A Raw Cannabis Culinary Delight

“I got into fresh-infused foods when a friend of mine sent a recipe for making bhang tea with fresh ganja,” recalls Sunshine Cereceda, the well-known founder of Sunboldt Grown in Humboldt County. “Well, shoot!” I thought, “I have fresh ganja in my backyard, I’m going to make it.”

Fresh cannabis for honey infusion at Sunboldt Grown, Humboldt County, California.

She ground up the spices and cannabis with a mortar and pestle and shared the tea with her neighbor, who is not much of a cannabis consumer. They noticed it didn’t get them high, but they liked the effect, which was balancing. They felt relaxed and yet strong at the same time.

We’re learning that consuming raw cannabis can be effective in stimulating the endocannabinoid system, which keeps our body in balance. Known as a superfood, cannabis is packed with terpenes, cannabinoid acids, flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Because it’s not heated, fresh cannabis is packed with THCA, the most abundant non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. It has soothing properties and helps with the functions of the nervous system.*

For home growers, making their own products is an exciting way to explore the flavors and benefits of this superfood. When you grow your cannabis, you can make sure that no chemical pesticides are used, and that the flowers and leaves of the plant are organic.

“I went on to infuse other things, like coconut oil, nut milk, butter,” explains Sunshine. Honey is an excellent base to infuse with fresh cannabis from the garden because it captures the unique flavor of the cultivar that’s been growing and it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, unlike other cannabis infusions. A citrus-flavored cultivar like Sunboldt’s Wanderlust strain infuses well in a light honey like clover or sage.

Michael Magallanes is the chef behind Opulent Chef, a catering company that also curates cannabis-infused or cannabis-paired dining experiences. He has used honey infused with Sunboldt Loopy Fruit strain multiple times. “One thing I like to do is to make a ginger-lime-honey spritzer to serve to guests as they arrive at the party,” he explains. “They get to talk about it, they’re blown away by the fact that they get to enjoy the flavor but they’re not getting high.”

Sunshine and the Opulent Chef have the same vision: “We hope there’ll be many small home growers with a couple of plants in their yard who can explore the consumption of raw cannabis.” Cannabis is a culinary experience to enjoy infused in food and paired with wine.

3 Steps towards Sustainability and Social Justice in Cannabis

The last two years’ combination of climate crisis, COVID-19 and BLM protests around the world makes one thing very clear: environmental sustainability and social justice are linked. “The overall problem is that we are not sustainable in the ways we are living and producing on the planet today,” said Lise Kingo, the executive director of the UN Global Compact..

 The legacy cannabis growers of the Emerald triangle went back to the land decades ago to live an alternative way of life that cared for nature and for each other. From the start, it was about humans and community as much as it was about ecology. Their experience reveals three steps to take, or aspire towards, to commit to sustainable development. 

The frameworks for this are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sun+Earth 3 pillars, because, while there are others with outstanding environmental standards, these two put social justice at the center of their sustainability.

In 2015, the United nations adopted the 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the objective to transform the world. “Sustainability is a good concept to approach all of life,” explains Kenzi Riboulet-Zemouli, a researcher who’s been providing recommendations to the WHO and United Nations for the last 5 years. “It’s essential to protect small farmers and the knowledge that’s been passed through generations.”

The Sun+Earth certification was developed “as a resistance against industrial agriculture taking the cannabis space,” explains co-founder Andrew Black. “The essence is to keep legacy, artisanal, organic farmers farming.”

1. Right the wrongs

People of color and women have been disproportionally targeted by penalties and incarceration in the war on drugs, yet women are represented at higher percentage in cannabis than in other industries. Buy from black-owned and women-owned businesses--see the database by Cannaclusive [https://www.cannaclusive.com/inclusivebase]. And get engaged with The Last Prisoner Project [https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/] that aims to bring restorative justice to the cannabis industry. (SDG Goal #1 No Poverty, Goal #5 Gender Equality, Goal #8 Decent Work, Goal #10 Reduced Inequalities. Sun+Earth Community Engagement.)

2. Give to compassionate care

The health benefits of cannabis are increasingly recognized at the scientific level. But already back in 1996, Joe Airone started Sweetleaf Collective to provide plant-based medicine to terminally ill cancer and HIV/AIDS patients in the Bay Area. Donate to non-profits like Sweetleaf Collective and others. In Humboldt, growers have been cultivating medicine for decades, and helping those in pain. And the HPRC dispensary has a nurse on staff that can help educate about safe medical options. (SDG Goal #3 Good Health & WellBeing. Sun+Earth Human Empowerment).

3. Choose sun-grown

There is a place for indoor cultivation, but in the long-term, sun-grown cannabis is the right environmental choice. And small-batch sungrown cannabis is an intense expression of the terroir, so it will increasingly fetch a premium. Moving away from resource-extracting artificial light production is also the right social justice choice. Globally, people of color are on the front line of the climate crisis, so our decisions in production and consumption have an impact. (SDG Goal #7 Affordable Clean Energy, Goal #13 Climate Action, Goal #14 Life below Water, Goal #15 Life on Land. Sun+Earth Earth Care & Cultivation).

Rising to the challenge of sustainable development may seem overwhelming, but there are steps we can take immediately, individually and collectively. Buying from black-owned and woman-owned businesses helps rebalance inequalities; donating towards compassionate care reconnects cannabis as medicine; and preferring sun-grown products protects both local small farms and global minorities. Whether you’re a farmer or a consumer, it’s possible to start with these three conscious choices, and support each other’s journey into full sustainability.

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Nicole Riggs is the founder of Manifesto Synergies, an agency providing brand strategies to woman-owned businesses and nonprofits in the cannabis industry. She sits on the board of the Humboldt Community Business Development Center (HCBDC)  and is an Affiliate Researcher with the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy (CASP).

