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5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

DIGGING DEEPER INTO LOW THC CANNABIS WITH JOSHUA STEENSLAND/OHIO FIRE FACTORY

As a New Jersey medical cannabis program patient, I can tell you that low THC cannabis is what my particular affliction requires. But good luck going into a dispensary and asking for strains that test lower than 10 or 12 percent THC. The consensus is pretty clear. The chasing of (high) THC levels is something that is not going away. You’re going to get blank stares, or worse, should you ask the budtender for anything that actually alleviates your ills. With the marketing behind cannabis driving up THC levels, it’s truly refreshing to find people like Joshua Steensland, who studies low THC level cannabis

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me where you’re from and where you live now? What do you do? Please tell me about your company.

Joshua Steensland: I was born in Northern California and grew up in SE Washington state. After serving in the Marines and going through

Photo Credit: Steve Raisner

my roaming gypsy phase, I set roots back in the area I grew up to raise my family. I currently work with our family business, Regenerative Ecoworks LLC, to help cannabis cultivators develop living soil cultivation systems around the world. I also own and operate a premium living soil, low THC, flower facility with two of my Marine veteran brothers, Ohio Fire Factory. The barrier to entry in the high THC space in Ohio is steep and nearly impenetrable in its current state. We decided to leverage the emerging low THC flower market and build out an indoor facility to the same spec one would build a high THC facility with the intention of switching to high THC as soon as the state will allow or recreational gets voted in. Our flower is cold cured, hand-trimmed, and grown in living soil beds under LED lights. Our attention to detail and commitment to treating the flower with the same care and consideration one would with high-value THC flower produces a quality not seen very often in the smokeable hemp flower game. We actually don’t really like calling it hemp because of the negative associations of hemp flower being low quality. Our product is indistinguishable from top shelf, high THC flower. We prefer to call it what it is; ultra-premium, low THC, cannabis.

WB: What obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing them? What are your six and twelve-month goals?

JS: These are great questions! I’ve really found over the years, nearly all of the obstacles to my success have been self-imposed in some way. What I mean by that is in the past, I wasn’t open to the deep self-analysis that is necessary to make course corrections on the fly and be a more effective communicator.

Balancing being self-critical with giving myself grace and allowing for forgiveness when I’ve been a less than an effective communicator. Yes, it still happens. This has been a critical thought exercise that helps me retain my sanity when the juggle starts to feel chaotic or if things start to feel unstable. It gives me the time to analyze objectively and not make important decisions based on emotions only which tend to be a very temporary and limiting headspace.

Photo Credit: Joshua Steensland

In 6 months, I would like to see Ohio Fire Factory’s three-phase build-out complete, and in a years’ time, I would like to see our product changing the low THC flower game nationwide while inspiring veterans and cultivators alike to cultivate with living soil systems.

WB: Who is your mentor? Who taught you your craft?

JS: I have several mentors, and they are, either directly or indirectly, my teachers also.

Firstly, Masanobu Fukuoka. He is the author of “The one-straw revolution .”His book really opened my eyes to the possibility of simplifying farming and cultivation by paying attention to the forces of nature and learning to work with mother nature’s design as opposed to against it and hammering it to our will. It’s a very easy and inspiring read. His story of how he transformed his property is nothing short of amazing.

I need to include Dr. Elaine Ingham in this list. Her decades of work studying the important role biology plays in plant growth, and nutrient cycling deserves more attention than it receives. Her body of work, “Foundation Course” classes and microscopy training were fundamental in helping me connect the dots as to what I was observing in my living soil cultivation journey and strengthened my resolve when it comes to my Fukuoka style of minimal input, hands-off cultivation.

I think some honorable mentions would be Rudolf Steiner, John Kempf, Dr. Tom Dykstra, and Dr. Arden Andersen. I highly suggest checking out the body of work these gentlemen have produced regarding regenerative cultivation practices and finding ways to incorporate them into your systems.

WB: What is your favorite food? Restaurant? Why?

JS: Favorite food!!! That’s a tough one. We love food in our house. My daughter and I actually have spent hours watching street food videos

Photo Credit: Joshua Steensland

and already have our dream Japanese street food vacation planned! We don’t eat at many restaurants because we like to cook and prepare food at home as much as possible. We try to eat healthy, vibrant, and nutritionally dense foods but recognize the need for flexibility and balance and enjoy a slice of cake or cookies from time to time, probably a little more than we should, but what’s life if you aren’t living it right?! My absolute favorite foods are any authentic Mexican food or a pan-seared rib eye, bloody rare, with sweet potatoes and broccoli. Pretty simple guy to please here.

WB: What is your passion?

JS: My passions are pretty simple. Family. Cannabis and simple living. The real joy has been finding a way to put all of those things together and create revenue streams that put a roof over our head, food on the table, and explore and deepen my relationship with cultivation in general. This also affords my wife the ability to explore her passions and set the example to our children that one can quite literally forage their own path in this world if you lead with integrity and courage.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/digging-deeper-into-low-thc-cannabis-with-joshua-steensland-ohio-fire-factory/?v=f24485ae434a
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5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

FIVE GRATIFYING QUESTIONS WITH MARIANNE CURSETJEE, MBA, CEO AND COFOUNDER OF ALIBI CANNABIS

BYWARREN BOBROW 04/20/2022

Here was my pitch. I included it here because the framework for this intriguing piece is in the pitch, a beautifully written one, I must add. Thank you, my friend, for sending this my way, appreciated deeply.

