Alaska Leaf — Nov. 2018

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

#31 | NOVEMBER 2018

the CULTIVATION issue

cannafrost

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THE cultivation issue aklEAF.COM

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11 Editor’s Note 12 national News 14 alaska news B U D T E N D E R C R Y S TA L L A B A R G E 18 budtender M ATA N U S K A C AN N A B I S CO. 20 canna-craft 24 highly likely 28 SHOP REVIEW 32 breeder of the month 36 Strain Of The Month 40 the CULTIVATION ISSUE 42 RASPBERRY ROOTS 44 CANNAFROST 46 CONNOISSEUR 48 TANANA HERB CO. 50 ROGUE RIVER FAMILY FARMS 52 MILLION ELEPHANTS 54 BENSON ELVIS 56 SACRED FLOWER FARMS 60 RAW ZEN FARMS 64 TASTY RECIPES 66 edible review 68 concentrate review 70 Glass ART SHOWCASE

2 8 GREAT NORTHERN CANNABIS S H O P R EVI E W

nov. 2018

4061

THE CULTIVATION ISSUE

BENSON ELVIS / SOUTHERN OREGON

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DANKSGIVING GOOEY CANNABIS MAC & CHEESE

nov. 2018

64 PHOTO BY BRUCE WOLF

E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

WES

ABNEY

Editor’s Note This month’s special issue highlights the people growing and

producing Cannabis in Alaska and beyond! Known as our Harvest Issue in the lower 48, we seek to look inside the gardens that provide the flowers we smoke and love and to get a glimpse into the world of growing Cannabis. Whether indoors or outside under the sun, it takes a lot of work to grow Cannabis and I have a lot of respect for the people who dedicate their lives to this cause.

Much more than a nine-to-five job, WE ALSO INCLUDED growing Cannabis means loving the plant and sacrificing to keep SEVERAL STORIES FROM THE OUTDOOR it healthy, and bring it to market.

There’s a lot of work that goes into FARMS OF SOUTHERN selecting strains, maintaining a OREGON THIS YEAR. clean environment, growing and harvesting and then having a brand that is able to carry on shelves statewide! As the saying goes, “money doesn’t grow on trees.” In fact, it takes money to make all these businesses grow.

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Wes abneY | wes@NWleaf.com | 425-219-6155

CONTRIBUTORS

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Boom Media Photos

Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com

Sarah Climaco Editing Steve Elliott National News

ART DIRECTOR

Simone Fischer Profiles Danielle Halle Features

BRANDON PALMA | BRANDING & DESIGN brandon@eighthdaycreate.com

Janelle Lassalle Profiles

CONTENT DIRECTOR

Aliza Sherman Alaska News Pacer Stacktrain Features Nate Williams Features Brandon Vosika Illustration Laurie & Bruce Wolf Recipes

AJ AGUILAR | CONTENT & CURATION aj@eighthdaycreate.com

ADVERTISING joshua stahle | ADVERTISING SALES Josh@AKLeaf.com | 907-317-2536

We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.

We profiled five different indoor cultivators in Alaska, some vertically integrated and others are craft producers, all working to grow the best Cannabis possible. I encourage you all to read their stories and try their products and experience their hard work manifested into tasty, smokable nugs. We also included several stories from the outdoor farms of Southern Oregon this year. I have long been a fan of the effort farmers put from spring until fall to grow full term Cannabis. Having witnessed outdoor Cannabis from all over the West Coast, I am always amazed to see how Cannabis works positively into communities. It’s just another crop! By utilizing the elements, our outdoor farmers have worked with the plant and the environment to produce some of the best Cannabis in the world.

Thanks for reading!

ON THE COVER

Photo by Boom Media

Learn more about Cannafrost in our profile pg. 44

AL AS KA L E A F / N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F

CONNECT WITH THE LEAF @NWLEAF

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NOV. 2018

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It’s important to look at how people grow Cannabis in different areas, and how we can all come together to create a sustainable industry and environment for the plant. As Cannabis legalization moves forward and more states move to allow the plant, we must remember that it is simply a plant. One that can be grown from Fairbanks to Phoenix, from negative temperatures to over 100 degrees, and quite easily in a backyard or closet home grow. I hope this issue inspires you to think about how Cannabis is grown, and to give it a try yourself! Knowing how hard it is to grow is what makes the ability to buy from a store all the more sweeter, and the high that much better.

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national news

BY THE NUMBERS

95

cities and counties in Oregon have opted out of the state’s Cannabis Legalization law.

MIDTERMS

aklEAF.COM

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AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR LEGALIZATION REACHES RECORD HIGH TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS are now in favor of cannabis legalization, according to a new survey. Gallup has recorded majority support for legalization three years in a row now. The most recent figure marks an all-time record in the last 50 years of polling Americans about marijuana, reports The Independent.

According to the latest Gallup poll, 66 percent of Americans surveyed support legalizing Cannabis. That’s up two percentage points from 2017. Just 12 percent of Americans supported legal weed back in 1969, the first year Gallup asked the question.

Seventy-five percent of selfidentified Democrats support legalization. Republicans lag with 53 percent favoring. Seventy-one percent of independents want to legalize.

The largest increase was seen among Americans 55 and older, with 59 percent support legalization. Last year, 50 percent of this age group had expressed support.

nov. 2018

MICHIGAN LEGALIZES 57.3% YES

MISSOURI ALLOWS MEDICAL MARIJUANA WITH 4% TAX 65.4%YES UTAH GOES MEDICAL

53.9%YES

NORTH DAKOTA REJECTS LEGAL 59.3%NO

#1

Oregon’s rank in people failing drug test for weed.

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The age you have to be to purchase Cannabis in British Columbia, Canada.

66%

of the American population supports legalizing Cannabis.

SOUTHWEST

WASHINGTON STATE WILL 'REEVALUATE' MARIJUANA EDIBLES

UTAH STATE SENATOR Jim Dabakis wanted to try Cannabis before his constituents vote on a measure legalizing medical use of the herb — so he drove to neighboring Nevada to try it out for himself.

Dabakis, a Democrat, said if nobody else in the legislature had ever used weed, he “decided to come to Las Vegas and see what the whole folderol is about.”

“I wanted to have at least one Utah state senator that actually has tried Cannabis before we had this big debate,” Sen. Dabakis said.

Dabakis tried half a piece of Cannabis-infused candy on camera in a Facebook video, after discussing the tax money Nevada has raised.

He said the candy was a tangerine-flavored gummy bear. “I wouldn’t recommend it as sheer candy,” he said.

“It’s a little bit bitter.”

STORIES BY STEVE ELLIOTT / TOKESIGNALS.COM

New York Liquor Store Owners Want A Piece of the Action LAWMAKERS IN NEW York are drafting a bill to legalize recreational Cannabis. And that has a group of wine and liquor store owners campaigning for the right to stock their shelves with weed once it’s legal.

Organizers of The Last Store on Main Street (LSMS), whose most recent battle before this one was to keep wine out of grocery stores, said their effort is motivated in part by the fear of losing business, reports SILive.com.

A recent study concluded a reduction in the nation’s overall alcohol consumption from 2006 to 2015 was directly related to the increased availability of Cannabis.

“We have employees, and if sales go down we’d have to let people go,” said John Ha, owner of City Wine Cellar in New Springville, N.Y., a member of the coalition.

“The question going forward will be, who will get the right to sell the stuff,” said LSMS spokesman Austin Finan.

“We already have to follow rules and regulations, so marijuana is a natural fit.”

NOV. 2018

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AKLEAF.COM

WASHINGTON STATE REGULATORS ARE REEVALUATING Cannabis edibles, and could ban production of fruit chews, colorful chocolates, and other candies which “might appeal to children,” reports The Seattle Times.

Some Cannabis-infused candies could start disappearing from pot shop shelves across the state early next year.

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board announced during an October meeting that it will “reevaluate” all edible marijuana products. The move is part of an effort to cut back on edibles that could be appealing to children.

Washington already has rules banning products that are “especially appealing to children.” But the board seems to have received complaints from some unhappy people claiming that candies currently sold in the state’s pot shops could entice youngsters, according to WSLCB spokesman Brian Smith. When the board investigated the complaints, “they too had concerns,” Smith said.

The agency could strip approval from some candies already on store shelves, according to the presentation.

Utah Lawmaker Tries Cannabis on Camera

EAST COAST

national news

NORTHWEST

ALASKA NEWS

legalization

by the numbers

In August 2018, the Alaska Department of Revenue’s Tax Division took in a record $1.5 million in tax revenue from cultivators across the state, surpassing the previous month’s tax revenue in July of $1.37 million and is the highest amount to date.