Grow cannabis... but not for growth

It’s hard to critique growth, I mean we hear 5 times a day about the GDP -- the monetary value of goods and services-- as if that defines wealth. And now with cannabis: The cannabis industry is $4.5 billion dollars in California retail in 2020, and forecast to reach $6 billion this year. The problem with growth is that it leads to collapse because it doesn’t account for the changes in heritage - social and natural - from which monetary value is drawn. That heritage is being damaged. So no, growth is not a smart indicator.

What would be a smart indicator? A combination of things, like the quality of the air we breathe, the availability of water, the labor conditions, the amount of leisure time, creative output as opposed to extractive output. And that has to be a radical breakaway from how we exchange today.

Back in 1972, Robert Meadows led a study called “The Limits to Growth” that looked at the limits of the ecosystem to sustain the waste and resource extraction that are the basis of our economic growth.

Also back in the 70s: hippies in the hills of Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity actually living another way of life.

We’ve got the theory and we’ve got the experience of those who’ve led the way. Huge thank you to them. Let’s honor them by taking action.

No, that's not terroir

A varietal does not make terroir
Humans create diversity all the time. Cakes, Zkittlez or Blue Dream anyone? Just look at wine: not even 10 years ago, there were predictions by economists that all wine production would go towards the same varietals, and that a Chardonnay from Australia would taste similar to a Chardonnay from Burgundy or a Chardonnay from California. But producers are increasingly focused on making a product that speaks of place.

The soil does not make terroir
Yes, native soil is essential to the expression of terroir. But let’s not fall into geological determinism. The role of soil in a product is similar to the role of art supplies in a great painting. It takes producers with an intimate knowledge of their environment to produce quality terroir cannabis.

Craft does not make terroir
Not even the most skilled farmer can grow terroir cannabis if it’s divorced from its natural environment. Not even the most innovative producer can create terroir cannabis if they’re not invested in the place where they produce.

Collective production over time makes terroir Terroir takes meaning as global collective value in a regional context. It’s the power of local “membership” that links terroir with heritage. It’s a sense of cultivating and being rooted in a place over time. If you look at wine, UNESCO has added multiple winegrowing regions to world heritage sites and not just in France or Italy but also the upper Rhine region in Germany or the upper Douro Valley in Portugal.

As the market explodes, most consumers will go for standardized cannabis. But there is and will always be those that want to know where their product comes from, how it was grown, and by whom. That’s your terroir customers.

Cannabis in Humboldt: Climate is Terroir

Climate originally means a place’s slope or inclination in relation to the sun. In Burgundy, France, the “Climats” are vineyard plots and in 2015, the “Burgundy Climats” won recognition as a Unesco World Heritage site.

Why does it matter? Because it’s about the whole environment of a micro-climate. Every place is infinitely unique, infinitely diverse. And people are not independent of this. Their practices shape the environment in which the products grow. In successful terroir economies (think Colombian coffee, Argan oil, Burgundy wine) producers reinvest into their local environment both physical and cultural. Always invest in the place, the ‘climat’, because the quality of the product comes from the place.

Does the Market Impact Terroir?

When you’re looking into cannabis appellations, you’ll sometimes hear that the quality of cannabis appears almost magically out of the soil in which it grows. That would suggest that the physical terroir, the soil, is the factor that defines your flower quality.

But I would argue that while yes, good cannabis is 100% physical terroir, it’s also 100% human talent (yeah, math was never my strong suit). By that I mean that it takes the talent of a producer and the talented of an educated consumer to REVEAL the terroir.

Look at Champagne: they’ve been making wine there since the middle ages. In the 17th century they developed the technique of bottling the wine before the initial fermentation had ended, and then sugar was added to create a secondary fermentation. At the same time, the English glass-makers discovered a technique to produce bottles able to withstand the internal pressure of a secondary fermentation; the Portuguese produced cork; and sulfite was developed, which helped preserve wine whose fermentation was not completed. Bubbles (or gas) in wine was considered a flaw. But in the late 17th century the English high society took to it and it grew exponentially in popularity. So champagne was born.

Apply that perspective to cannabis and it makes sense that consumer preferences impact what strains are grown, how they’re cultivated, and how well-oiled the supply chain is. The human element in terroir is the consumer and also, of course, the farmer. There’s a huge variety of soils and micro-climates within Humboldt.

Without consumers, you might be able to grow the best weed in the world but you’ll do it only once because you’ll have nowhere to sell it. It’s like a great concert: you need a Steinway piano, and you also need a great score, a talented musician, and an audience that vibrates to the music and inspires the musician to crush it.

7 Tips for Cannabis Videography

You've decided to invest in a 4-minute video that introduces your brand, your farm, your product. You're choosing a videographer and you're starting to plan. Here are 7 tips to help you prepare your video shoot.

Videographer Kevin Ross with Linsey Jones at her farm, Aloha Humboldt

1. Choose your time

It’s ideal to shoot footage of the farm when the plants are more mature. There is also more activity on the farm in the summer months to film for b-roll. In terms of the time of day, it’s good to break up the shoot into 2 different parts: interviews (people talking on camera) and b-roll (footage of the farm and people doing things).

Interviews are best shot indoors so we have clean audio. But if the farm looks nice in the background and filming indoors is not possible (due to Covid-19) then filming the interview portion outdoors is fine -- ideally in the morning hours around 9am. For b-roll this can be filmed throughout the day. The videographer will need someone to guide them through the farm that day and point out the things that ideally they want to showcase on the video. It’s always good to film the interviews first so that the videographer can have a list of shots for b-roll that needs to be filmed the following day.

For manufacturing operations inside like packaging: this can be done during normal business hours. The facility manager should notify all workers on site to make sure they are OK with being filmed. Now with Covid-19 everyone is masked so it can be less of an issue if people want to hide there identity, but always good to know who does not want to be in the video so that they're not in the frame.