Hi Warren – Alibi Cannabis is about to announce its first line of premium pre-rolls curated for Oregon’s discerning cannabis consumer.

Made with 100% handcrafted flower, Alibi’s new Mariposa pre-rolls celebrate empowered, fierce females with the sexy NFT, Mariposa Takes Flight, on the packaging. (She is on their homepage!)

Alibi Cannabis is a woman-owned craft cannabis farm founded in 2017 by Marianne Cursetjee.

With an MBA and a high-powered tech career, Marianne did not expect to become a cannabis entrepreneur. Then she got cancer. Her career changed when a cannabis product eliminated the need for over ten drugs to combat side effects from chemo prescriptions. Marianne bought property in Oregon, started a cannabis farm, and became a cannabis expert. Alibi has earned recognition for growing some of the best flower in Oregon.

Can I interest you in speaking with Marianne about Alibi, the new pre-rolls, and her journey?

*YES*

Photo courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about your inspiration for the brand? Where did the name come from? Is this your first cannabis venture?

Marianne Cursetjee, MBA, CEO and Cofounder of Alibi Cannabis: At Alibi, we imagine a beautiful place where you can be the best version of you. The joy that comes from cannabis enhances our relationships, our bodies, and our spirits. The word “Alibi” is simple, but the idea can be whatever you dream. We hope people take a moment, enjoy the smoke, and look for the beauty around them.

We bought the land for our cannabis farm when I was just finishing up treatment for breast cancer. I had a vision of building a fabulous weed farm. Now, here we are seven years later, thriving in a tough market and looking forward to continued growth. The business has grown from an idea to a commercial-scale craft farm with a compelling story and beautiful imagery.

WB: Who is your mentor? When did you discover cannabis? How old were you? What are your six and twelve-month goals?

MC: I was raised in a very conservative Christian environment, so cannabis was not part of the culture. I was 45 years old when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Going through chemotherapy and radiation, managing side effects is a whole cascade of pharmaceuticals. A friend gave me some cannabis and said that it might help with nausea and pain. It was amazing! I was able to eliminate a whole host of pharmaceuticals and replace them with just cannabis. My dad is currently battling brain cancer, and I’m giving him cannabis to help with that. He tells me his head is all whirly, and some nice 1:1 chocolates make him feel better. Love that the industry is now better able to support those in medical need and also those who just love how cannabis makes them feel.

Our goals for the business are continued growth, more unique cultivars, and delivering amazing quality cannabis products. Having grown in Oregon since 2017, we’ve learned that Oregonians are weed connoisseurs constantly looking for new and unique products and flavors.

Our signature branding, “Mariposa Takes Flight,” is based

Photo courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

on an NFT we purchased. Figuring out how to utilize blockchain, NFT’s and the metaverse in cannabis is an exciting new frontier.

We just launched Mariposa pre-rolls to celebrate empowered, edgy females with the sexy NFT on the packaging. Made with 100% handcrafted indoor flower, the pre-rolls have received rave reviews. We are in discussions to launch this brand into other states and plan to introduce a line of gummies soon in Oregon. I’m pleased that we have found some fabulous companies to collaborate with. Also, this year, we are launching a merch shop featuring Mariposa. Look for amazing merchandise over the coming few months at Alibi.shop

WB: What kind of obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing these obstacles?

MC: We face the challenges common to all cannabis companies, such as restrictions on marketing and advertising, limited tax deductions, and the high cost of regulatory compliance. The challenges specific to us are a flourishing unregulated market and an oversupply of product in the regulated market. It has been said that if you can survive Oregon, you can survive anywhere!

We are known for our top-shelf handcrafted flower. We will continue with new genetics and improved quality while also looking at more products and new states. There are so many opportunities available across the US; finding the right partners is key to long-term success.

WB: What is your favorite food to savor when you have smoked Alibi minis? Do you have a favorite restaurant? What is the name? Where? Indoor or outdoor-grown cannabis? Why?

MC: Portland is such a food haven! So many good things to eat! If I’m trolling for munchies at home, I love Bordeaux Cherry Balsamic vinegar on vanilla ice cream. Sweet and sour, oh my! Seriously, it’s totally the bomb! Our Lava Cake cultivar is really a heavy munchie strain, so stock up before you toke. For restaurants, I love Thai and Indian, but my favorite restaurant in Portland is a Lebanese restaurant called Nicholas. Their baba ghanoush, cauliflower, caramelized onions, yum! Spicy food really goes well with our GMO Glue cultivar — it’s a totally old-school hitter with garlic notes.

For cannabis, I like the consistency and freshness of indoor flower. I’m a little bit spoiled since we grow such amazing weed at our farm. I like knowing that what I’m smoking is fresh and clean. When you buy your bud at dispensaries, look at the harvest date. I’m surprised how much old stuff is on the shelf. Look for something harvested within the last 2 or 3 months. Older than that, and it just isn’t quite as nice. Get to know the farms and their growing practices and ethics.

Photos courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

WB: What is your passion?

