I love what (full of boundless energy) Eli Melrod has achieved in the craft cannabis retail space. His esoteric and craft-oriented dispensary, Solful embodies my somewhat educated image of what a well-curated cannabis experience should look like. The environment is not overwhelming when entering the shop and the sophisticated, yet somewhat older clientele demands a deeper understanding of the plant. This is much different than the experience at most high-volume dispensaries. They seem to focus on getting the guest in and out, quickly and without much thought to the well-being of the customer.
More than just an allegory is how I describe the experience of visiting Solful. From the first time that I visited this dispensary several years ago, to the present day, I can honestly say that Solful offers a very wine store-esque, cannabis transactional experience right in the center of wine country. And I believe that the terroir of the cannabis mimics that of fine wine. It’s uncanny to taste a Sonoma Chardonnay, then inhale some cannabis, grown in Sonoma. Their terroir is very similar to each other.
Please allow me the honor of introducing you to my friend and fellow entrepreneur in the cannabis space, Eli Melrod, who is the CEO and Co-founder of Solful, award-winning cannabis dispensaries in Northern California
Photo credit: Mary Roll
Eli Melrod is CEO and Co-founder of Solful, award-winning dispensaries in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, California, widely recognized for its broad selection of high-quality, locally-sourced cannabis products, as well as industry-leading in-store experience, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in the community.
Under his leadership, Solful is dedicated to selling only 100% sun-grown flower purchased directly from small craft farmers in Northern California. A frequent visitor of partner farms, Eli and company directly manage Solful’s supply chain to ensure that every cannabis product sourced is planted, grown, nurtured, trimmed, and packaged according to the highest standards of care.
Eli has been an entrepreneur in the California cannabis industry since 2015. His interest in the health and wellness benefits of cannabis began in 2006, when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and discovered the power of cannabis to help him manage pain, nausea, appetite, anxiety, and sleep. Inspired by his father’s experience, Eli dedicated himself to bringing cannabis to people whose health, wellness, and happiness could be improved by its responsible use.
Today, Solful is known for its emphasis on cannabis bringing customers health and happiness. Focusing on training, education, and culture, Solful is reinventing the cannabis retail space. Their goal? For all customers – from experienced users to the cannacurious – to walk into their doors feeling comfortable and confident they will find the product they are looking for with the help of a long-tenured team that abides by the highest values, known as the Solful Standard.
Eli Melrod and Mike Benziger of Glentucky Farms: Photo credit: Brennan Spark
WB: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from originally? Live now? What do you think about terroir in cannabis? Does “biodynamic” mean to you? What about Terpenes?
Eli Melrod: I was fortunate to be born and raised in Northern California. I spent my younger years in San Francisco and ultimately went between SF and Sebastopol as a teenager after my dad bought property up here. Since then, Sebastopol and Sonoma County have always been home. My interest in cannabis began when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I saw firsthand the power of the plant and how it helped him manage pain and anxiety from the awful illness.
At the time, I was studying economics at Wesleyan University. Inspired by recreational cannabis use becoming legal in California and being a believer in its health and wellness benefits, in 2014, I left school and dedicated myself to bringing cannabis to people whose lives can be improved by its responsible use. I first worked for an established cannabis testing lab to understand the science of cannabis, and it was during this time that I started to build personal relationships with industry influencers, many of which included farmers. In 2015, I connected with a family friend and entrepreneur, Peter Dickstein, to launch Solful. Since we opened in 2017, Solful has been a destination cannabis retail brand with a focus on educating the community, offering personalized customer experiences, and sourcing the best craft sun-grown cannabis.
For me, terroir means the expression of time and place. All plants are going to be influenced based on where and how they are grown. What I love most about sun-grown and regenerative farmed cannabis is that the plant embodies that specific region and harvest. At Solful we work with farms that have a number of strains that they have developed over the years for their specific region. You can see and taste the variation of that strain each year, showing that the growing season no doubt impacts the end result of the plant. I’ve found that as I get to know our farming partners better when I smoke their cannabis, I feel the expression of their farm and the vibe of that region. It’s an intimate and special relationship that no other plant can offer.
Eli and his father. Photo credit: Brennan Spark.
With biodynamic farming, there’s a strict seven-year certification process by Demeter needed in order to use the term on labeling. That said, there are plenty of farms that use biodynamic practices, but don’t go through the official certification process. Biodynamics is a part of regenerative farming, which focuses on working with the land’s ecosystem – the farmers work with the land to help build a stronger, healthier system.
We are learning more and more about the plant and terpenes show there’s a lot more contributing to cannabis’s effects and medicinal uses than just cannabinoids. The science around terpenes is early and as an industry, it’s important that we are thoughtful in how we talk about the subject. We still have a lot to learn. What we do know is that terpene-rich cannabis tends to be more enjoyable to consume and has a more robust effect, compared to one that is lower in terpenes. Think of terpenes as the fingerprint of that specific strain and harvest. A strain’s terpene profile can act as a guide to help the consumer figure out what they like. As the industry evolves, I think it is great that we are shifting the conversation beyond just cannabinoids, especially for medicinal use.
WB: So many cannabis companies are hung up on high THC levels. Why is this flawed science? What are you doing to change this marketing into something more appropriate for the plant?
Eli Melrod: At this point, it is clear that higher THC doesn’t mean higher quality or potency. The overreliance on this number is misleading to consumers.
At Solful, understanding each strain of cannabis and product we sell is really important to us. We spend a lot of time educating our team to then educate consumers about where the farm is located, how the plant was grown, and the difference in strains. It’s all of this information that should ultimately play into the buying decision. At our stores, we display full terpene and cannabinoid profiles for each strain we carry. It’s a priority that our team members get to know the farmers we work with so they can speak to them as people.
An important lesson we have learned is that if you don’t train your team on how to translate industry knowledge into practical information for consumers, you aren’t educating them. We believe in meeting the consumer where they are – and we have built a program around this method so our team can offer more of a hospitality experience for everyone who walks through our doors.
