with a naturopath who tested her saliva, she told me that my daughter’s cortisol was so high in her body that her melatonin was depleted.

Melatonin depleted, high cortisol, her poor liver, her poor brain… I sobbed.

Against Fear

by Tab Moura I remember the night that I realized she wasn’t ok. The night I switched from “woe is me, my baby never sleeps,” to “why isn’t she sleeping?” It was 2017, I had a newborn, and my 2 year old was having hour long night terrors every night. She was thrashing, and screaming and inconsolable… and just as suddenly as it began, it would end.

And she had no recollection of our “time together” the following morning.

I tried playing her favorites, Trolls or Word Party. I tried singing or dancing to her favorite songs. I tried being hands off, testing to see if I was making it worse by intervening. Nothing helped, the duration was the same. This is my child with the most allergies, so her doctor wasn’t worried, just suggested we look over her diet again and see why she was “waking” so often. I didn’t know how to explain it at the time… but she wasn’t just crying, she wasn’t lucid. She didn’t seem to recognize me. Whatever these episodes were, she wasn’t awake and she wasn’t herself.

Who could help my daughter? We had all of these clues and snapshots, but no answers. I was grateful for the company, but I still felt helpless. That’s when we tried CBD. At first we looked up her weight and tried 2.5mg of CBD, roughly .5mg for every 5lbs of bodyweight.

It was so strange… that night when her screaming began, she had this glimpse of recognition in her eyes. She was still screaming, but she was more alert than normal. She responded to me when I said her name. She eventually sat down with me and fell asleep watching Trolls. So we tried more. Eventually she was taking 10mg of CBD every night, and while she was still waking up in distress, she was finally lucid and expressive.

Who could help my daughter? I could. So I did.

My daughter is now an OMMA cannabis patient, we now know that she experiences neurological symptoms of various kinds. We learned that there are areas of the brain more easily affected by histamine— guess where it is? The fear center. We have come such a long way since the night I realized something was wrong. She is almost 6 and is now her own biggest advocate… because I taught her that we can always do something.

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“Flamingo also derives from Oklahoma sunsets when they’re pink,” he continued. “That moment when they’re pink is super fleeting. You gotta be out there for maybe 3-5 minutes or you’ll miss it. I just want the songs to be like that.”

It’s 2013. I’m at the gymnasium at my local university surrounded by cowboy hats and red solo cups. One of my friends is eager for me to hear a new artist he’s been listening to. Despite the number of steel-toed boots on the gym floor, I’m surprised to hear a handful of hip hop tracks coming out of the speakers. After the show, we get an opportunity to meet the artist. I purchase a flat billed hat that says “DOPE” across the front and he signs it “Josh Sallee.”

“This album has been almost 5 years in the making. It’s cool that I really wasn’t rushed. This is going to be the album I want to put out, I don’t care if it takes 5, 10 years. At this point I’m not even nervous. We’re going to put the work in and we know the music is good.”

by Anna Ervin HERBAGE MAGAZINE

Fast forward to 2021, where I’ve found myself sitting across from Josh at one of my favorite local coffee shops in OKC. He’s been busy throughout the pandemic getting ready to release his new album, and I wanted a chance to catch up with him during his down time.

“Wooooow,” Josh exclaimed as I brought up the 2013 show, “with Stoney LaRue? What was it called, ‘Chaps and Raps?’” Sounds about right.

“I started making music in 2011-2012,” Josh explained, “when I was just getting out of college. 2014-2015 was when it started becoming a career. At that time, I had just dropped an album and had a release show. We were getting booked on so many shows.

We were taking whatever we could get, no matter what it was. If it was $50, or $1000, we would do it.”

I began to wonder who “we” might include, so I asked Josh if any other artists were to be featured on the album. “My best friend Blev produced a couple of songs,” he reported. “What’s cool is that it’s just me and Blev, and that’s how it started years ago. I didn’t bring in any big producers, it’s just all in house.”

“I’m excited for people to hear the album,” he continued, “because there’s some talent on there and they’ll get to hear these new voices that I haven’t worked with before.” Flamingo will also feature artists signing to Josh’s label, such as 24-year-old local, Hugh Glass.

“He’s incredible,” Josh told me of Hugh. “I’m just happy for him that he has a team around him now and we all believe in him, so I’m excited for him and for that. I think that even the music is better if you’re doing that – your songs have a camaraderie feel to them.”

Looking back at the handful of his shows I’ve seen in the past, it’s clear that he puts a lot of love and intention into his time on stage. I couldn’t help but wonder how he had been coping with the absence of that.

I could tell his family of artists and friends meant a lot to him.

“Every Monday night,” he explained, “whoever wants to will come by and jam, listen to the albums that we have, hang out…

It’s turned into this vibe of a Monday night thing at my studio.

The energy in that room is really crazy right now. We actually got what we’ve been working for and for me it’s taken so long.”

Josh’s record label, 88 REC is currently awaiting a contracted deal with an investment firm out of Houston. “I’ve passed on record deals,” Josh said, “a lot of them coming up. Some were really bad deals with really good companies.” He told me of occasions when he doubted his decision to pass on those deals, but in the end his patience paid off.