Since October 2016,the state has collected over $15.8 million with Fairbanks paying more than $5 million of that total. sitka

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Assemblyman sued Over Alleged Unpaid Debt

aklEAF.COM

Aaron Bean, who sits on the Sitka City Assembly and is the owner of Sitka-based Cannabis company Green Leaf, is the subject of a lawsuit. The owner of the business where Green Leaf rents space, Connor Nelson, is suing Bean for nonpayment of loans allegedly made to the assemblyman. Bean is claiming Nelson breached a contract to sell two buildings housing their cultivation for a combination of cash payments and stock. Bean is currently running for mayor of Sitka.

re: Onsite Consumption

nov. 2018

Alaska’s licensed Cannabis business owners have long protested the way Cannabis is taxed in the state and sought tax reform. Since 2016, the tax on Cannabis is $50 an ounce for any part of the plant’s bud or flower. The remainder of the plant including leaves and stems, also known as “trim,” will be taxed at $15 an ounce.

As of the new year, mature buds from the harvested crop will continue to be taxed at $50 an ounce, however, “immature” or abnormal” buds will be taxed at $25 an ounce. This will be the only change in Cannabis taxation taking place at that time. The burden of paying taxes on Cannabis sales falls on cultivators when marijuana is sold from their grow facility to their customers, licensed retailers and manufacturers.

meeting in kenai for the first time

december Public Hearing The Marijuana Control Board (MCB) will hold a public hearing regarding onsite consumption on December 19, 2018, 1-4 p.m. at the State of Alaska Crime Lab 4805 Dr. MLK Jr. Ave, Anchorage, Alaska.

cannabis Tax Changes start jan 1.

UPCOMING MCB Meeting DETAILS...

DEC. 20-21, 2018 / 550 WEST 7TH AVE. ANCHORAGE, AK / ATWOOD BUILDING ROOM 102 LISTEN TO THE PROCEEDINGS: 1-800-315-6338 USING ACCESS CODE 69176.

The Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office (AMCO) met last month in Kenai and the public wanted to have their say. Public testimony eventually had to be cut off after about an hour to continue with the planned agenda.

Dollynda Phelps, of Peace Frog Botanicals in Nikiski, spoke out about the contentious way Cannabis business owners are treated by AMCO, a sentiment repeated by others. Phelps also recommended the board add a cultivator to their ranks.

STORIES BY ALIZA SHERMAN FOR ALASKA LEAF | ART BY BRANDON VOSIKA FOR ALASKA LEAF

/ NWLEAF @NWLEAF

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Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate avehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding. LIC # 10021

BUDTENDER OF T HE MONTH

INTERVIEW by JOSHUA STAHLE / ALASKA LEAF

“I LOVE ANIMALS! I HAVE A HORSE, TWO DOGS, A CAT, A PARROT. PROBABLY WILL HAVE MORE ANIMALS EVENTUALLY.

CRYSTALLABARGE When did Cannabis first come into your life?

Well, right about when I was 22. I started smoking when I was still working at The UPS Store. I had been working there for five or six years at that point. It was very stressful, especially over the holidays, and was introduced to Cannabis then. It really helped me deal with that stress! Then I also had a second job where I worked with special needs children. Between the two jobs, it took a lot out of me. Cannabis helped me relax on my off time.

How did you first become a budtender?

I had been working out at Alaska Jack’s in Palmer and just happened to get laid off. I started frantically looking for a job, but I happened to already have my handler’s card so came down here and talked to Chad and he decided to bring me on.

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What made you choose Matanuska Cannabis over other locations?

It is a beautiful store. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming.

It’s sort of like a family.

“I FEEL LIKE I’M MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND AM REALLY APPRECIATED

BY EVERYONE HERE.”

favorite part of your job?

Everything! Helping the customers.

Learning everything that I have. You learn something new every day. This lets me give people tips on ways to consume and tips to grow. I love the hands-on experience.

I love working here. I feel like I’m making a difference and am really appreciated by everyone here.

What is your favorite way to consume?

I really like dabs. But smoking out of bongs is also up there. Both of those are top notch!

aklEAF.COM

What are some of your favorite strains?

I just had some Snow White from Great Northern and that was really good. We also have a strain called Dutch Tree and that one is just great – it’s really lemony. Honey Banana, a strain from down in Kasilof

by Bob’s Morning Bear is another one. And White Tahoe Cookies from Guest Services.

MATANUSKA CANNABIS COMPANY

3550 S Old Glenn Hwy Palmer, AK (907) 745-4211 @MatanuskaCannabisLLC

How do you find the right product for EACH customer?

You have to talk to them and ask questions! Everyone likes something different. Some people don’t have a preference and asking questions helps me find out more of the experience they are looking for.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love animals! I have a horse, two dogs, a cat, a parrot. Probably will have more animals eventually. I also love snowboarding. I’m excited that next year I’ll be able to ride and teach my horse how to go out on the trails. I want to teach him barrel racing eventually.

GOT A FAVORITE BUDTENDER / TELL US WHY! / EMAIL YOUR PICKS TO JOSH@AKLEAF.COM

nov. 2018

PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA

(1) "Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive;” (2) "Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence;” (3) "There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana” (4) "For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children;” and (5) "Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding;”

WOMEN IN WEED aklEAF.COM

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AHNYA SMITH

All the colors of life coming together for change!

COLORED CANNABIS COLLABORATIVE “A group that has a welcomed to come together full color spectrum to find out more about this of members. All of organization. It is a place for the colors of life! You people of color to express need everyone in the themselves and have an open room to fill in the dialogue with their peers. whole picture of who The first thing most people is in the Cannabis want to know about the industry,” organization is the reasoning When you look behind the name. at the world around Why colored? us you will find “I chose the word colored, that much needs one because it makes you go change. So where ‘WHAT?!’; and two because exactly would you it’s a group that has a full start? Perhaps the color spectrum of members. only place to start is All of the colors of life! You within. Ahnya Smith, need everyone in the room inventory specialist at to fill in the whole picture Uncle Ike’s Pot Shop of who is in the Cannabis began her process industry,” she said. “ I want within and it has now to show that we can all come become a movement. together in the name of She decided to bring Cannabis and in the name change to the Cannabis industry by teaming up of giving back through this plant. We can put the with Lorenz Houston to co-found the Colored small differences we have aside to support the Cannabis Collaborative. I sat down with Ahnya local community and give back to the people outside their next community clean-up location in who are affected by the war on drugs.”

SODO to talk about the organization and Ahnya started her career in Cannabis in May its goals. of 2015 as a budtender, swiftly making her way The Colored Cannabis Collaborative is an to shift lead and then moving on to become an all-inclusive group, in the beginning stages inventory specialist. Her experience in the industry of becoming a fullinspired Ahnya’s vision for what fledged nonprofit this group is and how it creates “WE HAVE THREE organization. “We have a space in the Cannabis industry three main missions: that has been missing.

MAIN MISSIONS: community service, “I’ve heard bad stories from COMMUNITY equal representation people who have reason to want of minorities, and to be a part of this [group],” SERVICE, EQUAL changing the stigma she said. around cannabis as “Every day [I try] to truly REPRESENTATION we all move towards understand everyone and what OF MINORITIES, public acceptance.” they’re going through and their I was present at the AND CHANGING THE stories because life, opinions first interest meeting, and views – some of it is where individuals of taught — but most of it is just STIGMA AROUND all races and walks perspective. I try to put [myself] CANNABIS.” of Cannabis life were in other people’s shoes.”

nov. 2018

I asked Ahnya, how people of all races and backgrounds can support the Colored Cannabis Collaborative, and she said the most important thing, in addition to being present at the meetings and cleanups, was to be willing to listen, learn and be open. Beyond spending time connecting with the group, you have an opportunity through willingness to actively be the source of positive change. “More than listening,” she said. “You really have to do the work, which is hard! It’s hard to be privileged and uncomfortable and step outside that, but you have to.”

She also explained the importance to acknowledge and identify with our peers when they do or say things that are discriminatory.

“Anyone of any race knows someone who sometimes says things that are borderline discriminatory and inappropriate. Maybe someone that you love, but you have to check those people that you love,” she said. “If my good friend is telling me that I’m doing something wrong, I’m going to take a look at myself and ask what am I doing if someone that I truly love and value is looking at me crazy— what am I doing? As a Harry Potter fan I never forget when Dumbledore told us that ‘it takes great courage to stand up to an enemy, but even greater courage to stand up to a friend.

STORY & PHOTOS by DANIELLE HALLE

B L AC K R A P I DS A K . CO M

P R O U D LY C A R R I E D BY

This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.