Photo credit: Brennan Spark
WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? How do you anticipate removing obstacles to cannabis? Who is your mentor/s?
Eli Melrod: We are excited to continue to expand Solful’s retail footprint. We opened our second location in Santa Rosa earlier this year and have a third location opening in an incredible community and neighborhood in San Francisco in the coming months.
The Apothecarium, with two locations in New Jersey, is open for business! That means fully recreational for those who are twenty-one years old or older. What are they like? Well, they are a study in simplicity, but two vastly different experiences completely.
Phillipsburg, NJ was my first stop of the day. Standing stout against the former industrial foreground, framed by an active freight line and the Delaware River beyond, The Apothecarium has a stately position in the town. The reinvigoration of the former bank building represents brilliant re-use of the space. With soaring three-story ceilings, one gets the feeling of being in a very important place, where the business of the day was commerce.
Photo Credit: The Apothecarium
After waiting in the short line for just a little while, the security guard allows just three people into the space at any given time. You never feel disregarded though, the line moves along quickly, and people seem to enjoy talking to each other about what strains are in today and the like. Once inside the cavernous space, you check in with the security guard and pass into a series of roped-off lines toward the consultation space. This is a long counter with CSRs- customer service representatives- instead of budtenders, meting out advice along with possessing truly genuine smiles when discussing the individual strains. Medical cannabis is meted out from a different window within the operation, with no one feeling left out, or ignored. The wait time once inside is very short, maybe three minutes or less. The entire experience is very California-like as opposed to Denver-like, probably because Denver’s experience can be described as, somewhat overwhelming… New Jersey is just right. Just the right amount of flowers with just the right amount of vape carts, just the right amount of concentrates, and just the right amount of hardware.
Phillipsburg, NJ needs to have a consumption lounge, preferably down along the railroad tracks or the river, watching the freights lumber past on their way between here and there. I’d drive there to enjoy this entertainment and smoke cannabis in a nice environment. Phillipsburg has been described as a town, down on its luck, but I see it differently. Sure, there is little in the way of industry, but with the introduction of cannabis to the local economy, value will rise in the marketplace, and cannabis tourism may be introduced to a rough and tumble town. After all, Amsterdam was a pretty rough place before cannabis hit the scene and added much-needed capital to a generally cold-rain-soaked backwater in a place nearly forgotten by history. Consumption offers canna-tourism! There are historic train tracks nearby and the rich history of the Pennsylvania coal mines is very close to the whiskey business, which had roots in regard to rye whiskey and the Whiskey Rebellion, making cannabis another vice to enter the community. This time in a legal and tax-generating fashion.
Photo Credit: The Apothecarium
Just on the other side of the bucolic Summit, New Jersey is the quaint town of Maplewood, New Jersey. Long a feeder community for residents from Newark, East Orange, and Elizabeth, Maplewood offers safe streets and unlimited growth opportunities for entrepreneurs. My father’s family came from Newark originally, then they moved to Maplewood, before moving to Verona. My trip to the Apothecarium in Maplewood was less like a visit to a new building within a familiar town, and more like a trip into my family’s history. Pretty nifty stuff for me.
Entering the low-slung building you come into a space reminiscent of Short Hills Mall boutiques. The style is very bougie, with sophisticated wallpaper and not overwhelming lighting. Staff members look crisp, more like people who work in banking for insurance over those who are bud-tenders. It’s remarkable for me to be able to purchase cannabis in New Jersey and The Apothecarium offers a truly unique retail experience within its four walls.
Onto the flowers. Because of a mix-up with my medical card, I did not purchase any cannabis in Phillipsburg, but I did in Maplewood, and what kind of herb it is truly wonderful plants.
Apples and Bananas- “Cookies Branded” grown in Boonton by talented, young growers, this strain offers bursts of citrus zest and black loam in every puff. When I think about the cannabis that I smoked as a young person, this was nothing like that ditch weed.
Photo Credit: The Apothecarium
The Soap Flower, another – decidedly soapy on the nose, but what a luscious high… I was thinking Irish Spring soap with a touch of gas added for humor, this hybrid strain offers a mind/body high that covers the awake and sleepy parts of getting stoned with aplomb. I like this stuff. How did they get it to taste as cilantro does to some people?
Kind Tree Slapz Flower- Gas upon Diesel gas, upon ammonia and more petrol…and sour skunky gas. the kind that says truck stop weekend. This is the kind, and it does the trick on my brain. I got pretty stoned, right away. Definitely as good as some of the good stuff from Denver or Oregon. The gorgeous nug in the mylar bag was just huge!
Gary Payton Flower- Gary Payton from Cookies speaks to the original New York Diesel I remember smoking in the late 90s. You remember it, because all the snowboarders had it up in Vermont during the winter, and you could smell it in the air around Madison Square Garden, especially when the Grateful Dead came to town.
New Jersey cannabis has really grown up. I’m definitely impressed.
Photo Credit: The Apothecarium
I wish New Jersey offered home-grow, and I especially wish New Jersey allowed edibles and beverages. The cannabis program is basically backward in this regard, which makes me naturally less than optimistic for the future. But that’s not the point of this article and the argument for or against home-grow or edibles is so stigmatized that I cannot even strike a balance in my brain over the entire topic.
My suggestion is to visit the bank-like branch of The Apothecarium in Phillipsburg, NJ, or the high-style and sleek, Apothecarium in Maplewood, NJ. Both offer the same high-end products, shared in a fashion that introduces over-sells, some of the finest strains of cannabis around these parts of the country.
