Green Eugene | Spring 2023

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Happy Earth Month to you all! There’s no coincidence that Green Eugene’s favorite holiday falls in this national awareness month that speaks for the trees. For me, April 20th will always scream picnic blankets, sticky fingers and snacks of all flavors. There’s also that seemingly unavoidable awkward moment with a stranger in public – even the stranger of yourself when looking in the mirror, depending – that reminds us we’re just animals on a floating rock. Just remember, if you get scared from overconsumption, which we’ve all done, consider the long shower method to soothe your nervous system. It’s the closest thing we have to returning to the safety of the womb.

In honor, this edition provides you with a suggestion of events for the week, some kiddo friendly. You’ll quickly crave a saucy burger, want to see a local band and learn about Eugene’s legendary Ken Kesey. Also noteworthy: if you’re angry about banks, this one’s for you.

Although this date provides 21+ consumers with unreal deals, swag from local dispensaries and friends gathering for the flower-burning ritual, there are many nuances that cannot be ignored. We as a publication recognize the turnaround between our previous Legality Edition and this one. We remain in the frequent discussion of the injustices of the racial disparity of cannabis arrests, and we continuously search for ways to uplift these stories. While we gather in our circles listening to Green Eugene’s 4-hour and 20-minute-long playlist, may we also reflect and spark discussions on how we can advocate for the thousands of people still stuck in the system for nonviolent cannabis charges. The stories before you are a celebration of the culture behind 4/20, but we encourage readers to be critical; while there are folks still locked up for weed, no one is truly freed.

Without further ado, I thank you for supporting our publication. The hard work and love that poured into these stories are evident in the months spent in preparation. I am so proud of my team of writers who have grown in their storytelling styles. Behind the scenes, they all remain dedicated to navigating any challenge head-on. Their passion is contagious so I hope you feel some of that magic. Our community and readership are what fuels this machine, so thank you.

Stay curious and stay hydrated this 4/20,

Kayl Wohl Editor

STAFF

Editor

Kayl Wohl

Managing Copy Editor

Megan McEntee

Cover Photo

Megan McEntee

Writers

Dominic Adams

Bentley Freeman

Daniel Friis

Sydney Johnson

Nina Mathieu

Hannarose McGuinness

Elijah Newman

Armando Ramirez

Keaton Roberts

Kayl Wohl

Lead Designer

Miles Imai

Designers and Illustrators

Dani DeGraw

Julia Faria

Palmer Krais

Abigail Raike

Lindsay Rogers

Spencer So

Kaity VanHoose

Photographers

Gustavo Del Real Figueroa

Bentley Freeman

Daniel Friis

Megan McEntee

Armando Ramirez

Violet Turner

Riley Valle

Kayl Wohl

Account Executives

Josh Delapena

Max Goldenberg

Amy Menendez

Keaton Roberts

Riley Valle

Thank you for reading Green Eugene. Please note that our publication and site spotlights content about substances that are illegal under federal and state laws in certain places. We do not promote, advocate or condone illicit drug use. All content produced by Green Eugene is for educational and entertainment purposes only for readers 21+.

Written by Sydney Johnson

Designed by Palmer Krais

Celebrate 4/20 with giveaways, deals and events around Eugene...

• Gateway Show with Billy Anderson, standup comedy, 7:30 p.m. @ Whirled Pies

• 20% off glass sale @ Sweet Tree Farms

4/20

4/19

• 420 party with music, vendors, deals, and more from 1-7 p.m. @ Snugz Dispensary

• $4.20 sandwich deal, free frisbee, raffles and live music from 2-10 p.m. @ Cheba Hut

• Flower Pot Giveaway for the first 500 Eugene Emeralds fans 7:35 p.m. @ PK Park

• Clementine Was Right, Kidcaid, Gentlebeing and Left On Read concert 8 p.m. @ WOW Hall

• Blu Egyptian & Connectarine concert 7 p.m. @Whirled Pies Downtown

• Lip SYNC Xtravaganza with Lyta Blunt & Petra Etc 9 p.m. @ Spectrum Queer Bar

• Grateful Dead Jam: 420 Edition w/ Token & Friends 9 p.m. @ The Big Dirty

• Outliers and Outlaws: Stories from the Eugene Lesbian History Project 10 a.m.8 p.m (and throughout the week) @ Museum of Natural and Cultural History

• Earth Day 2023 live music, food, (through Sunday) @ beergarden

• 420 Goat Yoga & Goat Happy Hour (student discount available) 4 p.m. @ No Regrets Farm & Sanctuary (Monroe, Ore.)

• Eugene Emerald beanie giveaway to the first 1000 fans 7:35 p.m. @ PK Park

• DOSED: The Trip of a Lifetime theatrical release + Q&A 7 p.m. @ Broadway Metro Cinema

• Pink Floyd: The Best of Echoes & RUSH laser light show 7 p.m. @ Eugene Science Center

• Mz Worthy with DJ Wrlck 8:00 p.m. @ The Big Dirty

• Scrumptious Scoundrels Burlesque 9:30 p.m. @ Old Nick’s Pub

• Fiddlehead Festival Spring Up Roll Out 7 p.m. @ WildCraft Ciderworks

• 20% off glass sale @ Sweet Tree Farms

4/22

4/21

• The Cream of Clapton Band 8 p.m. @ WOW Hall

• Some Stars of Native American Comedy 8 p.m. @ Hult Center - Soreng Theater

• EWEB w/DJ Warlock 10 p.m. @ Blairally Vintage Arcade

• Chris Baron acoustic concert 4 p.m. @ Beergarden

• Scream at the Sky w/ Beautiful Skeletons and Villains in Vain 9 p.m. @ The Big Dirty

• 10% of Cartridges @ Redbarn Dispensaries

4/23

A “High 5” for the Cannabis Community

A local dispensary that smokes out the community with more than just cannabis.