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Highlighting Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.

DR. LESTER GRINSPOON

G

rinspoon is an associate professor of psychology emeritus at Harvard Medical School. Our subject for this month’s column is possibly one of the most important contributors to the normalization of Cannabis in America in the 20th and 21st centuries. Long before Cannabis was ever conceived of being legal in the United States, he was talking about the benefits of this herb to humankind. He’s an expert on the history of Cannabis, and the author of Marihuana Reconsidered a book first published in 1971 that turned the notion of Cannabis as a harmful substance on its ear.

Grinspoon’s work in researching medical ‘marihuana’ in the 1960s was a direct result of personal experience: his son was diagnosed with cancer at age 10 and went through a rigorous and toxic chemotherapy process. The child’s nausea became so tremendous at this time that Grinspoon and his wife were looking for any method possible to help aid their son. In his research, Grinspoon found anecdotal evidence supporting Cannabis for nausea related to chemotherapy. He tried the approach with his son before treatments and found that not only did Cannabis help alleviate symptoms of nausea, but that it actually helped his son feel better through the process.

His first inkling as to the beneficial nature of this herb in medical application was “how remarkably FOLLOW ALONG:

nov. 2018

non-toxic this drug was.” Indeed, in the annals Globe, laughing uproariously. “I got the attention of pharmacopeia – when comparing Cannabis of one of the world’s biggest [jerks]. It’s a red to virtually any drug in the realm of toxicity to the badge of courage.” Despite this fact, Grinspoon human body – Cannabis always wins. was likely blacklisted for his findings and writings Grinspoon cites the draconian drug laws of the on Cannabis, as he never was granted full early 1900s with Cannabis’ criminalization, but professorship at Harvard and remains an associate also the under-educated physicians of that time professor emeritus to this day, despite calls from with only looking at Cannabis as an Asperin-like alumni and editorial boards for this status to be alternative, rather than fully granted. understanding its myriad “I personally think it’s LONG BEFORE effects on other maladies a kind of blessing, which CANNABIS WAS that humans encounter. we’re going to realize as a As for the culprit today? country at some point,” he EVER CONCEIVED Dr. Grinspoon primarily told Cannabiz in 2013 as blames the pharmaceutical legalization was beginning OF BEING LEGAL IN and alcohol industries for to take hold in Colorado THE UNITED STATES, and Washington. Here, more the illegality of Cannabis but also notes that the five years later – the tide DR. GRINSPOON WAS than federal government – with continues to turn on the view its reliance on money TALKING ABOUT THE of Cannabis as a helpful, not from the prison industrial harmful substance. He cites BENEFITS OF THIS complex, DEA, and even the exponential expansion of local law enforcement that number of conditions that HERB TO HUMANKIND. the is preventing Cannabis from Cannabis is used for today becoming legal nationwide. as truly remarkable.

Richard Nixon particularly hated Grinspoon’s However, without a researcher and scientist like book Marihuana Reconsidered, railing against Grinspoon being willing to stick his neck out for him in the oval office on tapes released later. the cause, it is unlikely that we’d be where we are When Grinspoon heard the tapes at age 89 he today in terms of legalization. For that, we all owe laughed. “Imagine that,” he said to The Boston Dr. Lester Grinspoon a special thanks.

Marijuana-Uses.com RxMarijuana.com

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REVIEW by JOSHUA STAHLE / ALASKA LEAF

GREAT NORTHERN CANNABIS

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1901 W DIMOND BOULEVARD ANCHORAGE, AK / GREATNORTHERNCANNABIS.COM / OPEN DAILY 9A-MIDNIGHT / (907) 334-5874

nov. 2018

PHOTOS by JENNA! FLEUR ROOSDETT

THE cultivation issue

PRODUCTS 5/5

The Dimond location has something for everyone.

Carrying a varying number of strains with selections of hybrids, indica and sativa, flower and concentrates. They also carry a decent selection of edibles as well from various manufacturers, sporting one of the most balanced edible selections that the city has to offer. One major difference between the new Dimond store and their Downtown location is that the Dimond store also has a deli counter for the true connoisseur.

HISTORY & VALUES

5/5

Great Northern Cannabis has become one of the larger players in the Cannabis market over the past few years since legalization. Their commitment to customer education and a top-notch customer experience is evident in their new store. Still, being a very young industry, there is still plenty to build upon. Great Northern has given themselves a very solid foundation.

THEY WERE MORE THAN JUST MORE ORDER TAKERS, THE STAFF IS WILLING TO STEP OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE AND ENGAGE YOU IN CONVERSATION.

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BUDTENDER & SPECIALS 5/5

Within a few steps in the door, I was greeted immediately by the staff. They were more than just more order takers, the staff is willing to step out of their comfort zone and engage you in conversation. Playing dumb, as I did not personally know any of the budtenders, they were able to answer some of the common questions that first-time buyers always have about Cannabis very accurately and provide information and insight for strains I inquired about.

ENVIRONMENT & VIBE 5/5

AKLEAF.COM

Like their Downtown store, the Dimond location is absolutely beautiful. The store has a unique circular design upon entry that gives it a very unique vibe.

The employees were all very friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable.

OVERALL The new Great Northern Cannabis retail shop recently opened up off Dimond Boulevard in Anchorage, offering everything they’ve become well known for: quality selection in a pleasing, professional setting.

20/20

NOV. 2018

breeder of the month

Peter Butsch

aklEAF.COM

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nov. 2018

Photo by PETE ALPORT @PETE_ALPORT

THE HEMP ISSUE

Co-owner of Massive Seeds and Roganja

By SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR

When did you start growing Cannabis and when did you transition to breeding exclusively?

I started growing my own Cannabis the summer of 1987, after watching my Dad tend to his Ganja patches every summer since 1975. Breeding and growing Cannabis go hand in hand for us.

What defines authentic/quality Cannabis breeding?

Quality Cannabis breeding for Massive Seeds means having a large population of phenotypes (female and male) to choose from and selecting for the high, nose and taste, appearance and vigor. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to grow and select from a full acre of Cannabis at our farm Roganja located in the Rogue Valley.

[This requires] growing cultivars in their natural outdoor environment so you can see and select their true genetic expression (phenotype) in a specific terroir and spending the time and energy to lock down desired traits over multiple filial generations.

[Which combines] intuitive breeding skills with newly available science, like terpene profiles, from labs and genotyping from Phylos Bioscience.

What is your biggest critique of the current Cannabis breeding scene in 2018?

The consumer looks at two main things when they purchase Cannabis, strain name and potency. This forces many breeders to work only with hype or name brand strains or to focus solely on potency which further bottlenecks the gene pool. It’s easy to call people out for pollen chucking but good to remember that many famous and favorite strains came from random crosses, accidents and even bag seed - think OG, Gorilla Glue #4, Chemdog, and Girl Scout Cookies. Exotic and special cultivars have a mysterious way of manifesting themselves in our gardens and it’s up to the breeder to recognize and capture in seed or clone form.

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What is your least favorite aspect of breeding?

Waiting a full year to see the outcome of our breeding projects. The stress of bringing male pollen into a garden of sensimilla.

What do you look for in ideal Cannabis genetics?

Personally, I want something that makes me feel great, smells and tastes delicious, and is pretty to look at. I like energizing sativas, like our Yuki Dog that tastes like diesel fuel and goes well with sport activities like surfing and snowboarding. I also like strains that are beautiful to grow like our Pineapple Pomegranate with her pink pistils and exotic coloration.

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What are some cultivars you have created?

Some of our heirloom strains include Rogue Valley Wreck, Pineapple Pomegranate, Lemon Pineapple, Dads Durban, Elfstone, and Rogue Blue Cheese.

We are also attempting to stabilize some classics into seed form through backcrossing of the original progeny. These include Jack Herer, Thin Mint GSC, Chem91, Purple Hindu Kush, Durban Poison and OG Kush.

We have some brand-new tasty flavors from our 2017 “Gas Project” just now curing at Roganja like Playboi OG, Yuki Dog, Dog Jog, Summer Sunset OG, Chem 541, and Purple Lemon Chem.

“WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND SELECT FROM A FULL ACRE OF CANNABIS AT OUR FARM ROGANJA LOCATED IN THE ROGUE VALLEY.”

