fbpx
California Cannabis: get on board or get out

California Cannabis: get on board or get out

by | Apr 2, 2018 | 420 Culture & Travel, Blog, Business, Culture

So I have been in Northern California on and off for the past couple of months. I mostly live in Denver these days, but I still have my home up in Humboldt.

 

For 15 year’s I’ve supplied the cannabis industry with soil, nutrients and lighting. I sell grow equipment to people all over the country. So I’ve seen several states go legal, so to speak. Maybe regulated is the better term. 

The end, or the beginning?

I saw what happened in Colorado, Oregon and Washington. All three states with cannabis history, but marginally regulated or unregulated cannabis. All of those states progressed in their cannabis movement, cannabis growing, and general awareness about the plant.

Price per pound dropped in those regulated states, and I also stopped having to buy anybody out of jail or refer them to an attorney. Now, there is so much doom and gloom here. So many people think, “the California cannabis industry is over.”

Unfortunately if you’re quitting on California cannabis, or don’t want to be involved in what comes next, it’s over for you. But more people smoke weed every day, and demand for cannabis increases every day. The opportunity to sell regulated cannabis or be involved with regulated cannabis is exploding; and it’s just begun.

Get on board with California Cannabis

What is over? The rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle? The endless buckets of cash? The untaxed income? The vacations, the toys? Yes, It’s a lifestyle change. Now it’s gonna be more like normal farming, but still profitable.  

Four out of five people I talk to are selling their properties and quitting (or they say they are today, let’s see what happens if their properties don’t sell).  I have never seen this much inventory of real estate in Humboldt, Trinity or Mendocino Counties.

Now, in the largest concentration of cannabis production in the world, the government says there are as many as 13,000 commercial farms in Humboldt County alone. This will be a significant impact to the supply chain of the entire cannabis market.

Do it for the right reasons

So here it is. We’re separating the men and women from the boys and girls so to speak. People who were in it for the greed and the people who are in it for the weed.

No, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making money, but you have to work for it. Regulations, taxes, government control, or in any business you could ever think about being in. Being involved with several other businesses, these new cannabis regulations are not difficult. They may be confusing, but try to get a USDA composting permit. That is difficult.

My suggestions:

– PTSD’s a bitch. You might have to conquer that one in order to get into the regulated market.

– Stop whining. Put a smile on your face that you’re not going to jail.

– Curtail your lifestyle and spending. This one is also difficult.( turn those month-long vacations into long weekends)

– Learn some computer skills. If you don’t have them already going to need them.

My predictions:

– The market is currently flooded with properties for sale throughout Northern California. Half of those who don’t sell will go back to work, growing unregulated ganja.

– At least in Humboldt County, a chunk of those people are going to be regulated by the county and forced to stop growing. They put up zoning restrictions that fine people $10,000 a day. The helicopter didn’t work but I think this will.

– The price of California cannabis is going to rise. Both in the private market and unregulated market. It’s simple supply and demand. If the private cannabis market is separated from the regulated market, there will not be enough weed for the potential 15 million puffers in California.

– Most of the counties in California are not going to regulate cannabis, leaving the potential production to a smaller and smaller area. Mendocino and Trinity County have limited it to 10,000 ft.². San Luis Obispo is limited to 22,000 ft.².

– Many people that enter the legal cannabis industry will not succeed. They are farmers, not businessman. It’s important to find your place. I’m definitely better at business than farming (Yet my thumb remains Green).

Times are changing, and the California cannabis industry is rapidly changing with them. You can either get on board, go legal and pursue an honest career in the regulated market. Or, you can complain about things changing, quit the unregulated market because you have to, and avoid the new industry for the sake of your pride. Remember it isn’t ALL about your profits, it’s about the plant.

Mary Jane Digitized: Is I Heart Jane the Amazon of Cannabis?

Mary Jane Digitized: Is I Heart Jane the Amazon of Cannabis?

by | Mar 19, 2018 | 420 Culture & Travel, Blog, Business, Guest, Science & Technology, Season 2

There are currently a handful of websites and services that may give cannabis consumers live updated menus for dispensaries, operating hours, and even directions.