Written and Photographed by Daniel Friis Designed by Julia Faria

From the outside of High 5 Cannabis in Eugene, Ore., it looks like a cannabis wonderland. The green and yellow painted walls with large cannabis leaf emblems, and the cannabis themed jail bars that line the windows with thousands of planted sunflowers scream pothead extravaganza.

But inside these warehouse-like walls exist several other interests, memories and awesome memorabilia that make up one of the layered dispensaries around Eugene.

High 5’s co-owners, Roger Howard and Bradley Cook, have owned the dispensary for five and a half years.

“I grew weed on the medical end before this, so when everything went legal it was the way to go,” says Howard.

Upon entry, guests immediately walk into a room lined with photos of beautiful outdoor scenery and nationwide landmarks taken by Cook – who has a strong passion for photography. The theme of the room changes frequently, but the imagery doesn’t stop there.

Adjacently, the main budroom displays dozens of photos of blues artists and concerts on the walls.

“I didn’t realize how much of a thing blues music was, but it’s neat watching people walk in because we get all walks of life,” says Sydney Combs, a budtender and manager for High 5 Cannabis. “We’re down the street from a bar, close to a Harley Davidson shop, so getting quite a few people is interesting.”

Combs has been working at High 5 for just over two and a half years since she moved here from Idaho. She’s worked in other sales positions before but admits to not being as informed with the cannabis culture in Idaho where the laws surrounding its use are rather strict.

As Combs alluded, the dispensary's location is another reason for its uniqueness. Just off the Interstate-5, High 5 Cannabis embraces constant travelers. They have a large map of America on one of their walls with hundreds of pins corresponding to where some of their customers have traveled from. Next to the pinned map, hundreds of guests with foreign passports have signed their names and corresponding countries in permanent marker. The store stashes aside its hefty collection of foreign currency like pesos and euros.

“It took just four months to get 39 states, and in seven months we had all 50 states plus about 60 different countries on there,” Howard says.

The store’s location also helps with its diversified and potent cannabis.

“We get a lot of really good flower. Because we sit off the 5, we get an abundance of different farms, different growers – you name it,” says Combs. “We get a lot of stuff that you may not see in town.”

As far as favorites, Howard points to the Melon Runtz. High 5 Cannabis rarely carries cannabis under a THC level of 20%, yet Melon Runtz’ 24% marks one of the dispensary’s less potent options.

“There’s a sweet spot for weed and it’s about 24-28% for me, and there’s a lot of room for taste and smell with all the terpenes in there,” Howard says. “It’s all about taste.”

The store also sells its fair share of edibles, with the Laurie Mary Jane Bites and Hapy Kitchen Chocolate Brownies being some of the favorites. All the store's bongs and glass pieces are also made and shipped independently in Eugene from a man named Erin Milligan.

With a mixed collection of bud, edibles, and pieces plus a friendly twist of photography, blues and travel, there’s several reasons to check out High 5 Cannabis.

“As a consumer, I like the dispensaries that stand out,” says Combs. “We laugh at each other just like a family. It’s a cool environment that’s hard to compare to anything.”

CBG: The Budding Star of the Cannabis World

Written by Keaton Roberts,

If you are an avid cannabis user, you have probably heard the terms THC and CBD. You’ve also probably associated these terms with THC as the one that “gets you high” and CBD as the “pain reliever.” Although both are equally important in their uses, one compound in cannabis and hemp plants acts as the parent of both THC and CBD. Many people may have heard of CBG than know what it actually means. CBG is a molecular compound that stands for “cannabigerol,” and it comes primarily from the young cannabis plants. .

To keep it brief, CBG does not get you high. However, there are many other benefits that CBG has on the body that make it a desirable product. For starters, CBG is psychoactive, but not in the way that it alters a person’s perceptions. It is known to provide a sense of contentment and relaxation, while also improving focus and concentration. Just like other forms of cannabis, there are different methods for taking CBG. Inside your local dispensary, guests may find CBG oils, capsules and gummies. These products may take longer to kick in but are known to have a long-lasting effect on the body. Another method is a CBG vape cartridge, which has a quick and shortlasting effect on the consumer.

CBG has also shown signs of treating chronic and acute pain. According to a patient survey executed by the Hawai’i Journal of Medicine and Public Health in 2014, 64% of patients noticed a relative decrease in pain from areas all over the body. It is no wonder that this young cannabinoid is making waves throughout the cannabis industry.

CBG is commonly referred to as the ‘mother of all cannabinoids.’ The reason is that all cannabinoids found in cannabis and hemp plants come from the molecule CBGa, which is the acidic form of CBG. In other words, CBG is the genetic parent of THC. However, CBG is not just a stay-at-home mother. This molecule puts in work as an alternative method to treating pain for some of the world’s most infamous diseases.

Many experts around the country are using cannabigerol extract to discover whether this element could assist, or even cure, pain that millions of humans experience. One of those experts is Dr. Wesley

by Miles Imai

Raup-Konsavage, an assistant professor of pharmacology at Penn State University College of Medicine, who is currently studying the impact of CBG on specific impairments in the body.