2. Don’t wear line patterns

For interviews: don’t wear small line patterns. Ideally no hats. No super bright neon colors. Some people are naturals at speaking on camera, others less so. Ideally, your operation has 3-4 people to be interviewed, and the videographer will mix the answers for the final video. For people working on the farm, harvesting, watering, etc, keep carrying on, the videographer is like a fly on the wall capturing the work. Just be relaxed and respond in a cool, calm manner.

3. Should anyone not be filmed?

If anyone isn’t OK to be on camera, let the videographer know before they start filming.

4. Don’t pre-write your answers

Work with the videographer to have a list of questions prior to the filming, so that you can practice your answers. But DO NOT WRITE OUT answers prior to filming. Let them come from the heart and don’t overthink it. Bullet point notes are fine to remember topics to discuss.

5. How long does it all take?

(i) Pre-planning can take a few weeks. For a June shoot, start planning in April-May.

(ii) Filming typically takes 4 days: -1 Day filming 3-4 people for all the interviews -2 Days of filming the farm -1 Day filming any other b roll of products or other shots/interviews that were missed

(iii) Post production takes 1-3 Weeks depending on how fast the client gives feedback. Satva Leung, who's done multiple videos for Talking Trees, uses Frame.io for taking in notes from the client. It’s a great way to review the video and gather feedback remotely.

6. What about music?

The videographer should have a library of music that is cleared for usage. Instrumental tracks work better in the case where we will hear people talking on camera.

7. Shoot the experience!

Don’t forget to shoot the consumption side, or to have ready footage of consumption to give to the videographer. You want to always connect with your consumers, so make sure you film the experience.

This article is co-written with videographer Satva Leung. Satva grew up in Trinidad and Arcata. He now lives in San Francisco but returns to Humboldt to be surrounded by nature and to film content for the cannabis industry. See one of his videos for Talking Trees here.

Humboldt: Where Cannabis Terroir Is Resistance

After World War II, formed by the power of the Resistance, French cheese makers began to organize themselves to protect and sustain small craft cheese production in rural regions of the country. They formed syndicats, promoted the quality of their product for export and tourism, and mobilized locally to establish new cheese appellations. They resisted agro-industrial production.

Today, cannabis farmers in Humboldt, hundreds of them, want to sustain themselves and their communities by continuing to produce high quality small batch cannabis grown with regenerative practices. They resist in these three ways:

1. NO TO COMMODITIZATION

Craft cannabis grown in Humboldt yields a distinctive taste. It expresses the soil, the people, and the growing practices. It’s not a standard commodity, it’s a long-term relationship with the environment.

2. NO TO CONSOLIDATION

In Humboldt, hundreds of small farmers and extractors live near their work. They’re not workers for big agriculture, they’re a community of independent, skilled producers.

3. NO TO SEPARATION

Humboldt cannabis farmers work together to produce quality over quantity. Résistance and cannabis terroir arise from the same foundation: COLLECTIVE ORGANIZING.

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Nicole Riggs is the founder of Manifesto Synergies, an agency providing communication services to the cannabis industry in Humboldt.

A short guide to bubble hash from Humboldt

“The secret of hashish lifts up the spirit,”wrote the Syrian poet al-Is-Irdi in the middle of the 13th century. But transforming the plant into resinous hash is wizardry that requires both precision and craft. Humboldt County’s hash artists have been making hash from cannabis grown in the hills for decades. Bubble hash is most exquisite when crafted from plants that are allowed to fully ripen and yield extraordinary resin. “Bubble hash shows off the farmer the best,” says cannabis farmer Sunshine Johnston of Sunboldt Grown.

Barron Lutz, Nasha Extracts with Sunshine Johnston, Sunboldt Grown, Humboldt County

The concept of bubble hash is simple: Plant material is placed in a container filled with water, ice, and mesh sieves. Through agitation (stirring), the heads of the tiny trichomes (the famous resin glands) become brittle and fall off the stalks. Once the material has been agitated and the trichomes have separated, incremental strainings with mesh sieves ranging from 40 to 120 microns yield different grades of hash.

Photo credit: Talking Trees, Humboldt County

Barron Lutz moved to Humboldt County in 2006 specifically to make hash. “I need to be close to where the plants grow and understand the seasons. I was in the food and wine world before, I know how important it is to source local ingredients,” he explains. Barron sources cannabis from local Humboldt county farmers, and today his company Nasha Extracts is California’s biggest hash producer. Choosing the right strain is key. “The best strains for hash produce trichomes that are dry and oily,” says Barron. “By dry, I mean the trichome heads fall off easily. By oily, I mean there’s high oil content in the heads.”

Nasha Extracts, Humboldt County

Craig Nejedly makes hash from the cannabis grown on his farm Talking Trees farms (he also owns High Grade distribution and the Satori Wellness dispensary). For Craig, Humboldt is the best place to cultivate and make hash because of the culture and because of a supportive local government. Being able to control the process from cultivation to final product in the store enables him “to keep the integrity all the way down the line,” he explains.

Talking Trees Bubble Hash, Humboldt County

Kiskanu is a vertically-integrated cannabis producer run by husband-and-wife team Jason and Gretchen Miller. In addition to their famous line of skincare products, Kiskanu also produces hash-infused pre-rolls, or as Jason calls them, “the Friday night joint.” As cultivators and extractors, they mix and match their flower strain with the strain used for hash. Jason likes Bubble Gum for hash making, as well as newer strains like GMO, Wedding Cake or Ice Cream Cake for their amazing terpene profiles. Because each person’s endocannabinoid system reacts differently to cannabis, it appears to be terpenes, more so than THC, that impact the experience. “It’s a personalized answer,” says Jason. “This plant doesn’t fit in a box.”