“It’s been horrible,” he said. “One of the best parts about making music is one of those shows where the energy is up, and in that moment there’s really no thought going on. You’re just having the best time of your life, you’re just trying to express yourself.

“This is one of those moments,” he said, “where you’re like, ‘no, you were doing the right thing and now you got what you wanted.’ It’s cool when you trust in yourself. That doesn’t always happen, it can be really shitty and hard but sometimes it works out.”

“At the same time,” Josh continued, “independent touring is really hard. For every great show there was a shitty show. I don’t miss that part, but I definitely think that coming back, the music industry is about to have a massive boom. There are a lot of people that are ready to go. I’m ready to get back out there.”

Working on his own independent label gives Josh the opportunity to move forward with his work in whichever way he sees fit.

I was eager to find out what he planned to do with that freedom once covid restrictions begin to lift.

“We were just trying to make new fans, and here we are years later,” he gestured towards the table, “so it came full circle.”

Although Josh has been making music for the better part of a decade, the pandemic forced him to take a step back from certain aspects of his career, like performing.

When I asked if he was planning on gracing the stage again anytime soon, he explained that he’s been doing his best to maintain social awareness and responsibility. “Oklahoma has been pretty open during the whole thing, like obviously we still have masks but now, it’s pretty much back to normal. I’ve seen places that are at full capacity. It’s hard because you don’t want to offend anybody and you don’t want to pull the trigger on your show too early. You want to just be respectful of it and that’s kind of what I’m doing.”

“I’ve had a bunch of show offers,” he explained, “but I’d rather roll it out with the album, not just perform to perform.”

Josh’s album, Flamingo, is expected to be released during Summer 2021. “In a quick summary,” Josh said, “it represents artist purgatory. Flamingo is this place that I’ve been stuck in while making this. Now I know I’m out of it, but that’s what the album talks about. I didn’t know if I was done. I was in between quitting and I had to reflect on all of it.”

30

“It’s fun when you have a new album to perform,” he continued, “and you get to see how everybody reacts and which songs go crazy live. Usually the songs that mean the most to me end up meaning the most to others. It’ll be interesting to see.”

“There’s one that is so dear to me. It’s something I’m so proud of and connected to, every time I hear it I feel more positive about myself. That one I think people will like, but it’s not a single, so it’ll just be tucked away on the album and they’ll have to find it.”

As Josh continued to reflect on his journey over the last decade and the exciting future that awaits him, I asked if he had any advice that he would have liked to hear back in 2013.

“Slow down,” he said firmly. “You don’t have to rush to get things out. Move around, get out of Oklahoma. And don’t be afraid to work with more people. I think I have improved my life a lot just as a person by trying to be more aware of who I was and how I treated people.”

Stay up to date on the latest from Josh and his label: @joshsallee and @88rec_ on Instagram

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Ignorance, Stubbornness, Self-Induced Confusion.

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If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself if you might be refusing to see the situation for what it truly is.

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We might be feeling the weight of a major decision this month.

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“I want to put the albums out and do some community projects,” he began. “I want to work with some videographers now that we have the budget that I never thought I could. I’d like to be traveling and hopefully on tour, I want to get out there and push the art to the coasts. Even if it’s just on the weekends, just trying to get back to being in front of people.”

Pay close attention to your environment, influences, and the direction your energy is heading in.

Try not to be so stubborn.

Infused Tabbouleh Salad

by Anna Ervin

The recipes I typically share here are childhood family favorites that have been adapted and infused with a little plant-based love. However, life is constantly evolving, and with that my family looks a little different now than it did 15 years ago.

We’ve lost loved ones, moved to different cities, and even picked up a few strays along the way. One of those strays is my favorite Aussie, aka mom’s boyfriend, aka Tim Silver.

Tim visits us all the way from Australia, but before the pandemic he traveled all over the globe. One thing Tim and I have in common is our love for good food. Tim is an excellent cook, and has introduced many new and diverse methods of cooking to our family.

Anytime he visits, he goes out of his way to wow me with a meatless dish. The salad I’m about to share with you is inspired by Tim’s tabbouleh, and infused with my favorite canna-oil. One of the easiest recipes I’ve ever delivered, this light dish makes the perfect side or snack for any occasion!

Infused Tabbouleh Salad Prep time: 5 minutes Fridge time: 10-20 minutes Potency: 200mg THC | 25-30mg THC per serving Servings: 6-8

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 CUP COUSCOUS (OR FINE BULGUR WHEAT) 4 TBSP. INFUSED OLIVE OIL 3 TBSP. LEMON JUICE 1 BUNCH PARSLEY, CHOPPED 2-3 STALKS KALE, CHOPPED 3-4 ROMA TOMATOES, DICED 1 CUCUMBER, DICED 2-3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE OPTIONAL: CRISPY CHICKPEAS TAHINI UNSWEETENED COCONUT YOGURT

Instructions: Instructions:

1) Add all ingredients to a medium/large sized bowl, toss to combine.

2) Store in the fridge 10-20 minutes, top with optional chickpeas, add a dollop of tahini, or drizzle with unsweetened coconut yogurt.

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