MC: So many things! I love training Krav Maga. I started training when I was going through chemotherapy. It’s great physical exercise, and the “never give up” mentality is huge. Feeling and being strong physically is wonderful. Of course, Covid took a toll on my training, but I’m back in the gym now and kicking ass! I also love scuba diving. Diving is an activity my daughter and I do together. We just got back from diving in Mexico. The world under the sea is so amazing! We have seen strange creatures in the water, but my favorite is the mantis shrimp. It’s a bizarre creature with some freaky traits. You can read more about this underwater nightmare at https://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp.

What brings me real joy is knowing that my efforts at work and in the community are improving lives. Alibi is founded on the philosophy of doing the right thing. We treat our customers, vendors, and employees right.

The last couple of years have been really rough, and it’s important to find the little things that can change the day from gloomy to bright. This is the essence of Alibi’s Mariposa line — find the beauty, take a moment, appreciate life. What’s your Alibi?

WB: I love your flowers, as they are smiles in every pull. The GMO Glue is true to the name with aromatics of freshly raked loam, orange oil, dried morel mushrooms, and shavings of bitter chocolate. The high comes into view, right in front of my forehead, offering pain relief and optimism; a talkative conversation ensues into deeply relaxing metaphors for sleep and renewal. Lucky is the person who will enjoy such evocative experiences. Oregon offers that in their wines and their cannabis. The taste of the place, the terroir- it sets Oregon into a realm of conscious cannabis.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/five-gratifying-questions-with-marianne-cursetjee-mba-ceo-and-cofounder-of-alibi-cannabis/?v=f24485ae434a
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FIVE PERCEPTIBLE QUESTIONS WITH JOYCE CENALI, COO: SONOMA HILLS FARM

It’s been a few months since I have used vape cartridges. That’s not to say that I don’t like them, just that there are very few legal places to purchase them in New Jersey. Sure, you can get the medical ones through the NJMMP, but they don’t offer the satisfaction like the ones I’ve discovered from SELECT. The SELECT line of carts is of exceptional quality. I know that there are dozens of different companies vying for the right to say that they are the best in their field, and SELECT is not any different in this regard. However, I’ve found that the new SELECT line is carefully crafted from flower from the celebrated Sonoma Hills Farm. They exemplify the essence of the plant. They improve upon the art of the vape cartridge and raise the bar through the deep quality of the perfectly cured Sonoma Hills Farm flower. I’m not a scientist, nor an influencer in social media, but one thing I do know is the art of the outdoor-grown cannabis flower, especially the ones that are of this deep quality. In smoking craft cannabis, I feel that the overall experience is much more intrinsic. But that is just my opinion.

SELECT has achieved quite intriguing, and it rivals the personal emotion of smoking a freshly rolled joint of perfectly cured flower. In this case, the flower is from Sonoma Hills Farm. Select has harnessed a methodology that corresponds with a product called Live Resin. Live Resin is a form of cannabis concentrate. This invention exemplifies the purest form of the plant. I’m not a big fan of dabbing to be perfectly succinct, but the live resin I am interested in is not torched in a dab rig.

Photos courtesy of SELECT.

I’m considering the form of a little glass cartridge that screws onto an elegant, rechargeable battery about the size of a slender, European-style ballpoint pen. The little glass container contains a very special oil, the abovementioned Enhanced Live Resin. Enhanced means to me the term Professional Strength, judging by their testing results. The very best, raising the bar from the enthusiast to the cannabis nerd, like myself.

When you grow accustomed to the plethora of products on the market, it’s refreshing to know that only a few choices of this quality are to be enjoyed in the overall marketplace. The SELECT line caught my attention… What they have accomplished is impressive, to say the very least.

Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about yourself. What brought you to the cannabis biz?

Joyce Cenali: I’ve consumed cannabis for over half of my life, to balance anxiety and stress, and to socialize. I love that she always draws in such a wide spectrum of folks, and she’s led me to many crucial relationships with friends, colleagues, and mentors. She encourages a think out of the box and an open-minded mentality. I started a home grow in 2004 for personal use, and it was the illness and subsequent passing of my dad that launched me fully into the industry. Observing his and the treatment path of so many in our troubled health care industry, the pull into cannabis was natural, instinctual. Societal and capitalistic constructs systematically deny us diversity in our consumption and wellness choices. Our team and I, and every operator that we’re privileged to work with, are slowly chipping away the long held and unjust stigma.

WB: Please tell me about the new Select collaboration. What makes the products different from their competition?

Joyce Cenali: Select has a deep bench of experienced staff, best-of-class extraction equipment, and long-honed processes and systems. They are extremely bullish in their research and development, and they focus only on the highest quality of their products. They have a sincere interest in showcasing not only potency but also terpene flavor and balance. In the case of our collaboration, they were able to capture a full-bodied presentation of the inputs, and you’re truly getting an expression that is close to the plant.

WB: Which strain is your favorite? Why?

Joyce Cenali: Durban Biscotti! I previously grew Durban Poison for many years, and she was always one of the most potent and aromatic ladies in the garden. She’s got a dense structure and tends to do well in diverse weather environments, so we wanted to give her a try in our current climate, which tends to get a fair share of moisture. We were able to find a great cut of her crossed with Biscotti, sourced from Purple City. She was super aromatic and gorgeous, yielded well, and her profile is one of the richest in terpenes coming in at a whopping 4.6% terpene content. She’s energizing and soothing, and she has come out in true form in extract and flower, giving her a wide application at market.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals?