Kiskanu, Humboldt County

Erin Hamilton and her Husband Josh Vert own Royal Key and Suprize Suprize in Arcata which has placed first in the last two Emerald Cups. When I visited their facility, hash artists Sean and Bryce were taking out a tray of hash from the freeze dryer. The trays of hash are placed in the icy-cold dryer to remove the water that was used to extract the trichome heads from the freshly frozen flowers. From there, the collected trichome heads are separated by size then placed in fine mesh bags to be skillfully pressed between large metal plates. The warm plates and precise pressure cause the trichomes membrane to melt, releasing the cannabinoids, terpenes, and forcing them through the fine mesh bag which in turn filters the membrane skin and other undesirables leaving the purest form: Live Rosin. Each batch is unique and Bryce loves the crafting. "It's about how wet and melty it's going to be," he says. 

Royal Key Organics, Humboldt County

Go to a licensed dispensary, ask for hash from Humboldt and let your spirits be lifted.

Cannabis Terroir is about Transmission

Is terroir soil, or is it a human construct? The French INAO which regulates appellations in France argues that it is both, that terroir is the interaction between place, plant and people over time. It is a transmission. If one is missing, it is not terroir. I talked with Frenchy Cannoli, cannabis lecturer and educator, and for him there is no doubt: “Terroir is about osmosis between the farmer and the environment.”

Place

Cannabis—like wine, coffee, cheese and other foods/drinks—can convey a sense of time and place. Blessed by a moderate climate and intense rainfall, Humboldt and neighboring Mendocino and Trinity counties are uniquely suited to growing cannabis. “The soil gives life, the climate shapes life,” says Cannoli. The same cannabis strain grown in Salmon Creek or in the Mattole Valley will taste different because the soil microbiome, climate and geography of each region gives cannabis unique characteristics. It transmits specifity of place.

Empress Farms, Humboldt County

Plant

Daniel Hendricks, CEO of HendRx Farm, notes that “with over 1000 cultivation licenses, and over fifty years of cultivation history, Humboldt County has a mass of genetic lineage.” Every cannabis cultivar produces its own effects and flavor profile, and reveals certain consistent sensory properties while at the same time expressing the terroir in which it was grown. Terra Carver, cannabis farmer and Executive Director of the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA) says that given unfavorable IP Law and Patent Law when it comes to open-ended genetic preservation, the key is “to keep our small farms strong, viable and healthy. The more small farms, the more repository for genetics.” Kenzi Riboulet-Zemouli, an independent expert on UN drug policy, sees potential in the UN Declaration of the Rights of Peasants which includes the right to land and the right to seeds. Genetic transmission is core to terroir.

Sunnabis, Humboldt County

People

The social nature of craft knowledge is also intrinsic to terroir. Going to a business school or a cannabis institute may provide a new farmer or extractor with valuable training, but what of the other senses that are crucial for quality crafting? To identify and replicate certain characteristics in the aroma and flavor profiles of the cannabis itself, to be instinctively attuned to the changes in the weather, to know by heart and not just by intellect how to cure cannabis--these skills develop through intergenerational discussion and cumulative knowledge in the space of production.

Aloha Humboldt, Humboldt County

“Culture is massively important,” says Cannoli. Generations have farmed cannabis in Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties, shared their genetics and their practices, helped (and sometimes hindered) their neighbors, and tasted each other’s flower. They’ve also taught each other’s kids, built community centers and health clinics, played music and held potlucks together in the hills and by the rivers of the Emerald Triangle. The French historian Pierre Nora calls this “lieux de memoire” (real environments of memory). All the senses are implicated in this transmission. You cannot speak of terroir where there is no shared past.

HCGA members, Humboldt County

Time

“I want to acknowledge time,” says Carver. The co-evolution of organisms on the planet takes time. Working with nature, not against it, takes time. The preservation of genetics and transmission of knowledge take time. And the development of cannabis appellations in the Emerald Triangle will take time. For those looking to establish cannabis appellations, work is needed to “develop organizational strength, and to determine practices, cultivars and regions,” notes Carver. “It is generations’ worth of work.”

 That work over time is itself transmission.

Empress Farms, Humboldt County

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Nicole Riggs is the founder of Manifesto Synergies, an agency providing communication services to the cannabis industry in Humboldt,.

How to pair wine and Humboldt cannabis

There are two glasses in front of you. One is filled with wine, the other with cannabis flower from Humboldt, the world’s mecca for top-tier pot. You smell each, and the aromas envelop you in a harmonious pairing. You’re enticed by the promise of flavors, textures and taste intensities. If you want to appreciate a pairing of wine and Humboldt cannabis, follow these steps.

1. Know what your intention is. “Seek balance,” says Jamie Evans of The Herb Somm, a cannabis blog and lifestyle brand that focuses on the gourmet side of the cannabis industry. A lighter cannabis strain with uplifting effects, say Lemon Sour Diesel, will be served with a refreshing white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnary, or Albariño. However, if you aim for deep relaxation, pair the more earthy flavors of a calming cannabis strain such as White Tahoe Cookies with a well-structured and savoury wine like a Cabernet.

Lemon Sour Diesel by Above, Humboldt County

2. Learn about aromas. If you’re new to cannabis, study terpenes--more than 100 vibrant aromatic compounds found in cannabis--and focus on the dominant terpene of a cannabis strain, which is often Myrcene, Limonene, or Pinene. Once you’ve developed a palate and you start to know what you like, learn about the minor terpenes of the strain as well, because they play a subtle and important role. “The terpene complexity of cannabis is unparalleled,” says Kevin Jodrey, one of Humboldt County (and the world)’s finest cultivation experts. A good resource for terpene education is SC Labs . And if you’re new to wine, explore (at such sites as Wine Folly) the different varietals grown in different regions and see what speaks to you.