Ever since I traveled to Holland as a boy, and saw how they grew flowers for the world, I was inspired by the concept of Dutch Greenhouses. Enter the current day — the concept of growing cannabis under the sun is more than just a possibility, it’s the reason companies like POSIBL exist in the first place. POSIBL is the cannabis farm of the future and engine for several of California’s leading brands. POSIBL is redefining what it means to produce the highest quality cannabis. Leveraging a state-of-art system that uses less to do more, POSIBL brings the best greenhouse technology and expertise from traditional agriculture into cannabis and pairs it with the best possible genetics to produce the perfect flower — grown in an ethical, sustainable, free of pesticide and cost-efficient way, year-round. The technology is as old as the greenhouses that I saw in Holland back in the 1970s. Growing cannabis in a greenhouse, using a mixed light supplemental system, is more than just intriguing, it’s the kind of cannabis that really gets me stoned. Not that I’ve tried the POSIBL brands yet, maybe I’ll have the chance when I’m out west again. It’s like that for me, making a laundry list of haves and have-nots. That is the question. And now, without further ado, may I please introduce Jesus Burrola, Chief Executive Officer of POSIBL. Cheers. WB
Photo Credit: Ben Lalande
WB: 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?
Jesus Burrola: My name is Jesus Burrola, and I am the CEO of POSIBL, a grower and co-packer out of Salinas, CA. We operate a 12-acre mixed light greenhouse, and power 15 large brands in CA. I was born and raised in Mexico and lived there until I was 18. I grew up around distribution, since my father owned a distribution business, and was interested in how to streamline logistics and operations. This led me to pursue a career in supply chain management, and I ended up working for the largest building materials distributor in North America for 15 years prior to joining POSIBL. The desire to help be a part of this new industry and help shape its direction of it and help destigmatize the plant led me to join POSIBL two years ago.
WB: What are you working on right now? Do you have a six and twelve-month goal? What makes your company different from its peers?
Jesus Burrola: We have 2 big priorities.
1) The launch of our first B2C brand Humo, which is focused on representing the Latino community. Being Latinos in the space, we felt there was no brand in existence that really catered to our community, which makes up over 30% of the California population and a huge portion of the participants in the industry. We see this as an opportunity to help reduce the stigma of cannabis in our community.
Photo Credit: Ben Lalande
2) The buildout of our new state-of-the-art greenhouses and processing facility. For the past few years, we have been working on getting a high-tech greenhouse project designed and permitted for expansion. We are, thankfully now, at the point where we kicked off construction. This project will take 14-18 months to be fully built out, but once it’s done it will be one of the most sustainable and tech-forward cannabis projects in the state.
WB: What obstacles stand in your way currently, and how do you anticipate removing them? Do you have a mentor or teacher who is valuable in your path?
Jesus Burrola: The largest challenge is the broken regulations and taxes that exist in California for cannabis operators. These in turn have created a very difficult market, where the heavy tax burden and added costs of the regulations make it extremely difficult to transition consumers to the legal market and have led to extremely low pricing for growers.
WB: Greenhouse, 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?
Jesus Burrola: I am biased, but I would have to say greenhouse. I feel greenhouses with supplemental light are the best of all worlds, since you can incorporate the full spectrum of the sun and natural elements, but at the same time control the environment to give the ideal conditions for the plant to thrive and produce year-round. Sustainability is also important to us, and growing in a greenhouse environment allows us to reduce our carbon footprint.
My favorite strain right now has to be the Limonada. It is an energetic sativa with a citrus and sweet terpene profile.
To me, there is no better meal than authentic carne asada tacos. Being from Sonora, we take big pride in our claim to having Mexico’s best carne asada tacos. There is not a trip or visitor that doesn’t involve bringing freshly made tortillas to pair with some nice ribeye tacos and a cold beer.
WB: What is your passion?
Jesus Burrola: Apart from my family, I would say my passion is learning. I am naturally curious and coming into cannabis from the grower side has been an incredible experience. Cannabis is a fascinating plant. I get to work with a team that is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the plant, and I learn new things every day. I am extremely grateful to be able to work with such a great group of people that truly care about growing the best possible flower.
Real cannabis imbibing intellects are the ones who dispel the notion that all cannabis smokers are still living in their parent’s homes, having failed to apply themselves in life. Nothing could be further than the truth. The popular culture paints cannabis smokers as unable to do anything but do bong hits all day. This is unfortunate, but a stark reality in many places in the world, especially in places like New Jersey, where I grew up. The very fact that I’ve used cannabis since the age of twelve- and I’m certainly much older than that now, made my parents practically livid with rage. It’s far too late now to change my misguided cannabis-fueled ways.
One of the things I learned from smoking cannabis is that it unlocks the creative side of my brain. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that cannabis made me an intellectual, that was already so… It just allowed me to think differently than my non-cannabis smoking peers.
When I recognize real thinkers, it’s usually through gatherings of other folks who do deep dives into their existence, usually with every puff of the finest cannabis in the world.
The Hall of Flowers is one such assemblage of like-minded heads. Aengus Cawley is one of the shining-star intellects that gathers with his peers in opening the minds and hearts of others through his ebullient smile. He truly has learned the secret and it unlocks the deep creativity that cannabis offers.
May I please introduce you to Aengus. He’s going to change the world, one perfectly curated cannabis experience at a time!
WB: Please tell me what you’re working on right now? What are your six-month and twelve-month goals?
Aengus Cawley: We’ve put an extensive amount of time, effort, and R&D into launching BEED, and we’re thrilled to have come to market in such a holistic, 360-degree way. Every detail and nuance of the customer exploration, discovery, and acquisition phase has been meticulously thought through from end to end on our part.
We recently launched our DTC ecommerce site, continue to work with key retail partners like MedMen, The Artist Tree, Grassdoor, Green Qween, Double Eye, and now have our eyes set on further inserting BEED into the larger cultural narrative. We have participated in many cannabis-oriented events like Smoker’s Club, Hall of Flowers Palm Springs, and Napa’s BottleRock, and see our trajectory as a technology meets cannabis brand to continue to evolve and innovate in lockstep with our consumers’ preferences and needs.
We are already working on expanding the BEED Capsule line so we can grow with the ever-changing cannabis consumer to ensure brand longevity. We initially launched with six effect-based capsule offerings (ranging from a 1:1 THC / CBD blend to a hash-infused, 40%+ THC option) and are keen to add strain-based and flavor-focused options in the near future. Another avenue we’re actively exploring is retailer-specific and brand-specific BEED Capsule collaborations. There is so much brand loyalty amongst cannabis consumers nowadays, and it’s the logical next step to reach these untapped consumers via branding cross-pollination.
