T e G rowers Issue

35 Pages·2016·13.81 MB·English

M A G A Z I N E
Martin A. Lee and
Project CBD
page 20
Cannabis City
Seattle’s Craft
Cannabis Club
p.14
s s ue
I

s
r
e
w
o
r
Going Green and
G
Growing Clean

e
How One California Collective Aims
T
to do Both and More
p.60
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Connect With Us Online: EmeraldFamilyFarms.com 333 Bigfoot Ave, Willow Creek, Ca 95573
Editor’s Note
Dive into the Dirt
Dear Reader,
Thank you for picking up the June issue of the Emerald
Magazine.
This month we dive into the dirt and bring the garden to
you in our Growers issue. Behind the curtain there are many
cultivators, and this June we help shed light on those both
near and far from Northern California’s coast. Whether or
not you grow cannabis, it in one form or another has a spot
in your life.
From the streets of Seattle comes a bond only cannabis can
connect. The BOND girls found each other by way of the
plant. Today they help the men and women of Washington
achieve the height of their product.
While cannabis has a fun, lovable side, we cannot move
forward without politics. As election season draws near, more
and more cultivators are rising to the surface in hopes of
legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes. Organizations
like the Humboldt-Trinity Collective are here to help ease
that transition, and offer cultivators an opportunity to sell
their product safely and legally.
From Martin A. Lee’s Project CBD to the founders of Swami
Select, the Emerald gets their hands dirty this June to bring
JOIN THE EMERALD
you the green goods. Stay tuned for July’s People on Pot issue,
COMMUNITY
where we’ll feature farms and activists who are paving the
Follow Us Online
way.
TheEmeraldMagazine
Cheers,
Christina DeGiovanni
TheEmeraldNews
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TheEmeraldMagazine
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M A G A Z I N E
TABLE
35
OF
CONTENTS
14
Grower’s Gift Guide
Edgewise
PAGE 10
48
Martin A. Lee and Project CBD
PAGE 20
Hibiscus Topicals
Live to Die Another
PAGE 24
Tiny Death:
The Way You Grow Shows
18
PAGE 29 The BOND Girls
Pot Talk with Emily Hobelmann: Humboldt Organic Collective
PAGE 54
60
The Story of our Hemp
PAGE 57
Cultivating Awareness
PAGE 58
Going Green
52
and
Château Two by Four
Growing Clean
PAGE 63
California Votes on Recreational Cannabis
PAGE 65
Matt Nagel and his wife, Sam Shull “We don’t have to go around and hus-
grow cannabis at their home, Hum- tle,” Nagel said. “We market people’s
“We’re trying to do
boldt Edge Farm, which is nestled on herb for them.”
business the way the the very edge of Humboldt County on Just like Sunkist and OceanSpray are
a cliff overlooking the Trinity River. a collective of farms producing orang-
rest of the business world Their farm is one of seven founding es and cranberries, True Humboldt is a
farms of True Humboldt, the brand collective of farms producing top-qual-
does business”
name of the cannabis produced by ity cannabis, essentially taking the risk
members of the Humboldt Sun Grow- and hassle of distribution complete-
er’s Guild. ly out of the equation. More than 70
Humboldt Edge Farm has evolved farms market their medicine under
from the “backyardy” grow it began the True Humboldt brand. According
as 12 years ago to a fully-operational to Nagel, they are able to consistently
cannabis farm. They sell their organ- earn farmers more money for their
ic, lab-tested cannabis through True product than they would make on the
Humboldt, a safe and legal coopera- black market, and it’s all legal.
tive of farms that delivers medicine to
dispensaries statewide.
“We’re trying to do business the by the Humboldt Seed Company,
way the rest of the business world was in such high demand at the Can-
does business,” Nagel said. nabis Buyers Club of Berkeley, they
Humboldt Edge uses a certified or- sold a pound per day.
ganic field, and has their soil treated “It really liberates me as a farm-
by Dirty Business Soil Consulting er to grow what I want,” Nagel said.
and Analysis, a local Arcata compa- “The dispensaries are grooving on
ny that tests and treats soil to opti- the originality of things.”
mize it for plant production. They Sam Shull is actually allergic to
currently grow seven strains. Their the dried cannabis plant itself, but
house strain and Nagel’s personal if she vapes CBD oil she can work
favorite, aptly named Aphrodite tests with the plant, smoke it, even eat
at 26% THC and is rumored to be edibles and she experiences little
a mild aphrodisiac. Another strain to no symptoms. “I couldn’t sleep
called Purple Panty Dropper, created at night, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t
work,” Shull said. “I’m allergic to cess, to ensure an untainted prod-
cannabis but cannabis cures the uct. One time they even used hun-
allergies.” dreds of ladybugs to clear out an
Shull also makes her own lotion infestation of aphids (plant lice).