White Tahoe Cookies by Aloha Humboldt

3. Explore textures. A good wine will have a pleasant entry into the palate, and a long finish. Cannabis has smoke texture too, as well as tannins due to temperature swings between day and night on the farm where it grows. Notice the weight of the wine and the cannabis as you taste them. “It’s all about the extended finish,” says Sunshine Johnston, a legacy cannabis farmer in Humboldt County with years of experience as a wine broker. She runs Sunboldt Grown Farm (all her cannabis grows in native soil, under the sun). As for Kevin, his taste runs to “a heavier, fuller cannabis that envelops me, that grabs me, and in wine, a fuller-body red with deep complexities when it bites in my mouth. I like developed richness.”

Kevin Jodrey, Humboldt County

4. Go wild. Pleasure comes from pairing wine made with as little manipulation as possible, like the natural wines that are now exploding in popularity in France, with cannabis that is cultivated with the least amount of human interference. The best winemakers don’t get in the way of the grape expressing the terroir, and the best cannabis farmers don’t inhibit the plant’s full expression of its terroir. Humboldt County is blessed by nature with diverse fertile soils, a moderate climate and intense rainfall. Humboldt cannabis farmers foster soil vitality through regenerative practices, which yields the extraordinary top-shelf cannabis that everyone wants. One of the strains at Sunshine’s farm is Wanderlust, exhibiting creamy, lemony flavors, almost like rotten oranges, which she loves to pair with a rich, mineral Chardonnay from Briceland Vineyards. For Sunshine, it’s “a sensory experience, you’re trying to build resonance.”

Sunshine Johnston, Sunboldt Grown, Humboldt County

5. Start low, go slow. Jamie advises a slow, gradual tasting and a glass of water always by your side. With wine, you can swirl it in the glass, smell it, take a small sip, and if you don’t like it, spit it out. Not so with cannabis. To make the pleasure last, don’t just consume cannabis to get high right away, but consider alternating smoking with eating raw cannabis-infused foods that reveal the rich flavors without the high. “When you eat raw cannabis-infused food, you feel good!” says Sunshine. When smoking, Jamie favors a dry flower vaporizer to enjoy the pure terpene profile while keeping the palate clean for other flavors.

Jamie Evans, The Herb Somm

6. Host a private party at home. Due to regulatory limitations, cannabis and wine pairing are best enjoyed as private events in an intimate, private home. If you have the resources, bring in both a ganjier whose passion and expertise are all about cannabis, and a sommelier obsessed with all things wine. Develop an appreciation of each on its own terms, and play with their union. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the pairing, then it was a good pairing!

Cheers!

How to use cannabis with your pet in Humboldt

Our lives are entwined with theirs, our world and their world swirled together long ago. When we see our pets anxious, or losing appetite, or in pain, we take care of them with a heart full of love. If you want to use cannabis safely with your pet in Humboldt, follow these steps.

1. Identify your pet’s condition for which you think cannabis might be helpful. Common conditions include pain, nausea, anxiety, epilepsy and cancer.

2. Be informed about cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the active compounds found in cannabis and they interact with your pet’s endocannabinoid system—a central regulatory system that affects bodily processes such as sleep, mood and digestion. There are at least 113 cannabinoids in cannabis, most notably THC and CBD. CBD (cannabidiol) is the part of the plant with NO psychoactive properties, only medicinal properties. Your pet cannot get high from CBD.  On the other hand, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the part of the plant with psychoactive properties, and there are medicinal properties to THC as well. Because pets have so many more cannabinoid receptors in their brains and bodies than humans, very small doses will affect them profoundly. While THC products may have potential benefits, there’s insufficient scientific basis to make qualified recommendations. Products containing THC are best avoided for pets at this time.

3. Talk to your vet. Vets cannot prescribe cannabis or make recommendations, but they can provide education. Don’t be shy, vets want to know. “In our practice we make a habit of asking what products caregivers are using, how much is being administered, and what effects are noticed. We want to expand our knowledge base,” notes Sarah Green of Healing Spirit Animal Wellness Center in Eureka.

4. Go to a licensed dispensary (CApotcheck.com) to buy your cannabis product. Outside of dispensaries, there’s a flood of products that claim to be designed for pets. But many of these products don’t contain adequate doses of CBD, and they may contain dangerous levels of chemicals and pesticides. Products carried in licensed dispensaries in California must have compliance test results, so you know that any product is safe in terms of potency and contaminants. 

5. Consider tinctures. “Customers report that tinctures are good because you can control the dosage, and it’s not a new ‘treat’ but rather something added to existing food,” says Bryan Willkomm of Humboldt Patient Resource Center (HPRC).

6. Buy organic. Unlike traditional agricultural regions impacted by heavy metals in the soil, Humboldt is home to hundreds of craft farms that grow plants organically and sustainably. Choose Humboldt cannabis for a safe, organic product.

7. Choose a tincture that was safely extracted. CO2 and alcohol are the safest extraction techniques--other methods may leave behind residual chemicals that can be toxic to your pet. A good choice is Humboldt Apothecary’s ‘Pet CBD’ made using a cold ethanol wash.

8. Keep a journal. You’ll want to note when you give your pet cannabis, at what dosage, and what effects you notice.

9 Start slow and low. For example, if a tincture’s recommended dosage is a half dropper, start with just 1 drop. Wait about 2 hours before serving again. A study published by Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in July 2018 found a dose 2 mg/ kg of body weight (about 45 mg for a 50 lb. dog) given twice a day to be effective in helping dogs with pain from osteoarthritis.

10. Store your product in a cool dark place out of your pet’s reach.

11. If your pet appears to be affected by too much cannabis, rest and hydration are recommended.

Attend our free online class on marketing for cannabis businesses

We’re holding an online class on marketing for cannabis businesses, designed to help you grow your business with effective marketing. It’s free and easy to join, and you can watch from anywhere—even your couch. 

Join us Wednesday April 1 at 3pm PST.