Growing and diversifying our retail partnerships over the next year is a big priority for us. With each new retailer comes seemingly infinite possibilities for collaboration and innovation. We are most excited and inspired by the unexpected and love the notion of BEED popping up in unusual settings and environments for ‘surprise and delight’ moments. Our end goal and hope through the simplicity of BEED are that we further destigmatize the plant by leveraging technology and in turn, help break through cultural divides and barriers. We want BEED to help bring cannabis to the masses.
WB: Please tell me about your company. What is your technology? What makes you unique?
Aengus Cawley: Inspired by the ease and accessibility of making a cup of coffee, BEED aims to elevate and streamline the cannabis experience by producing fresh, mess-free pre-rolls at the push of a simple, single button. BEED is the first capsule-based appliance for cannabis in the California market and allows consumers to enjoy the freshest, fastest, and most fun rolling experience, all in an environmentally friendly and economically conscious way.
The BEED Machine is the first and only fully-automated appliance to produce a single cannabis joint in 20 seconds. Our fully recyclable aluminum BEED Capsules are nitrogen sealed and contain .5g of premium cannabis that will stay fresh and maintain the full spectrum properties of the flower for up to one year.
We are stewards of the Earth and strive to help our consumers lead a more eco-conscious life. It’s part of our brand DNA. Each individual aluminum BEED capsule and the exterior packaging tube they are sold in are fully recyclable, and we’re constantly challenging ourselves to design and engineer novel ways to be more environmentally friendly.
From a pricing perspective, the BEED Machine and Capsule line surpasses the typical cannabis consumer’s expectations in all the right ways. Currently, the most affordable 0.5g California pre-rolls hover around the $5.50 mark. In contrast, our capsules are sold in 8-packs of single-serve 0.5g Capsules for $32, meaning that if you enjoyed one fresh BEED joint every day for an entire year, on average you would save over $500 based on this industry standard.
What’s more, you’ll enjoy a wholly consistent, fresh smoking experience each and every time with our capsule technology to reap all the benefits of the plant.
WB: Do you prefer indoor to outdoor grown? Why? Terroir?
Aengus Cawley: I am personally (and likely as a result of my upbringing in rural Vermont) partial to outdoor, sun grown cannabis. There’s just something deeply special, even magical, about experiencing the plant in the most natural way. Unfortunately, it is not the most scalable option to provide consistent and fairly priced flower.
I’d be remiss not to acknowledge how indoor-grown cannabis has helped propel the industry into the $5.6B powerhouse it is today. It’s undeniable that indoor cultivation safeguards against external environmental elements and other hypothetical risks often out of growers’ control entirely. We at BEED have struck a happy balance between indoor and outdoor cannabis with the help of our partners at Glasshouse Farms. They believe the future of cannabis is greenhouse-driven, where high-quality, premium plants can be grown, nurtured, and cultivated using sustainably minded cultivation practices and in turn, sold at an accessible price point.
WB: Who is your mentor?
Aengus Cawley: It is less of a who has mentored me, and more of a what and where has inspired me.
First and foremost, I believe that physically disconnecting from society is essential to forming original (aka creative) thought. Getting out into nature and away from it all is the best way to ensure that your ideas are wholly your own. When you intentionally stop streaming, stop scrolling, and spend some time with just yourself, the universe tends to reward you with the clarity to create something unique and deeply impactful. Nature is a beautiful teacher.
My personal library is also a prized possession. Despite its physical weight and cumbersome nature, my library has been the perfect complement and often the driving factor of much of my personal and professional experience on this earth. Whether struggling through comprehending quantum physics by way of “The Dancing Wu Li Masters,” maximizing efficiency through pop culture phenomenon, Tim Ferris’s “4 Hour Work Week” or doubling down on the importance of having purpose beyond financials as I finish the inimitable Tony Hsieh’s “Delivering Happiness,” which was actually a recommendation from BEED’s CEO and a current mentor of mine, Ofer Kahana, literature has been a continual resource for further education.
WB: What is your passion?
Aengus Cawley: Making people smile. Bottom line. Whether it’s through art and approaching life from a uniquely creative lens, simple human interaction, or critical business decision making, bringing happiness to others is the most important thing to me at the end of the day. It’s actually what drew me initially to the cannabis industry and what ultimately led me to BEED.
First and foremost, cannabis is plant medicine and one that is essential to so many of the most important people in my life. The plant is so communal and it’s the shared experience of cannabis that brings people together in a positive way time and time again.
BEED’s technology helps democratize the plant in an approachable, lifestyle-centric way, and in turns helps further remove the cultural stigma of cannabis. When someone uses the BEED Machine for the first time, whether they were initially skeptical or are a cannabis veteran, consumers are always wowed by the simplicity of the process and are equally in awe when their freshly rolled joint is dispensed in a matter of seconds. … and after they take the first hit, well that’s when the real smiles set in.
Ifirst met Jeffrey a couple of years ago during the event known as the Hall of Flowers. I was immediately struck by the care and quality of his self-grown flower and ebullient packaging. In an age where so much cannabis is grown private-label, I found it deeply refreshing that Jeffrey’s cannabis is very much like his personality. And that would be outgoing with a ready smile and a firm handshake that says. We are the GoodGood, don’t forget it! And I didn’t forget because what Jeffrey has brought to the market is deliciously fun and deeply bemusing. I was especially impressed by his flowers. They speak my language. Their LOUD. And the effect? Deeply healing. They are, truly- in my humble opinion, the GoodGood. Impressive and agreeable to my body. I love the attention to detail in the rolling of their pre-rolls. They pack a lot of cannabis in each joint. Each one is just perfect. Every time.
But this article isn’t just about their marvelous flowers, it’s about the man behind the brand, Jeffrey Garber, and I hope you feel his challenges and successes, one puff at a time. Cheers! WB
Warren Bobrow: What obstacles do you face in your company? How do you remove them?