Marijuanahas intoxicating effects andmaybehabitforming andaddictive.Marijuanaimpairs concentration,coordination,andjudgement.Donotoperate vehicleormachineryunderits influence.Therearehealthrisks associatedwithconsumptionofmarijuana.Foruseonlybyadults 21andolder.Keepoutofreachofchildren.Marijuanashouldnotbeusedbywomenwhoarepregnantorbreastfeeding

AVAILABLE FROM SOUTHSIDE GARDEN SUPPLY

ANCHORAGE / WASILLA / SGSAK.COM

STRAIN OF THE MONTH aklEAF.COM

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nov. 2018

REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF | PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

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GROWN BY CANNAFROST

FRUITY PEBBLES T HIS FLOWER HAS A STRONG, PUNGENT AND SPICED AROMA.

Available from Hollyweed 907, AK Slow Burn, Green Jar, Cannabaska and Fat Tops

NOV. 2018

AKLEAF.COM

IT WOULD ALSO MAKE A GREAT FUNCTIONING DAYTIME HIGH SO LONG AS YOU DON’T SMOKE TOO MUCH.

First toke of this certainly puts the herb in herbal, a strong spiced flavor fills your nose as it takes hold of your head an temples. Exhale brings more of the natural earthy flavors as well as a hint of sage. The high from this flower is also a nice medium between too heady and too calming, starting out light and teasing but growing into a euphoric and relaxed state, but not foggy. It would also make a great functioning daytime high so long as you don’t smoke too much. It would be a little easy to get carried away so restraint is required. (22.14% THC)

Start a new tradition & come to GS49 for all your Danksgiving needs

WE SUPPORT THE VENDORS THAT SUPPORT US

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MARIJUANA HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING AND ADICTIVE. MARIJUANA IMPAIRS CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION AND JUDGMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER ITS INFLUENCE. THERE ARE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF MARIJUANA. FOR USE ONLY

BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. MARIJUANA SHOULD NOT BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING.

THE cultivation issue

THE CONNOISSEUR CREW WORKING ON TRIMMING LAST MONTH.

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cultiv nov. 2018

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STORIES BY WES ABNEY AND CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA & DANIEL BERMAN

NOV. 2018

AKLEAF.COM

vation

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“ATTHISPOINT, I’MALLIN,“SHESAYS. “IT’SWHAT I’VEBEENWORKING ONASAGOAL SINCE 2014.”

raspberry roots RASPBERRYROOTS.ORG

501 RASPBERRY RD #101, ANCHORAGE, AK (907) 522-2450 / OPEN 10A-11P DAILY

>> OWNER KIM KOLE CHATS ABOUT THE ANCHORAGE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED BUSINESS WITH CULTIVATION, MANUFACTURING AND RETAIL

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STRAINS, AND HOW ARE YOU GROWING YOUR CANNABIS? We use grodan cubes

with a blend of different nutrients we’ve developed through trial and error, and generally speaking, we have a lot of smaller plants as opposed to growing fewer large plants. We’ve found it’s more manageable and the plants can grow more buds. Once the plants get too big they put more energy into growing as opposed to putting it into the buds themselves. For strains, Grease Monkey is one of my favorite strains.

It’s a really nice body high, especially if you have pain. It makes the body numb and tingly without knocking you out. We also have great indicas like Dark Star, Tropical Heat and Sunset Sherbert. And our Raspberry Kush has terps that are off the charts!

WE HEAR YOU RECENTLY EXPANDED YOUR MANUFACTURING. WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTS ARE YOU GOING TO BE MAKING?

Our manufacturing brand will be called Canamo, which is the Mexican word for Hemp. We chose the name to pay homage to the Mexican heritage of the plant and they’re helping of bringing Cannabis into American Culture and making it mainstream. In addition to our flower that we had a soft launch with a month of several varieties of shatter and our new shatter stick, a cartridge filled with shatter and a food grade cutting agent. It’s extra flavorful and smooth, and we’re dialing in our concentrates and keep getting better! We also have our new Northern Delights Mints that come in packages of 10 five milligram mints in peppermint or cinnamon flavors.

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HOW IS BEING FULLY VERTICALLY INTEGRATED IMPORTANT TO YOUR BUSINESS MODEL? By being fully integrated

it allows us to keep our prices stable so that we aren’t strictly dependent on other company’s prices to dictate what we are going to charge. It’s one of the most important parts of our business model. But we still sell and support the other companies within the state by selling their product, which benefits our customers and the industry. We want to provide the diversity of products statewide to our customer. And we are excited for other stores to carry our products as Canamo in the future!

aklEAF.COM

INTERVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

K

IM KOLE IS THE OWNER AND CREATOR BEHIND RASPBERRY ROOTS, a vertically

integrated company in Anchorage.

Previously a high school educator, Kole began volunteering for the legalization campaign as a matter of education and principle. Today her company is spreading roots statewide with a new manufacturing facility, in a vertically integrated operation that began with the garden that supplies the basis for her company’s sustainability.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START RASPBERRY ROOTS?

I had decided long ago that if it ever went le-

nov. 2018

gal that I would be involved, and when the campaign came up here I started talking to people running the campaign and ended up volunteering. Then one thing led to another and here I am!

WHAT IS RASPBERRY ROOTS ALL ABOUT? Raspberry Roots is a vertically integrated business with cultivation, manufacturing and retail together. We do highlight other companies as well as our own in the retail store, so we don’t just maintain our own products. We also sell flower, edibles and concentrates because we understand the industry is bigger than just one company. We want diversity and to support companies across the entire state!

WHAT MAKES RASPBERRY ROOTS UNIQUE FOR CUSTOMERS COMING IN? I would say our education and customer

service. Because I taught High School for 15 years our budtenders are very well educated, and they are able to help our customers in finding the products that they need. They’ve also been trained in having good customer service so that they can really help people, make them feel comfortable and ask a lot of questions to narrow down the exact product they’re looking for, so they can leave happy.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO STAY IN THE INDUSTRY TODAY?

Well, it’s definitely harder than any of us thought it would be, at least for myself. At this point, I’m all in.

It’s what I’ve been working on as a goal since 2014, slowly building a company that I can be proud of with people I really enjoy spending time with!

PHOTOS\ by BOOM MEDIA

WE SELL CLONES AND SEEDS! WE HAVE A WIDE SELECTION OF FLOWER, EDIBLES, PRE-ROLLS, AND CONCENTRATES. $30 DAB RIGS!

1211 W. 36TH ANCHORAGE, AK

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ALASKANLEAFCOMPANY@GMAIL.COM

907-770-0262

This is a marijuana product. Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

“Why fly? When you can enjoy the most beautiful ride on earth”

ANCHORAGE TO HOMER June 1st-Aug 31st Monday – Friday Departs Anchorage Arctic & International – 724 W. International - Garrett’s Tesoro Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 300pm Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 500pm All times are approx. Stage Line Summer Schedule HOMER TO ANCHORAGE June 1st-Aug 31st Monday – Friday Departs Homer 830am 1242 Ocean Dr Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 1015am Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1115am

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SEWARD TO HOMER June 1st – August 31st Mon Wed Fri

Locally owned and operated by a Departs Seward 100pm lifelong Alaskan, Stage Line offers call ahead for pick up point passenger transportation, freight, parcel, and courier service, between Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 200pm Anchorage and the Kenai Soldotna 300pm Peninsula. Our schedule includes, All times are approx Anchorage to Homer, Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Kasilof, Ninilchik, HOMER TO SEWARD Anchor Point. Homer to Seward, June 1st - August 31st Soldotna, Cooper Landing. And any The Stage Line PO Box 353 Anchor Point, Mon Wed Fri points in between! MP flag stops AK available! Private party charters Departs Homer 1242 Ocean Dr 900am The Stage Line 1242 Ocean Dr Homer, Ak available! Reasonable rates, saves 724 W International Anchorage, Ak of Commerce time and money for travelling or your Soldotna Chamber Staging points only 1030am 907-868-3914 907-235-2252 shipping needs.

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THE cultivation issue

CANNAFROST >> THE COMPANY FOCUSES ON GENETICS AND PROVIDING CLONES TO REALLY TAKE PRIDE IN INTERVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

aklEAF.COM

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C

is a dedicated strain hunter, selecting phenotypes from seed for each strain the company grows, and making the genetics available by clone at stores direct to consumers.

The father of five found Cannabis as an opportunity to start his own business— spreading quality genetics for consumers and other cultivators alike. He shared with us his passion for sharing genetics, and how he is able to make his limited license sustainable for the future.

ANNAFROST OWNER DAVID HUSKEY

nov. 2018

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START CANNAFROST? It was mainly the opportunity to start my own business. I’m a father of five and have been married for fifteen years, but didn’t have a background in Cannabis. My professional experience is in sales as an executive for Marriott in Hawaii, and I also served in the military for six years. We’re a limited cultivation operation with 500 square feet of grow canopy. We’re kind of a small grow, so we focus our best on each strain that we cultivate. One thing we do differently is growing in pure hydro, to flush our plants properly.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STRAINS IN THE GARDEN?