However a revolutionary new platform is changing the way cannabis lovers search for cannabis and interact with retailers.

Mary Jane, Digitized

I Heart Jane is like the Amazon of weed. When you go on Amazon to buy something, you know what you want; you search for it in the search bar, and it shows you how many sellers have that item, and the price for that item. I Heart Jane has applied this ease of search to cannabis.

Unlike other sites that just tell you about certain strains or where to find your closest dispensary, I Heart Jane connects the user with the dispensary directly from the comfort of a phone or laptop. It’s as simple as typing in what you want.

More than just strains and descriptions

Looking for a OG Kush or maybe something a little more exotic, like Do-si-Dos? Simply type it in the search bar, and I Heart Jane will show you every dispensary in your area that carries it. Not just that, Jane will show you the price difference from each dispensary so you can pick the best price.

With a couple more clicks, you can place a pick-up order with the dispensary of your choice, and they will hold your purchase for you until you arrive. If you live in California, I Heart Jane makes cannabis delivery services a breeze. Just search for what you want, Jane will show you which delivery services offer that product, and you can place an order within minutes.

 

Looking for recreational concentrates within a 5 mile radius? Jane has you covered.

A Boutique Business Booster

However while similar to Amazon in how it functions, I Heart Jane is much different in that it actively makes an effort to support small businesses. Since the cannabis industry is mainly built on small businesses, this makes I Heart Jane an incredibly consumer and business friendly service.

Instead of businesses having to create their own websites with ecommerce, they can simply use I Heart Jane as a mediator between themselves and the consumer, taking out all of the hassle of managing an online store. For a dispensary that is busy enough with daily customers and keeping the shelves stocked, I Heart Jane can be a game changer.

Next time you’re craving some dank bud you haven’t been able to find, search for it on I Heart Jane. And tune in to Socrates Rosenfeld, founder of I Heart Jane on The Real Dirt Podcast Season 2 Episode 4!

I Heart Jane: The Amazon of Cannabis

I Heart Jane: The Amazon of Cannabis

by | Mar 16, 2018 | 420 Culture & Travel, Business, Guest, Science & Technology, Season 2, The Real Dirt Podcast Episodes

Podcast: Play in new window | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | Email | TuneIn | RSS

I Heart Jane is a revolutionary new cannabis marketplace where consumers can search for specific cannabis products and get local results within seconds. Whether it’s terpene hunting for the perfect taste or finding the best deal on that edible you want, I Heat Jane gives you control over what you want, and how much you want to pay. It’s a Mary Jane revolution.

“When the team and I are were looking at building this a couple years ago we were asking ourselves, how do we shop online for everything other than cannabis?”

One of Socrate’s teammates was in the process of looking for a new bike helmet on Amazon, when the idea struck. When we shop for everything online, we type it in a search bar and get dozens of results from different sellers, at different prices. Apply that same online shopping experience to cannabis, and you get I Heart Jane. Now, finding that sweet Mary Jane is as easy as a couple clicks.

“I’ve never run a brick and mortar dispensary, but I’ve worked in retail before and it’s tough.”

In order to make their online marketplace as easy to use for both consumers and dispensary owners, I Heart Jane makes an effort to make joining their marketplace as simple as possible. With their platform’s technology, dispensaries can update their menu daily or weekly, and Jane handles the rest.

I Heart Jane integrates in real time to the point of sale systems of cannabis businesses, giving them access to inventory and pricing, enabling the platform to act as a turnkey digital storefront that connects the products on their shelves with customers in real time looking for those products in their local area.

“How we explain it to our dispensary partners is, the hard part is getting the customer to know that you have that product.”

Dispensaries no longer need to worry about making sure their customers know every new strain they are dropping each week or what they have in stock. As long as they work with I Heart Jane, their products will always be up to date and available to anybody searching for them. As for how I Heart Jane helps the consumer, it’s as simple as searching for what you want.

Looking for that next-level craft cannabis? Simply type in the strain or product you are looking for, and Jane will show you every dispensary in the area that carries it. Have to wait until after work, but want to ensure it isn’t all gone before you can get there? You can set a specific pick-up time with the dispensary you choose and they will hold it for you until you arrive.