Jeffrey L. Garber: We have overcome many obstacles since the birth of the Yellow Dream Farm, starting with the licensing and construction stage, getting power, and doing a full license and build out in 6 months for our state-of-the-art 30,000 sq. ft. cultivation facility. Our biggest challenge has been pioneering vertical farming and dialing in our genetic line and our seven flower rooms of 162 lights double stacked with 20ft ceilings. Dialing in the microclimates, airflow, VPD, and managing the different dry backs of the plants throughout the different areas of the rooms. It has not only been a difficult challenge but a very exciting one. The team and I thrive on seeing the daily improvements we make through the different cycles.
Vertical farming in cannabis has had rapid growth in the industry and has gained a lot of traction recently not only due to the advancements in technology in the industry but also the volatile marketplace, price per pound being lower than ever, worldwide inflation creating higher COGS, and high tax rates. We are looking for every edge above the competition to cut costs, maximize efficiencies, and lower costs to stay competitive without compromising the quality of flower we produce. This has been our main goal and mission for the company, and our first house brand GoodGood aims to prove that narrative and produce boutique quality cannabis at scale and provide luxury cannabis products at affordable prices.
Vertical farming does not have decades of knowledge and experience like the traditional growing styles of single-tier HPS lights. We learn from trial and error as they did decades ago and always aim to share the knowledge we have gained along the way with other farmers looking to grow vert. We are able to remove these obstacles with our full automation of feeding and environmental controls and our media sensors, all of which collect an abundance of data that we thrive off. We live in the grow rooms but spending time analyzing this data is key to success in commercial cannabis and helps guide our decision-making process.
Building the right team around you and finding trustworthy, passionate people remains our top goal and priority. We love to teach, and your team is everything; and finding a loyal, dedicated, passionate team that shares a similar mindset. We are so grateful for the team we have built today.
WB: Goals? Six and twelve-month goals?
JLG: Our big goal for Yellow Dream Farm is to become 100% vertically integrated through our delivery operations and eventual retail stores. We’d like to see GoodGood gain 30% of the market share in California on the branded side of the cannabis industry. In the next 6-12 months, we’ll have a fully operational delivery and retail arm, and we are looking forward to launching more in-house brands and collaborations with the best artists.
We recently ran an exciting promotion on social media called #GoodGoodUnderground, where we asked artists to submit exclusive designs in a contest to design our next merchandise item, a t-shirt. 100% of the proceeds of this merch item will be donated to the Last Prisoner Project, whose mission is to free all non-violent cannabis prisoners and work to right the wrongs of the drug war.
WB: When you smoke, what is your favorite stoner food? Why?
JLG: I love pizza, especially because I’ll always be a New Yorker at heart. My favorite flavor is classic cheese pizza.
WB: Favorite food memory from childhood? Why?
JLG: Right after school ended in high school in New York City, I used to go to my favorite pizza spot to get the 2 for $5 deal. Two slices of pizza and a drink for $5, and I’d spend the other $15 on a dub of Sour D. My friends would all reconvene in a coveted spot called the Great Lawn in Central Park, where I met some of my best friends. Weed always brought people from different neighborhoods and lifestyles together, and that was one of my favorite parts about growing up in the melting pot.
WB: Favorite restaurant now. Why?
JLG: Now that I’m living in LA, I’m always on the hunt for the best sushi spots. Sushi Fumi is my most frequently visited spot as well as I love the chicken parm and spicy fusilli from Jon and Vinny’s.
WB: What is your passion?
JLG: Outside of cannabis, I play polo with my family (that’s the sport played on horses.) It’s always been a big passion of mine growing up, and I play with my siblings on our family team. We will soon be starting our GoodGood polo team in our area. I’ve also done a lot of charity events and philanthropic events through polo, serving underserved communities and hospitals in our area. I still play in the Santa Barbara and Palm Springs areas, and the sport is becoming more and more popular on the West Coast.
What a pitch. How could I say no? I was and am stunned by the depth of this interview. It digs so deeply that my words are trite in reply. There is really nothing for me to say other than thank you for your service, sir.
Warren,
A true pleasure! We are thankful for your support, and I look forward to speaking with you.
As a new Veteran owned and operated cannabis brand with a non-profit, distribution network, and outdoor/light dep grow, we have developed an incredible mission plan to offer premium cannabis products to Veterans at a discounted price, and proceeds from every sale go directly towards our mission:
Our Mission:
“We support the use of medical cannabis to treat the symptoms of combat-related Post Traumatic Stress, PTSD, and other military service-connected disabilities.”
The use of medical cannabis is known to address profound symptoms of mental and physical health issues that are difficult to treat otherwise. There is currently an epidemic of opioid overdose and veteran suicide in America that we hope to prevent by easing pain and anguish with medical cannabis use.
Support Group
Access donated cannabis for local veterans and other veteran advocate groups
Discuss the medicinal uses of cannabis
Promote and support other veteran advocates
Resource Center
Help veterans file VA disability claims
Provide a list of other veteran advocacy groups
Help navigate VA benefits/services
Disseminate Information via Conference Calls
Educate
Cannabis use and methodology
Dosing and getting started
Talk about VA Mental/Health services
Networking
Create a Strong Veteran Coalition
Veterans doing business with Veterans
Veterans supporting Veterans
Veterans hiring Veterans
Job Placement
Help veterans find employment in the cannabis industry.
I have a personal story to share that led to joining Brothers Mark Cannabis (BMC). I first wrote and self-published my book in 2015 while trying to drink myself to death after coming home from war/s it was my therapy that blossomed into a small bio I felt was important to publish for several reasons…. ‘The Strains of War.’
The Strains of War: a True Story and Still Growing – Kindle edition by Amsler, R.Gage. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phone, or tablet. Use features like bookmarks, note taking, and highlighting while reading The Strains of War: a True Story and Still Growing: www.amazon.com
After 18 months of talks, Jeremy Freitas (Veteran owner of BMC and the Veterans Cannabis Group 501(c)(3)) and I have agreed to build this brand together, so I left my other professional career and my life, packed my things, and drove from Michigan to Cali.