He dives deep into his team’s main goal which is to “get away from the use of opioids and other medications that might cause euphoria or lead to addiction, and look for novel ways to treat pain,” Raup-Konsavage said. With an inspiring goal and a new hypothesis pertaining to the possible benefits of CBG, Raup-Konsavage’s team received a 10-year, multi-million dollar grant. The funding came from PA Options for Wellness, a research center dedicated to using cannabis and hemp products to provide effective relief for its patients. Through this agreement, Raup-Konsavage and his team developed studies in all areas of the body. One of the main studies used a combination of CBD/CBG oil to decrease neuropathic pain in mice.

“They’re restoring the pain threshold back to where the animals were before they had neuropathy. We’re currently working to expand those studies into a chronic model, looking at longer-term treatment with CBG to see how long that effect lasts,” RaupKonsavage said. This was the most promising study to date according to Raup-Konsavage. Additionally, Raup-Konsavage’s team has seen encouraging results for CBG oil to treat inflammatory bowel disease, osteoarthritis and even bone repair.

“We used a mouse model fracture and found that when the mice were treated with the CBG not only did the mice have reduced pain, but they had better bone formation,” Raup-Konsavage said eagerly. The next step will be clinical trials for the majority of studies that this team is conducting. However, things seem optimistic as they look to change the way pain is treated.

At this moment in time, there is only speculation regarding the potential benefits of CBG. However, all signs lead to this compound being a game changer when it comes to treating pain. Through the work that Raup-Konsavage and the team at Penn State University College of Medicine are conducting, there is a world of possibilities for how CBG can benefit the average person. For now, all one can do is enjoy the feelings of relaxation and contentment that CBG provides, while knowing that the future is bright for further research and discovery of how exactly this compound is interacting with the body.

A look into the new compound in town and how it might be an alternative to treating chronic pain and more.

Illustrated and Designed

Getcha a Gotcha

How Gotcha Burger is changing up the Eugene food cart game

Trevon Huntley and his family know burgers, and they are serving up to anyone who desires one. Born and raised in Eugene, Huntley had a strong work ethic instilled from day one. Despite the hard times, Huntley’s father always found time to cook authentic burgers, fries and many more dishes for his family. When Huntley was younger, he was always surrounded by great home-cooked meals. He enjoyed freshly cooked Indian and Mediterranean dishes in what Huntley describes as a “transfusion of cultures.” However, there was one meal that stood out from the rest.

“When I was a kid he would always be making burgers and fries with a bunch of different sauces. He just kept making sauce until he perfected it – and that is the Gotcha sauce people enjoy today,” Huntley said.

Huntley’s family previously owned the once-popular Kazaam food truck on East 18th Street and Pearl Street. They began to sell the “Gotcha Burger” at Kazaam, and it quickly became their best-selling item. The Huntleys decided to turn their attention to what they do best. With the famous “Gotcha” sauce already established as a family recipe and their ability to cook fresh burgers, they decided to open up a burger joint that would invite people from all walks of life.

“We call it Gotcha Burger because we gotcha; whether you’re a homeless person looking for their next meal, a student looking for a quick bite to eat or even the family from the top of the hill: we gotcha,” Huntley said. At Gotcha Burger, inclusivity is a value that they will forever stand on.

Now it is Huntley’s turn to serve up the sauce. He has taken over day-to-day operations and is set to carry on the family business. Working 18 hours a day from sun-up to sun-down, Huntley made the same sacrifice his father made in his youth.“He always worked for himself, always hustled for his family, doing everything it takes to make us happy. That is where I get my nonstop work ethic from,” Huntley said.

Huntley starts his day by opening the store at 11 a.m. and does everything to make Gotcha Burger a satisfying trip for customers until closing at 1 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on the weekends. He does it all, from chopping fresh vegetables, taking orders, cleaning up the property, flipping burgers and forming relationships with customers. For Huntley, this is only part of the sacrifice and dedication he makes to run this place. This past year, he went back to Lane Community College to achieve his degree in business administration. His goal is to take Gotcha Burger to new heights, and believing that with the work ethic inspired by his father, he could reach that goal.

“I was a normal kid, went to school here, did normal kid things, but I always remember telling myself I could work so much more. I always had the energy to keep going and going,” Huntley said.

Written by Keaton Roberts

photographed by Riley Valle

Designed by Dani DeGraw

The quality of the food mirrors how warm and welcoming the staff is. For less than $5, you can get their featured item, the “Deuce Deuce,” which is a double-double patty and cheese on a toasted bun along with freshly cut vegetables and of course, topped with a perfect amount of sweet and savory Gotcha sauce. That first bite into the Deuce Deuce sets off all of the senses. The first wave is full of rich, quality, fresh flavor from the meat and cheese complimented by a crisp crunch of grilled onion, lettuce and tomato. The aftertaste is usually bombarded with the sweet, smoky, tanginess from the Gotcha sauce. You can tell instantly that this is not your normal fast food frozen patty from the freezer. Simply put, the quality at Gotcha Burger is unmatched. The temporary taste sensations from the Deuce Deuce leave a permanent smile on customers’ faces.

Gotcha Burger is not just a burger joint: Their menu also features loaded hot dogs, Philly cheesesteaks that will melt in your mouth and delectable vanilla and strawberry shakes. Giving customers a variety of options that fit their munchie needs, cravings can be satisfied at any time of the day.