Photos courtesy of SELECT.

Joyce Cenali: In the near term, my goal is to work with advocacy groups like Origins Council, Sun+Earth, Cannabis Media Council, and others to smooth the muck of the regulatory and taxation channels in order to ensure that we have a robust business representation of both small and large businesses operating in California and nationally, so as to present wide-ranging choices to the consumer base, including direct sales from farms like ours. We have a legacy to protect in California, and without it, the cannabis industry will miss out on the best terroir expression of the plant and tremendous experiences and community growth. Imagine the wine industry without wine country. It’s a non-starter.

WB: What is your passion?

Joyce Cenali: My drive to get involved with cannabis, a plant I have enjoyed for many years, is two-fold. I am passionate about bringing the voices of women and the LGBTQ community to the forefront of this industry. I am equally dedicated to ensuring that cannabis, hemp, and its many derivatives are made as widely accessible as possible.

Joyce’s bio:

Joyce Cenali is COO of Sonoma Hills Farm, a premium craft cannabis farm and organic culinary garden nestled on 60-acres in Sonoma Valley. In addition to Sun+Earth certification, the farm’s cannabis was one of the first to be recognized as “organic comparable,” as designated by CCOF’s OCal program, which certifies consistency with the uniform standards of the National Organic Program. She also leads operations at Big Rock Partners, a strategic advisory firm serving investors and companies at the intersection of food, hospitality, and cannabis.

Joyce has worked day in and day out to assist other entrepreneurs, many of which are minorities, in cannabis. A long-time craft cannabis cultivator, she co-founded an Emerald Cup-winning operation and began angel investing in various women-founded early-stage cannabis start-ups, including Sava and LADY BUDS, an indie film that features women in cannabis. She’s also an advisory board member with various cannabis advocacy groups and Co-Founder of Cannabis Media Council, with a mission to advance a modern regulatory model that unites capitalism with inclusion. In 2020, she was recognized by San Francisco Business Times as a Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.

https://skunkmagazine.com/five-perceptible-questions-with-joyce-cenali-coo-sonoma-hills-farm/?v=f24485ae434a
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GET TO KNOW ARTIST EMILY EIZEN & HER ‘60S PSYCHEDELIC INSPIRED WORKS

Upon first glance, artist Emily Eizen is certainly creative, working in the mediums of painting, sculpture, photography, modeling, and performance. Visually intriguing, Emily is a free spirit. Her ‘60s psychedelic-inspired works showcase the beauty, freedom, and diversity she considers essential to establishing equity in the cannabis space and beyond. Emily’s portfolio and commissions highlight her ability to adapt to different styles and aesthetics across spectrums of gender and sexuality, defying convention. A painter by passion, Emily has harnessed her creativity in PAX’s recent More Flowerful Campaign. It all sounds really intriguing to me, and I hope to see her work up close someday soon. 

Photo credit: Jessica Miller for PAX’s More Flowerful Campaign

Please tell me about yourself, what do you do for work? Where are you from? Live now? What did you want to be when you grew up?  

I am a full-time freelance artist, photographer, model, and creative director. I am originally from the South Bay in Southern California. I grew up at the beach all the time and could be found roller-skating or hanging out at Noble Park in Hermosa Beach with other misfits and artists. Now, I live in West Hollywood. I love living in such a vibrant queer community. When I was in high school, my goal was to get into political science and be an activist. I even went to school for a year in DC but found that there wasn’t a community within that political science major focused on arts and self-expression. That’s when I discovered cannabis and moved back home to LA to start a different journey. 

What are you working on right now? Do you have a six and twelve-month goal? What makes your craft different from your peers?

Right now, I am doing creative work for a few major cannabis brands, but also bonbuz, a nonalcoholic functional spirit. It has been fun to venture outside of my cannabis comfort zone. My six-month goal is to have my debut art show which was put off two years ago because of the pandemic. My twelve-month goal is to continue to grow in my craft and use my platform for social justice initiatives around cannabis policy reform. What makes me stand out is my ability to switch roles the way I do. One day I am hiding behind the camera and shooting. The next, I’m in full glam, ready for my close-up, and on top of all of that, I also focus on my own artistic practice as a painter. 

What obstacles stand in your way currently, how do you anticipate removing them? Do you have a mentor or teacher who is valuable in your path?

Photo credit: Jessica Miller for PAX’s More Flowerful Campaign

Currently, obstacles in my way are fighting with the social media algorithms so that people actually see the work that I work so hard on. Also, there are some people in the cannabis world that don’t see the value of paying creatives and expect us to work for a product. I hope, as an industry, we can start paying creatives what we are worth. I realize all of these obstacles are nothing compared to what many people face in the cannabis industry and in this country. I want to use my privilege in a productive way to help remove even bigger obstacles, such as the impact of the War on Drugs. Some of my mentors as a creative in the cannabis space have been Roze Volca, Nesha Torres, and many other creative women that have been in the cannabis community since before legalization. 