Expert marketer Nicole Riggs will be streaming live to give you actionable advice for how to grow your business through value proposition, market positioning and content that converts, whether you’re a farmer, manufacturer, distributor, or retailer.

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How to buy the best live resin in Humboldt

The French writer Victor Hugo (perhaps most famous for his novel “Les Misérables”) said that cognac is “the liquor of the gods.” Its lengthy extraction process produces a liquor rich in taste and aroma. For those inclined to cannabis, live resin is the cognac of cannabis.

Just as cognac is produced in the Cognac region of France, (it is protected under its own appellation), so live resin from Humboldt expresses the place, the strain and the extraction process that make it distinctive. If you want to experience the essence of cannabis grown and extracted in Humboldt, follow these steps:

1. Go to a licensed dispensary (CApotcheck.com). There are over a dozen licensed dispensaries in Humboldt County. Products carried in licensed dispensaries in California must have compliance test results, so you know that any product is safe in terms of potency and contaminants.

Humboldt's Finest Farms Strawberry Banana live resin

2. Look at the price. Live resin is a cannabis concentrate and comes in small jars, with the price often an indicator of the THC potency.

Humboldt Farms Blueberry Muffin live resin

3. Ask about the terpenes and choose a flavor that speaks to you. This is where live resin really stands out, as it has a higher terpene profile than other concentrates. Terpenes are oils secreted by the cannabis plant that give each strain its unique flavor. Perhaps you already have a favorite strain, say Ice Cream Cake known for its creamy, sweet flavor, or Lemon Tree as bright and fruitful as lemon zest. Live resin is the authentic, intense expression of the strain.

Wox GMO (Garlic-Mushroom-Onion) live resin

4. Ask about pesticides. Cannabis cultivation is highly regulated and California’s pesticide regulations for cannabis are considered by most industry watchers to be the strictest in the country. Choose live resin from cannabis cultivated in Humboldt County for a safe product. Unlike traditional agricultural regions impacted by heavy metals in the soil, Humboldt is home to hundreds of craft farms that grow plants with care and attention.

Errl Hill Wedding Cake live resin

5. Choose a full-spectrum live resin. Research shows that cannabinoids work together with terpenes to create medical benefits. Full spectrum extracts preserve all the beneficial compounds in cannabis while removing the unnecessary ones like waxes, fats, and lipids.

6. Ask about dosage. Live resin is a concentrate, and a little goes a long way. Start with an amount the size of a grain of rice, see how it feels, and adjust.

Humboldt Terp Council

7. If cognac requires a ‘sifter’ glass that allows the aromas and flavors to blossom inside, giving a powerful experience to the drinker, so live resin is consumed with a dab ‘rig’ that looks like a mad scientist’s tool (not mad at all, mind you!). If you’re new to live resin, or if you prefer a discrete and portable setup, go for a live resin sauce like Ursa Live Diamond Sauce which is essentially a reconstructed live resin with controlled ratios for a distinctive taste modulated by terpenes. Live resin sauce comes in a cartridge that is consumed in a vape pen. Be careful here: you should use a pen with a low-voltage battery (ideally under 2 volts) so that the sauce heats to the optimum temperature, revealing its full aroma.

Ursa Live Diamond Sauce Gelato 33

Nicole Riggs is the founder of Manifesto Synergies

How to support your community -tips from the Humboldt Cannabis industry

1. Be clear on your priorities. Profits must be balanced against people and the planet--the triple bottom line. For Karen Hessler who runs Amaranth Farms with her husband, artist Tom Hessler, it’s not just about making money: "We’re doing the right thing, we’re helping people."

2. Participate in local fundraisers. In Humboldt, Papa & Barkley employees jumped into the freezing waters of the Humboldt Bay for the ‘Perilous Plunge’ fundraiser for the Redwood Discovery Museum.

3. Donate to local non-profits. Wherever you live, there are organizations dedicated to community building. Search them out and donate to them. The Humboldt-based cannabis manufacturing company BEAR Extraction House launched Project Humboldt Thrive: when farmers who work with BEAR donate to Project Humboldt Thrive, BEAR Extraction matches every donation. Recipients include the Mateel Community Center and the Eel River Recovery Project.

4. Share ownership and benefits. Structure your business to empower your stakeholders. Eureka-based Humboldt Homegrown is a network of cannabis farmers who not only produce flower for the brand, but who also become owners of the company and all the benefits it has to offer.

5. Insist on sustainability. Whether you are a farmer or an office worker, you can take action towards sustainability. Wendy Kornberg is the owner at Sunnabis Farm in Southern Humboldt, where her family grows cannabis organically and with minimal water use. “I imagine myself as a weed plant,” says Kornberg. “I hear birds, nature, the sounds of children. This is where I want to be.”

6. Give to those in need. Start by acknowledging their existence, and then give them something--from a smile to a meal and more. Humboldt’s community of medicine makers continues to actively support people with illnesses through compassionate care programs.

7. Take time. Take a breath, stop the monkey mind and nourish your humanity. “Cannabis is a powerful spirit,” says Lorelie Sandomeno whose farm, Sunrise Mountain Farms, is located in northeast Humboldt County. “It gives the gift of presence. It creates feelings of deeper connection.”

"How many kids will this one plant feed?
It’s shocking how many eat off the weed.
This plant will break down,
the wealth will spread ‘round--
Whole families fed from these plants we breed!"

Thyme, “215 Humboldt Trimmericks” available at Bayside Garden Supply and other stores in Humboldt County.

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Nicole Riggs is the founder of Manifesto Synergies.

How to Talk about Cannabis Appellations

Talking about cannabis appellations can be intimidating. You don’t have to be an expert to think about terroir, experience how cannabis expresses the character of a place, and discover your own preferences.

 Appellations exist most famously for wine (“Bordeaux, anyone?”) but also for products such Roquefort cheese, Parma Ham, and more. They indicate a place of origin with unique factors that produce distinctive agricultural products.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s CalCannabis Appellations Project (“CAP”) is working on a program that will determine how cannabis appellations are defined and protected.