New menu items are on the horizon. Beginning the week of 4/20, exactly at midnight, Gotcha Burger will establish a new “munchie menu.” As if that doesn’t already sound enticing, everything on the menu will be under $2.99. Huntley explained that the menu items will remain a secret, but he ensures that it will consist of “all of the favorites.” If you want to find out more about the content on the newly featured “munchie menu,” you’re going to have to go see for yourself.

The hustling Huntleys have big dreams for this place. Their next move is to open a storefront in Eugene, ideally closer to the University of Oregon campus. The goal from there is to expand to Corvallis, Bend and other locations statewide. Eventually, the Huntleys will strive to reach the East Coast to make Gotcha Burger a nationwide name that represents an affordable, tasty meal with accessible hours for hungry visitors. With the quality, efficiency and energetic work ethic that Huntley and his family obtain, the sky’s the limit for Gotcha Burger.

Music Spotlight: Bowl Peace Droppin’ Some Dream Pop

Written by Elijah Newman

Photographed by Megan McEntee

Designed by Miles Imai

Without further ado, meet the all-student indie rock band coming out of the University of Oregon: Bowl Peace. With Elizabeth Bailey sitting on the drums, Holden Hunt strumming the guitar, Owen Akiyama slapping the bass and Elise Benton providing the vocals, they band together to create fun, catchy music for everyone to enjoy. Bowl Peace was a somewhat recent venture. They all met and started making music in November 2022. Holden, in his own words, was the “Nick Fury” of their beginnings. He — like Samuel L. Jackson in the Marvel Universe — recruited everyone, adhered to individual talents and skills and formed a band that was destined to be together.

“We immediately clicked and got along with each other so well,” Bailey said. As a group, their creativity sparked, and the rest is history: Bowl Peace was born.

Attendees of their shows can feel the inherent camaraderie and true intention which is “to just have fun,” said Benton. “We’re about going places and having fun.”

This concept, however, doesn’t derail them from their goal of gaining some attention and getting their music out there. “Right now we’re really focused on playing shows and creating a community in physical spaces. We’re honing in on establishing our presence,” Akiyama said.

The mark of any good band is a lasting name. “It came out of nowhere,” Bailey said. They were sitting around, riffing, thinking of lyrics and new melodies when she lifted the bowl piece up from a bong and a lightbulb went off in everyone’s heads. Their name is not Bowl Piece, but rather Bowl Peace. It fits not only their band and the music they play, but their own individual lifestyles, likeness towards smoking and easy-going demeanor.

Their genre, according to Bailey, is a “softer indie rock.” Bowl Peace’s music isn’t as heavy and punk as many indie rock bands in Eugene. Hunt said they tend to “lean more on dream pop compared to most bands.” That’s why Bowl Peace is so unique; they have an interesting, contemporary style, and their surreal, dream-like melodies deliver a relieving, psychedelic mood. You can feel their cannabis-influenced, impressionistic flair in their narrative-driven songs.

The group currently has one track out on all streaming platforms. The song “Idaho” has an accompanying music video on YouTube, produced entirely by Hunt. You can also find it in our “Very Green Eugene 4/20” playlist on Spotify.

“It’s a Eugene take on a stoner movie,” said Bailey. “It’s about us trying to get to a show in Idaho but everything goes wrong.” The several obstacles along their way enhance the song beautifully.

Their music and online presence show how their influences all stem from different media backgrounds. Hunt said their video has a “Wes Anderson style to it,” while Bailey listed off some bands that have helped them adopt their sound, such as The Cure, The Beatles, Pulp and Alvvays. It’s also not just 80s and 90s rock that have given them inspiration — their ‘ear’ expands to other influential contemporary genres.

It’s always interesting to hear about a band’s writing process. Bowl Peace is adamant about their collective effort when it comes to pen on paper. They don’t believe in one writer who comes up with the story or message. It takes all of them, together.

“We go by sections,” said Benton. “One of us will ask, ‘how does this verse look? No? Ok, what about this one?’ We each write lyrics collectively and go from there — which is how we piece songs together.”

This collaborative process makes their music a wholesome and inviting experience. Their performances create an entertaining and fun atmosphere for everyone involved.

“Our shows usually include five original songs, in addition to weedclassic covers that are fun and engaging for the crowd,” Bailey said.

Watch out for their upcoming song: “Coconaut,” which is about fruit and a surfer who wants to be an astronaut. Akiyama states that the song “has a lot of room for individual interpretations and fun metaphors mixed in.”

Any 21+ music lovers available on 4/20 can attend Bowl Peace’s fun and laid-back show exclusively publicized through the band’s Instagram @bowlpeace. It’ll be the perfect time to vibe to great music and soak up what makes Bowl Peace the dream pop band to look out for.

“We’re about going places and having fun”

-Elise Benton

The Historical and Cultural Significance of 420

Written by Daniel Friis, Designed by Abigail Raike

Something about this time of year just seems so bud-iful.

As another 4/20 is rolling around the corner, let’s take a look at the significance behind the day and how this simple number has represented an entire culture of cannabis for decades on end.

Let’s throw it back to 1971. A group of five teenagers known as “the Waldos” ran a secret cannabis operation out of San Rafael, CA. One day, the group discovered an abandoned cannabis crop nearby. All five members were studentathletes, so 4:20 p.m. was the most convenient time for them to meet. The operation to infiltrate the crop led to the euphemism for cannabis.

“We would remind each other in the hallways we were supposed to meet up at 4:20. It originally started out 4:20-Louie, and we eventually dropped the Louie,” says Steve Capper, one of the original “Waldos,” in an interview with the Huffington Post in 2017.