Indoor or outdoor-grown cannabis? Favorite strain right now? When you enjoy cannabis, do you have a favorite food that you prepare? What about your favorite restaurant?

Photo credit: Jessica Miller for PAX’s More Flowerful Campaign

I don’t discriminate against any type of cannabis; I will smoke indoor and outdoor flowers. I enjoy the sustainability of outdoor greenhouse farming practices but obviously enjoy the taste and potency of indoor as well. I am a snacks fiend; the munchies always slap me so hard, and I am a sucker for junky snacks—chips, Hostess snacks, candy, you name it. My favorite restaurant was Souplantation (RIP), another casualty of COVID. 

What is your passion? 

My passion is definitely the intersection of art and social activism. Using creativity to help people is the ultimate goal of my career, and nothing brings me more satisfaction.

__

Feature Photo Credit: Jessica Miller for PAX’s More Flowerful Campaign

https://skunkmagazine.com/get-to-know-artist-emily-eizen-her-60s-psychedelic-inspired-works/?v=f24485ae434a
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G-Putt: Tapped In, Micro Production Gourmet Cannabis Flower

Photo Credit: Zaul Zamora of Complete

Today seemed like a fantastic day to crawl out of my comfort zone smoking low THC medical cannabis, even for just a moment. That opportunity finally presented itself to me with a couple of grams of G-Putt’s newest gourmet cannabis effort named, Tapped In. 

This opportunity is for something I don’t usually get the chance to smoke or even review. Because of the kindness of others, I’m able to offer my thoughts on the salubrious strain named Tapped In. 

Photo Credit: Zaul Zamora of Complete

Rolling in over 27% THC, Tapped In is a potent reminder of why I love smoking cannabis that is clearly out of my normal wheelhouse. Not that I’m a “lightweight” on smoking cannabis. It’s something that I’ve enjoyed for nearly fifty years. I travel extensively for gourmet cannabis and enjoy indoor and outdoor-grown with my bias towards sun grown in natural soil, which dates back to having grown up on a Biodynamic farm in the 1960s and ’70s. I love the premise of terroir, a sense of place in both the cannabis field and the vineyard when I’m writing about wine. Much can be said for the taste of the place. That’s why my bias moves towards sun-grown cannabis. 

The medical staff I usually have from the NJMMJ (med system) is decent enough, but they have a long way to go to catch up to California. In my somewhat biased opinion, this is because I was born and raised— and live — in NJ! They’ve come a long way, but not far enough yet. Not like the Tapped In varietal. This stuff really is the sprawl. 

It’s refreshing to know that the fine cannabis that is woven into Tapped In is indoor grown with passion. You can taste it in every puff. The flowers ooze with what I call red fruits. I could be in Spain or the South of France with the exotic quality of the aromatics, shown in each generous pull. Gourmet, groomed, tended, cured. All done with love, this is obvious. I dig what I tried and will try to seek it out. This is the good stuff. 

One suggestion would be to take a couple of dry hits through your pipe or joint before lighting the cannabis. Why? Well, to gain an appreciation for the terpenes. You’ll know my intent here when you smell the terps. It’s purifying. 

Cannabis as good as Tapped In offers an entirely different experience, one with which I felt immediately comfortable. I wanted to share my thoughts as Tapped In is really my new and best cannabis friend. 

Photo Credit: Zaul Zamora of Complete

Tapped In opened up my intellectual and considerate thoughts (what few that I have left!) and allowed me the honor of sharing my passion by writing the “WB” tasting notes of Tapped In; this is really high-quality cannabis and deserves even more compliments (In my opinion of course!) 

Tasting Notes: 

Nose: Early Spring rake-turned black loam in the nose spinning your inner dreams with opulent dollops of brown butter-soaked bread pudding. Each generous slice of this confection is covered with a smoky bourbon hard sauce. 

This modern-day indoor-grown cannabis is philosophically different from the cannabis of the 1960s and 1970s that I grew up smoking. Possessing potent scents of candy sugar-dusted sizzling hot cream-filled donuts, each whiff of the perfectly cured and trimmed bud offers the unique experience of smelling the cannabis. This moment in time, just before it is ground in my Gemini grinder, then smoked. Jutting my nose into a small scenting jar that I use to gain an appreciation for the terroir, I immediately savored the earthy aromatics that wafted deeply into and up my nose. This precise moment in time led to a dollop of corn pudding covered in a tangle of cozy brown butter with a touch of petrol and a flurry of freshly grated nutmeg at the finish. 

Ok, so it finishes sweet out of your nose if you exhale that way. With a touch of sizzled lemongrass and shallot, please. 

Palate: The smoke itself is soft across the tongue, plunging down into the lungs. The art of curing is spot on; no coughing here, impressive indeed. Notes of Saturday night butterscotch sundaes and further sprinkles of bartender’s sugar (very, very fine sugar) predominate the path down the throat to neither region of the mind. 

This groovy cannabis is elegant and potent, with splashes of my favorite, hot and spicy Pickett’s Ginger Syrup on the finish across my tongue. Impressive indeed. 