 Here’s how to Talk about Cannabis Appellations:

 1. Three areas come into play: Standards, Varietals and Practices.

 2. Standards refer to the soil, light, water, and air that provide the conditions for cannabis cultivation. That’s ‘terroir,’ a French term that refers not only to soil but the overall native environment. For example, should only native soil qualify for an appellation product? To what extent do you think the soil can be optimized/altered with supplemental products and still express a region’s character? Or look at light. Is sungrown cannabis the only way to express the character of a place? Now consider water. Worldwide, clean water is an increasingly rare and valuable resource. How does water use impact your choice of cannabis?

3. Varietals is the term used in wine. In Cannabis, it’s often referred to as strains. Connoisseurs of cannabis recognize that the same strain grown with similar practices in different environments will look, taste and feel different. What strains most authentically express a region? Humboldt County is famed for strains such as Ice Cream Cake that won awards at the 2019 Emerald Cup and many others. As farmers grow and experiment, what strains should be included in appellations, and how far should farmers go with experimenting with new and hybrid strains?

4. Practices. That’s the last, but IMHO, not the least of the areas to look at. Practices refer to the human touch from planting to curing. Have you ever consumed cannabis flower that was too dry and not flavorful enough? You know, “styrofoam cannabis?” That can come from cannabis being cut too early, flush-dried, and rushed to market—the fast-food of the industry. Something to consider when you think about Appellation Cannabis is: what does it tell you about how the original plant was handled? How does that affect the taste of your cannabis product?

5. Develop your own taste. This one comes with a disclaimer: I’m a French person living in Humboldt for 20 years, I reported on the French and California wine industry for years, and I enjoy both wine and cannabis. The takeaway? Talk to others with a variety of opinions, enlarge your perspective and most importantly: explore what your personal taste is.

How to experiment with Cannabis if you're a senior in Humboldt (or anywhere)

How to experiment with cannabis if you’re a senior in Humboldt (or anywhere)

 1. Check in with yourself: do you have quality of life issues for which you’d like to find non-addictive solutions? If not, you may be just where you need to be. But if you answer yes, read on.

 2. If possible, talk to your kids about trying cannabis. They are informed.

 3. Go to a licensed dispensary (check on CApotchech.com). In Humboldt County, dispensary staff are well educated and some, like Humboldt Patient Resource Center, have a nurse on staff.

 4. Start with a salve or tincture.

5. Make sure the product is manufactured from cannabis grown in Humboldt County, where farmers hold the highest organic, chemical-free cultivation standards.

6. If you’ve never experimented with cannabis before, start with a product that is mostly CBD (for example 20:1 which is 20 parts CBD to 1 part THC).

7. Ask the consultant for dosage recommendations. START SMALL. AND TAKE REGULARLY.

8. Keep a journal for the first week. Every day, set aside 10 minutes: sit down, take a deep breath, and ask yourself: “How easy is it to breathe? How comfortable am I just sitting here? How does my mind feel?” Jot down your answers. As you adjust the dosage over several days, observe how your answers change.

ABC Farms, Humboldt County, California

Lynda Cesaretti was 55 when she first used cannabis. “I studied the history and science of cannabis. Then I tried, and I felt like I’d had a brain fog and now it was lifted,” she explains. “My body felt better, my mind was clearer. I did a 180.” She’s far from alone. Seniors are the fastest growing group of cannabis users and they want quality of life, pain management, good sleep, and non-addictive ways to deal with health issues.

 In the 1990s, scientists discovered that thousands of species, including humans, have an Endocannabinoid System (ECS) which interacts with cannabinoids-the 144 different compounds that work together with over 100 terpenes found in the plant--and which plays a vital role in the body’s wellness.

In Humboldt, many baby boomers are encouraged by their children, grandchildren and doctors to seek relief through the responsible use of cannabis. Further research is actively conducted to establish scientific findings on the medical effects of cannabis. Anecdotally, pain patients use less opiates and experience fewer side effects when cannabis is available. According to a July, 2019 study by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine, opioid prescriptions fell by 6.38% in states where cannabis has been legalized.

 Humboldt Patient Resource Center (HPRC) incorporates cannabis in its holistic approach to wellness. “We have a nurse on staff, we sell only pesticide-free products, and we offer free classes and workshops at The Connection,” notes Mariellen Jurkovich, Director of HPRC and herself a senior. Providing a place for people to connect is especially helpful to seniors who want to feel comfortable taking the time to get educated. HPRC cannabis consultants go through a rigorous 4-week training course to learn how to pair the right cannabis product for a client’s need. For baby boomers, it may be a salve or a tincture to start with, and there is no reason to buy big.   

Humboldt Patient Resource Center (HPRC) in Humboldt County includes a nurse on staff at their dispensary, and offers workshops, classes and events.

Lynda finds that CBD oil relieves her sore hands and feet after a long day’s work at her cultivation site, ABC Farms. Her CBD oil is 21:1 (i.e. 21 parts CBD to 1 part THC) produced from cannabis grown organically through regenerative farming techniques. It’s a whole plant extract: the compounds interact synergetically to create an ‘entourage’ effect that enhances therapeutic impact. She takes a dose sublingually once or twice a day, and she also rubs it on her hands and feet.

 Every person is different and there is no one single solution to wellness. Children and youth are still in development--the frontal lobes are not fully developed until age 25 or so and cannabis is generally not advisable in the earlier part of life. But it may be helpful as part of a larger wellness approach for seniors. “When you use cannabis medicine you are doing more than just treating your symptoms, you are helping your body get back into balance, homeostasis, good health,” says Lynda. “Cannabis can do that without the potential side effects of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Why not try it, what have you got to lose?”

--by Nicole Riggs, Founder of Manifesto Synergies.