Several other creative theories regarding the origin of the number have been proposed. Some say that 420 was the police code for cannabis consumption or selling, but the theory has been debunked as its is actually the code for obstruction of entry on public land. Another theory deals with Bob Dylan’s music, more specifically in a song called “Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35,” also known as “Everybody Must Get Stoned.” Multiplying 12 and 35 sums to 420, yet this theory hasn’t picked up much steam.

Perhaps no one state celebrates 4/20 more than Colorado, where laws and regulations surrounding its consumption have been historically light. The Colorado Department of Transportation had to replace Mile Marker 420 sign on Interstate-70 East because of thievery, replacing it with a sign that read 419.99. That sign was also stolen.

In politics, the term “420” has been tossed around as well. The bill that was passed in California to regulate medical marijuana use in 2003 was called California Senate Bill 420. In Oregon, H.R. 420 introduced in early January 2019 by the 116th Congress was introduced and passed to return to regulation laws. Even in Washington, D.C., when Initiative 71 was passed to legalize cannabis in 2014, the mayor granted license plate number 420 to the campaign leader.

The phrase has made its way to television as well. In “Family Guy,” a popular adult animated series, Episode “420” deals with one of the main characters – Brian – trying to legalize the drug in Quahog. Once it’s finally legalized, he and everyone else realize that society turned into a lazy mess, so the drug was criminalized again. In “Spongebob Squarepants,” the popular kids’ television series, episode 20 in season four was titled “Best Day Ever.” We see what they did there.

Even across literature, several cookbooks with a cannabis twist have been published, such as “The 420 Gourmet” by HarperCollins in 2016, and “The 420 Cannabis Cookbook” by Simon & Schuster.

There’s simply not enough time or space to discuss 420’s impact on cannabis culture. However, one thing seems certain – the phrase’s use can only grow as long as it’s associated with cannabis, and as long as April 20 is a date on the calendar.

How 4/20 came to be and how it’s been integrated into society forever.

• 1205 Alder st • $1 dabs and Joints!

$20oz’s!

• $20 & $30 Goodie bags

• 4 Golden Tickets in play for 420!

From Seed to Bud to Bong

Efficiently growing cannabis is down to a science. Farmers have to take everything into consideration; atmospheric conditions, water pH, temperature and light levels all affect the final product. The talented weed growers at Bonsai Farms work hard to make sure the bud that ends up in our bongs is nothing but the finest cannabis.

Bonsai assistant lead grower Nicholas Geist works with the plants every step of the way to ensure they are healthy and clean. For Geist, the first step to growing good ganja is to encourage vegetative growth. He wants his plants to grow stronger roots and taller, thicker stems before flowering can begin.

While the cannabis plants are in “veg,” Geist’s shorthand for vegetative growth room, all 1800 plants will be moved into one-gallon pots to help accentuate a faster growth rate. “It’s always a struggle with how many plants you can fit,” he says.

Bonsai has three veg rooms on their indoor farm. Each room is kept at a similar temperature to spring when cannabis plants have their best vegetative growth. Geist keeps his plants in veg for one to three six-week-long cycles depending on how the plants are growing. However, if kept there for too long, they’ll start to depreciate in value. “If [our plants] get stagnated they inherently lose money,” Geist says.

Farmers are always trying to beat the market. If the market gets flooded with a certain strain, the value of the strain will go down (your basic supply and demand principle). When first potting plants farmers are “making a bet” three months before the plant is even really growing according to Geist.

Bonsai is a unique entity. They are a single source farm, which means they hold all six licenses required for the production and distribution of any kind of weed product, unlike most other farms. It allows Bonsai to stay mobile in a crowded market that is frequently shifting. Each plant grown can be utilized not only for bud but also a variety of hash and distillates.

Written and Photographed by Bentley Freeman

Designed by Julia Faria

Once the plants are healthy and ready to begin flowering, they are moved into Bonsai’s flower room for nine weeks. In each of the three seemingly monolithic flower rooms, every plant is kept under the watchful eye of a big black box that houses Bonsai, mounted in the center of each flower room about 15 feet off the ground.

Bonsai uses its own proprietary artificial intelligence, seemingly stored in each black box like HAL 9000, to collect and analyze data on how all of the 400 plants in each room are behaving. The system collates and shares data with the entire farm and monitors each room for humidity, light levels, water quality and air quality.

Each of their three flower rooms is kept homogenous and quarantined. Cross-pollination between two species is a big no-no because it wildly changes the final product. Everything is controlled by Bonsai’s automated system to assure that the taste, smell and color are all up to snuff.

Combined each room uses about 150 kWH of lighting over a 12-hour period to maintain the same level of light each plant would receive during the summer. According to Geist, they even turn the lights off to let plants catch some sleep. The rooms themselves give off the appearance of a cannabis jungle that seems to stretch on for hundreds of feet. It's truly a beautiful sight.

Throughout the farm, several “Legalize Tomatoes” stickers are placed on various doors. Geist described tomatoes to have an acutely similar growth process to cannabis. According to him, tomato farmers took a look at the indoor cannabis model and have begun applying it to their own

can hold upwards of 150 to 200 pounds of the pot before it's shipped off and sold. All of their products were kept in yellow plastic tubs that were stacked up almost 10 feet high. Each tub must have held thousands of nugs. I wanted to dive in and swim around like Scrooge McDuck.

So next time you’re grinding up your nug, just know that a farmer is working very hard to make sure that it's the stinkiest, greenest, most mind-blowing boof possible.