All it takes is one visit to I Heart Jane to see how simple it really is. What we are looking at with I Heart Jane is a revolutionary marketplace that will change the way we find and buy weed. It is Mary Jane, digitized. The Amazon of Weed.

Hear all about Socrate’s cannabis industry experience and entrepreneurial knowledge on this week’s episode of The Real Dirt Podcast!

 

 

Women in Cannabis

Women in Cannabis

by | Mar 5, 2018 | 420 Culture & Travel, 420 News, Blog, Business, Culture

The cannabis industry has been booming since it started, and an increasing number of women in cannabis is showing a promising trend for the future.

 

The legalized cannabis market has opened the door to an industry with a much stronger female presence compared to other industries, with more women in cannabis than many other industries.

Women in Cannabis

23% of executives across all US industries are female. In the cannabis industry, that number is a little bit higher, with recent statistics from 2017 showing 27% of executive positions in the cannabis industry are held by women. Additionally, women make up 42% of executive positions for ancillary services companies and 35% of medical dispensaries/recreational stores.

These numbers would suggest that the cannabis industry is more encouraging and accepting of female leaders and women in cannabis, yet the industry is still quite male-focused.

Re-imagining the Stoner

Take the stoner stereotype for example; the typical stoner was a young male who was lazy, sitting on the couch, like The Big Lebowski or Pineapple Express.

Now we all know that this stereotype is untrue for most of us, but the issue isn’t that the stereotype is that stoners are lazy, but that they are mostly men. Statistically, women consume just as much cannabis as men, with a survey from the Cannabis Consumers Coalition finding that 53% of women consume cannabis compared to only 42% of men.

This has led to products and groups created specifically aimed at female cannabis users and the women in cannabis.

A Brand New Marketplace

More feminine branded products like Canndescent are aimed at women who value design as much as they value good cannabis. AnnaBis is a female, odor-proof bag that women can store their cannabis in without having to worry about smell, while still staying fashionable.

With women holding more positions of power in the cannabis industry than any other US industry, we will see a whole new industry dynamic start to form. Other industries will hopefully learn the value of equal representation from men and women in positions of power, and the cannabis industry can act as a guide for inclusivity.

Tune into the new episode of The Real Dirt Podcast with Heather Moore from Earl’s in Leadville, as she discusses running her own grow and how she got into the cannabis industry as a woman.

Craft Cannabis: what is the ‘Craft’ difference?

Craft Cannabis: what is the ‘Craft’ difference?

by | Feb 22, 2018 | 420 Culture & Travel, Blog, Culture, Growing

Many people are exposed to cannabis in a very nonchalant way. They get passed a joint. The uninitiated may take two hits and pass and notice not much difference.

 

Every now and then, however, you will get passed a joint that gets you higher than a Georgia pine. This isn’t just the THC level. When cannabis smells overly aromatic, looks absolutely perfect like breakfast cereal, and sends your brain soaring through the atmosphere, you may have just experienced craft cannabis.

A new love for an old plant

Just like beer and liquor, cannabis can also be grown as a boutique crop. In the past 30 years due to its prohibited nature, cannabis has often been grown in the biggest and fastest way to produce as many grams per square foot. This has promoted really high yields and fast growing cannabis.

However something is lost in the commercialization of large-scale ganja.

Craft Cannabis

Craft cannabis is grown by artisans. They put all of their energy into the cannabis plant to grow perfect looking nuggets that smell and taste incredible. Yield and vigor may not even matter to them. This focus can bring the best out of even the most commercial weeds.

Compared to a large grow operation that produces cannabis en masse, craft cannabis is usually grown in small batches. Each individual plant in a batch gets close attention every step along the way, making it much less likely that a plant develops any sort of mold or disease.

Think about craft beer; microbrews, and slow-brewed coffee. These are all considered “craft” due to their small batch production and high attention to detail, giving way to much better flavors, aromas, and overall quality. Craft cannabis is no different.

Worth the effort?