I would not have taken this job if we could not produce excellent medicine. It is obvious with the products we are just now releasing through distribution how incredible this brand is already starting out. We pride ourselves on growing only premium flower and working with the finest extraction/production companies to deliver these products.
Letter w/menu to retailers:
MILITARY VETERAN BRAND
BROTHERS MARK CANNABIS IS A MILITARY VETERAN BRAND.
OUR FARM IN SONOMA COUNTY, ‘PATRIOT VALLEY FARMS’, IS WHERE WE GROW PREMIUM CANNABIS FOR THE BROTHERS MARK BRAND.
WHAT WE FOUND IN RETAIL STORES 10% – 20% OF YOUR PATIENTS ARE MILITARY VETERANS. IN FACT, MOST RETAILERS OFFER A VETERAN DISCOUNT AND HAVE IDENTIFIED THEM IN THEIR POS SYSTEM.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH MANY OF THE RETAILERS TO DO MARKETING EFFORTS IN REACHING OUT TO YOUR 10% – 20% VETERAN COMMUNITY. OUR BRAND OFFERS FLOWER, PRE-ROLLS, CONCENTRATE PRE-ROLLS, AND MORE
Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? How did you discover the plant? When was the first time you discovered it? Where?
I grew up mostly in southern California but moved often. My father abandoned us when I was eight years old, and my mother married six more alcoholics after. While most kids were growing up and discovering the world and their purpose, I was just trying to survive in a severely abusive household. My PTSD started quite early. My mother abandoned me in my senior year in high school, so I dropped out to work. Through unfortunate events, I ended up homeless at 18yo in Orange County. My best option was the military, so I achieved my GED and went to the recruiting office. All four doors/branches in one location…whoever talked to me first was my calling, I had no idea where I wanted to go. I entered the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman in 1990. Kuwait was just gearing up, and the Marines needed combat field medics, so I went to the green side as an 8404 FMF Combat Field Medic with 1st Recon LAV, 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, San Diego. I went to support the Kuwait Liberation in 1991-2 for six months.
After my four years, I decided to move on with my GI Bill. I was accepted to the University of Michigan for a medical student program and moved there in 1994. After growing up mostly on the beach, then the military and war, I found out I could not stand to be indoors, so I quit that program and decided to become a paramedic in 1996. I advanced in trauma, cardiac, and pediatric emergency medicine. In 2000 I then became a professional Firefighter in Dearborn, Michigan (the largest Arabic population per capita outside of the Middle East) for the next five years. I was at Station #4 the morning of 9/11. I wanted to support our country again, but I could not go back into the military; this is when private contracting really took off like Blackwater, Triple Canopy, and SOC. A military buddy contacted me who was recruiting for these contracting companies. They are paying big money for medics with my type of military background. It took almost a year to the day, and I received my secret security clearance. I trained in Reston, VA, and became WPPS (World-Wide Private Professional Securities) certified by the Dept. of State. I dropped boots on the ground in Basra, Iraq October 2005.
I spent the next four years all over Iraq.
I decided to take a break and took some time at home. My PTSD was full throttle at this time. It was 2008-9, and Michigan had just gone legal for medicinal cannabis. A friend introduced me to growing and the possibilities of financial gain. I was intrigued by the holistic patient care side, and the idea of making a living doing this seemed like a great plan. I dove headfirst into everything cannabis. Read Jorge Cervantes’s Marijuana Bible three times, and I finally had that AHA moment! When you realize the absolute truth about this plant, the government’s sick intentions and the abuse of so many were gut-wrenching. Changed my entire perspective…… and my life. I obtained a caregiver license and began growing medicine I believed would support my patients’ symptoms. It went well for a little while; unfortunately, it was not enough, and there were many learning curves. So, I ended up going back, but to Afghanistan this time in 2010.
I was handpicked for a 4-man SpecOps Team to directly support security operations for USACE (Army Corps of Engineers) as we were tasked to build small FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) along the mouth of the Taliban Trail near the border of Pakistan in the Paktika Province. Including other extreme operations, we were tasked with, I did this for another four years.
In the second week of November 2013, we were in search of a new area for building a new FOB. We were a bit off grid and accidentally came across the plants growing almost out of rock at 8000′ with a little bit of snow coverage on the ground. With the cannabis knowledge I had and the medic in me, I had some sort of epiphany on top of that Kush mountain. Some of the plants were dropping seeds, so I grabbed what I could.
Over the course of the next year, I made the realization these seeds were worth risking my life for. I found a way to bring them home. It was a harrowing experience I did not put in my book. In 2015 I began researching these genetics and started phenohunting. My complex PTSD was on a different level, and it was a bad time in my life, locking myself away on thirty-four acres and pushing everyone away in my life. I began to drink myself almost to death. At this same time, as I was also growing, I began to write my story, first, just for therapy. As I continued to write, I realized maybe this story was worth telling others, maybe to help them in some way through my pain and suffering. Since I was only growing and could not use cannabis if I wanted to visit my local VA due to my mental health, I was drinking… heavily. In fact, at one time, I tried to drink myself to death until I began bleeding from my eyes, and I woke the fuck up. Moving forward, I began to mix other favorite strains with my Afghani, and I started MERAKII Genetics. Giving away the medicine I grew to Veterans and others with mental health concerns was also therapy for me.
Almost eight years later and California calls me back.
I contacted Aaron Augustus with the Veterans Cannabis Group when I found out about the wonderful resources they were offering for Veterans. I was then introduced to Jeremy Freitas, and their BROTHERS MARK CANNABIS brand. After much discussion, I made a visit to the farm to see for myself what this brand has to offer. Absolutely incredible medicine sun grown/light-dep flower from the terroir of Sonoma!!