out of weed, kief and other oils like “Taking care of the plants is first
shea butter. She slowly cooks and priority,” Nagel said. “It’s a totally
drains all the plant material out of science-based approach to plant-
EDGEWISE the mixture, and the finished prod- ing.”
uct can be used for pain relief and Nagel and Shull enjoy being per-
muscle stiffness. sonally involved with every step of
Nagel and Shull pride themselves the process, so they keep their op-
on using only organic pesticides, eration relatively small, ensuring
- Written by Patrick Maravelias | Photography by Marissa Papanek - as well as limiting the use of such they can maintain the quality of
chemicals like Neem Oil and Dr. their medicine and give the plants
Zyme’s during the flowering pro- the personal touch they need.
11 | Emerald | June 2016
Humboldt Edge Farm is just one “Humboldt is the biggest player
HUMBOLDT IS THE
of the many cogs in the True Hum- in California and California is the
BIGGEST PLAYER IN boldt machine. Their mission is to biggest player in cannabis,” Nagel
build on the reputation Humboldt said. “For the future of our county,
CALIFORNIA has in the cannabis industry, and to we need to capitalize on that repu-
get growers the money and security tation.”
AND
they deserve. True Humboldt hopes
WE OFFER:
CALIFORNIA IS THE to establish themselves as a nation-
ally-recognized cooperative with the For more information about Humboldt Edge
BIGGEST PLAYER IN best quality medicine early on, be- Farms, visit True Humboldt’s website at
fore cannabis becomes legal recrea- TrueHumboldt.com.
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has been a certified nurse practitioner board, overcoming taxation issues,
since 1997, specializing in combining dodging zoning laws and keeping
emergency medical care with holis- products stocked were just a few of
tic and herbal remedies. James is a the speed bumps Lathrop faced on the
Cannabis
wealth of knowledge when it comes to road to Cannabis City.
medical cannabis and boasts a license
from the Drug Enforcement Adminis- Everyone hates paying taxes. James
City
tration. He told us his tale of pioneer- explained that in order to meet all
ing the first shop to sell the medicinal state requirements and keep the lights
miracle plant to the public. on, he must also work with a licensed
producer (i.e. grower) and processor.
I’m suddenly channeling Billy Mays.... Initiative 502 passed in 2012 and ‘le- The growers must sell products to a
HI, SHERAE O’SHAUGHNESSY HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT A FABULOUS SEATTLE BASED
galizes, taxes, and regulates cannabis processor and see the product taxed
CANNABIS ENTREPRENEUR! “CANNABIS CITY,” BASED IN THE SODO DISTRICT OF THE CITY, WAS
for adults age 21 and older.’ However, twenty-five percent. The processor
THE FIRST CANNABIS RETAILER IN SEATTLE TO OPEN ITS DOORS IN 2014 TO HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE LOOKING TO BUY GOODS LIKE CONCENTRATES, EDIBLES, PRE-ROLLS, FLOWERS AND getting ahold of one of only twen- who then dries, packages and bar-
SO MUCH MORE! WOW! ty-one retail licenses from the Wash- codes the product, will see it taxed
ington State Liquor and Cannabis another twenty-five percent. This is
Geez, it’s exhausting trying to main- large, rather intimidating gentlemen
tain an infomercial level of excite- you might expect to encounter with
ment. No wonder that animated gen- an earpiece and a clipboard outside of
tleman had a heart attack. Anyway, a sweaty night club. That’s right, these into their respective bins. Nothing
this month in addition to talking with joints (more puns!) have bouncers. shady. No boarded up windows. Just
the Seattle based BOND girls (page Cannabis City is no exception. Before folks in company T-shirts puttin’
48) I was invited to tour the facility you get too cozy, you’d better be able away weed. It was neat.