Fruity Pebbles is our favorite—we broke the record on WikiLeaf for the highest recorded THC for that strain, coming in at 22.14%. I really enjoy it because it smells like Juicy Fruit gum when growing, has really thick and dense nugs, and the high is happy. Not sedating at all.

We also grow strain including Blue Lemon, King Henry, King Tut, Death Star and more.

We don’t have a retail store, so we wanted to provide selection like a store to those that purchase our product. That way they can carry eight to twelve different strains from WHY DID YOU GROW SO MANY DIFFERENT STRAINS?

PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA

us at one time. We really care about our plants and strains. As a limited grow, the quality of my product is the most important thing I can provide to the consumer. I’m not overwhelmed by the size of the grow, so I can focus on the quality and selection and purity of my products, while still getting roughly three and a half pounds per light.

THE cultivation issue

THE TEAM

TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU SELECT YOUR SPECIFIC CUTS OF EACH STRAIN? We grow each strain from seed, flower

the five strongest while keeping clones alive of each phenotype, and then pick the best variant of the strain before moving it fully into production. We’ve pheno-hunted through all of our strains—it’s a work in progress still because it never really ends.

EVEN WITH THE HARD WORK AND COST OF GROWING FROM SEED AND SELECTING THE BEST GENETIC VARIETIES, YOU’RE STILL SHARING THE CUTS. WHY DO YOU SELL CLONES TO BOTH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND OTHER GARDENS?

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We provide about 20 strains for sale in retail stores as clones, so people can go home and grow for themselves. We don’t hold anything back, these are the actual clones we grow ourselves because we care about quality. If someone can grow it better than me, I’m excited to try it! And if people enjoy our products, I want them to be able to take it home and enjoy the same experience of growing, nurturing and harvesting the plant. We also provide clones and vegged plants to other producers. With 1,000 rooted clones a week coming out of the garden, we’re happy to supply anyone with our genetics.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF GROWING? Watching the process go from seed to plant to harvest to sale.

And the feedback from the customers that have purchased the products. We’re not the biggest, but we have a good reputation and I enjoy hearing from people who enjoy our strains.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF RUNNING A GROW OF THIS SIZE? Trying to have the variety that it takes

I hope to eventually open a retail store, and more cultivations in different markets. But no matter how big we grow, we’ll carry forward the love and attention to the plant we have now. We focus on quality and protecting our strains, and I look forward to sharing them with people all over as legalization spreads.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

OWNER DAVID HUSKEY

NOV. 2018

AKLEAF.COM

to run a successful cultivation. With a smaller space, it’s harder—you really have to think outside the box to maximize your grow space.

THE cultivation issue

“WE’DRATHERGROW2OR3 STRAINSREALLYWELLTHAN A TONOFAVERAGEPRODUCTS. WE ARE CRAFTGROWERS, NOT THE BUDWEISER OF CANNABIS.” HOW IS CONNOISSEUR SET UP AS A GROW?

We have a standard cultivation license that currently operates under 1,200 feet of flowering canopy, and 200 square feet of vegetative plants. We’re growing in hydro using clay pellets, which we chose because it’s both simpler and cleaner. We wanted an isolated, clean and sterile environment that we could manage. Plus, the hydro helps with flushing, so we can run a strict regimen and flush once a week, and at the end of the crop for the cleanest product possible.

YOU GROW ONLY A HANDFUL OF STRAINS INSTEAD OF MASSIVE VARIETIES. WHAT FACTORS LED TO THAT CHOICE? We have two

strains that we’ve developed, our Snowcap Romance and Aurora Haze. Both are on shelves now—we entered the market with those two when we got our license in March of 2017. The goal was to come out of the gate strong, with only one chance to make our name and create notoriety. We worked on those two strains for three years in our little homegrows to make sure that they were the right THC and terpene profiles, with bag appeal, flavor, etc. Lots of people say we need more variety, but it takes us years to develop a strain we want to put our brand on, and we’d rather grow two or three strains really well than a ton of average products. We are craft growers, not the Budweiser of Cannabis.

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connoisseur >> MATHEW CHAMBERS IS EMBRACING THE COMMUNITY

aklEAF.COM

INTERVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

M

ATHEW CHAMBERS AND THREE FELLOW PARTNERS invested in

the seedling stages of Connoisseur, a brand that communicates its values through its name.

Focused on growing only select strains to their highest potential, the company is dedicated to producing cannabis worthy of such a namesake. for the future.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START CONNOISSEUR?

There was a slew of events that happened in my life to bring me here. I come from a

nov. 2018

construction management background for the better part of eighteen years, and once the ballot initiative became legal I had conversations with a few friends and hunting partners about starting a company. I was going through a divorce, leaving one occupation, and trying to figure out what I wanted to do next in life. It all led me to research properties and cultivation as a whole, and to put together a partnership that I felt brought select skill sets from each partner to make a successful business plan.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF GROWING? It’s a job and it’s a lot of work, but I like the fact that we can set our own hours and schedules. But honestly, my favorite part is the people in the industry. We’ve had a great, warm and welcoming feeling from the Cannabis community as a whole—from the dispensary to other cultivators. It’s a competitive camaraderie that we enjoy. It’s not always easy to create new relationships in this industry, so it has helped to be bringing a product that we know is quality, and that we stand behind.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF RUNNING A LEGAL CANNABIS GROW? We got started a little late, and it took longer

than expected with more paperwork and hoops to jump through than we initially anticipated. But when you come from the construction industry, with the feast and famine headaches, the Cannabis industry isn’t as tough. Our partnership can be a challenge, but also a big attribute as well. All four of us are equal partners, so we have to agree to make moves or changes.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO STAY IN THE INDUSTRY TODAY?

I’m pot committed. We’ve put our retirements into this, invested them in our own Cannabis business instead of the stock market, and we want to see it succeed. Our main goal is to stay consistent with our quality of product, our business plan, and to live up to our brand name.

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GROW PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA

NOV. 2018

AKLEAF.COM

OCT. 2018 STRAIN OF THE MONTH SNOWCAPPED ROMANCE BY CONNOISSEUR

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HOW A FAIRBANKS CANNABIS CULTIVATION FACILITY STICKS AROUND AS A FAMILY BUSINESS

48

TANANA HERB CO.

SAM AND JOE HACHEY

BY MARY CROCKETT FOR ALASKA LEAF

aklEAF.COM

AS

WE SAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSTLING COFFEE SHOP,

they told me that they’ll never leave Alaska. I could tell it was the truth with the way their eyes gleamed as they talked about the adventures they’d had since moving north.

Tanana Herb Co. founders Sam and Joe Hachey grew up in Portland, Oregon. By the time they reached high school their parents had moved them 25 miles north to Vancouver, Washington. From there Joe went off to Eastern Washington University to study construction management and business. Sam, rather than attending university, joined his parents in their retirement on a sailboat they bought in Florida. Sam and his parents traveled along the intercoastal waterway (ICW) from Baltimore, to Miami, to the Bahamas.

“Had a great time… tons of stories about that” Sam said. “But time passes and eventually I wanted to go back to society.”

The brothers eventually met up in Coeur

nov. 2018

d’Alene, Idaho, where Joe, having graduated from university, was working a construction job. They made their way to Hawaii for a few years, then Colorado. There they lived on an 80-acre farm east of Colorado Springs. “This was right before recreational legalization, and in the emergence of their medical [legalization],” Sam said. “So you could legally grow weed there.” Joe went on, “We learned how to grow, in our basement, through reading, trial and error, and doing as much testing as we could.” Little did they know that this would just be the beginning of their journey with the plant.

While the brothers enjoyed their time in Colorado, they eventually agreed it was time to close the garden and move on. Sam went to Denver where he managed a Roadhouse, while Joe went back up to Coeur d’Alene to work closer to home. Just a few years later Sam received a call from Joe about an old college roommate who was opening up a recreational Cannabis cultivation facility in Spokane.

He knew that the brothers had experience growing marijuana and invited them to work in the facility.

The brothers were reunited again. The building was an empty furniture warehouse that Sam and Joe

assisted in renovating into a functional grow. Sam took on the responsibility of caring for the plants in the facility; eventually moving up to manage the mother room. Meanwhile, Joe assisted with the construction side, where he learned the proper infrastructure of grow rooms and how to maintain them.

Their dynamic skill sets combined with their knowledge made them a good duo.

Two years later Leslea and James Nunley of Fairbanks, Alaska met Sam and Joe in Washington.