How to buy safe, high-quality CBD in Humboldt County

7-minute read

Does your body go off-balance due to chronic stress? Modern life and diet can cause deficiencies in our system. How do you reset it? A balanced lifestyle including exercise and a healthy diet are key, and CBD in small, regular amounts can be helpful for some.

Here’s how to buy safe, high-quality CBD in Humboldt County. And read on for more discussion on the topic.

How to buy CBD in Humboldt

1. Go to a licensed dispensary (licensed dispensaries are listed at CApotcheck.com). Products carried in licensed dispensaries in California must have compliance test results, so you know that any product is safe in terms of potency and contaminants.

2. Ask the consultant at the dispensary for a product high on CBD and low on THC to help with managing a specific health issue--pain, sleep, inflammation, etc.

3. Tinctures  or salves are a good product to start with, dosage can be easily adjusted. Ask for dosage recommendations.

4. Is the product extracted from Humboldt County-grown cannabis? Humboldt cannabis farmers have decades of experience growing superior quality cannabis organically and sustainably. You will also support local families of farmers.

5. Is the CBD extract full-spectrum, i.e. coming from the whole plant? Full-spectrum CBD extracts have exponential therapeutic effects whereas effects from single-molecule CBD extracts have been shown to hit a peak and then drop off.

What is CBD? CBD is short for canabidiol , one of the many natural compounds found in cannabis. Both hemp CBD and cannabis CBD come from the same mother plant, Cannabis Sativa. The difference is one of designation based on the amount of THC contained in the plant. If the plant has more than 0.3% THC, it’s called cannabis. If it has less than 0.3% THC, it’s called hemp and the amount of THC is small enough to be considered nonexistent. The CBD compound has no psychoactive effect.

CBD and other cannabinoids interact with our internal Endocannabinoid System (ECS) which is largely responsible for homeostasis and regulates inflammatory responses in the body. “CBD works by mimicking the ECS molecules that regulate the immune system and the nervous system. It’s effective at reducing pain, anxiety and other health issues,” explains Gretchen Miller, co-owner of Kiskanu with her husband Jason. Their Eureka-based business manufactures craft, small-batch skin and body products. “Our production starts with sourcing cannabis from local organic farms,” notes Gretchen.

Similarly, Humboldt Apothecary has an absolute commitment to buying their cannabis exclusively from small farms in the county. “Here in Humboldt, we are fortunate to have the best-quality cannabis anywhere in the world,” explains Gillian Levy, co-founder of the business which manufactures tinctures and topicals. It’s not only important to start with the best plant material, but for CBD to be most effective, it’s also key to produce extracts out of the whole plant.  Some CBD products are manufactured from isolates, or 100% pure CBD, and all the other compounds of the plant have been stripped away. By contrast, full-spectrum CBD include the plant’s naturally occuring terpenes and phytocannabinoids which have been shown to help in bioavailability meaning that the the body can better absorb and make use of the CBD. In an ideal world, consumers get the synergistic effect of full-spectrum products manufactured from the whole plant.

In terms of product safety, the CBD industry is largely unregulated and products labeled ‘CBD’ in stores may not match label ingredients or compliance. The surest way to buy a safe, fully-tested CBD product is to obtain it from a licensed dispensary, of which there are many in Humboldt County.

Humboldt Cannabis Appellations: Packaging Differentiation

Much focus is given to French wine appellations when developing a framework for California Cannabis Appellations. French wines come in different shape bottles. Although the bottle shape doesn’t impact the wine’s flavor, it is a powerful identifier of the region from where the wine is produced. The Alsace wine bottle is long and fluted, the Bordeaux bottle is straight and tall. Burgundy presents itself in a bottle with gently sloping shoulders and a slightly wider body.

Humboldt County may find it valuable to consider a required packaging for its flower products that sets it apart from cannabis produced outside the Humboldt County Appellation. The packaging would reflects the environmental consciousness that has long existed in the region, and therefore be made without plastic but with a sustainable material. In addition, the packaging should ensure the longevity of the superior product.

What are your ideas about packaging for Humboldt Cannabis products?

Humboldt Cannabis Appellations: Further Thoughts

So I’ve shared some ideas and questions about Humboldt Cannabis Appellations. Here are further thoughts, would love your feedback. We’ll advance best when we collaborate on solutions that truly meet the needs of the Humboldt County cannabis community.

Production requirements

French Wine Appellations have stringent production requirements including but not limited to grapes coming 100% from their respective regions. In addition, the manufacture of grapes into wine is highly regulated to ensure that it is produced locally and at the highest standards. In California, the law already prohibits businesses from marketing as ‘Humboldt’ any cannabis that is not grown in Humboldt. Some states have mandated vertical integration of the supply chain, but California has taken a highly regulated approach with discrete actors requiring licenses for each step of the chain. There remain several open questions regarding the requirements imposed on the supply chain downstream and how these come under an Appellation system. For example, should secondary products derived from Humboldt Cannabis be manufactured in Humboldt County to earn the Appellation designation, just as an AOC wine is produced within the Appellation?

 Enforcement

 So long as marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, states should develop their own Appellation systems, while maintaining federally-legislated bans on import/export. It may prove beneficial to have an established framework in place at both the county and state level ahead of the day when the federal prohibition is lifted. While there will undoubtedly be challenges to enforcing Appellation law if other jurisdictions do not follow, it seems likely that established Appellation frameworks will incentivize regulation at the federal level. Trade bodies such as the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (hcga.co) are instrumental in developing policy making to differentiate HC Appellation differentiation and generate market value.

 Education and Consumer Protection

 One of the significant benefits of an Appellation system based on the French AOC system is that it provides consumers with far more information than just place of origin. As the HC Appellation gets established, it will be key to clearly and consistently communicate important data to consumers, including the strain, THC/CBD levels, etc.

What are your thoughts?