and speak with James Lathrop, DNP to produce identification proving you
ARNP and CEO of Cannabis City, are over the age of 21. Washington and Lathrop joined us a short while lat-
about the trials and tribulations of Colorado were the first to legalize the er. An incredibly endearing, friend-
getting this groundbreaking estab- sale of medical cannabis nationwide, ly man with impish blue eyes and a
lishment up and running. Even in a but you won’t need a referral or a 215 charming demeanor. James has an
state where bud is legal it is still con- card, just a birth year that falls before impressive resume that includes op-
sidered by some to be taboo. Staying 1995. erating bars and restaurants, com-
afloat is no easy feat. mercial rental properties and organ-
We were greeted by a pleasant, no izing music festivals. In addition to
In making the rounds distributing nonsense employee who carded us these fine pursuits, he completed his
the Emerald Magazine, meeting with before ushering us upstairs to meet undergraduate and graduate studies
the brains behind cannabis products with Mr. Lathrop. While we waited for at the University of Washington and
and getting a general feel for the le- his arrival, we got to see some behind- (above) The Cannabis City Crew
galized market, I’ve encountered all the-scenes action where a handful of
kinds of characters and personnel pol- employees counted neatly packaged,
icies. A few of the dispensaries employ very attractive buds and placed them
INITIATIVE 502 PASSED IN
2012 AND ‘LEGALIZES,
TAXES, AND REGULATES
CANNABIS FOR ADULTS AGE
21 AND OLDER.’
14 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com
getting pricey! Finally, the product is My favorite opening day account is
sold to Cannabis City, taxed another one of Deb Green, a local sixty-five year
twenty-five percent in addition to the old, marathon-running grandmother
Washington State sales tax of 9.6 per- who camped out like she was in line to
cent. All these numbers are killing my get Beyonce tickets for a whole day be-
buzz. And we aren’t done yet! Stores are fore the grand opening. “She brought
also held accountable federally. a hat, a book and a chair,” James remi-
nisces with a twinkle in his eye.
In 2015 growers and processors were
relieved of their federal tax obliga- Because of all the excitement sur-
tions, while retailers were hit with a rounding the possibility of legalized
soaring thirty-seven percent federal tax cannabis “The City” drew global me-
in addition to that super fun 9.6 point dia attention earning the name, “The
of sale tax. Way to make this as difficult Pot Shop Heard Around the World.”
as possible, you dirty suits! James has high hopes of acquiring all
the needed credentials to open a total
Despite the many hurdles James re- of three stores which is the Washington
mains optimistic and absolutely in love State maximum. Seattle has flowered
with his growing business. On July 8, into a booming metropolis that exports
2015, Cannabis City opened its doors the finest seafood, coffee -- and with the
to hundreds of customers and a media help of qualified humans like James --
frenzy. They ran out of product on day medicinal cannabis.
one, but kept the doors open for the
curious to set foot inside this historical For more information, visit:
place of healing. Cannabis City 2733 4th Ave S,
Seattle, WA 98134
CannabisCity.us
Twitter: @CannabisCityUS
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17 | Emerald | June 2016
GROWING ON Swami is moving deeper into
sustainable permaculture,
abandoning Smart Pots in favor of
more water-friendly holes in the ground.
SACRED GROUND
By Kerry Reynolds

They left California in 1992 for India, where they lived and
traveled together for several years. Eventually Nikki went back to
California while Swami stayed in India and studied under a Hin-
du spiritual teacher for several more years. Nikki visited Swami
and their shared guru in India often, and used it as an opportunity
to buy lots of incredibly large and beautiful statues to ship back to
California.
Some of these statues found forever homes in Laytonville, Califor-
nia at Area 101 as part of that land’s transition to a spiritual sanctuary.
While she continued to live part-time in San Francisco, Nikki said that
it was the statues at Area 101 that first rooted them in the community of
Northern Mendocino.
On a visit to India, Nikki said that she and Swami went to see their teach-
er, and she voiced her desire to have a sanctuary of their own. Their teacher
said, “Go find your land and build your sanctuary.”
Swami left India, and eventually found land just north of Area 101 that they
called Turtle Creek Ranch, named after the reptiles found in its waterway. It
was only after naming it that they discovered the turtle is iconic in many dif-
ferent cultures. “The name is totally appropriate because it’s a sacred symbol of
longevity, of wisdom, and of the ability of the natural world to coordinate with
the human world and to make civilization,” Swami explained.

A Higher Way to Grow
This year Swami is moving deeper into sustainable permaculture, abandoning
Smart Pots in favor of more water-friendly holes in the ground. The plants will sit
in large hardwire baskets, which sit atop a layer of oak leaves and branches gathered
from the surrounding forest and sprinkled with beneficial nematodes -- another tech-
nique employed to both hold water and build soil as the oak decomposes.
(above) Sacred grounds Swami and Nikki cultivate their love for cannabis on.