Photo Credit: Zaul Zamora of Complete

Finish: Upon reaching the body, the effects take place very quickly with a richly warming sensation that creeps up from the base of my spine up to the places where time has been remembered and then forgotten again, like most of my memory, not really, but you get this concept. Tapped In is very analytical cannabis with the importance of deep tête-à-tête and the metaphysical unearthing of the inner self. 

The High or the Stone: As we discussed above, the overall THC level is just north of 27 %, making it quite intriguing for the person who is chasing THC, in other words, looking only for high THC varietals. I think that Tapped In is world-class, exactly what they say it is. And yes, I get really blissful on just a couple of hits. This cannabis truly is Premium Indoor Cannabis Flower. They can also say expertly cured and perfectly trimmed, Premium Indoor Cannabis Flower. This cannabis really opens my mind, and I’m confident it will do the same for you. Tapped In will do exactly as you expect it to do. And that is to really get you intellectually charged, and yes, you will be masterfully stoned and have a really nice afternoon. Find some crispy Vietnamese/Thai style wings, make ‘em spicy, and then feast yourself to a memorable experience for yourself. 

 Thank you. WB

Founder Gaurav Walia, better known as “G-Putt” to his peers and friends, has been a pioneer in the streetwear, music, and cannabis scenes for the past 20 years. Acting as a liaison between brands, celebrities, and tastemakers, he has connected and cultivated a close-knit community between these spaces and has used his passion as the “connector” of people to start his new endeavor. As one of the original founders of iconic brand Sherbinskis, G-Putt forged his connections to facilitate partnerships with Nike, Modernica, and COMPLEXION, establishing the elevated taste level and cool factor that drove the Los Angeles cannabis brand to global recognition.

His most recent collaboration is one with Carrots x Crocs (see him flexing in Hypebeast), which explores the concept of soil and how it serves as a foundation of life. Expect a full calendar of exclusive strain releases, fashion, and collaborations in the pipeline, including partnerships with minority artists on exclusive apparel and accessories art built around his iconic “G”.

Please follow his journey at @g_putt_diamond

For more on G-Putt: https://g-putt.com/

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5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

Veritas Cannabis, Elevating Sustainable Practices in Cannabis

Veritas Fine Cannabis in Colorado has kept itself ahead of the rest of the industry with quality products, innovative branding, and promotions.

No, the company is breaking away from the rest of the pack by appointing environmental health and safety manager, Elizabeth Lee, to spearhead their sustainability efforts. Along with her degree in environmental studies, Ms. Lee was recognized as the woman for the job after internal meetings revealed her deep interest in sustainable practices.

DENVER—Oct. 26, 2021 —Veritas Fine Cannabis, Colorado’s original craft cannabis, today announced the company’s new position of Environmental Health and Safety Manager, promoting packaging lead Elizabeth Lee into the key role. The position will oversee company initiatives to advance sustainability, including energy conservation and packaging, two notorious problem areas for the global cannabis industry.

“Veritas has championed sustainability since inception and we are very eager to leverage this new role and Elizabeth’s background to elevate this commitment to new proportions,” said Mike Leibowitz, CEO of Veritas Fine Cannabis. “We started ‘Veritas Talks’ last summer, where employees have a platform to spark conversations about how we can progress as a company. Through this, Elizabeth shared several ideas we implemented and immediately felt an impact, so much so that it flourished into this new position.”

“Sustainability is something I’ve always found passion in, along with working in cannabis,” said Elizabeth Lee, Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Veritas Fine Cannabis. “Having the opportunity to help Veritas be at the forefront of sustainability in the cannabis industry is a dream for me.”

Ms. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from American University and is approaching the final year of her master’s degree in the Environmental Health & Safety program at the University of Denver. In addition to spearheading sustainability initiatives, Elizabeth will oversee Veritas’ environmental health and safety program.

About Veritas Fine Cannabis

Quality, consistency, honesty, and preserving the unique terpene profile of each strain—these are the guiding principles that set Veritas Fine Cannabis apart as one of America’s first premium cannabis wholesalers. Named after the Roman goddess of truth, Veritas is more than a cultivator; it is a curator of the cannabis experience. From first cuts through harvest and packaging, the Veritas team does everything by hand to optimize the full expression of a strain’s terpenes that yield singular effects. The company continually adds to its library of hundreds of proprietary genetics and catalogs each cultivar by terpene profile so consumers can find the perfect Veritas product to fit their individual needs. With buzzworthy strain drops each month, Veritas leads the market in connoisseur cannabis. For more information, visit veritascannabis.com.

I had the opportunity to dig a little bit deeper into Veritas Fine Cannabis and it made me appreciate their website even more. This is a brand that resonates with nerds like me!

Cheers!  WB

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself? Why Cannabis? What brought you to the plant?

Elizabeth Lee: I am originally from Minnesota and lived there my whole life until I went to college. I took the big leap and moved out East to attend college at American University in Washington D.C. I have a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies and a minor in sustainability. After graduating, I decided to move to Colorado without even visiting, and it was the best decision for me. I knew with my degree I could find a job I’m passionate about and decided to look into the cannabis industry. I saw that growing the plant was energy and water-intensive and required copious amounts of packaging. With no federal regulation and influence, I felt the cannabis industry had the opportunity to be at the forefront of environmental sustainability. And once I started working in a cultivation and packaging facility, I saw the hazards workers are exposed to, and it made me think a lot about the health and safety side of cannabis. In June of 2020, I decided to pursue my Masters at Denver University in Environmental Health and Safety. I am set to graduate in June 2022.