Let’s not confuse the size of the cannabis operation or their technique to put them in a craft category. Cannabis can be grown on a large scale in this artesanal manner. It requires extra care, extra time and absolutely extra dollars.

Unfortunately, craft cannabis often doesn’t bring any higher price in the marketplace. It requires a certain marketing technique in order to bring a higher price. Think farm-direct or designer model.

So the next time you’re in the circle, and a whiff of blue smoke comes your way, hit the joint and roll the vapor across your palate. Then ask yourself, is this craft cannabis?

And don’t forget to tune in to the new episode of The Real Dirt, Monday February 26th. Chip sits down with Dave from Artizen Cannabis, a craft cannabis company based in Washington.

Marijuana Seeds vs Clones

Marijuana Seeds vs Clones

by | Feb 16, 2018 | 420 Culture & Travel, Blog, Broscience Mythbusters, Culture, Growing

If you asked a grower if they preferred marijuana seeds or clones, you probably wouldn’t get a straight answer. That’s because there is a divide between the community on which may be better.

 

Cultivation methods are changing all the time. Both marijuana seeds and clones have the potential to grow into a beautiful and healthy cannabis plant. While each has its benefits compared to the other, both also have downsides that should make you question which option is best for you.

Clones

To start with the end, if you are a new grower, clones are the way to go. Unlike marijuana seeds, clones are pieces of the cannabis plant, usually a lateral branch, that is cut off of the mother plant.Taking a clone from one mother strain will result in a plant identical to the one you took from. However, this does not come without any risks.

If the mother plant has a disease that wasn’t caught before clones were cut, those clones will carry that disease. Clones will also be much more sensitive upon replanting, and have an increased chance of transplant shock.

Transplanting alone can cause its own issues for an experienced grower. Newer growers should be wary of the attention a clone may need before sticking it in some soil and assuming it will grow with some water and light. It wouldn’t hurt to get advice from a master grower, which The Real Dirt has already done for you.

Cheap but risky

Clones overall are a cheap option, and sell for anywhere between $2 and $15 with the exception of the higher priced ones. The wide availability of clones has led to plenty of guides and information about growing individual strains. This means you can know what to expect of certain strains before you plant them.

An unfortunate downside to the wide availability of clones however, is just that; there are so many clones being sold and produced that mix-ups can happen, where a strain labeled one name is actually another. Even worse is shoddy clones suppliers that lie about their product in order to sell more.

If clones don’t seem all that enticing, marijuana seeds may be the better option.

Marijuana Seeds

Seeds are the start of life. Marijuana seeds start from the beginning. While for a new grower this may seem very intimidating, the benefits and rewards may well be worth the extra effort.

Because marijuana is an annual plant, it’s life cycle isn’t meant to last more than a few months. Seeds start young and grow a full life-cycle. This gives seeds stronger hearty roots and a firm tap root that a clone simply can’t achieve coming from a mother plant.

A fresh, mysterious start

Marijuana seeds lack the issues like mildew and bugs that a clone might inherit from its mother. They also have additional tolerances to wind and rain that make them much more vigorous and durable.

One of the downsides to seeds is the mystery. Unless you obtain feminized seeds which are bred to always grow female, you will not know the sex of your plant until a few weeks of taking care of it. There’s also the mystery of how a seed will grow, and it can take time with multiple of the same seed to dial it in and figure out the growth patterns. However there are plenty of seed banks that keep track of their specific strains and phenotypes so you don’t have to worry as much.

 

Lastly, marijuana seeds can be expensive. While some seeds can cost less than a clone, others can be outlandishly priced. Normally one can expect to pay around $10 for a single seed of a basic strain.

Which will you choose?

Both seeds and clones have their pros and cons, and choice of which to grow with is a matter of preference. Marijuana seeds will give the full experience of planting to harvesting and all of the knowledge and complications that come with it. Clones give your grow a kickstart, so you don’t have to worry about germinating and all of the other early stage processes. But, you add the risk of inherited diseases and complications of dealing with a clone.

It all depends how involved you really want to be with your grow. Whether just at the beginning to make sure your clone takes off, or there from the start to watch the marijuana seed you planted turn into a beautiful marijuana plant.