Editor’s note: as requested by Bonsai, specific strain names are excluded from this piece.

by Kayl Wohl & Megan McEntee

Lindsay Rogers

Green Eugene 4/20 Playlist

Happy Holiblaze from Green Eugene! Our annual celebration includes our updated list of tracks that will have all our best buds gathered around the Bluetooth speaker. Within exactly 4 hours and 20 minutes, your sonic universe will blast you higher than the clouds and blanket you in aural foliage.

Forget Sublime; we’re subverting expectations of what a “stoner playlist” sounds like. The backyard barbecue and the park bench potluck will taste better with this soundtrack. Your front porch rock-n-toke will invite fellow travelers from The Pharcyde and Cypress Hill.

Rain or shine, these jams will bubble your bong. The Beach Boys will join you for a bit of shoegaze and Free Weed while Ice Cube reminds us it’s a damn good day to melt into a stoner metal moment. Another notable mention is “Sunkissed” by Phoenix, Arizona artist Pariah Pete – perfect for a window-down drive. We also highlight local artists like ziree sun with “fly away” for a sunny stroll. Amiia Nectar’s “Black Magic Woman” groves listeners into a watery trance, followed by “Broke A$ Hell,” because we simply couldn’t choose just one.

In the spirit of 4/20, this playlist is for anyone and everyone –whether soon-to-be college graduates or your visiting grandparents. To join our dance party, scan the code near the Spotify search bar and have your lighters ready!

Curated

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GETTING BLAZY WITH SUSAN

Written by Dominic Adams

Photographed by Riley Valle

For this edition’s High Recommendation, I wanted to highlight some newer or lesserknown products from a company that many may already have heard of. Blazy Susan, founded in 2017, is a relative newcomer to the market of lifestyle products for stoners. They have a staggering amount of products available on their online store, but the most famous is their eponymous product, the Blazy Susan.

The Blazy Susan is, as you might expect, a Lazy Susan – except it has been equipped to hold all sorts of products like ashtrays, grinders, lighters and a whole range of dab accessories. Unfortunately, depending on the material, you can expect to spend between $90 and $150. Unless you have some seriously disposable income, I would stick to buying a real Lazy Susan and decking it out yourself. If you’re like me and don’t have that kind of dough on hand, but still want to engage in online retail therapy, then look no further!

Among the list of products that Blazy Susan sells, there are at least two that I can personally confirm are both affordable and excellently crafted: The “Purple ActivatedCharcoal Filter Tips” and the “Pink Deluxe Rolling Kit.” The rolling kit is cleverly priced at $4.20 and is available in both purple and unbleached varieties. The tips are a bit more of an investment at $29.99. Regardless, I promise they’re worth the price – and also available in pink on the website.

Designed by Abigail Raike

The rolling kit is reminiscent of the RAW Connoisseur pack – a favorite of mine due to the pure functionality of combining tips and papers into one convenient package. The kit follows that same principle, but in an elevated way. The tips are perforated on one end for the perfect “W” every time you roll up. This kit features a magnet closure system that’s both sleek and snappy. The main highlight, however, is the origami-inspired rolling tray that springs forth when you open the kit. It’s not the biggest tray I have ever rolled with, but it certainly makes the Deluxe Rolling Kit the perfect item for a small stash bag. This kit has absolutely become a daily item for me, and I find myself using it most at parties or social events where I’m away from my home rolling setup.

The activated charcoal filter tips are similarly excellent, although I have some reservations about claims made on the packaging. They are made up of two ceramic end caps wrapped in filter paper and filled with bits of activated charcoal made from coconuts. These filters provide a consistent crutch for rolling, a smooth draw and arguably more flavorful hits. Whether it’s the charcoal filtering or the ceramic caps cooling the smoke down, these things really elevate the smoking experience. Also – for our spliff enjoyers out there – these tips produce a considerably less harsh hit when compared to the unfiltered tobacco hits in a normal spliff. The difference was even more noticeable in the spliff compared to a straight-up J. It still makes a doob hit cooler, just a little less prominently.

At the end of the day, the price for 100 tips is a bit steep when we start to consider unit pricing, but if a bit of a splurge is on the table for you, and you want to support a dope business, these are worth every penny!

Barriers to Banking in the Cannabis Industry

Despite cannabis being legal both recreationally and medically in the state of Oregon, there are still many barriers regarding cannabis not being federally legal. One of those barriers is banking.

Currently, there are only two banking institutions in Oregon that allow cannabis business accounts, which are WAUNA Credit Union and MAPS Credit Union. It is important to note that traditional “banks” are federally regulated institutions that will not accept cannabis business accounts due to cannabis still being illegal federally. Credit Unions, on the other hand, have different rules and tend to be regulated by the state where they are located, meaning that some have the ability to accept cannabis-related bank accounts.

Due to the small number of credit unions that accept cannabis business accounts, prices to open an account are extremely high. Paul Hampshire, the owner of Eugene-based cannabis processor Full Circle Extraction Co., said, “Normal business bank accounts with a normal bank may cost you, for a small business, $15 to $50 a month. To have a cannabis bank account, it’s ten times that. It’s closer to $400 to $500 per month just to have the account. That’s another huge unnecessary hardship that a lot of small businesses have to take on.”

While paying $400 to $500 monthly for a bank account may be manageable for larger businesses, it can cause an issue for smaller businesses within the cannabis industry. Many of these businesses are already struggling to compete in today’s cannabis market. Smaller businesses within the cannabis industry could benefit from receiving financial help from banking institutions, like many similar businesses in any other industry.