Warren Bobrow: Indoor or outdoor grown? Why? Organics? Biodynamics? Favorite strain? Grown by whom? 

Elizabeth Lee: As a home grower, I prefer to grow outside. Why not take advantage of the Colorado sun! My favorite Veritas strain is Tropicana Cookies. I love the pungent citrus smell and taste that comes from it.

Warren Bobrow: What are your six and twelve-month goals?

Elizabeth Lee: A sixth-month goal of mine is to execute a company-wide safety policy. We want to implement new employee safety training and quarterly training thereafter to ensure every employee feels safe and confident doing their job. OSHA has not set standards specified to cannabis yet, but there will be a time when that happens, and Veritas wants to be at the forefront.

As a twelve-month goal, we want to reduce our reliance on new packaging and find a solution to sanitize and reuse our cannabis jars. Package waste is a serious issue, and we need to divert waste from landfills. Since we already use glass jars, the opportunity to sanitize and reuse them would divert many of these jars from even making it as far as the recycling bin.

Warren Bobrow: Favorite food when stoned? Favorite food memory from childhood? Do you cook? Who taught you? 

Elizabeth Lee: I would say my favorite foods to eat when stoned are desserts. I really love watching “The Great British Baking Show” and have now taken a liking to gourmet desserts. Tarts, mousses, cakes. The show gives me a lot of inspiration to expand my baking skills, as well! I also really enjoy cooking. My great-grandma Kate used to cook and bake such amazing things when I was younger—so good that we had a recipe book created before she passed away. I still cook her recipes to this day. Some of my favorites are tater tot hotdish and her famous waffle cookies. I also love finding food accounts on Instagram and making their recipes.

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Elizabeth Lee: I am passionate about living a life that considers the health of people and our planet. I’ve always enjoyed making changes that better my life and the overall environment. I think we forget that we all have an opportunity to ignite change and one person can have a great influence on others.

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5 Questions Articles Interviews

Pilgrim Soul: Opening The Third Eye/Five Questions With Shawn Gold

Shawn Gold

Being a creative person, I’m naturally interested in the work of other creatives. When I was introduced to the originative world of Pilgrim Soul, I felt a certain kinship. After all, I had in my past life worked with high-level individuals within a creative part of a private bank for nearly twenty years. This capability of furthering the thought process stimulated my need in later years to become a six-time published author. The intellect needed to write books is in many ways similar to starting a corporation or leading someone else’s company. You face many challenges in publishing as you do in the corporate world. Politics and silos abound, watch your step and tread lightly? Usually or not a chance… But the world has changed since I did my part to further myself in the corporate world. It would have been nice to have been able to support the efforts of someone like Shawn Gold, the Founder, and CEO of Pilgrim Soul. He’s a really intriguing man, with ideas that mimic my own ethos. I’m fortunate to have been able to interview his efforts for Skunk Magazine. I hope you find inspiration in his broad-reaching ethos for organic change. It’s not too far-fetched nor solely California Centric. There are global implications for his metrics and challenges. I hope you click through to learn more about his efforts. 

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

Thank you, WB. 

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself? Why did you start working in cannabis? Do you prefer indoor or outdoor-grown cannabis, and why? 

Shawn Gold: My career has consisted of CMO roles at tech-driven start-ups and imagining business models that did not exist. From social networking at MySpace, blogging with Engadget, social storytelling with Wattpad, and working with brands like Fabletic and SavageXFenty, it’s always been about thriving in the ambiguity of a new idea. Throughout my career, I have used cannabis to generate ideas, empathize with my customers, see things symphonically and make non-linear connections. So, when the legal cannabis industry started to emerge, I decided I wanted to help people benefit from my experience with cannabis.

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

As far as indoor or outdoor, I am a huge fan of consuming things as nature intended while being kind to the planet, so my default would be sun-grown California cannabis. You can make a delicious and potent product under natural conditions; I don’t necessarily need to have super high potency indoor cannabis to have a great experience. That said, if you have some amazing indoor cannabis, I’d love to see it and learn more about it. 

You could say the creative interactions that I experienced through Pilgrim Soul opened my third eye. Thank you. WB 

WB: Please tell me about Pilgrim Soul? What makes this brand different? Do you have a favorite [vape pen]? 

SG: Pilgrim Soul’s mission is to help people unlock their innate creativity to help them gain a competitive edge in life and work. We do this with exclusive cannabis blends, creative curriculum, community-driven creativity programs, and expert content via PilgrimSoul.com.

It is best to think of Pilgrim Soul as a creativity company, where cannabis is just one of the products. The brand is designed to allow any creativity-enhancing product – we may even accommodate psilocybin when that becomes legal. 

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

As far as our cannabis products go, we worked with the scientists at AbstraxLabs to create live resin blends of the top creative strains for different types of creative thinking – Creative Focus, Creative Reflection, Creative Imagination, and Creative Awareness. We analyze hundreds of cannabis strains that index high for creativity and other states of mind, according to survey data. After identifying each strain’s cannabinoid and terpene profiles, we built a matrix of strains that are then blended and mapped back to specific types of creative impact. This ongoing research is supported by focus groups and feedback from iconic creative leaders across varied industries. 