Toda I have left my career and my family (for now) to live on the farm in Sonoma County as the Director of Sales and Marketing & Brand Ambassador for BROTHERS MARK to help build an owned and operated Veteran cannabis brand with a 501c3 that is a beacon for all Veterans to find support with.
Please tell me about your company, what do you do? What makes your work different? What are your six and twelve-month goals?
The Brothers Mark team believes in safe access to medicinal cannabis to all those who seek it. We aim to provide clean, quality, and affordable products to our military veterans and those who support them. Today the scientific community is finding that cannabis has many medicinal properties, and that’s how we view it as a medicine.
We support the use of medical cannabis to treat the symptoms of combat-related Post Traumatic Stress, PTSD, and other military service-connected disabilities.
The use of medical cannabis is known to address profound symptoms of mental and physical health issues that are difficult to treat otherwise. There is currently an epidemic of opioid overdose and veteran suicide in America that we hope to prevent by easing pain and anguish with medical cannabis use.
The Veterans Cannabis Group offers:
Support Group
Access donated cannabis for local veterans and other veteran advocate groups
Discuss the medicinal uses of cannabis
Promote and support other veteran advocates
Resource Center
Help veterans file VA disability claims
Provide a list of other veteran advocacy groups
Help navigate VA benefits/services
Disseminate Information via Conference Calls
Educate
Cannabis use and methodology
Dosing and getting started
Talk about VA Mental/Health services
Networking
Create a Strong Veteran Coalition
Veterans doing business with Veterans
Veterans supporting Veterans
Veterans hiring Veterans
Job Placement
Help veterans find employment in the cannabis industry
What kind of obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing them? Who is your mentor? What are you smoking right now that is just brilliant?
As a newer brand in the great “green brand rush” there is of course, competition from all angles to be recognized and accepted as a brand you can trust that will consistently bring premium medicine to the market. Currently, we have a fully legal 172-acre farm offering full-sun and light-deprivation cannabis along with two greenhouses. We procure the finest northern California genetics that offers, in our research and opinions, incredible opportunities for those with PTSD and related conditions. The continuing drought has a lot of farms desperate for water, and many may fall victim, including to other issues like over regulations and taxes. We have been lucky to have the knowledge, dedication, and support to make this brand sustainable. We just tapped a well on our tallest hill that shows incredible return, so we will be in Cloverdale for a while as we develop this brand and grow incredible flower. The best way to remove obstacles to building this brand is to network, and let everyone know who we are and that we bring the same integrity, passion, and dedication to this medicine and brand as we did in the military and our previous successful careers. I have been introducing myself all over NorCal, and as the events begin this year, we will find many opportunities to find Veterans and others who could benefit from our flower and products. We have wonderful distribution for the entire state, and so far, Brothers Mark is in many retail stores already.
Who is my mentor? Anyone who shares the same passion (or more) than I do about this plant certainly has the knowledge and a perspective I am always curious about. I would say my mentors are those who have always viewed this plant as medicine and non-harmful and have fought the law in some way or another to use or provide this to others. The laws on this plant are unnatural, and natural law is my first law. The underground breeders that have developed so many of these amazing strains.
If I had to name a few; Jack Herer, Mila Jansen, Dennis Peron, Cheech & Chong, Willie Nelson, Steve DeAngelo, Terrence McKenna, Jorge Cervantes, Al Byrne, Mary-Lynn Mather, Nurse Heather, the list of canna-warriors goes on like this.
What am I smoking now that I am loving? There are a few, and of course, it looks like I am biased, but I am truly loving Brothers Mark Apricot Papaya for my daytime smoke. (Papaya x Green Crack x Papaya) is a very uplifting and creative smoke that offers a real focus. Another daytime is Gold Seals ‘Congolese’ cultivar. It’s a 13-week sativa that offers incredible energy and focus, and the taste is absolutely unique. While in LA recently, I picked up some Apples & Bananas by Blaze Mota, a beautiful hybrid and absolutely craft flower. I am really liking this for later in the day.
Right now, we are harvesting the second run of my own hybrid I have developed from my Afghani genetics…. Trigger Hippie Hindu Kush. Over the last 7 years, I have developed several hybrids with my Afghani, and this one pheno has proven herself. This cultivar offers me the perfect daytime smoke that gives me true energy, no jitters, and attention to detail as I enjoy laser-sharp focus on whatever I am doing, then relaxes me without knocking me out. I am very proud of this and am working to release this soon.
What kind of food do you enjoy? Favorite restaurant? Do you cook? Is there anything that you go to when you’re imbibing cannabis?
I went plant-based about three years ago, so I find the most enjoyment in a veggie pizza or Mediterranean food; all that garlic and hummus is my favorite!
I love to cook. In fact, I learned to be a pretty decent cook when I was in the fire department. It was not easy at first, cooking for a bunch of demanding, judgmental guys, but I learned fast. I then learned to enjoy cooking and have always ever since. In fact, I do 90% of the cooking in my house. When I am stoned, I go for anything I can eat with my hands I don’t have to cook. Old pizza, trail mix, ice cream cone, and of course, anything chocolate.
What is your passion?
What inspires me? After so many years learning about myself and what drives me, I have found that I truly love and support Mother Nature and the Earth that offers us everything we could ever need. As a bridge or ambassador of some sort to connect people to what Mother Nature has provided to a better life through health and wellness is an honor and a path. I have found myself continuously on from a Recon medic, paramedic, firefighter, security, and now breeder and grower of natural medicine. My passion IS this journey.
This was the pitch. I’ve included it here because it offers the framework for a topic that I used to write about but stopped. Why? And what was it? It was CBD derived from hemp.
Photo Credit: Leafreport
The reason is pretty simple. Most CBD sold around the globe is no more than snake oil; quack medicine sold in gas stations as a cure-all. This topic is really not worthy of my time. Thus, I stopped writing about health products and got rich, quick CBD multi-level marketing scam products that may or may not do anything.
I turned down pitch after pitch because there really are no rules in CBD.
Why are rules important?