Oregon cannabis attorney Paul Loney said, “Some of these businesses that are kind of struggling right now, and if they could get like a loan it could allow them to make it through this rough patch.” Unfortunately, the credit unions that do accept cannabis businesses in Oregon do not issue loans to their clients. This means that if cannabis businesses are in need of a loan they must find an alternative other than a bank or credit union. “They have to go to private lenders which cost a lot of money, which is not good,” Loney said.

Written and Photographed by Armando Ramirez

Designed by Kaity VanHoose

While banking itself causes issues for businesses in the cannabis industry, not having an account is an even bigger problem. Rick Harder, owner of Eugene-based cannabis producer Oregon Cannabis Authority, experienced these issues around a year ago when attempting to pay taxes without having a cannabis business account. According to Harder, at the time, if you owned a cannabis business without a bank account for the business, taxes had to physically be paid in cash to the Department of Revenue. For Harder, however, the Department of Revenue would not accept the thousands of dollars in cash that Harder had on hand, as a result of running his business without a bank account.

“We actually ended up having to call Senator Merkely, because we had now two quarterly payments, tens of thousands of dollars to go and deliver to the federal government and no way to get it to them. I don’t know why we can’t have the SAFE Banking Act passed so we can actually have bank accounts that we don’t have to pay money for,” Harder said.

The SAFE Banking Act, which Harder mentioned, was introduced on March 7, 2019, and looks to legitimize cannabis businesses within the banking industry by prohibiting federal banks from refusing cannabis-related business on the grounds that the business is part of the cannabis industry. The SAFE Banking Act has passed the House three times, in 2019, 2021 and 2022, but still failed to make it any further.

While there are many issues that still exist for the cannabis industry as a result of cannabis still being federally illegal, banking continues to be a major problem for many of those within the industry. “For the people that just want to have a business, follow the rules, pay our taxes: why is it so difficult to do that?” said Harder.

Editor’s note: Green Eugene reached out to WAUNA Credit Union, MAPS Credit Union, the Department of Revenue and the Department of Treasury but did not receive a comment in time for publication. Any changes will be reflected in the online version of this story.

Picture this. You’re walking through the Eugene Saturday Market on a beautiful spring day. A cool breeze rustles the freshly-bloomed leaves on the maple trees. You can hear the drum circle echoing through the park blocks, and smell the aroma of weed and authentic, local food that lingers in the air. You look around at the art for sale eyeing the kaleidoscopes, bongs and psychedelic paintings. Eugene residents in tye-dye shirts are dancing their hearts out. You wonder to yourself: When did Eugene become the epitome of the hippie movement?

You can thank the renowned author and leader of the ‘60s counterculture movement, Ken Kesey. As a Eugene local and an alum of the University of Oregon, Kesey found numerous ways to leave a legacy in his hometown.

Kesey was born in 1935 in La Junta, Colorado. Shortly after, his family relocated to the Eugene area. However, Kesey’s initial attraction to the counterculture movement didn’t occur in Eugene but began after he was offered a prestigious scholarship for a writing program at Stanford University. A major shift in Kesey’s personality and writing style occurred when he became a paid subject of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) experiments, according to history writer Robert McNamara from ThoughtCo. This led Kesey to become fascinated with the potential for cognitive changes in the mind after ingesting hallucinogenic drugs.

Kesey’s creativity flourished in combination with psychoactive chemicals. Soon after, his career took off as a result of his newfound inspiration from LSD, according to McNamara. After writing “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1962, Kesey’s rebellious, nonconforming attitude encompassed his reputation. It was no surprise when Kesey set off on a cross-country road trip with a group of his eccentric friends. The group named themselves the Merry Pranksters; they drove thousands of miles in an exuberantly painted school bus that they named “Furthur.” The Pranksters traveled with copious amounts of the then-legal drug LSD and claimed to be filmmakers anytime they were pulled over by police on their trip — pun intended.

The Pranksters eventually made the journey back to the West Coast in 1965 in order to hold a series of bizarre parties they coined “The Acid Tests.” At this point, the Pranksters established themselves as a well-known group of individuals who decided to abandon the status quo. People from all different walks of life attended their parties including poet Allen Ginsberg and journalist Hunter S. Thompson. The Merry Pranksters’ experiments with multi-media art projects, psychedelics and free-form rock music (ever heard of the Grateful Dead?) were further solidified in Tom Wolfe’s 1968 novel, “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.” Kesey and the Pranksters became

Written by Nina Mathieu

Photographed by Violet Turner

Designed by Dani DeGraw

Ken Kesey and the History of Eugene Hippies

signifiers for individuality and freedom within the counterculture movement as they set the standard for non-conformity within the hippie community for generations to come, according to The Furthur Down the Road Foundation.

Towards the end of the 1960s, Kesey returned to Oregon after being arrested for the possession of cannabis. Once released, Kesey continued to write, raise his family and teach at the UO. He died in Eugene on Nov. 10, 2001. Kesey remains an important symbol of Eugene’s uniqueness after spending the peak years of the counterculture movement building a legacy based on individuality and the freedom to express. It is likely that many members of Kesey’s loyal community followed in his footsteps and relocated to the funky town of Eugene, Oregon.