When Alaska legalized recreational marijuana Leslea began perusing the idea of starting her own small cultivation. However, once she saw the operating facility, even with her in-depth experience running a business, she realized how little she knew about the actual process of cultivating marijuana.

Being an intelligent and driven woman, Leslea didn’t give up. She offered management positions to both Sam and Joe. In early March of 2016, the brothers came north to Fairbanks, Alaska to see the new facility they would be assisting in constructing.

“There was a lot of work that needed to be done,” Joe said. “So, we decided we better get to it!”

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

NOV. 2018

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AKLEAF.COM

With that Leslea, James, Sam, and Joe started Tanana Herb Company.

Not one of them expected Alaskan consumers to fall so deeply in love with their product. It wasn’t long before they became some of the highest taxpayers in the industry. Between the success in the small building and the fact that they couldn’t keep up with the demand for their product, Sam and Joe knew it was time to expand. They began looking at bigger facilities around Fairbanks. For some time, they debated building from the ground up but realized that the process could take upwards of two years before they had a functioning cultivation.

Initially, the owners of the warehouse they were looking at were hesitant to sell to any marijuana industry businesses. However, with James and Leslea’s respectable and well-known reputation, Tanana Herb Company was given the opportunity to purchase the 50,000 square foot warehouse.

They are now in the process of licensing and converting this building into a combined cultivation, manufacturing, and retail facility. The whole crew spent the summer working long days and nights to transform the warehouse into an operating cultivation. They collected their first harvest from the new facility in the last week of October.

In spite of their success, Sam and Joe recognize that they could not have accomplished this dream on their own. They operate effectively with eight tight-knit employees, most of which have been there since the start, including Demitri, Meiler, Tyler, Jesse, Chad, Adam, Gracie and John.

While the brothers make a good duo, they know that it’s all 12 people on the Tanana Herb team, with combined experience and dedication, that makes the business a healthy and productive work environment.

This is what matters to them; Sam and Joe don’t desire becoming millionaires or operating their business under a corporate structure.

Rather, the profit they have made over the last few years has gone back into the business. As the company grows they want to give back to the employees that are making the operation possible.

They genuinely value cultivating a quality product that provides health benefits to its consumers across the state. Sam states with pride, “we are normal people, working with normal people, just trying to do what we love; it’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle.” They purposefully want to create more than a job: a trade, a career, a skill set that each employee can take with them and use to make a living wage.

Sam and Joe agree that they will keep it in “the ​ farm-ily​.” Providing benefits, opportunities, knowledge, and a healthy work environment for all of the Tanana Herb Company team is their top priority. The message the brothers left with was, “All we want to do is help other people.” And with their determined, yet considerate attitudes, they will.

THE cultivation issue

TANANAHERBCOMPANY.COM AVAILABLE IN RETAIL SHOPS ACROSS ALASKA INCLUDING GRASS STATION 49, GOODSINSE, ENLIGHTEN ALASKA, HOLLYWEED, GREEN JAR, FROST FARMS, HILLTOP PREMIUM GREEN AND DENALI CANNABIS CACHE.

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@ROGUERIVERFAMILYFARMS_LLC ROGUERIVERFAMILYFARM.COM

-

FOUNDED 2017 22 STRAINS 3,850 PLANTS 5 EMPLOYEES

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Rogue River Family Farms nov. 2018

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

FARMHAND Gustav Helbig GARDEN MANAGER Hunter Liles OWNER Cole Driver with his wife OPERATIONS MANAGER Astrea Driver and farmdogs Porter + Odin

N

NOV. 2018

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in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains outside of Wimer, Oregon lies the beautiful Rogue River Family Farms. Offering a unique microclimate, the 110-acre property sits at 1,500 feet of elevation and is surrounded by foothills on three sides. There is more natural airflow than valley floor counterparts, with the particular way the property is situated on a sloping hillside at a slight elevation. This airflow mimics the action of fans in an indoor or greenhouse setup and helps keep moisture levels down, minimizing the possibility of mold or powdery mildew.

The farm sources its water from a fresh stream stemming from the mountainside above the property with no one above to pollute it. The property actually includes two meadows, both with their own water rights.

The real estate, vacant and unused for nearly two decades, was overlooked as property after property was swooped up post-legalization in Oregon. In early 2017, Rogue River Family Farms owner and founder Cole Driver discovered the property and knew right away it was a gem.

“I couldn’t think of a more perfect property for us to have found to grow with,” Driver said as we stood atop the hill on the south side of the farm overlooking the garden.

The veteran team of growers originally from Texas had spent years in California’s medical market growing in Lake County and in Humboldt. But when they were faced with high six figures to low seven figures hurdles to level up to the recreational market, the team opted to head north in favor of Oregon’s less expensive and easier-to-navigate recreational system.

“Our previous farms were more spread out, we had to worry about water supply, and were completely off-grid. Rogue River Family Farms has full power, plenty of water and a great centralized location,” Driver said.

The crew utilizes a flood irrigation style for watering and nutrients. They use a standard 1/4” tubing direct into 20-gallon pots, filter-free, so they can run true organics without worrying about build up or stoppage.

In addition to running organics, using essential-oil-based foliar sprays and natural predators for pest management and preventative care, they also utilize the sun instead of electricity to grow their plants. Rogue River Family Farms goes a step further in their efforts towards sustainability by utilizing an 80 amp solar trailer to power their 46 cameras during Oregon’s sunny months.

The flowers grown here, all 3850 planted this season, were healthy, coated in trichomes, and each expressed unique and tantalizing terpene profiles, beckoning us as we walked the garden. Driver and his staff selected 22 strains to grow this year, ranging from classics like 9# Hammer and Sunset Sherbet to rare and unique genetics like Jack’s Grapes and Black Domina.

Impressively, the entire 40,000 square foot canopy is managed by a small staff of only five. Driver is the sole founder and owner and currently handles the companies’ sales and overall direction while his wife Astrea Driver is the compliance and operations manager. Hunter Liles, Gustav Helbig, and Uncle Mike manage almost all of the plant work and farm maintenance.

With the team’s second harvest at this property likely complete by the time you read this, keep an eye out for drops of A-grade flowers and extract collaborations with Natural Roots, Botanical Laboratories, Dab Factory and Mana Extracts on shelves early next year at finer dispensaries across the state.

ESTLED IN A PRISTINE MEADOW

THE cultivation issue

BY NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415

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million elephants F

BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

of Humboldt County to the beauty of Sam’s Valley in Jackson County, Oregon, two brothers have continued to live their dream as Cannabis growers with hands in the dirt.

Located on a beautiful inclusive 26-acre property, the Million Elephants property is pristine as working Cannabis farm. Complete with a home where the family lives on site, the farm includes a farm with captive deer, goats, and over 1,000 Cannabis plants.

Settled in a valley below the house, looking out over the field of Cannabis is breathtaking and inspiring at the same time.

aklEAF.COM

ROM THE FERTILE HILLS

nov. 2018

Jason and Jacob Roberts began growing in Humboldt County, California in 1997. They would spend nearly half their year there off the grid, isolated and living the life of the underground farmer.

After many years of growing and learning the ways of outdoor Cannabis, they decided to head north to Southern Oregon and enter the legal recreational market with Jason’s wife, Joy. Joy is from Laos, the land of a million elephants, where the farm’s namesake comes from. Combining their passion for sun-grown Cannabis with their hard work lifestyle, they have carved out a pristine farm and lifestyle centered around the sun, dirt and plants.

“I would say that you can’t beat the sun,” Jacob said passionately. “The sun is what gives us life!”

Row after row of beautiful trees lean toward the mid-October light, which is bright and intensely warm, with temperatures in the mid-70s.

Pinching and squeezing the fat colas leaves sticky fingers and flavors of strains mixing together in a terpy entourage, filling the mind with millions of strain flavors. The plants dance in the wind, the giant frosty colas heavily waving in circles as the wind tugs at their density as the heavily weighted plants lean towards the harvest sun. Unlike many of the outdoor soil to oil gardens prevalent in Southern Oregon, most the Cannabis will be sold as sun-grown flower that is destined to be smoked.

“There’s a big demand for quality outdoor flower this year,” Jacob explained. “We have 20 strains across the farm, with my favorites being garlic cookies and death star cherry cookies. I love going into dispensaries and getting positive feedback on the flower, it makes me feel really good and gives us the kick in the butt to do it all over again.”

With just the three sets of hands working the farm daily, there is a lot of work to be done, and a never-ending process of growing, harvesting and selling their Cannabis.

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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CO FOUNDERS & LIFE PARTNERS Joy and Jason Roberts, pictured with brother Jacob.