My friends and I were spiritually uplifted strictions, twice a day meditation, donning Age of Aquarius The 72 newly excavated holes where the through established appellations. terpenes in. “The amount of terpenes in
by a recent visit to the headquarters and a white robe, and much more. Nikki and Swami met in 1969 at a cafe plants will grow are arranged in a Hindu Swami and Nikki are among many medi- the plant is at a maximum at the darkest
sanctuary of Swami Chaitanya and Nik- “I wear the skirt, she wears the pants in in North Beach, San Francisco. She was pattern called ‘Sri Yantra’ or ‘Sri Chakra,’ cal cannabis farmers in Mendocino Coun- point right before the first light,” Swami
ki Lastreto, the founders of Swami Select the family, what can I say?” Swami joked as a 14-year-old flower child and he was a which among other things, is considered ty surveyed about the unique geography, explained.
which, as their website puts it, is “here to they described their unique relationship, 26-year-old hippie who left Wisconsin to the visual expression of the sound of ‘om.’ microclimate, history and growing condi- Towards the end of our visit to Turtle
help the connoisseur discover the multiple which pre-dates their years of growing join the unprecedented migration of an The soil comes from the land, Swami tions of their land. The surveys have been Creek Ranch, Swami rolled a joint of his
dimensions of this sacred healing plant.” cannabis in Northern Mendocino County, estimated 100,000 young people into the explained, but is amended with manures used by the Mendocino Appellations Pro- Shakti Pot and shared it around his and
While Swami Select has sprung up as a California and begins in the heart of San Haight-Ashbury neighborhood for the and minerals. “So it’s truly Turtle Creek ject to map out more than ten distinct mi- Nikki’s cozy living room. Great conversa-
brand in just the last year, the couple be- Francisco during the 1960s counterculture ‘Summer of Love’ in 1967. terroir,” Swami noted, referring to the cro-regions in Mendocino that could soon tion enhanced the experience of orange
hind the brand has cultivated a mindful renaissance. When they met again in 1980, they had French term for ‘land.’ The term terroir be formed into appellations. Once an ap- and cardamom flavor, as well as the eu-
relationship with cannabis and its healing Nikki explained that she’s a city girl, so both gone to India separately, and were is often used when talking about appella- pellation is legally established, any claims phoric and slightly psychedelic effect. We
properties for many decades. This authen- she leaves the cannabis growing to Swa- both profoundly influenced by their expe- tions, which are a big deal when it comes of origin from that appellation must be really didn’t want to leave, but thankfully
ticity permeates every aspect of the busi- mi, while she spearheads the business and riences there. Swami helped film a docu- to branding artisanal cannabis in Califor- backed by proof. we can continue to enjoy weekly doses of
ness. marketing end of things. Their logo fea- mentary about Indian gurus, released in nia. This year, California became the first The uniqueness of Swami Select cannabis Nikki and Swami’s intelligent and spar-
Swami and Nikki share a long partner- tures a pixilated image of Swami with his 1973, which inspired him deeply. They lived state in the nation to allow for cannabis ap- extends beyond its terroir, as every aspect kling banter through their video podcast,
ship that is both deeply spiritual and in- hand in a mudra, or sacred hand gesture. together on Telegraph Hill in San Francis- pellations. The California law forbids false of the medicine’s growth cycle is infused “Smokin with Swami,” available on You-
credibly complementary. Nikki is a 4th This branding has proven so successful co for many years while Nikki worked for claims about counties of origin in order to with sacred intention. The moon and the Tube. Swami Select is also on Instagram
generation San Franciscan who worked on that they don’t have enough inventory to the newspaper and Swami worked mainly prevent exploitation of names widely con- stars guide Swami’s planting schedule, and and Facebook (links below) and their can-
deadline for the San Francisco Chronicle meet demand for their “sun, moon, and as a painter and photographer. Their pas- sidered synonymous with good bud, such he blesses each seed with a sacred mantra. nabis is sold through Harborside Health
for many years. Swami is a devoted guru, star grown” cannabis. sion for cannabis, and the hippie lifestyle as Mendocino and Humboldt. The regula- When a cannabis plant is ready for harvest, Center, Flow Kana, and Healing Harvest
whose Hindu practice includes dietary re- remained. tions also allow for further protection of he cuts the whole plant by the light of a Farms.
distinct growing regions within counties headlamp right before dawn to hold the For More Information, visit: SwamiSelect.com
18 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com
Facebook.com/SwamiSelect or on Instagram @SwamiSelect