Why I write a blog and why you might care. I write this mostly to entertain and to journal our journey. I’m not a young man and I’d like to share some stories before I’m gone. I’m full of experience that some might find interesting and I’m smack dab in the middle of an industry in its legal infancy. There is going to be victories, turmoil and bloodshed as the legal cannabis industry finds its path in the next few years. I’m in a unique position as a 40 year veteran of the cannabis market who’s trying to cut it in the new regulated framework. I hope to bring these experiences forward in an engaging manner that will provoke thought from the readers and entertain you at the same time. It will be my platform to tell the stories we generate, remember and anticipate. It won’t be polished, as I’m not really a writer. It will be informative as a window into the real world of cannabis production and not the carefully crafted words of a large corporation trying to protect share prices. It’ll be my words, from the trenches, sharing hard truths, small wins, good and bad decisions, and the human impact of what we do.
We are the quintessential farm family. We represent the old school growers and the small family farms. We now have second generation growers learning from their parents the art of cannabis cultivation. We are trying to build a company that will withstand the challenges of this industry and be a family farming business that can be handed down to the next generation to continue the tradition.
Myself, a weed enthusiast for over 42 years, got my start in the cannabis world at school. I grew up in a small farming community just outside Edmonton Alberta and it was in grade 8 when I first tried pot. I’ll never forget how powerful it seemed at the time. This was a time when most cannabis available was from Columbia or Mexico and consisted of mostly stems and seeds. Makes me wonder what that would’ve tested at in terms of potency, certainly did the job no matter. Anyways, seemed I liked it as it has been a huge part of my life since. It was tough though being ostracized by many of my friends who I had grown up with because of my cannabis use. In a small town in those days, you start hanging out with the wrong crowds, word travels fast and it did become a problem between my parents and I. They were from another generation that didn’t understand that cannabis use didn’t make a person bad and didn’t destroy lives (unless the law was involved and that destroyed lives and tore families apart). I’ve tried to be a good ambassador for cannabis consumers and push back on the stigma my whole life and continue to do so to this day.
As a medical consumer, I feel I have an inside track on the issues facing those who use cannabis as medicine. There is no greater feeling than knowing that what we are doing every day in our jobs, is helping people manage their lives through their relationships with this wonderful plant that we’re growing. When I get feedback from patients thanking me for what we do and the care we take in doing it, I couldn’t be more proud of being a part of that, it’s an incredible feeling and one I cherish.
The idea of joining the legal cannabis market was born out of a quest to do what I loved, and being able to be proud of what I could do. For decades, we we’re forced into the shadows, faced the law hunting us down, shunned by family and forced to give up our rights and our medicine to earn a living. I had a grand vision of being that guy who came out from the shadows, who understood the culture and the business of cannabis, and who could show the country that we are a proud, tightknit community of peaceful folks who just like to get high and enjoy life. I wanted to sell the culture, the experience and the pleasure this plant can offer. I feel a bit like a hippie from the sixties, spreading peace and love, but that’s what this plant represents to me. It’s more than that though, with more and more medicinal uses being explored and tested, the future looks bright for cannabis. These are the very early days of this industry and it will be exciting watching it grow and mature from the inside.