SAN FERNANDO OG

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This year’s crop will be cured and stored in a custom-built building for hanging and drying, with massive HVAC and dehumidifier systems ensuring the flower gets perfect after-harvest treatment.

“It’s for the people,” Jason explained.

“We don’t try to get the most [money] for it, because we want the stores happy and most importantly the customer happy. That’s what makes us happy. It takes a lot of time and we hand trim everything, and the biggest part is the drying that leads to quality.”

From the mountain days with no space or electricity to a modern farm complete with resident farm animals, the family behind Million Elephants has come a long way. With over 2,500 pounds coming down this season, there is a lot to trim.

The flower will last the team until late spring or summer when they will be starting the next crop and beginning the process over again.

“The recreational market is tough and a lot of work, but we love it. I’m having a great time and enjoying it, life is peaceful now and we feel blessed to be here,” Jacob said. “The more I grow outdoors the more I want to be out of the city and enjoy the country. It’s nice to be able to wake up and be at work.”

MENDO BREATH

@MILLION_ELEPHANTS_CO

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FOUNDED 2016 20 STRAINS 1,000 PLANTS 4 EMPLOYEES

NOV. 2018

THE cultivation issue

benson elvis

@BENSON.ELVIS

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FOUNDED 2014 50+ STRAINS 1,950 PLANTS 5 EMPLOYEES

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BY NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415

It

WAS A CRISP OCTOBER MORNING

as we wound our way up the gravel mountainside road towards our destination, the Benson Elvis gardens high in the Siskiyou Mountains outside of Jacksonville, Oregon in the Applegate Valley.

After a mile or so of switchbacks, we were stopped in our tracks as we rounded a bend and gained an incredible view to the south, and below us sat a large greenhouse and row after row of Cannabis plants, all glowing in the morning sun.

After taking a moment to soak in the view, we continued down towards the gardens. As

nov. 2018

we approached the farm, we were first greeted by the five dogs and cat that live on-site. Owner Noah Levine was collecting eggs from the farm’s chickens when we arrived. After welcoming us, Levine introduced us to his lead farmer Matt and his wife Liv and began familiarizing us with his operation. “I’m self-funded, just rolling profits from the medical days into what you see here,” he said.

Benson Elvis is a large farm, boasting two OLCC Tier 2 Outdoor licenses on 200 acres, which allows Levine and crew to grow up to 80,000 square feet of flowering canopy between the two licenses. The two licenses are separated by about a 1/2 mile, both sitting at around 3,000 feet of elevation. The property is off-grid and has no running water or power.

Levine’s operation in Oregon was established in early 2014 after he relocated from Shasta County, California. The immense financial hurdles, poorly established initial regulations and minimal aboveboard competition in Oregon at the time were all factors in the decision.

At the farm’s elevation, it gets very cold at night, stimulating the Cannabis plants’ natural stress responses and aiding in the production of terpenes.

Terpene production is largely governed by abiotic factors such as temperature, humidity and lumens, and intensities in any area can either catalyze or inhibit development.

Originally established in California where a majority of the Cannabis industries’ new genetics PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

THE cultivation issue

BLOOD ORANGE TANGIE

HIGH-CBD Mendo Montage x Harlequin

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OWNERS Noah & Liv Levine with son, Asher.

SYNCHRONICITY IRENE OG X MENDO BREATH

ranging from almost-black-purple to lime green with splashes of orange and yellow as fan leaves displayed the maturing plants’ age.

The flowers were coated in gleaming trichomes and even the slightest rub of a stem produced heavenly aromas.

Despite a staggering Instagram following, amazing genetics and an elite property, each season is a challenge to stay afloat and growing.

With competition in the marketplace growing daily and the wholesale cost down significantly, growers are challenged more than ever to be efficient and innovative with their operations.

“Surviving is the new killing it,” Levine says with a laugh. Through years of cultivation experience in

California’s medical market, Levine has stayed learning and has continued to revised farm practices to their current standard of a fully organic and minimalist regimen. The crew uses native soil with a couple of organic amendments and compost teas only.

“Our goal is to change people’s minds about sun-grown,” Levine said. “We don’t answer to anybody, except quality.”

This past season, the brand made significant headway by developing partnerships with several of Oregon’s top hydrocarbon processors, including White Label Extracts and Echo Electuary. Keep an eye out by winter for this season’s flowers and extract collaborations.

NOV. 2018

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are born, Benson Elvis has a Rolodex of flavors that reads like a cultivator’s Christmas wish list; Purple Champagne from Dungeon’s Vault Genetics, Road Dawg by Karma Genetics, Cherry Chem #1 from South Fork Seeds, the MAC from Capulator, Greasy Monkey by Exotic Genetics, Blood Orange Tangie bred by Crockett and selected and gifted by Southern Humboldt Concentrates, and more.

This season, the team at Benson Elvis is growing 36 strains and 52 total phenotypes. In addition, they’re hunting through 650 unique phenos from 33 new strains in their greenhouse.Between the elevation, varied genetics, native soil, and time of year, the flowers Levine showed us as we toured his gardens were absolutely wild. We saw a rainbow of colors

THE cultivation issue oregonlEAF.COM

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SACREd FLOWER FARMS NOV. 2018

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

THE cultivation issue

COFOUNDERS Mark Simpkins, Bill Frost and Brett Seder

BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

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fertile grounds are filled with a unique blend of organic Alpaca manure, cover crops like comfrey and 17 different strains in native soil just minutes from downtown Medford, Oregon.

A true urban farm by definition, the farm sits next to an industrial hemp crop and a neighborhood that has grown accustomed to Cannabis cultivation.

With a small team of owners and workers, the Sacred Flower family has worked hard on their third season in the dirt, growing full term Cannabis without pesticides, commercial nutrients or massive overhead.

“It goes to the idea of flowers feeding flowers,” said Mark Simpkins, co-founder and master gardener on site. “We use natural amendments and alpaca poop, and the only thing we brought in was earthworm castings and heavy mulch to protect the soil.”

Growing in natural soil is how crops have been produced for millennia, but Cannabis growers have traditionally foregone the bounty provided by nature, opting instead for synthetic soils and nutrients.

Sacred Flower has chosen to work with the earth and the quality topsoil provided by Southern Oregon, adding to the rich topsoil with natural fermentations from plants grown onsite that provide vital nutrients to the Cannabis and positively amend the dirt.

“I believe it’s a super clean way to grow with nature, and the end result is so much better when you’re working with the ecological system the way it was designed to work.

We pump the plants full of natural ferments from Korean Natural Farming (KNF) techniques and our own fertilizers, and the plants thrive in them,” Simpkins explained.

“In the end we have a quality product that is free of pesticides or chemicals.”

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oregonlEAF.COM

BLACK CHERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES

ACRED FLOWER FARMS’

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SACRED FLOWER FARMS << Continued from previous page

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the beds of strains shows the variety of genetics, with plants in every color of fall. Deep purples and bright yellows and greens mix in with the thick colas that burst with natural flavors and terpenes. Strains like Black Cherry Cheesecake Cookies ooze with creamy, earthy-dank sugar and leave fingers sticky after a squeeze. The Cannabis strains are clearly thriving, all while coexisting with other plants, and dependent on the friendly family of alpacas on site. With the majority of the crop destined to be dried and cured as smokable flower, the purity is what drives the value of the brand and product.

“The goal is to provide people with the cleanest flower on the market and let them know the way we’re growing, through KNF and Dragonfly Earth Medicine certified products is to be in tune with mother nature,” cofounder Bill Frost said passionately.

“If you’re putting a product in your body it should be as clean as possible. This is medicine at its purest form first.”

While the products grown and sold from the farm are destined for the recreational marketplace, the team behind the plants hope that consumers value sun-grown Cannabis, and those that seek to grow it in as natural format as possible.

“We believe in setting a small footprint, [without] pesticides and to be as sustainable as possible,” Frost explained. “We’re not an Ikea footprint. It’s an organic controlled chaos. We believe mother nature had a reason for how we should grow.”

ALKING THROUGH

NOV. 2018

TANG BREATH

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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ALPACAS FUELS THE FARM

oregonlEAF.COM

THE BLACK @SACRED.FLOWER.FARMS SACREDFLOWERFARMS.COM

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FOUNDED MAR. 2016 17 STRAINS 950 PLANTS 2 F/T EMPLOYEES

INSPECTING FINISHED INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE

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raw zen farms

OWNERS Matthew & Kayla Leonard with some of their Forbidden Fruit.

BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

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pioneering with a dream of growing Cannabis, Matthew and Kayla Leonard are raising a family on their Cannabis farm.