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals [for Pilgrim Soul]?  

SG: Pilgrim Soul is looking to be the category leader in cannabis for creativity. We launched our cannabis line in July, and it is already a best-selling live resin oil blend in MedMen, Sweet Flower, The High Note, and The Cannabist.

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

Additionally, we are expanding our creative curriculum in the form of our Creative Thinking Journals meant to be used while you are high. These journals are filled with fun and shareable, creative challenges meant to spark the imagination and help people rethink the way they see the world. In November, we will debut a new journal in partnership with a well-known comedian. 

The success metrics for all these efforts, other than money, are helping people enhance their lives with creative thinking – to help them uncover new possibilities and ideas. 

WB: What is your favorite food when smoking cannabis? Do you have a food memory from childhood that involves cannabis? 

SG: That is an interesting question because I don’t have a lot of cannabis-specific experiences. I use cannabis as a way to enhance experiences in general. I find smoking and going to a restaurant can make the food better because I’m more focused and present. I become more conscious of the flavors, the textures, the ritual, and the people I am dining with. 

WB: What is your passion?

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

Humor and laughter. I love people (well, most people), and my favorite thing is to laugh and riff on ideas with friends and new

acquaintances. I find laughter to be the shortest distance between two people. When two people are laughing at the same thing, they are basically saying, ‘I share your perspective, your values, and I certainly share what you think is amusing.’ Cannabis is an aid in this process. It helps with divergent out-of-the-box thinking by getting the neurons in the frontal lobe firing in a more uninhibited way. It also represses the area of the brain called the dorsolateral cortex, which is about judgment. I guess you could say I use cannabis to make everything slightly more interesting.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/pilgrim-soul-opening-the-third-eye-five-questions-with-shawn-gold/

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5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

Five Crisp Questions With Bryan Buckley, President and CEO HVGC

Bryan Buckley, President and CEO HVGC

I’ve met Bryan Buckley a couple of times now for this article and another magazine a couple of years ago. I was struck by his forthright character, passion for the plant, and his deep reverence for his service in the military, not a small task as I’ve learned. He’s got a handshake that speaks volumes, even before he speaks. I felt very happy to have him doing what he obviously loves, and he needs to bond with his brothers in arms through his passion and compassion. 

Warren Bobrow: Where are you from? Where do you live now?

Photo: HVGC

Brian Buckley: I was born and raised in a town north of the Philadelphia area called Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Once I joined the Marine Corps, I spent time in Quantico, Virginia, and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 2011, I received orders to Camp Pendleton, California. I moved to an area called Carlsbad, California, and have been living here ever since. 

Warren Bobrow: What do you do? Please tell me about your company and what makes you different. 

Brian Buckley: Once I finished up my service in the Marine Corps, I worked for an Ed Tech firm, focusing on Higher Education. In 2016, I founded the Battle Brothers Foundation, a 501C3 Nonprofit organization that supports our veterans. It was around the same time that I discovered the medicinal benefits of cannabis. I wanted to move the dial with our nation’s legislators and began the process of being able to obtain an Institutional Review Board (IRB). Helmand Valley Growers Company (HVGC) was established to help achieve this goal. I have the honor of being the President and CEO of this adult/medical cannabis organization located in California. What separates us from other brands is that 100% of our profits go to fund veteran medical cannabis research. This research will include NiaMedic Healthcare and Research Services out of Israel and the University of California at Irvine Health. The first study is scheduled to take place in the fall/winter of 2021.

Photo: HVGC

Warren Bobrow: What was your inspiration? When did you discover the plant? What strains do you seek?

Brian Buckley: My inspiration has been veterans. I never could understand why we do not do everything in our power to ensure that they live a life of peace and the American dream that they fought so hard to defend. I discovered the plant in the 2016 timeframe. I was just having a terrible time trying to sleep and relax. It was Andy Miears who told me about the positive impact that the plant was having on his life. Once I tried it, I knew it was something special. No pill could have the positive impact that cannabis had on me. That is what inspired us to go forward with an Institutional Review Board-approved study. We wanted to prove the medicinal benefit of cannabis through data-driven results. I love hearing feedback from veterans in terms of what strains have worked best for them to help reduce their ailments. At Helmand Valley Growers Company, we want to produce what works best for our veterans to help combat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress. 

Warren Bobrow: Favorite childhood food memory? Current food passion?

Brian Buckley: My favorite childhood food memory would have to be watching high school football under the Friday night lights. For food? I love popcorn to a fault. I will take down a whole large bucket at the movies. When I make a bag of popcorn in the microwave, it is for me and me alone. Combined, I love watching football games while eating a bag of popcorn. Even when I go home, and I drive by the stadium on a game night, I can still smell that popcorn. My current food passion is cooking steak and chicken or whatever on a grill. Just find it to be relaxing. If you do it right, the food is incredible.

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion? 

Brian Buckley: My passion is my family and the mission of proving the medicinal benefits of medical cannabis. I always try to keep a good work/life balance. Work hard all day, come home to the family, and spend quality time with the family. At night, prior to calling it a night, I think, “What have I done for a veteran today.” It is what drives me to keep going.

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