In addition to the nonconformist and free-spirited attitude, Eugene offers various tributes to Kesey. His undeniable influence resulted in his statue being erected on the corner of Willamette Street and Broadway, known as Kesey Square. Coined “The Storyteller,” the statue depicts Kesey reading to his three grandchildren. Plus, the aforementioned “Furthur” now resides on the Kesey family farm, just outside of the Eugene city limits.

Kesey’s granddaughter, Kate Smith, introduced the Kesey Farm Project in 2016. This initiative “works to host programming that support[s] emerging writers and artists from all backgrounds, encouraging collaboration and exploration… for the next generation of creative thinkers,” according to Kesey Farm Project website. Although the farm is closed to the public, anyone interested in visiting the farm can join the Kesey Farm Project’s mailing list in order to stay updated on visitation opportunities. Editors note: during the creation of this article, Green Eugene reached out to Kesey Farm Project and has yet to hear back. Any comments will be updated in the online version of this story.

The University has done its part in memorializing Kesey as well. According to The Ken Kesey Collection at the University of Oregon Libraries, his archives of manuscripts, artwork, collages and photographs dating from 1960-2001 have been purchased and will be preserved at the Knight Library for the foreseeable future. The special collections room is worth checking out next time you find yourself on campus; it is a great privilege to have access to the raw materials produced by one of the counterculture’s founding fathers.

As Eugene continues to develop into the quirky city that we all know and love, Eugenian’s are encouraged to remember who inspired the city’s original spunk. Next time you find yourself appreciating the weirdness of Eugene, you’ll know to thank Mr. Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters.

Canine Cannabis Canine Cannabis

The booming CBD market now includes your furry friends...

Written by Hannarose McGuinness, Photographed by Kayl Wohl, Designed by Palmer Krais

By: Hannarose McGuinness

Eugene is well-known for its cannabis culture – so well-known that even the pets around town frolic in the weeds.

Gracie, the 15-year-old, one-eyed, 5-pound, Texas-native Chihuahua has used CBD for about three years now. She has lived so long that she has transcended her own name and now only goes by ‘Greg’ or ‘Stinky.’ All the while, she refuses to show any signs of aging aside from her affinity for naps and soft treats.

The only other medicine Stinky uses regularly is eye drops meant to keep her comfortable and prevent her Glaucoma from worsening. Seriously – she is an ancient dog.

In the last few years, Stinky’s health has seen some challenges. She’s always been anxious (hello, Chihuahua), but after having her right eye surgically removed in late 2019 due to a drifting lens, she needed more support in her daily life to ease achy hips, headaches from pressure in her eye and stress.

Eyes for dogs and humans have lenses behind the cornea, or outmost layer of the eye, that have the possibility to detach from the fibers holding them in place. This leads to the lens shifting freely through the eye, causing lots of pressure and discomfort. The result is an opaque, white eye and blindness.

That’s what happened to Stinky’s left eye, so we removed it to her benefit. Her twice-daily eye drops in her right eye keep the lens she still has in place, but they don’t do much else to help her feel any better.

Cue CBD.

“In the past four years, things in Eugene have changed,” Dunn said. “There are a lot more local businesses getting into it, more local people getting into it.”

With the market for pet-oriented CBD products booming alongside the cannabis industry, there is a lot of advice to sift through when considering if CBD is right for your pet. Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine says to always consult with your veterinarian before treating your pet with any medicine – CBD included. In one of Cornell’s first CBD studies, they found, “more than 80% of the dogs with osteoarthritis experienced a decrease in pain, allowing them to be more comfortable and active.”

dog

The FDA defines CBD as, “a chemical component of the Cannabis sativa plant. However, CBD does not cause intoxication or euphoria (the ‘high’) that comes from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).”

Stinky’s first use of CBD was in mid-2020. Since then, she’s been droppin’ those tinctures like they’re hot. Her morning routine consists of a big stretch and a dog-breath yawn, a morning trip to the backyard and medicine administration. Stinky always gets a gold star for how well she sits and waits for me to give her eye drops and CBD tincture drops.

Nature’s Pet Market owner Mark Dunn said the number of CBD products he stocks in his store is limited. Having owned the store for the last 13 years, Dunn said he was one of the first businesses in Lane County to bring in CBD products for pets due to the products’ illegality at the time. saying he “took a chance” once research was more black-and-white than grey area.

“There’s a lot out there and it’s just expanding on a ridiculous scale. Right now, it’s more fad-driven than research-driven,” Dunn said. “We treat it as a medicine – strictly.”

Dunn uses CBD for his own pets – particularly when they are elderly and need medicinal support for ailments such as arthritis or anxiety.

In 2019, the FDA released an announcement cautioning pet owners to consult with their veterinarians to find treatment options for pets: “The agency also has not approved cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds like CBD for any use in animals and cannot ensure the safety or effectiveness of these products.” This announcement came alongside a written warning issued to the company Curaleaf for allegedly false product claims used on their website – and down the rabbit hole we go.

Stinky uses Social Pet CBD drops in the peanut butter flavor right here describe what the mouth do about the peanut butter for some visual cuteness descriptors. Sentia Wellness used to own Social CBD before being sold to California company Kadenwood. Sentia Wellness was created when Portland-based cannabis brand Cura was sold to Curaleaf, a Massachusetts-based company that was issued an FDA warning for its allegedly false advertising, according to Oregon Live.

While these drops prove to work for Stinky by how active she still manages to be despite her aging joints, this constant flux-andflow of information and research on CBD highlights the need for pet owners to discuss their pets’ needs in detail with a veterinary professional before making any decisions to medicate pets with CBD.