Their journey with Cannabis began in Issaquah, Washington in the medical Cannabis industry, where Matthew operated Eastside Greenlight, a collective garden-style dispensary in the pre-legalization era.

Passionate about growing and sourcing the best Cannabis possible, he used his skill set to craft a quality dispensary that focused on patients and craft Cannabis. Along with many of the early Cannabis businesses in Washington, he found himself displaced from the retail marketplace in the transition from medical to recreational Cannabis and made the move with his wife and daughter to Southern Oregon.

Putting every resource and ounce of energy into the move, the family Invited for settled onto a beautiful homestead with a house and Cannabis grow onsite, a thriving vegetable garden and a grazing land for Wagyu cattle that spread around the property.

Growing pesticide-free in the native soil, the family uses little more than fishbone and IKE MODERN HOMESTEADERS

nov. 2018

worm castings to feed the already fertile ground. On the cusp of their second harvest, they sat the Oregon Leaf team down over a harvest dinner to talk about their passion for Cannabis, and the journey that led them to the harvest.

“It certainly took us to our limits to be here now, but we just don’t quit,” Matthew said.

“We are passionate about our craft and survive based on our quality and cleanliness.”

From the vegetables that feed the family to the plants that support them, the mantra of family farm permeates through the Leonard’s household. “We’re trying to live the family farm life here. Our daughter goes to a Montessori in the neighborhood with many Cannabis families present, and this is our community.

It was wine here, and now it’s weed in this community” Kayla said.

“We would love for our children to carry this on someday if that’s what they dinner are passionate about, and our daughters know that it is our medicine and our plant.”

The couple met when Matthew was operating his dispensary where Kayla was a patient, and they bonded over a common love for the plant. Their wedding, shortly before the

recreational transition disrupted the business, included a Cannabis-infused cake.

Moving south to Oregon was the last option, but a positive change that has brought blessings to the family.

“We never planned on leaving the Washington industry, it was a big part of our relationship and passion,” Kayla explained.

“Our new life is awesome. It’s a lot different, but we can grow exactly how we want to, as natural as we want with complete control over the product we grow. It’s proof that you can’t give up! You have to keep pushing and know that when you are working with your passion it will happen eventually.”

The passion for quality is evident on the farm. Raw Zen’s mantra is respecting the rawness of Cannabis, keeping pesticides from touching the plant, and caring about the product that people will consume.

Almost all the flower this year is fresh frozen and destined for a handful of concentrate companies, where the purity of the product will lead to top shelf and clean concentrates.

“Being a shop owner was amazing,” Matthew says smiling. “My love has always been to grow and be on the farm — Maybe I grow more strains than is good for me, but I love it! I have to pheno hunt and continue to select and find the best strains to grow.

Despite the hardships of this journey, I’m really happy.”

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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THE cultivation issue

@RAWZENFARM RAWZENFARMS.COM

FOUNDED 2017 30+ STRAINS 300+ PLANTS 3 EMPLOYEES

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The Applegate Valley shows off its colors

CHERRY PIE

DOSIDO

NOV. 2018

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CANNABIS RECIPES

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THESE CANNABIS-INFUSED THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES ADD A LITTLE EXTRA LOVE TO YOUR MEAL, TURNING YOUR ADULTS-ONLY DINNER INTO SOMETHING NO ONE WILL FORGET. REMEMBER: DON’T DRIVE OR OPERATE HEAVY MACHINERY. WE RECOMMEND TAKING A LITTLE WALK AFTERWARD AND JUST ENJOYING THE HOLIDAZE.

64 MAC AND CHEESE BRUSSEL SPROUT PECAN STIRFRY

Brussel sprouts have become fashionable. And for good reason.

So many ways to prepare them that allow their somewhat cabbage-like flavor to shine through. Years ago, they were boiled beyond recognition and tasted awful. When treated properly they are a fantastic vegetable. Give them another chance. This is a refreshing salad that can be served hot or at room temp. Add some cooked bacon and chicken and you have a lovely onebowl Cannabis-infused meal.

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2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb. shredded brussel sprouts, bottoms removed 1/2 cup pecan pieces 1/3 cup cooked chestnuts, chopped 4 teaspoons canna-olive oil Juice of ½ Lemon Pinch Salt & Pepper

In a large skillet heat the olive oil.

When hot add the brussel sprouts and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Add the pecans to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook an additional 3 minutes.

Combine the brussel sprouts, pecans, and chestnuts in a bowl. Add canna-olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper and toss before serving.

nov. 2018

One of the contenders for the best comfort food. Hard to beat a good mac and cheese with a crunchy topping. Everyone wants a piece with crust. This is just what the doctor ordered.

Also delicious with a mix of cheeses, try Gouda and Swiss – totally yummy.

8 ounces elbow macaroni 4 tablespoons butter 4 teaspoons canna-butter 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup milk 1 cup half and half 1/2 teaspoon salt Pinch black pepper 2 cups good quality medium-sharp shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup Cheddar crackers 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

All dishes serve 4

CAULIFLOWER WITH CUMIN

(if you happen to live in Oregon the cheese crackers by Laurie and MaryJane are a great infused replacement for the breadcrumbs.

A fantastic way to prepare the under-loved cauliflower. In the last year or two, it has begun to get the attention it deserves. Roasting this vegetable is magical, and with Cannabis and cumin - perfection. And it looks so cool prepared this way! I worked with the strain Gorilla Glue from Eco Firma Farm. A lovely smoking and infusing strain, I highly recommend it. If you have cauliflower leftover you can turn this into a soup. Puree in the blender with some hot vegetable broth and some half-and-half.

Pre-heat oven to 340° F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to al dente package directions. Rinse with cold water, toss with a teaspoon of oil and set aside.

1 medium head cauliflower, sliced in 4 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 teaspoons canna-olive oil 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Pinch Salt & Pepper

In a medium saucepan melt the butters.

Add the flour and cook on low, and stir 3-4 min.

Add the milk and half and half and stir till smooth and starting to thicken. Stir in the salt and pepper and the cheese.

In a small bowl or ramekin, mix the breadcrumbs and remaining cheddar. Bake mixture until melted and starting to turn golden brown.

Pre-heat oven to 340° F. Lay the slices of cauliflower on a baking sheet with sides. Brush with the oils and sprinkle with the cumin, salt and pepper.

Roast the cauliflower until golden and tender, about 25-30 minutes.

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Heavy in terpinolene, our Space Rip has a woodsy, bright aroma, and sweet, lemony taste many find pleasing.

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www.greatlandganja.com Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

edible review

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Salted Caramel Marshmallows

by FIRE EATER EDIBLES

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review by ALASKA LEAF STAFF

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MALL, SQUARE AND SWEET,\these little marshmallows bring the fire with them. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sweet yet savory. The salted caramel flavor is not overpowering, but sultry and inviting. As a heavy edible user, I expected I would have to eat quite a few of these to feel a solid effect but three marshmallows had me feeling great! Tip of the hat to Fire Eater for baking these goods because they are delicious and have a noticable effect! They may not be an average camping trip add-on, but for me they will be!

nov. 2018

Tip of the hat to Fire Eater for baking these goods because they are delicious and have a noticable effect!

5MG THC PER SERVING 20MG THC PER PACKAGE

PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA

concentrate review

CULTIVATED

by GREAT NORTHERN CANNABIS

PROCESSED by MIDNIGHT SUN

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TUNDRA BERRY aklEAF.COM

review by ALASKA LEAF STAFF

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UNDRA BERRY definitely lived up to its name, with sweet berry notes and smooth hits making for a nice, mellow vape experience. Although the viscosity of the concentrate seemed to be a little too thick for the wick to keep up with at times, when it warmed up you could taste the berry and citrus terpenes and achieve a more robust hit. Being as this is also a strong indica dominate vape, the effects are more prominent than its sativa counterparts, settling into the body for a nicely calming and relaxing effect.

nov. 2018

Sweet berry notes and smooth hits making for a mellow experience.

65.32% THC | 0.19%CBD | 0.09% CBG PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA

This is a marijuana product. Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

glass art

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WATER BUFFALO GLASS @WATERBUFFALOGLASS was crafted from clear, fume and Northstar Glass’ Purple Lilac. The elegant piece of glass stands at a respectable 10.25” inches tall, has a 14mm joint, and was constructed over the course of about two hours. Melting since 2010, Water Buffalo Glass currently operates out of a private studio in North Portland where he fashions custom pieces for consumers worldwide. His unique works can be found at most any of the Mary Jane’s House of Glass locations across the Northwest.

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