Well, look at the alcohol industry for an example. There are no rules in rum, for instance. You can do almost anything to it, from adding a hundred grams of sugar to caramel coloring that fools the drinker into thinking that dark rum is old rum. It’s not old, only colored and sweetened.
When was the last time that you saw an ingredient label on a bottle of rum or any spirits for that matter?
Wait, that sounds like the CBD business! No transparency.
Where was it grown, and what kind of nutrients were used? Is it toxic when smoked? All unknowns.
Here’s to transparency in CBD testing. Cheers!
Photo Credit: Leafreport
Hi Warren,
After reading a few of your CBD-related articles, I think you’ll find this research interesting. Could you believe that 1 out of 4 CBD products was NOT tested for microbial content, pesticides, or heavy metals?
Leafreport.com reviewed 2946 CBD products from 136 CBD brands in terms of purity and potency testing. It turns out that what is advertised and what CBD products actually contain are completely different.
Only 13% of brands tested almost all of their products for purity testing, checking for microbial content, pesticides, or heavy metals
25% of brands reviewed didn’t carry out any purity testing at all.
84% of potency-tested products didn’t measure within the acceptable variance of up to 10%.
Only 42% of brands test almost all of their products for potency (90%-100%) and share their third-party lab results with consumers.
Spokesperson Gal Shapira, Product Manager at Leafreport, says, “Lack of transparency in CBD industry is a real issue for consumers. They are being fooled on a daily basis by brands and advertisers. This is the reason we invested $25,000 in this market research to bring more clarity to the CBD industry and protect consumers from false CBD products.”
Is this something you would be interested in covering?
If you need more information, feel free to get in touch.
How could I say no? Knowledge in CBD? Good luck with that until recently.
Photo Credit: Leafreport
Please tell me about yourself? Where are you from? What brought you to the cannabis (CBD) space? Curiosity? Health?
I was born in Russia and moved to Vancouver, Canada, when I was 12. I’ve always been interested in writing and started doing small online freelance writing gigs in 2010. I have an Associate of Arts degree in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Geography.
After finishing university in 2015, I decided to go into freelance writing full-time. I got an ongoing gig writing articles about dietary supplements based on published research studies. It was a good fit because I’ve always been interested in health and have tried many supplements.
That’s how I discovered CBD in 2017. It was a new supplement that had a lot of hype around it but not a lot of good information. I tried it out and was impressed by its anxiety, sleep, workout recovery, and overall health effects.
I started reading studies about CBD, writing articles, trying products and decided to specialize in writing about CBD. I’ve written dozens of evidence-based CBD articles for Leafreport.
Please tell me about your philosophy on clarity and transparency in the CBD industry. What are the best practices? Why is CBD sold in gas stations?
Although the FDA has sent warning letters to CBD companies that make unsubstantiated health claims or sell substandard products, by and large, the CBD industry is unregulated.
Photo Credit: Leafreport
That’s why third-party testing done by independent, accredited laboratories is so important in the CBD industry. It’s essentially a form of self-regulation that assures consumers that CBD products actually contain what’s advertised and are free of potential contaminants.
The first thing I always check when reviewing CBD products and brands is third-party testing. Are the tests publicly available? Are they up to date? Are they done by a reputable lab? Are both potency (levels of cannabinoids) and contaminant (pesticides, residual solvents, etc.) test results present?
This gives you a pretty good idea of whether the CBD brand is reputable and trustworthy. Of course, there are many other best practices as well. For example, it’s always best when brands are vertically integrated, meaning they grow the hemp, extract it, and make the finished CBD products themselves.
CBD is sold in gas stations because it’s a popular health and wellness product. But these products tend to be of low quality because they’re often made by shady companies that don’t provide third-party test results or even have a website.
Who is responsible for policing the labeling of CBD products in the United States? What is permitted on the labeling?
The FDA is responsible for regulating the labeling and packaging of cannabis products. But technically speaking, the FDA doesn’t currently consider CBD products as dietary supplements and doesn’t allow them to be sold as such. That’s because CBD is used as an ingredient in a pharmaceutical drug approved by the FDA (Epidiolex). So, this creates a strange situation where CBD products are obviously being sold as dietary supplements even though the FDA is technically against that.
As far as I’m aware, the FDA has not released any specific labeling requirements for CBD products. Instead, CBD product manufacturers are following the established labeling rules for dietary supplements, which include showing the amount of the active ingredient, ingredients list, name and location of the manufacturer, supplement facts panel, and so on. Another rule is that they cannot make any health claims that their product can treat any disease or related symptom.
I hear it all the time that CBD is a cure-all, yet there is very little in the way of regulation on what can and cannot be stated on the label; who is the governing body?
CBD is not a cure-all. But the reason it gets that reputation is that over 9,000 studies of CBD have been published to date, suggesting a myriad of potential benefits for everything from inflammation and pain to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. But most of CBD’s potential benefits need higher-quality evidence (placebo-controlled clinical trials) before we know for certain.
In terms of health claims, those are regulated by the FDA and FTC. The FDA mostly regulates claims on product labels, while the FTC regulates claims in advertising. Dietary supplement manufacturers are not allowed to make claims that their products can help with any health condition or disease (with the exception of approved health claims, which require high-quality research and official authorization from the FDA).
Even though the FDA does not currently consider CBD products to be dietary supplements, it still treats them as such in terms of health claims. That’s why the FDA regularly sends out warning letters to CBD companies that sell misleading products or make unauthorized claims that their products can treat symptoms of related conditions, like saying that their CBD oil can help with cancer or treat insomnia.
What is your passion?
I’m passionate about improving my health and helping others do the same through safe, natural, time-tested methods. That’s why I was immediately drawn to CBD — it’s natural, non-intoxicating, has little to no side effects even with daily use, and has been used for its health benefits for thousands of years as a component of cannabis.
I exercise and practice meditation and intermittent fasting daily, in addition to taking herbal supplements like CBD and ashwagandha. I’ve read thousands of studies about CBD and other supplements and enjoy breaking down what I learn into simple language that helps others improve their health naturally.
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.
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.
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.
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